Life as a soldier is hard — but sometimes, you get a lucky break. These Oketz soldiers got the best of southern-style cooking today, thanks to a visiting Birthright group.
On the final day of their 10-day adventure in Israel, more than 40 participants of a recent Birthright group arrived at an IDF base in central Israel. As soon as they got off the bus, they went straight to the kitchen, where they had three hours to prepare lunch for the more than 200 soldiers in the Oketz unit.
One of the three Birthright elected leaders divides the group into stations: cooking, chopping or baking.
Most of the Birthright participants were culinary students or current chefs at universities or restaurants across the United States. Some, however, just really liked to cook.
One participant mans the fryer. There were over 200 hungry soldiers expected.
While all Birthright trips visit key sites — the Western Wall, Masada and the Dead Sea — thisIsraelExperts group added a special focus on Israeli cuisine.
“Quick, what is 375 degrees Fahrenheit in Celsius?!”
They visited olive oil factories, dined in restaurants in Jaffa and toured the greenhouses of the Ein Shemer kibbutz. They were also treated to a question-and-answer session with the editor of anIsraeli culinary magazine Al Hashulchan (‘On the Table’), who discussed seven different Mediterranean and Israeli dishes such as shakshouka, jachnun, halvah and hummus.
Don’t forget the biscuits!
When they finished cooking in the kitchen, the participants moved to the cafeteria to help serve the soldiers. Only after every soldier was eating did the chefs sit down and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The soldiers and tourists sat together and discussed Israel, Zionism and their shared interests.
The group relaxes briefly before the soldiers arrive.
Following the lunch, it was back on the bus. The group stopped briefly at an automated cowshed, where they learned about the Israeli dairy industry. Then it was straight to Ben-Gurion Airport for their return flight home.
