For Such a Time
The Memory of Brave Queen Esther Lives On
New Tokyo Shishi Podcast Episode alert! Episode 7 dropped in time for the Jewish Feast of Purim. More than a history of the holiday or a recipe, good as that would be for hamantaschen/oznei haman, this is the story of a real friend and the bravery of his mother.
We speak about the warmth of Persia, what it is to be a Persian Jew and Israeli, the bravery needed by Iranian women and by Israeli women.
I also freak out over the gorgeous scent of dried Persian limes, fenugreek, dill, and our baskets of fresh parsley and cilantro. It is too much in the BEST way.
Join us here for Ladan’s story and a bubbling pot of choresh sabzi—-a soup fit for a queen.
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Above photo taken by Yonatan Tilan
The list Eliraz sent me:
Plus 5-6 cups Basmatic rice
More in another post, but for now, the link and these pics!
Hi Melissa,
I recently came across your Substack Jewish Food Writing and was truly moved by your thoughtful exploration of identity, food, and memory. Your voice—personal, poetic, and generous—resonated with many of the themes I’m exploring in my own project, Beyond Babylon, a book-in-progress and storytelling platform that traces the foodways of the Baghdadi Jewish diaspora across South and Southeast Asia.
Given your background in writing, mentoring, and your deep interest in Jewish culinary narratives, I’d love to explore a potential collaboration. Perhaps a crossover between our platforms, a shared post, interview, or even something more long-term. I think our audiences—and we as writers—could really learn from and enrich each other’s journeys.
Would you be open to a conversation?
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Elli Benaiah
Beyond Babylon | beyondbabylon.substack.com