Al-Jazeera article
Oh sure, al-Jazeera, let's all pretend Mizrahi Jews have never existed and every last bit of Middle Eastern culture comes from non-Jewish Arabs.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/03/201138105549300940.html
Although the Zionist project was led by Ashkenazi Jews who, indeed, grew up eating unspeakably gross things (Eastern European Jewish food gets my vote for worst cuisine on the planet), Mizrahi (Mid-Eastern/Causasian/African) Jews make up more than half of Israel's population. The claim that falafel is being appropriated by a foreign culture is nonsensical in light of the 50% of so of Israel's Jewish population who come from falafel-eating countries like Lebanon and Syria.
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I would also like to note that having had falafel in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Israel, Israeli falafel is superior by a power of ten. It's good enough that I am going to just state as a fact that Israeli falafel is the world's best. Thus adopting it as a cultural symbol is all the more justified because they make it so goddamn well.
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Speaking of Israelis, one started talking to me on the train post-gig last night and we had a quite pleasing discussion-argument about perceptions of Israel in British academia. I love random train conversations.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/03/201138105549300940.html
Although the Zionist project was led by Ashkenazi Jews who, indeed, grew up eating unspeakably gross things (Eastern European Jewish food gets my vote for worst cuisine on the planet), Mizrahi (Mid-Eastern/Causasian/African) Jews make up more than half of Israel's population. The claim that falafel is being appropriated by a foreign culture is nonsensical in light of the 50% of so of Israel's Jewish population who come from falafel-eating countries like Lebanon and Syria.
.
I would also like to note that having had falafel in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Israel, Israeli falafel is superior by a power of ten. It's good enough that I am going to just state as a fact that Israeli falafel is the world's best. Thus adopting it as a cultural symbol is all the more justified because they make it so goddamn well.
.
Speaking of Israelis, one started talking to me on the train post-gig last night and we had a quite pleasing discussion-argument about perceptions of Israel in British academia. I love random train conversations.