It's quite a jump from kugel, schnecken and knishes to Krypton, YAG neodymium lasers, Nuclear Magnetic Resonators and Echo-cardiograms. But the noshers at Hadassah's Fun and Food Fest on Sunday, Oct. 29, will be supporting these medical wonders of Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center and Kiryat Hadassah in Israel while they taste authentic Jewish cuisine.
The fund-raiser, to be at the James L. White Jewish Community Center, 2416 E. 1700 South, Salt Lake City, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., will feature Nosh's Deli with separate kosher meat and dairy delicacies.There will be homemade matzo balls and chicken broth soup, kosher hot dogs with all the trimmings and the traditional lox and bagels with cream cheese and trimmings. Early attendees may be able to try a Russian specialty, cabbage pie, made by one of the Hadassah members.
At Nosh's dairy deli kugel, blintzes and knishes will be among the traditional cuisine offerings. Lunch can be finished off with a treat from Tevye's Dessert Bar, where strudel, New York-style cheesecakes, rugelach and a variety of homemade treats will be available.
A take-home bakery will be stocked with Challah, Mandelbrot, honey cakes and some Utah favorites such as carrot cake and fudge as well as blintzes etc.
The Fun and Food Fest is chaired by Terrie Pepper. Many of the 200 members of Salt Lake chapter of Hadassah joined in mass baking at the Jewish Community Center under the direction of Cecelia Siegel and Sonia Cohne. Colleen Cohne was volunteer coordinator and called committee members, coordinated supply donations and those offering their time at the Food Fest. Kay Glow, a member for over 40 years, will offer her handcrafted tea towels and butterfly magnets at the Food Fest. Also available for $10 will be a commemorative T-shirt with a colorful puff bagel design.
Admission to the Food Fest will be $1 for adults. Children under 12 get in free. The admission ticket can be dropped in one of five raffle boxes for the following raffle prizes: two ski passes to Snowbird; a large camping cooler; a travel bag; a hand-knit cardigan sweater donated by Jean Rafaelof and Shabbat dinner for six prepared by Hadassah members and served at Terrie Pepper's home.
Hadassah was organized in 1915 and now has 385,000 members in the United States. In America, Hadassah is concerned with a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, women's issues, civil rights and the status of the elderly.
In Israel, Hadassah was the first organization to bring modern medical care with the first nurses training, medical and dental schools, public health and social welfare systems. Annual combined inpatient load for Kiryat Hadassah/Mount Scopus facilities is 50,000 with outpatient visits in 92 clinics totaling 550,000 a year plus 100,000 emergency visits and 30,000 dental visits.
Vocational education is also a Hadassah concern, with Hadassah Community College in Jerusalem offering para-professional training in education, health, medicine and science. The Hadassah Vocational Guidance Institute offers counseling, testing and data for more than 400 professions.