Cost: FREE

Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month at the Free Library of Philadelphia with two renowned Culinarians, Dr Helene Jawhara Piñer and Chef Mike Solomonov. In conversation in the Skyline Room, Piñer and Solomonov will deep dive into the culinary heritage of Sephardim- Jews who lived in Spain until the Spanish Inquisition forced them to flee the kingdom or convert to Catholicism. Drawing in part on Dr Piner’s research in the archival manuscript resources during a recent fellowship at the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies at Penn Libraries, the conversation will also highlight the importance of these resources for understanding Sephardic heritage. The conversation coincides with the release of “Matzah and Flour”, Dr Piñer’s second cookbook of deeply researched recipes from Sephardic Jewish life from 12th to -17th century in Spain and the diaspora.

The event will be followed by a book signing by Helene Jawhara Piñer and a reception with food from “Matzah and Flour” prepared by CookNSolo.

This program is produced by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

Registration is required. This event is sold out but you may sign up for the waiting list on the registration page  

Hélène Jawhara Piñer is a PhD in Medieval History and the History of Food. She was awarded the American Sephardi Federation's Broome and Allen Fellowship in 2018 in recognition of her impressive academic accomplishments and service of the Sephardic community, and the David Gitlitz Emerging Scholar Prize in 2021 by the Society for Crypto Judaic StudiesHer research interests are the medieval culinary history of Spain through inter- and multiculturalism with a special focus on the Jewish culinary heritage written in Arabic. From Yale, Penn, Carnegie Mellon, The Hebrew University, Bar-Ilan University and beyond, Her book “Jews, Food and Spain” was a finalist in the Sephardi culture category at the Natonal Jewish book award in 2023. Piñer has given lectures on subjects such as Reflections on the Jewish heritage according to the Kitab al-tabih, "Jewish cuisine in the oldest cookbook of the Iberian Peninsula", "Jews and Muslims at the Table" and much more.

Michael Solomonov is a beloved champion of Israel's extraordinarily diverse and vibrant culinary landscape.  He is co-owner of CookNSolo Restaurants with hospitality entrepreneur, Steve Cook.  Together they own Philadelphia’s Zahav, the trailblazing restaurant where Solomonov is Chef, which has put the rich melting pot of Israeli cuisine at the forefront of dining in America today.  Solomonov is the co-author of three cookbooks, and the recipient of the following James Beard awards: 2011 “Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic”, 2016 “Best International Cookbook” and “Book of the Year” for his and business partner/co-author Steve Cook’s best-selling cookbook, Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking, and the 2017 “Outstanding Chef.”  In 2018, Zahav was recognized by Food & Wine Magazine as one of "The 40 Most Important Restaurants of the Past 40 Years" and in May of 2019,