FOODISH by ANU-Museum of the Jewish People Launches Global ChallahFest, Bringing a New Generation Together Through Jewish Food, Culture and Identity to Seven Cities Worldwide

The international festival kicks off in New York City and concludes in Tel Aviv, featuring an original photography exhibition, culinary events, community gatherings and challah creations inspired by global Jewish traditions. The launch marks FOODISH’s first international initiative.

November 6–29, 2026 | New York, Chicago, Washington, Boston, Atlanta, London and Tel Aviv

FOODISH by ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, the world’s largest Jewish museum, will launch its first international ChallahFest from November 6–29, 2026. Now in its second year, the festival is expanding beyond Israel for the first time, bringing together chefs, cookbook authors, artists, bakers and Jewish communities across seven cities to explore Jewish life through one of its most beloved culinary traditions.

The festival marks the global launch of FOODISH by ANU, a cultural initiative conceived and led by founder and CEO Merav Oren. Originally established as the culinary department of ANU - Museum of the Jewish People, FOODISH draws on the museum's vision of bringing Jewish stories to life and connecting Jewish communities in Israel and around the world. 

FOODISH brings a fresh, contemporary approach to Jewish culture through food, digital storytelling, creative experiences, and international collaborations. Through culinary traditions, it creates new ways for younger generations to connect with Jewish identity, take pride in their heritage, and actively shape the culture they carry forward. ChallahFest is the first global manifestation of this broader mission.

Opening in New York City, ChallahFest will travel across the United States and to London before concluding in Tel Aviv with an expansive program of art, culinary creativity and cultural encounters. 

At the heart of ChallahFest is the belief that food is much more than nourishment. Challah, a familiar presence on Shabbat tables worldwide, carries generational stories of family, migration, memory and tradition. While its ingredients, shapes and preparation vary across communities, it remains a powerful symbol of Jewish identity and a shared cultural connection.

“Challah is an enduring symbol of the Jewish Shabbat table, connecting generations of families and communities through a shared tradition that is both deeply personal and universally Jewish," said Oded Revivi, CEO of ANU - Museum of The Jewish People. "At ANU, we believe that connecting the next generation to Jewish identity requires more than preserving our past. It means creating meaningful, relevant experiences that allow young people to discover their heritage, make it their own and shape its future."

"FOODISH by ANU embodies this vision,” Revivi added. “What began as the culinary department of ANU is now growing into a global initiative, bringing Jewish food, culture and identity to communities around the world in new and inspiring ways. We believe deeply in FOODISH and in its potential to build bridges between communities, engage a new generation and demonstrate how our shared traditions bring us closer together, even as we celebrate the extraordinary diversity of Jewish life. ChallahFest marks an exciting milestone in this journey, and we see it as the beginning of something with the potential to grow far beyond borders.”

“You cannot build a living Jewish culture by asking the next generation to simply remember it. You have to give them something they want to be part of,” said Merav Oren, founder and CEO of FOODISH. “That’s the idea behind FOODISH. A challah can become a conversation, a work of art or a rave. We’re creating experiences that give young people the freedom to reinterpret our traditions and shape what Jewish life becomes. ChallahFest is just the beginning.”

A Global Celebration of Jewish Food and Culture

Spanning seven cities culminating in Tel Aviv, ChallahFest will unite Jewish communities through culinary tastings, panel discussions, baking workshops, special gatherings and creative interpretations of challah. 

The international lineup features leading voices in Jewish food and culture, including New York Times bestselling cookbook author and television personality Jake Cohen, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joan Nathan, chef and restaurateur Einat Admony, as well as a diverse group of international chefs, artists and creators.

"ChallahFest is an invitation to get your hands in the dough and make Jewish tradition your own," said Jake Cohen. "Baking something to share with others is one of the most intimate ways to build the kind of community you want to be part of."

Joan Nathan added: "A challah recipe can tell you where a family came from and how its traditions may have changed along the way. ChallahFest offers a new generation the opportunity to discover these stories and keep them going."

City-by-City Program Highlights

The festival opens in New York City with a special contest edition meet-and-greet  where a select group of fans can win a spot to hang with Jake Cohen at William Greenberg Desserts, and one of FOODISH's original ChallahFest DIY Kit, which offers creative ways to reinterpret the traditional loaf. The New York calendar also includes an open Q&A with Joan Nathan, a Kabbalat Shabbat gathering with chef Einat Admony and chef and DJ Falmer in partnership with OneTable, a DJ-led Challah Rave and a special challah-inspired pop-up by Seed + Mill.

"We've watched challah bring New York families together for generations," said Carol Becker, owner of William Greenberg Desserts, the primary partner for ChallahFest. "We're thrilled to be part of ChallahFest and to share that joy with young New Yorkers. It's an invitation to celebrate and start traditions they'll carry for years to come."

In Chicago, a Friday-night dinner will offer a playful take on the Shabbat staple with challah-on-a-stick. 

Washington will host a panel about challah, culture and identity featuring chef and television host Pati Jinich alongside multidisciplinary artist Alexander “Zoonder” Lachnish, moderated by FOODISH founder and CEO Merav Oren.

In Boston, a student challah-baking competition and conversations about food, language, family and belonging will connect younger generations with Jewish culinary heritage.

Atlanta will bring together local bakeries, tastings and community gatherings around the stories behind challah.

London’s program will feature an intergenerational panel about challah, home and belonging with renowned food historian Claudia Roden and cookbook author Adeena Sussman, alongside Falmer, a chef, DJ and culinary content creator.

The program also includes challah-inspired creations by culinary content creator Ben Rebuck, with a special takeover at Bracha & Mazal restaurants.

Tel Aviv: Where Art, Culinary Creativity and Tradition Meet

The festival will conclude at ANU - Museum of the Jewish people in Tel Aviv with a multi-day program placing challah at the intersection of contemporary art, gastronomy, and cultural heritage.

The visual centerpiece of the finale is an original capsule photography exhibition created especially for ChallahFest by fine-art photographer Sivan Roshianu and chef and multidisciplinary artist Alexander “Zoonder” Lachnish. Conceived and curated by Merav Oren, the exhibition presents challah through a fresh conceptual lens, exploring its role from the family kitchen to its broader status as an emblem of identity, memory and belonging. Featured works including A Shabbat Emergency Kit, Bread of Tears, Challah Tetris, and What Makes a Challah a Challah? transform the staple loaf into an object of artistic inquiry.

For one weekend only, a curated lineup of bakeries from all across Israel will present exclusive interpretations of challah, ranging from a revived ancient Andalusian pastry and a traditional Tunisian good-luck challah to a croissant combining Jewish tradition with French pâtisserie.

Participating bakeries include: Hagay Bread, Mattarello, Cafe Tzin (BOTZ), Ronale by Zohar, David Laor, Nichochot Haim, Paname and Russell’s Bakery.

The Tel Aviv program will also feature a culinary celebration inspired by the Italian sagra tradition of community food festival alongside a special challah-tasting event showcasing the diversity of local baking traditions and the creativity of a new generation of bakers with original challahs made exclusively for the festival.

Together, these events offer a distinctly Israeli conclusion to an international celebration, demonstrating how a shared culinary tradition can inspire new artistic expressions while preserving its connection to Jewish life and heritage.

About FOODISH by ANU

FOODISH by ANU Is a global cultural initiative born at ANU-Museum of the Jewish People, dedicated to telling the Jewish story through food.

Founded by Merav Oren and developed from the museum's culinary department, FOODISH brings Jewish culture to life through cultural events, digital storytelling, creative experiences and international collaborations. Its mission is to help younger generations connect with Jewish identity, develop a sense of belonging and actively shape the culture they carry forward.

Learn more at https://anumuseum.org.il/events/challahfest/

About ANU – Museum of the Jewish People

Located in Tel Aviv, ANU – Museum of the Jewish People is the world’s largest Jewish museum and one of the most technologically advanced museums of its kind. Through innovative exhibitions, digital experiences and educational and cultural programs, ANU explores Jewish history, culture and identity while celebrating the diversity of Jewish communities in Israel and around the world. Guided by its vision of connecting Jewish communities in Israel and worldwide, the museum fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens the bonds that unite the Jewish people.

ANU - Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv

Photo Sivan Roshianu & Alexander Lachnish (aka Zoonder) for FOODISH by Anu - EXILE