Chef Assaf Shenner from Cliff Farm came to cook authentic Israeli food for foreign ambassadors stationed in the Netherlands. • What did they think?

• The ambassadors taste Israeli cuisine

  Photo:

  Adi Farkash, sending Diaspora Department to the World Zionist Organization

The collaboration of the Diaspora Department of the World Zionist Organization and the Israeli Embassy in the Netherlands created a fascinating cultural culinary meeting earlier this week for foreign ambassadors stationed in the Netherlands.

Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands, Naor Gilon, hosted some 30 senior diplomats from around the world on Sunday at a joint event with the Diaspora Department of the World Zionist Organization in the "Brewing in Hebrew" initiative, which gave the ambassadors a glimpse into Israeli cuisine.

The event, in the spirit of "Israeli street food," was led by Chef Asaf Shenner of the Cliff Farm restaurant, which is currently rotating events in various European communities on behalf of the Diaspora Department. The various diplomats have shown great interest in the prosperous Israeli culinary industry, and have been exposed to Israel through the handmade dishes of Assaf Shinar, who brought Israel to its varieties, spices and cultural wealth.

Among the dishes served to the ambassadors were Sinai lamb, Harima fish for Shabbat, Cherry salad, anchovies and parsley, live beet salad, Moroccan carrot salad, burnt eggplant and green tahini, Sabbath challah, pita, Persian soup, and of course, hummus and squash. The sweet treats were my heart, kanapa and even kelava, alongside the Golan Heights wineries.

The ambassadors of Armenia, Greece and Brazil enjoyed the unique dishes, while the Canadian ambassador brought back fond memories of the time she spent in Israel. The event also included ambassadors from Romania, Serbia and the Japanese ambassador, who said that for the first time in his life he ate fresh mint in salad, Ecuadorian ambassador to India, who made sure to take the recipe to Malabi served and also Dutch chef Yulis Gasper, who will soon visit Israel.

"Cook Hebrew" is a successful world-wide venture, with a series of monthly cooking sessions around Jewish and Israeli food. The participants bring home memories, learn new words in Hebrew, cook together for selected reasons from Israeli cuisine and create a community.

Gusti Joshua Braverman, Head of the Diaspora Department of the World Zionist Organization, said, "We found that the global trend of cooking programs, together with the impressive success of Israeli chefs in the world, is an attractive means of connecting Israel to Jewish communities of all ages. This was an exceptional opportunity for us to expose another angle Israel and the way to strengthen the local Jewish community. "

Chef Asaf Shner said that, "Everyone eats, we all have memories of food that inspire feelings, love and longing. Food is a common denominator, connecting cultures, religions and nationalities. If we set aside the political boundaries, we will discover people and customs that enrich us and teach us how to enjoy our daily lives. It is a place where reality brings together cultures of East, West, Muslims, Jews, Druze and Christians together. Around this encounter, amazing connections are created. "