 Junior religious studies major Leslee C. Lisnek serves matzo ball soup to students on Sanford Mall on Tuesday afternoon to raise money for Hillel, the Jewish Student Association. Photo by Aaron Trovato | The Appalachian Hillel made the soup, which tastes like chicken noodle soup with dumplings, using noodles and round matzo balls to help raise money for club for activities like a masquerade and the Passover Seder.
Leslee C. Lisnek, junior religious studies major and president of Hillel, said the event was also to help the organization be more visible on campus.
“This is the first year we do this,” she said. “Matzo ball soup is important. In fact, food in general is important in Jewish culture.”
The soup is considered the Jewish penicillin if you are sick, Lisnek said. The matzo balls, meaning “unleavened bread” and “poor man’s bread,” are crushed up into a meal and mixed with other ingredients to form a firm dumpling-like texture.
According to Denise L’Hommedieu’s article “The History of Matzo Ball Soup” for Helium.com, the history of the bread is not certain, but one origin says when the Jews were freed from slavery in the 13th Century from Egypt, the people left in a hurry, giving the bread no time to rise.
Others say the bread was something the Jews kept with them when they traveled after they were freed.
Though the origin of the matzo soup remains uncertain, the Torah commands eating matzo the first night of Passover as a reminder of humility and poverty, according to the article.
As a few students passed by in curiosity, others gave the soup a try.
Melanie P. Ellis, sophomore social work major, who joined Hillel to learn more about her Jewish culture, said the soup was delicious.
“I haven’t had Mazto Ball Soup in two years,” she said. “I’ve grown up with the soup, but I wasn’t raised practicing [Judaism].”
Shelby C. Rothstein, sophomore elementary education major, received a cup of soup.
She said she heard about the event on her residence hall floor from a Hillel club member. She has had the soup before because her father is Jewish even though she did not grow up practicing the religion.
Story: JENNIFER PRUNA, Intern Lifestyles Reporter
Photo: AARON TRAVOTO, Intern Photographer |
