“We’ve kind of lost our way within what is Shabbat.”

— Susan Osher

Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays can be joyous occasions during which we spend time (and feast) with loved ones. But can the heavy focus on ritual foods and eating serve a purpose apart from bringing us together in a way that strengthens our faith.

To put it another way, is the role of food in Judaism meant to fill a hole left by something that we are lacking?

This episode of the Living Jewishly podcast is an instalment of Crossing the Sea, a podcast focused on mental health and Judaism. Dr. Elliot Malamet and expert guests Susan Osher and Allan Kaplan explore the relationships between eating, religion, and emotions — and discuss the possibility of creating a relationship between food and faith that is both physically and psychically beneficial.

In this episode, Elliot speaks with Susan Osher, a certified eating disorder registered dietician with over 20 years of experience, a nutrition therapist, and the founder of Connected Eating, as well as Dr. Allan Kaplan, a professor in the department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and an expert in eating disorders.

“Food is often used in a negative way, including in religious families, because it takes on religious meaning.”

— Allan Kaplan

This‌ ‌episode discusses:‌ ‌

✔  Whether religious holidays or even the Shabbat can contribute to an unhealthy cycle of eating

✔  The particular relationship to food developed by Holocaust survivors and how it has been passed down through generations

✔  Why food plays such a large role in our emotional lives and the different meanings that it can hold

Highlights:‌ ‌

00:52  Intro

01:48  Susan Osher, holidays & unhealthy eating

03:24  Different emotional meanings of food

05:40  Filling up through eating

07:30  Relationship between emotion & food

12:47  Food & shame

16:40  Dr. Allan Kaplan, eating disorders & Judaism

19:46  Anorexia & control

21:29  Eating disorders & ritual eating

22:35  Food, rebellion & forgiveness

26:54  “Just the right weight” v. feasting

29:47  Messaging & beauty ideals

30:55  Attuned/intuitive eating

33:42  Enjoy food healthfully 

39:14  “Heads-up food”

41:40  Outro

Links:‌ ‌ 

To get in contact or learn more about Living Jewishly:  

Visit‌ ‌our ‌website: https://livingjewishly.org  

Follow us on Instagram: @living.jewishly  

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2YEegjapKpQeXG6zh6tzw  

or send us an email at hello@livingjewishly.org.  

Shalom!