LJCC hosts Jewish Food and Culture Fest, barbecue cook-off

The Levite Jewish Community Center held its annual Jewish Food and Culture Fest on Sunday, April 22, and drew a large crowd for the event despite rain and gloomy skies.

The festival — presented by the Friedman Family Foundation — was combined for the first time with another annual food event, the When Pigs Fly Kosher BBQ Cook-Off.

The combined community festival helped celebrate the 70th anniversary of the birth of Israel, according to a LJCC news release. It was also hoped that the event would held foster an appreciation in the city for Jewish culture and traditions. 

The dishes served as the food festival included traditional favorites such as brisket, whitefish, stuffed cabbage rolls and falafel, as well as pastrami and corned beef sandwiches. Sides and desserts included matzo ball soup, kugel, rugelach and challah bread.

Live entertainment included music from the band The Regulators, who played classic rock and R&B hits.

The barbecue cook-off was held under tents in the parking lot in front of the LJCC. There were about 10 teams competing in the cook-off, and judges were to make their picks for the best beans, chicken and brisket. Voting was also held among attendees at the events for the People’s Choice Award.

Proceeds from the event are to benefit the following nonprofits: Birmingham Jewish Federation, Levite Jewish Community Center, Temple Beth-El, Temple Emanu-El, Chabad of Alabama and Knesseth Israel.