The Love Story of Jews and Chinese Food

There is a long history of Jews eating Chinese food in the United States. In fact, the first Chinese restaurant in the United States was opened in San Francisco in 1849 by a Jewish immigrant named Samuel Brannan.

There are a few reasons why Jews have traditionally been drawn to Chinese food. First, Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) prohibit the eating of pork and shellfish, two staples of Chinese cuisine. However, there are many kosher Chinese dishes available, such as chicken chow mein, beef with broccoli, and vegetable dumplings.

Second, Jews and Chinese immigrants have often lived in the same neighborhoods in the United States. This has made it easy for Jews to access Chinese food and learn about Chinese culture.

Third, Chinese food is often relatively inexpensive. This is important for many Jews, who have historically been a working-class group.

Finally, Chinese food is simply delicious. It offers a wide variety of flavors and textures, which appeals to many people’s taste buds.

Today, Jews of all backgrounds continue to enjoy Chinese food. It is a popular choice for both everyday dining and special occasions. In fact, some Jewish families even have a tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas Eve.

Some interesting facts about Jews and Chinese food:

• The first Jewish-Chinese cookbook was published in 1969.
• In 1973, the first Jewish-Chinese restaurant opened in New York City.
• The term “Jew-Chinese food” is sometimes used to refer to a fusion of Jewish and Chinese cuisine. Popular examples include wonton soup with kreplach dumplings and Chinese chicken salad with matzo crackers.
• In recent years, there has been a growing interest in kosher Chinese food. This is due in part to the increasing number of Orthodox Jews who are living in urban areas with large Chinese populations.

Some popular Jewish-Chinese fusion dishes:

• Wonton soup with kreplach dumplings
• Chinese chicken salad with matzo crackers
• Lo mein with kasha varnishkes
• Beef and broccoli with egg noodles
• Kung Pao chicken with fried rice

Overall, the relationship between Jews and Chinese food is a complex and fascinating one. It is a relationship that has been shaped by history, culture, and economics. Today, Chinese food is a popular choice for Jews of all backgrounds, and it continues to play an important role in Jewish cuisine.

by Bard*

*Bard is Google’s experimental, conversational, AI chat service. It is meant to function similarly to ChatGPT, with the biggest difference being that Google’s service will pull its information from the web.