Jewish American Chinese restaurant patronage facts for kids

Jewish American Chinese restaurant patronage became very popular in the 20th century. This was especially true for Jewish people living in New York City. It's seen as a unique way they blended into American life. They tried a new type of food that made it easier to eat things that weren't kosher (foods that follow Jewish dietary laws).

Several things helped this tradition grow. Chinese food often doesn't use dairy products, unlike European meals. Also, in the 1930s, there were concerns about anti-Jewish feelings from German and Italian groups. Jewish and Chinese immigrants also lived very close to each other in New York City.

The habit of American Jews eating at Chinese restaurants on Christmas or Christmas Eve is a well-known idea. It's often shown in movies and TV shows. This tradition likely started because many other restaurants were closed on Christmas Day.

History of Jewish People and Chinese Food

The connection between Jewish people and Chinese restaurants during Christmas is well-known. A book called A Kosher Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Jewish by Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut, Ph.D., explains this in detail.

The story of Jewish people eating Chinese food goes back to the late 1800s. This was in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. Jewish and Chinese people lived very close to each other there.

By 1910, almost a million Eastern European Jews lived in New York. They made up more than a quarter of the city's population. Most Chinese immigrants came to the Lower East Side from California after the 1880s. Many of them opened restaurants.

The first time Jewish people eating Chinese food was mentioned was in 1899. It was in a journal called American Hebrew Weekly. The journal criticized Jewish people for eating at non-kosher restaurants, especially Chinese ones. But Jewish people kept eating there.

In 1936, reports showed 18 Chinese restaurants open in Jewish areas of the Lower East Side. Jewish people felt more comfortable in these restaurants. They felt less comfortable in the Italian or German restaurants common at that time.

Joshua Plaut wrote about the start of Jews eating Chinese food on Christmas. He said it began at least as early as 1935. That year, The New York Times reported that a restaurant owner named Eng Shee Chuck brought chow mein to a Jewish Children’s Home in Newark on Christmas Day.

Over the years, Jewish families and friends gather on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They go to Chinese restaurants across the United States. They meet to talk, laugh, and strengthen their family and friend connections. Eating Chinese food became a favorite activity for Jewish people during the Christmas holiday. Chinese restaurants became a place where Jewish identity was formed and celebrated.

Why Jewish People Liked Chinese Food

In Lower Manhattan, Jewish immigrants opened delis for other Jews. Italians ran restaurants mainly for other Italians. Germans had many places that served only Germans. But Chinese restaurant owners welcomed Jews and other immigrant groups without any conditions. More Jews and Italians wanted to eat at Chinese restaurants than at their own ethnic restaurants.

Chinese restaurant owners were not against Jewish people. This made Jewish people feel safe and welcome. They were also drawn to how different and exciting these restaurants were. Of all the people and foods Jewish immigrants met in America, the Chinese were the most "un-Jewish."

Many Jewish people felt that eating in Chinese restaurants helped them move away from being too focused only on Jewish culture. It showed they could be more open-minded.

Many people felt that eating in an "un-Jewish" place showed they were sophisticated New Yorkers. The restaurants had unusual wallpaper, unique decorations, chopsticks, and interesting food names. Younger generations of Jews in New York wanted their identity to be more about being open to different cultures.

Chinese Food and Kosher Rules

Chinese food helped Jewish people slowly move from strict kosher eating to including non-kosher foods. Chinese cooking is very good for Jewish tastes. Unlike almost any other food in America, traditional Chinese cooking rarely uses milk products. This is important because Jewish law says you cannot mix meat and dairy.

Most first-generation Jews in America followed kashrut (kosher laws) strictly at all times. But many second-generation Jews kept kosher at home but were more flexible when eating out.

Chinese food made this easier to explain. Ingredients like pork, shrimp, and lobster were often cut, chopped, and minced. This made them less recognizable. So, they were not seen in their "natural states."

This chopping and mincing process, called ko p'eng in old Chinese texts, made the ingredients less visible. This made non-kosher food seem "safe." For example, pork was hidden inside wontons. These looked similar to Jewish kreplach (dumplings).

Eventually, many US-born Jews stopped following kashrut completely. They saw it as impractical and old-fashioned. Breaking kosher rules by eating Chinese food allowed the younger generation to show their independence. It also helped them feel more connected to a "cosmopolitan spirit."

For Orthodox-Jewish communities in America, there are Chinese restaurants that fully follow kashrut laws. These are carefully watched by rabbis.

Cultural Importance

The connection between Jewish people and Chinese food is deeper than just a common idea. Eating Chinese food has become an important symbol of American Judaism. By eating Chinese food, Jewish people found a modern way to show their traditional cultural values. Enjoying Chinese food is now a special celebration of immigration, education, family, community, and continuing traditions. Chinese food is seen as a basic part of Jewish culture. More and more kosher Chinese food options are also becoming available in the US.

Michael Tong of Shun Lee Palace spoke about this in a 2003 interview with The New York Times: "Welcome to the puzzle that is Christmas New York style: most restaurants close for the holiday. Or, a few stay open and serve a special, fancy meal. But thousands of diners, most of them Jewish, face a problem. There's nothing to celebrate at home and no place to eat out, if they want a regular dinner. That leaves Chinese restaurants..."