On a breezy June afternoon, thousands will descend on Governors Island — not for the views, but for the kugel. And the labneh. And maybe a brisket sandwich dreamed up by some of New York’s most beloved chefs. But The Great Nosh Picnic, a new Jewish food and culture festival, promises more than just a feast. It’s the latest creation from Naama Shefi, a culinary curator with a passion for the stories simmering behind every dish.
Shefi, whose work has helped elevate Jewish cuisine into the cultural spotlight, has long believed that food is a vessel for identity. Through the Jewish Food Society and Asif: The Culinary Institute of Israel, she’s spotlighted recipes handed down across continents and generations. With The Great Nosh, she’s aiming even bigger, bringing together chefs, artists, storytellers, and thousands of hungry New Yorkers for what she hopes will be a new kind of Jewish celebration.
“Food is in Jewish people’s cultural DNA,” Shefi, arguably one of today’s leading voices on Jewish cuisine in the United States, told Unpacked. “But food without the story behind it is just calories. I’m interested in the stories behind the foods and our traditional dishes.”
That belief is the driving force behind all of Shefi’s work. In 2017, she launched the Jewish Food Society, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating Jewish culinary heritage through a contemporary lens. In 2021, she founded Asif: the Culinary Institute of Israel, a hub for exploring Israeli food culture in Tel Aviv. Now with the Great Nosh, she’s spearheading her most ambitious project yet: A large-scale food and culture festival that is set to debut on June 22 on Governors Island in New York City.
The Great Nosh Picnic puts Jewish food at the forefront
More than just a tasting event, the Great Nosh aims to be a full-on cultural happening. Though initial tickets sold out quickly, the organizers recently announced the release of additional “late” passes, just in time for the newly added closing set from Jewish DJ and producer Mark Ronson. The event encourages those interested in attending to still register for waitlist tickets.
For Shefi, the festival is also something of a homecoming. She grew up on Givat HaShlosha, a secular kibbutz near Petah Tikva, where Jewish holidays were celebrated through tradition, community, and creativity, particularly Shavuot, the harvest festival that left a lasting impression.
“The kibbutz is a secular place, but Shavuot was when we celebrated the harvest and all new things — new fruits, vegetables, grains,” she recalled. “We’d dress in white, wear flower crowns, and gather on the great lawn for a celebration that lasted hours. It was a picnic of sorts, with poetry and performances. I’m trying to bring this sort of magic on a larger scale, which is why the Great Nosh isn’t just a picnic but includes many other programs that celebrate Jewish creativity.”
That vision is at the heart of The Great Nosh: part food festival, part artistic showcase, and entirely rooted in Jewish expression — reimagined for New York.
Making definitive Jewish New York cuisine
On the menu? Dream collaborations between some of New York’s most beloved culinary heavyweights: Thai Diner meets Katz’s Deli, K’Far Brooklyn joins forces with Dame, Russ & Daughters teams up with Morgenstern’s, and a mash-up of Israeli chef Eyal Shani and cookbook star Jake Cohen promises something memorable. But food is just the beginning.
Festivalgoers can also expect immersive art installations, a “grandmas tent” featuring live storytelling and cooking demos of treasured family recipes, and even a merch booth from Jewish cannabis brand Tokin’ Jew — because of course.
“This is a Jewish event, but it’s also a New York event,” Shefi explained. “It was important for us to include people from outside the Jewish community, starting with our internal creative team. Jewish culture and the foods of New York are deeply connected. The Great Nosh celebrates that history and connection.”
So far, that spirit of cross-cultural collaboration seems to be striking a chord. While organizers haven’t broken down ticket demographics yet, Shefi said the crowd is shaping up to be “extremely diverse.” Many of the chefs and creatives involved aren’t Jewish, and their participation has helped draw in new audiences.
“I assume the crowd skews young because of the nature of schlepping to Governors Island and sitting on the grass for a picnic, which isn’t for everyone,” she also noted.
Jewish food and storytelling
At the heart of The Great Nosh — and really, at the center of all Shefi’s work — is the belief that Jewish food isn’t just delicious; it’s a storytelling tool, a living archive of a people’s journey.
“Jewish food is inherently seasonal because it’s rooted in the Jewish agricultural calendar,” she says. “And it’s incredibly diverse because Jews have lived all over the world, adapting to local ingredients while maintaining Jewish laws like kashrut and Shabbat. That constant negotiation has created a global cuisine that’s uniquely Jewish.”
It’s that layered, adaptive, and deeply rooted story — shaped by diaspora, place, and resilience — that The Great Nosh aims to share. And this year, the timing carries extra weight. The festival comes after months of rising antisemitism in the wake of Oct. 7, something Shefi and the Jewish Food Society have met with action: hosting community dinners, storytelling events, and Shabbat pop-ups around the country.
“Post-October 7, we’ve been doing pop-ups, Shabbat dinners, gatherings, storytelling events,” she said. “I felt like we had to kick it up a notch. Or 10 notches.”
Because in a time when many Jews are searching for comfort, connection, and a sense of belonging, sometimes the most powerful response is also the simplest: sharing a meal.
“I’m not interested in doing this as a one-time thing,” said Shefi. “To me, we’re starting a movement.”
