Homeland of the Jewish Soul: A History of the Jewish Deli, a talk by Ted Merwin September 30, 2009

Ted Merwin, a scholar of American Jewish culture, will discuss his forthcoming book, Homeland of the Jewish Soul: A History of the Jewish Deli. Merwin suggests that the deli occupied a status on par with the synagogue as a communal gathering space; as such it became a primary place for Jews to strengthen their connections to their roots and simultaneously move into the mainstream of American society. The overstuffed deli sandwich, named after the celebrities of the day and served in New York’s theater district, thus became a tangible symbol of their reach for the American Dream.