Falafel, Shwarma, Jaffa oranges – there are many foods that we associate with Israel, but maybe none more than Hummus. The dish is thousands of years old, and no Israeli meal is complete without it. At Queens College, CAMERA-supported group Israel Student Association ran a cultural event entirely surrounding the theme of Hummus.
The event was run in the style of Masterchef – there were five teams of contestants, each of whom had to make the best Hummus they could. They were given many ingredients – the traditional chickpeas and spices, plus some very un-Middle Eastern ingredients, such as chocolate syrup!
The event also served as good publicity ahead of the group’s Israel Fest a few weeks later, on Israel’s Independence Day. It clearly paid off, as the major Israel Fest event was a huge success, with over 350 people taking part!
Contributed by Aron White, CAMERA intern