Eat, drink and learn at the Jewish Food Festival

SLIDESHOW:The Jewish Food Festival

Smells of cooking food wafted outside Keneseth Beth Israel yesterday afternoon. The aroma of what waited on the other side of the doors whetted the appetite.

Inside the synagogue on Patterson Avenue, volunteers were bustling about, exchanging empty service dishes with piping hot replacements.

Nearly 30 minutes into the two-day Jewish Food Festival, tables were full with people sampling the variety of dishes available.

Food selections ranged from a surprisingly sweet carrot kugel to melt-in-your-mouth corned beef.

However, the festival encompassed more than just Jewish delicacies. It was a cultural event aimed at informing the public about the Jewish religion.

Different foods were tied to the various holidays -- Rosh Hashana, Hanukkah, Lag b'Omer, Purim and Shabbat.

"We try to do a holiday theme . . . just to get people familiar with the Jewish holidays and what foods are predominant with those holidays," said Diane Goldberg, who helped organize the festival this year.

After a hiatus of several years, the festival was rejuvenated last year to great success. Members of Keneseth Beth Israel hope to expand on that this year with extra food and an additional day.

Bands played throughout yesterday afternoon, lectures were held to inform about the Jewish foods people were eating, and there were tours of the synagogue.

"We try to offer a lot of different educational events, too," Goldberg said.

Alexander Lebenstein autographed copies of his book "The Gazebo," which details his survival during the Holocaust.

Young and old alike enjoyed their time at the food festival. When the music started, children began impromptu dancing. Others enjoyed sampling the different foods on hand.

Charles Adler, who moved to Richmond about five weeks ago, used the festival as a time to meet others in the Jewish community.

Food-festival volunteer Helen Fine Griffin helped celebrate the second birthday of her grandson, Jack Chumbris, this weekend. Before Jack and his parents returned to their home in Washington, they spent some time at the food festival.

The event was a good opportunity to spend time with family and experience parts of another culture.

As for the assorted foods, "there are no calories in the food you eat at a food festival," Griffin said with a smile and a laugh before returning to the bustling activity.

Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or .