Diaspora Identities: Jewish Bakeries and Baked Goods in London and Berlin
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Abstract
This essay investigates how material culture acts as an agent of cultural construction when social and cultural practices are geographically displaced. It does this by taking a comparative look at current Jewish Diaspora communities in London and Berlin, and by analyzing the production, consumption and broader meaning of three Jewish baked goods – matzos, challah and bagels - in the context of Diaspora communities in these two cities.
The comparison between London and Berlin also allows a consideration of the construction of 'locality'/'setting', particularly in the transient sense of a fluid concept of sense-of-place as constructed against a backdrop of material culture; additionally, the level of religious observance; the contrast of notions of 'fixed' and 'fluid', and 'traditional' and 'cosmopolitan'; and the agency of the baked goods themselves is observed and analyzed.
The comparison between London and Berlin also allows a consideration of the construction of 'locality'/'setting', particularly in the transient sense of a fluid concept of sense-of-place as constructed against a backdrop of material culture; additionally, the level of religious observance; the contrast of notions of 'fixed' and 'fluid', and 'traditional' and 'cosmopolitan'; and the agency of the baked goods themselves is observed and analyzed.
Topics
Food Jewish Identity Artefacts and Material Culture Jewish Culture Main Topic: Other Jewish Neighbourhoods
Genre
Geographic Coverage
Original Language
Volume/Issue
4
Page Number / Article Number
48-63
DOI
Link
Link to article including link to pdf, Diaspora Identities: Jewish Bakeries and Baked Goods in London and Berlin
Bibliographic Information
Diaspora Identities: Jewish Bakeries and Baked Goods in London and Berlin. 2008: 48-63. https://archive.jpr.org.uk/10.4000/transtexts.249
