Without a doubt, my favorite Jewish food is the pickle.  That fermented flavor and hearty crunch is the perfect ending to a corned beef sandwich.  Whenever I am at my favorite deli, I always swap the included side-order for an extra pickle.  And yes, I always choose a half-sour.  

For generations, pickled food made up a large portion of the impoverished shtetl Jew’s diet in Europe, especially during the long winter months.  And while pickling wasn’t unique to Jews, they took the culinary tradition with them to America and made it their own.  In the 1920s, the tenements of the Lower East Side boasted at least 80 Jewish pickle factories.  Today, one remains and is worth the schlep.  

Pickles are on my mind because last night the UJCVP was filled with pickle enthusiasts who came together for a night of noshing and kibitzing at a pickle-making workshop.  The sold-out experience was a fabulous night of reclaiming our historic craft and learning how to make a variety of different pickled products.  But I also think that pickles connect to a central and deep message in this week’s Torah portion.  

This week, Moses begins to warn the people of the dangers of entering the Land of Israel.  Beyond the physical threat of harm, he fears how being in their own land will change them.  For the first time the people will be growing their own food and not relying on the manna from Heaven that has provided sustenance throughout their wandering.  

“When you have eaten your fill, and have built fine houses to live in, and your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold have increased, and everything you own has prospered, beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget your God”  (Deuteronomy 8:12).

When they grow their own food, Moses cautions them against attributing their success solely to their own efforts.  Moses instructs them to make a blessing when they have eaten their fill, becoming the basis for the Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meal) we have today.   

We are challenged in this week’s Torah portion to question whether living comfortably leads us to taking what we have for granted.  Today we have reached a level of prosperity that is unprecedented in the history of the Jewish people.  But is our own hard work the only basis for our success?  The family into which we are born, the schools we attend, and the communities in which we are raised all play a major role in who we become and how we succeed.  How often do we pause to reflect on the contributing factors and the sources of our prosperity?

Where would we be if it wasn’t for the individuals and institutions, both known and unknown, who nurtured us along the way?  Where would our community be today if it wasn’t for the vision and dedication of those who cared so deeply and passionately before us?  Who or what are you thankful for and how do you show it?  

For me, eating a pickle is similar to reciting the Birkat HaMazon (Grace after Meal). It humbles and grounds me.  And even though I can afford to eat more lavishly, the pickle connects me with the people that came before who struggled and sacrificed to make a Jewish future.  

This Shabbat, let’s remember where we came from and how we got here.  Let’s reflect on the sacrifice and the contributions of those that came before.  And let’s never forget where our success comes from.   

Shabbat Shalom,
Eric Maurer
Executive Director
emaurer@ujcvp.org