Post-World War II Resources Lesson Plans Food in the Jewish Tradition by Miriam Gettinger, Miki Hamstra, Sherry Hamstra, and Jane Hedeen

Introduction Overview/Description This lesson coordinates with the You Are There 1950: In this lesson students will learn how traditional Making a Jewish Home component of the Indiana Jewish food symbolizes different characteristics or Experience at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick beliefs about God and is a reminder of important Indiana History Center. events in Jewish history. In this experience, visitors are invited to step back Learning/Instructional Objectives in time to April 5, 1950, to visit the Kaplan family in their Union Street home a year after their resettle- Students will: ment in Indianapolis from a post-World War II •• examine and analyze two historical photos displaced-persons camp. The Kaplans, Jewish that show different types of bread in the refugees from Poland, were making a new home Jewish tradition and building a new life in Indianapolis after surviv- ing the Nazi horrors in Europe. They resettled in •• be able to explain that many foods in the Indianapolis with the help of Jewish Social Services, Jewish tradition serve as symbols to help Jew- the Indianapolis Chapter of the National Council of ish people understand their history and faith Jewish Women, and the Indiana Refugee Service. •• cite leavened and unleavened bread The curriculum is intended to provide historical as examples of symbolic foods in the context for life in Indiana in the postwar era and the Jewish tradition Jewish community in Indianapolis. The lesson may •• be able to define vocabulary related to bread be used to prepare students for a visit to You Are and its role Jewish tradition. There 1950: Making a Jewish Home or it may be used as a follow-up to a visit. In addition, the historical Grade Level context and themes will be relevant to classroom Elementary (grades 1 and 4) instruction even if a visit is not possible. You Are There 1950: Making a Jewish Home opens on October 11, 2011, and will remain open through September 2012.

© 2011 Indiana Historical Society All rights reserved This is a publication of the Indiana Historical Society, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269 USA. Except for copying portions of the teacher resources by educators for classroom use, or for quoting of brief passages for reviews, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without written permission of the copyright owner. All inquiries should be addressed to the Public Programs Division, Indiana Historical Society. Teacher Resource available online: http://www.indianahistory.org/. Academic Standards for the Social Studies °° “Mrs. Frania Kaplan Shops at •• Indiana Standards Shapiro’s Deli” (Indiana Historical Society Digital Image Collections, Item ID °° Grade 1 M0463_BOX1_FOLDER10_001). • Social Studies 1.3.8––Compare °° “Berek (Benny) Kaplan Working at cultural similarities and differences, Old Kraft Bakery ”(Indiana Historical such as family traditions and customs, Society Digital Image Collections, Item ID and the traditional clothing and food M0463_BOX1_FOLDER10_002). of various ethnic and cultural groups found in Indiana. (Individuals, Society •• One loaf of leavened bread (sandwich bread) and Culture) •• Matzohs (unleavened bread) °° Grade 4 •• Ingredients for making bread dough1 • Social Studies 4.1.12––Describe the °° Three cups of water transformation of Indiana through immigration and through develop- °° Fifty grams (approximately four ments in agriculture, industry, and teaspoons) of dry yeast transportation. (Individuals, Society °° One cup of sugar or honey and Culture) (or a mixture of both) • Social Studies 4.3.10––Identify °° Three eggs immigration patterns and describe the impact diverse ethnic and cultural °° One cup of oil groups have had on Indiana. °° Three tablespoons of salt (Individuals, Society and Culture) °° One-and-a-half-pound bag •• National Standards (National Council for the (approximately twelve cups) of flour Social Studies) (whole wheat, white, or a mixture of both) °° I Culture; IV Individual Development •• Instructions for the “Science of Bread” and Identity; V Individuals, Groups, and activity from the Exploratorium’s Web site. Institutions; and IX Global Connections. °° Download instructions at http://www Social Studies/Historical Concepts .exploratorium.edu/cooking/bread /activity-yeast.html .(accessed Ethnic diversity, Jewish religion, ethnic traditions, September 8, 2011). and American life and culture •• Materials for the “Science of Bread” activity Time Required °° One packet of active dry yeast One class period °° One cup of very warm water Materials Required (105° to 115° F) •• Copies of the following images from the °° Two tablespoons of sugar Indiana Historical Society collections. Refer to pages eight and nine of this lesson. 1. Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller, “Challah: The Divine Dough,” Aish.com, accessed September 7, 2011, http://www.aish.com/sh /trai/48970616.html.

2 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society °° One large rubber balloon Jews celebrate Passover to remember how God spared them. During the seven days of Passover, °° One small (one pint to one liter) Jews do not eat leavened bread (bread that has been empty water bottle allowed to rise) in memory of this act. Background/Historical Context When the Pharaoh finally freed the Israelites, they Bread has a very important place in Jewish tradition had to flee Egypt very quickly. The Passover guide- and faith. In the Torah (Jewish book of faith) there book (the Haggada) notes that matzoh is eaten at are many references to bread. One specific reference the Seder meal during Passover. As the Israelites comes from Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man does not live fled Egypt, the bread dough that they had made and by bread alone, but rather by what comes forth from took with them did not have time to rise and baked God’s mouth does man live.”2 This means eating in the desert’s midday sun. (Exodus 12:39). Today bread keeps our bodies alive, while the word of matzoh bread serves as a dual symbol for Jewish God provides food for our souls. For people of the people––for their suffering and their freedom. Jewish faith, bread serves as a symbol of the way A mitzvah, meaning commandment, for women God feeds our souls. When Jewish people eat called “separating challah” also relates to bread. challah, a special bread made of dough braided into When women bake bread that contains a certain loaves and served on the Sabbath (Shabbos) and at amount of flour, they must remove a small many holiday meals, they think about how they are piece of dough, called challah, prior to baking. connected to God. In Biblical times, this piece of dough was given to Matzoh, a crisp, flat, unleavened bread, plays a the Kohanim (rabbi) in the Temple as an offering. significant role in Jewish tradition. The Torah Today, the dough is either burnt or kept for a period tells how the Jews (Israelites) were enslaved in of time and then discarded. The word challah is also Egypt during Biblical times. Their Egyptian captors used to refer to the special Shabbos loaves (bread served them matzoh because it was a simple, but eaten on the Sabbath or holidays), which is reminis- filling, food. cent of the “showbread” placed in the Temple on a special golden table during Biblical times.3 Matzoh is a symbol of bondage for the Jews. It is called “lechem onee,” meaning the bread of afflic- Teacher’s Instructional Plan tion. Matzoh also plays a central role in the story of Jewish emancipation from slavery and their escape Introduction from Egypt. The book of Exodus describes how Introduce the lesson by telling students that God sent a series of plagues (disasters) upon the they will be learning about foods that have Egyptian people in order to convince Egypt’s special meaning for people of the Jewish faith. Pharaoh to free the Israelites. In particular, they will see how bread serves as During the time of the plagues, God had Moses a symbol for Jewish people to represent the instruct the Israelites to sacrifice (kill) a lamb on the ways that God has provided for them as His tenth day of the month of Nissan (the first month “chosen people.” of the Jewish calendar year; the equivalent of March- •• Give each student copies of the images of April in the English calendar). They were to eat the Benny Kaplan baking bread at the Kraft flesh of the lamb according to special instructions Bakery and Fanny Kaplan shopping at and mark their doorways with the blood of the Shapiro’s Deli. lamb so that God would skip over their house when sending the next plague. These actions were called a 3. Esther S. Blau, ed., Lubavitch Women’s Passover sacrifice to the Lord. Each spring, Organization, Junior Division. The Spice and Spirit 2. Ibid. of Kosher-Jewish Cooking (Brooklyn, NY: Lubavitch Women’s Organization, 1977), 76.

3 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society °° Copies of the images are found on pages °° Ask students to examine this photo to see eight and nine of this lesson. if they can find the two different types of bread (leavened and unleavened) for sale •• Ask students to examine the loaves of bread in Shapiro’s Deli. that Mr. Kaplan is baking. •• Ask students if they have noticed matzoh for °° Does this look like bread that they are sale in the grocery store that they use. used to eating? °° What does it say about the diversity of °° What about it is similar? our community, where specialty grocery What, if anything, is different? stores such as Shapiro’s Deli sell foods to •• Tell the students that this bread is leavened specific ethnic or religious groups? bread, which means that the dough rises either °° What does it say about the diversity of because it contains yeast, baking powder, or our community, where specialty foods are baking soda, or it has been allowed to sit long sold in large, chain grocery stores such as enough for the fermentation process to begin. Kroger, Marsh, or Meijer? °° Fermentation occurs as sugars in the •• Tell students that matzoh is a special type of dough are converted into alcohol and unleavened bread that Jews eat each spring carbon dioxide gas is released, causing during the Passover holiday, when they the dough to rise. remember how God saved the Israelites •• There are two types of bread––leavened (Jewish people) from slavery in Egypt. and unleavened. °° Before the Egyptian ruler (pharaoh) °° Leavened bread dough has been allowed decided to listen to God’s advice and free to rise. the Israelites, God told them to be ready to leave Egypt at a moment’s notice. So • Sandwich bread is an example of the Israelites would be ready to leave leavened bread. quickly on the long, difficult journey °° Unleavened bread does not contain yeast, across the desert, God told them to eat baking soda, or baking powder, or the only unleavened bread for seven days. dough has not been allowed to rise. •• Share with students that it takes eighteen • Breads such as chapatti (Indian flat- minutes for bread dough to begin rising and bread), bammy (Jamaican flatbread), the fermentation process to begin. flatkaka (an Icelandic flatbread), and °° Any bread dough that sits for more than matzoh (a traditional Jewish flatbread) eighteen minutes without being baked will are all examples of unleavened bread. produce leavened bread. •• Ask students to examine the photograph of •• Ask students to consider the connection Mrs. Kaplan and her children shopping at between unleavened bread and the ability to Shapiro’s Deli. quickly depart. °° Explain that Shapiro’s Deli was a Jewish- •• Tell students that matzoh is a special food owned business in Indianapolis that for Jewish people. stocked many specialty foods eaten by Jews. °° They eat it to remember how God saved them from slavery. They think about their freedom and their relationship to God.

4 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society •• Tell students that bread that has risen •• After establishing which bread is leavened (leavened bread) is also symbolic for and which is unleavened, remind students that Jewish people. it is the process of fermentation that makes leavened bread. °° A special type of leavened bread that Jews eat is called challah. Because the °° The dough of the leavened bread dough has risen or “puffed up,” leavened has been allowed to rise. In this case, bread reminds Jewish people that they the dough contains yeast (an agent should not let themselves be “puffed up” or ingredient) that triggers the with pride, but should be humble fermentation process. before God. •• Tell students that you are about to conduct •• Ask students if they eat any special foods an experiment showing them how yeast does that are connected to their ethnic or its job. religious heritage. •• Follow the activity instructions for the °° Are these foods eaten at holidays or Exploratorium’s “Science of Bread: special days? Yeast-Air Balloons.” °° Do these foods have special meaning? •• Ask students to write down their observations in a notebook. °° Examples include Holy Communion, in the Christian tradition, or eating abalone •• Following the experiment, tell students that (sea snails) during the Chinese New Year during the fermentation process the yeast to symbolize good fortune for the produced carbon dioxide in the bottle, which, coming year. in turn, caused the balloon to inflate. °° A similar process happens in bread dough. Procedure Carbon dioxide, created when yeast reacts •• Tell students that they are now going to have a with the sugar and flour in the bread chance to see and taste the difference between dough, makes thousands of bubbles that leavened and unleavened bread. cause the dough to inflate (rise). •• Give each student a piece of matzah and a slice of leavened bread (sandwich bread). Glossary Leavened bread––a substance such as yeast or •• Ask the class: baking powder in bread dough that causes it to °° Which bread is leavened? What do you rise when carbon dioxide gas is produced through observe that makes you say that? the process of fermentation. °° Which bread is unleavened? What do you Unleavened bread––dough that does not see (or not see) that makes you say that? contain leaven, such as yeast or baking powder, that causes it to rise. Or, dough baked within eigh- •• Allow students to taste each type of bread. teen minutes, before the fermentation °° NOTE: Before doing this activity, make process begins. sure to check for food allergies that may Fermentation––The digestion of matter by prevent students from tasting either type bacteria, yeast, or some other small organism. of bread. In bread, yeast digests the sugars in the dough and produces carbon dioxide.

5 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society Agent––A chemically, biologically, or physically •• Invite a representative from a local synagogue active substance that produces a reaction. Yeast is (or the parent of a Jewish child in your class) an agent that causes fermentation in bread. to visit the classroom and discuss the symbolism of Jewish foods. Challah––An egg-rich, yeast-leavened bread that is usually braided or twisted before baking and is Additional Resources traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath or holidays. Publications Matzoh––A brittle, flat, unleavened bread eaten Kimmelman, Leslie. The Little Red Hen and the by Jews during the Passover holiday. Passover Matzah. New York: Holiday House, 2010. Just as it happened in the original story, no Assessment one will help Little Red Hen. She makes The teacher may use a pretest to gauge prior the Passover matzoh herself, but everyone knowledge on leavened and unleavened bread, wants to eat it. What’s a chicken to do? A the fermentation process, and the symbolism recipe for matzoh and a Yiddish glossary of Jewish food. After the activity is completed are included. a second test may be used to assess student learning. Kroph, Latifa Berry. It’s Challah Time! Minneapolis: Suggested Modifications Kar-Ben Publishers, 2002. •• If facilities for baking exist at school, Photographs showcase children in a consider making leavened and unleavened Jewish preschool as they prepare for Shab- bread with students. bat, the Jewish Sabbath, by making chal- lah, a traditional, braided egg bread. °° A recipe for matzah is available at the My Jewish Learning Web site, http:// Krulik, Nancy. No Matzoh for Me! New York: www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays Grosset and Dunlap, 2003. /Jewish_Holidays/Passover/At_Home This book is a kid-friendly Passover story. /Food_and _the_Kitchen Imaging Sammy’s disappointment at not /Matzah_Baking.shtml being chosen to portray one of the ten (accessed September 8, 2011). plagues in his school Passover play. Who °° A simple challah recipe is available at the wants to play the part of a matzoh? Temple David Web site, http://www Ziefert, Harriet. Passover: Celebrating Now, .templedavid.org/recipe/recipes20.html Remembering Then. Maplewood, NJ: (accessed September 8, 2011). Blue Apple Books, 2010. •• Complete the “Family Food Favorites” lesson available from the Indiana Historical Web sites Society Web site at http://www.indianahistory. Mindel, Nissan. “Bread – Nature’s Wonderland.” org/teachers-students/teacher-resources/class- Chabad.org Tzivos Hashem Kids! http://www toom-tools/immigration-and-ethnic-heritage/ .chabad.org/kids/article_cdo/aid/114797 familyfood.pdf (accessed September 8, 2011). /jewish/Bread.htm (accessed September 9, 2011). °° This lesson discusses food in the context This article describes the importance of family heritage and helps students to and symbolism of bread in the consider how food has meaning in their Jewish tradition. own lives.

6 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society “Matzah: What’s Up With It?” Chabad.org Tzivos Hashem Kids! http:www.chabad.org /kids/article_cdo/aid/1361542/jewish /Matzah-Documentary.htm (accessed September 10, 2011). This humorous documentary for young children explains how to make matzoh. Public Broadcasting Service. The Meaning of Food. http://www.pbs.org/opb/meaningoffood/ (accessed September 9, 2011). This site explores the cultural meaning of a variety of foods.

7 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society “Mrs. Frania Kaplan Shops at Shapiro’s Deli” (Indiana Historical Society Digital Image Collections, Item ID M0463_BOX1_FOLDER10_001). Item ImageDigital (Indiana Historical Society Deli” Collections, KaplanFrania Shapiro’s Shops at “Mrs.

8 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society

“Berek (Benny) Kaplan Working at Old Kraft Bakery ”(Indiana Historical Society Digital Image Collections, Item ID at Old Kraft Bakery ”(Indiana Historical Society Digital Image Collections, “Berek (Benny) Kaplan Working M0463_BOX1_FOLDER10_002).

9 Post-World War II Resources • Lesson Plans • Food in the Jewish Tradition • Indiana Historical Society