For cookbook author Adeena Sussman, moving to Tel Aviv reshaped her kitchen — and her life
(RNS) — Her goal, she told a Pittsburgh JCC audience, is to show Israel in a lens not political or religious, but to cook, tell stories and share who she is authentically living there.
(RNS) — Her goal, she told a Pittsburgh JCC audience, is to show Israel in a lens not political or religious, but to cook, tell stories and share who
Read Full Story at Religion News Service →Why This Matters
The culinary world often frames migration as a professional pivot, but Adeena Sussman’s move to Tel Aviv reveals how relocation can fundamentally reshape creative identity. Her shift isn’t just about recipes—it’s a redefinition of authenticity through food, challenging Western-centric narratives of Israeli culture and diasporic belonging.
Background Context
Tel Aviv’s culinary scene has evolved from a niche Mediterranean hub into a global crossroads, blending Levantine traditions with immigrant influences from North Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. Sussman’s work arrives amid a broader reckoning in food media about who gets to narrate cultural stories, particularly in regions often reduced to geopolitical soundbites rather than lived experience.
What Happens Next
As Sussman’s cookbook gains traction, her approach could influence how other diasporic chefs reconcile cultural duality in their work. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv’s food landscape continues to diversify, with chefs increasingly drawing from Palestinian, Ethiopian, and other underrepresented culinary traditions—a shift that may challenge Sussman’s own narrative to expand or adapt.
Bigger Picture
Sussman’s story reflects a growing trend among creators who use food as a lens to humanize contested spaces, bypassing polarized rhetoric. It also spotlights how cosmopolitan cities like Tel Aviv are becoming testing grounds for culinary diplomacy, where cuisine serves as both cultural bridge and commercial enterprise.
