Special Event

Blintz is on at stadium Sunday for annual Jewish festival

Tables of Jewish and Israeli gifts and decorations help make festive the concourse at War Memorial Stadium during the Jewish Food & Cultural Festival.
Tables of Jewish and Israeli gifts and decorations help make festive the concourse at War Memorial Stadium during the Jewish Food & Cultural Festival.

For 364 days a year, it's very difficult to find a good knish in central Arkansas. But on the day of the annual Jewish Food & Cultural Festival, the delicious dough-wrapped mashed potato concoctions are served up by the dozens, along with other Jewish delicacies including rugelach.

Jewish Federation of Arkansas Executive Director Marianne Tettlebaum says, "The purpose of the festival is to bring our statewide Jewish community together to celebrate and share our Jewish traditions with the broader community."

Jewish Food & Cultural Festival

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock

Free admission

(501) 663-3571

jewisharkansas.org

The "culture" part of the festival comes in many forms, with special booths and displays sharing information about Jewish history and traditions.

There will be a replica of Jerusalem's Western Wall, a sacred site dating back millennia, where visitors can write prayers that will be taken to Israel and placed in the actual wall.

At the "Ask the Rabbi" booth, people can learn more about holidays such as Sukkot and Purim and customs like bar and bat mitzvahs.

A collection of local artists will be selling their artwork, crafts, jewelry and Judaica, and gift booths will offer T-shirts, books and traditional Jewish and Israeli items, from mezuzahs to shofars.

Jewish music will play throughout the day except at 10:45 a.m., when Israeli author Dorit Rabinyan will discuss his book, Food's Joys and Labors and the culinary connection between Persian and Jewish culture. His appearance is part of a collaboration between the festival, the Arkansas Literary Festival and the Consulate General of Israel in Houston.

"We're really excited about bringing a little bit more Israeli culture to the festival," Tettlebaum says.

But the big draw for many people is the food, a lineup of Jewish and Israeli dishes, most of which can only be found in Arkansas one day a year.

There are the more well-known items like bagels and corned beef sandwiches but then there's kugel (a pudding-like dessert or side dish), stuffed cabbage rolls, blintzes (crepes filled with cheese) and the ever-popular potato knishes.

"They're pretty labor-intensive," Tettlebaum says. "It's just a really delicious savory treat and something really hard to find unless you're at the festival."

In the bakery, people can buy packaged homemade baked goods to take home. But those who want chocolate babka (a type of chocolate bread) had better plan to arrive early.

"People are always crazy about the chocolate babka," Tettlebaum says. "We don't have that many bakers in our community that make it. It's a fantastic treat."

The menu isn't changing this year, Tettlebaum promises, but, "We're always tweaking to try to improve efficiency and quality. We're always working to get people served more quickly and to keep the quality of the food high."

And there are usually a lot of people, particularly during the 10 a.m.-2 p.m. lunch rush.

But regardless of crowds, there's plenty of free parking at the stadium and room for people to spread out a bit. While the booths and food are in the concourse area, the field will be where you will find games and inflatables for children to run off their energy. People are welcome to sit out in the open on the bleachers.

Admission to the festival is free, Tettlebaum points out, so, "It's really easy just to get a taste of the festival. You can come, walk through. Some booths have free samples."

If festivalgoers find something they like, they can buy food tickets with cash or credit cards at one of the ticket booths. The proceeds benefit the Jewish Federation of Arkansas' community service projects and nonprofit organizations.

"The Jewish community is just so excited about celebrating its traditions with everyone," Tettlebaum says. "We're really excited to let everyone feel part of our culture and our tradition for that day."

Weekend on 04/27/2017

Upcoming Events