 Lauren with her husband and two beautiful children Talking to real people about their stories was invaluable training for what I do now as "reality" producer Name: Lauren Eskelin Profession: EVP Programming, Truly Original. I am currently executive producing: The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Real Housewives of Potomac, Don't Be Tardy, Shahs of Sunset, and Summer House, all for Bravo. I have also proudly produced The It Factor, Engaged & Underage, and Princesses: Long Island. I love what I do. How did you come to do what you do? I watched a lot of TV but I loved movies. I studied filmmaking in college, and after graduating, I was looking for a film production job when I met a TV producer who hired me as her assistant. I went on set with her and I also scoured newspapers, magazines, book galleys, etc. looking for real stories to tell as scripted TV movies. Talking to real people about their stories was invaluable training for what I do now as "reality" producer. What is your favorite Jewish holiday or tradition? My favorite Jewish holiday is Passover and the Seder. It's all about the storytelling, although this year our family Seder was abbreviated beyond recognition! I also love symbolism and a gorgeously set table. What is your favorite food that you associate with Judaism? I honestly don't have an affinity for Jewish food. I've never outgrown my childhood distaste for gefilte fish, chopped liver, and kasha varnishkas. However, I never met a matzo ball I didn't like. What is your earliest memory of being Jewish? It must have been when I was about 7 or 8 at my grandparents' for Passover. I drank some wine and went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and thought "I'm drunk!" After that I suppose I was most connected to my Jewish roots when I was 10 and went to Israel. My most recent connection to my Jewishness was when I "wrote" a Hebrew letter in the Torah with a scribe. Suddenly I was crying tears of joy. I was (and still am) quite shocked by how moved I was by this, but I deeply felt a very strong connection to our forefathers/foremothers and our covenant. How do you incorporate Judaism into your daily life? These days my Judaism is expressed in the form of planning my son's Bar Mitzvah in Israel. Of his own volition, he has a very strong Jewish identity. A lot of planning is going into it and I'm excited to see him in his element.
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 PHOTO CREDIT: @Emily Hamilton Laux 2016 Each new exploration and every new contact in my Kosher Like Me sphere enriches my own perspective as a proud Jew Name: Liz Rueven, Westport, CT Profession: Food Blogger and Chief Nosher at www.kosherlikeme.com How did you come to do what you do? When I explore stories in the Jewish food world I get a kind of buzz of discovery, much like I did when I studied art history and discovered some hidden detail in a painting. Uncovering stories about food entrepreneurs, chefs, the background of a recipe or why we eat certain foods during holidays, really gets my engine going! Because I keep kosher by eating only vegetarian and fish when I'm away from my own kitchen, I began to examine menus and chefs’ attitudes more closely before choosing where to eat. When friends started asking me for recommendations, I realized that there are lots of like-minded eaters who are looking for similar restaurant experiences. So the blog really started out as a way to highlight restaurants that meet my criteria for vegetarian-friendly menus. But Kosher Like Me has blossomed into a platform for different kinds of information and inspiration. Now I share my experiences ranging from what I cook in my seasonal kitchen to how to navigate farm dinners. I share cookbook reviews, explore new food products and trends, and share timely information about foodie events that I consider not-to- be-missed. What is your favorite Jewish holiday or tradition? I love Pesach for the universal reminders about how we should value freedom and examine its relevance and importance each year. I also appreciate the deeply rooted food traditions and restrictions, many of which I learned more about when I co-authored a Pesach e-book with three other food bloggers from very different backgrounds. What is your favorite food that you associate with Judaism? I’m a sucker for a traditional dairy noodle kugel but only with full fat dairy, please! What is your earliest memory of being Jewish? My earliest memory is of dressing up like Queen Esther at about age 4. I was very proud to bear her namesake (my Hebrew name and that of my paternal grandmother). The rabbis at our wedding had a real ball when they married this Esther to Mordechai (my husband’s given name, although he’s always used a nickname). How do you incorporate Judaism into your daily life? Keeping kosher full time is a fairly recent commitment which my husband and I decided to embrace together. Making Kosher Like Me choices prompts me to consider what to eat with greater awareness. In the past couple of years, as my blog grew, I decided to avoid using social media on Shabbat. I highly recommend it to all who feel too plugged in. Taking 24 hours off each week is a great way to restore. My work in the Jewish food world has led me to meet a wider swath of friends than I ever expected. Among them are farmers, chefs, food entrepreneurs, influencers and thought leaders, editors, photographers, writers, vintners, students and small business owners. Each new exploration and every new contact in my Kosher Like Me sphere enriches my own perspective as a proud Jew. If you didn’t know that this savory, vegetarian galette is symbolic you’d think it was just another tasty baking project with seemingly unrelated ingredients. But you’d be wrong. Liz has kindly shared with us her seasonally inspired recipe for this jammy galette with goat cheese, silan (date honey) and olives.  |