Published: 22 October 2019
Last updated: 4 March 2024
The group’s founder and administrator, Susie Rosen says she had no idea how popular her Friday Night group would become. Regardless of whether she’s hosting or not at her Dover Heights home, she’s always making something for Friday night dinner, so as someone obsessed with food, she would always ask her friends and family what they were having for Shabbat. She created the Facebook group to share her lists and ideas and get inspiration from friends.
“Friday night happens every week, it’s a not one-off. It’s great to get inspiration from others with recipes and ideas. As a very visual person, I believe people eat with their eyes,” she says.
Today, there are members from over 28 countries in the closed group, including those without large Jewish communities such as Thailand, Kenya, Japan, Cyprus, India and Gibraltar. When she wakes up each morning there are almost a 100 new member requests. Members post and comment 24/7 with recipe requests, photos, tips and more.
Rosen has gone out of her way to create a respectful and inclusive online community space. Recipes don’t have to be kosher; she intentionally posts recipes with meat and milk in them (but admits she omitted the smoked ham from one of her mum’s heirloom recipes). All are welcome, regardless of how religious they are, and she ensures that the group doesn’t take itself too seriously, deleting posts with too much attitude or judgment.
No politics is allowed. Rosen has avoided advertising and ensured that the group stays focused on the food. She has also opted to single-handedly manage the page in addition to her full-time marketing and branding consulting work.
Sometimes the elaborate cakes and table-setting photos posted by fellow members seem a bit overwhelming to working mothers like myself. But Rosen is quick to point out that there are also posts of store-bought goodies and lots of tips for non-foodies about how to make Shabbat work for busy people.
“Friday night is not the right time to have Friday night,” she jokes, as everyone is tired after a long week, and Sunday lunch would be a lot easier. But as it rolls around every week, she wants to help give people ideas for food that the whole family can enjoy.
Friday night is not the right time to have Friday night, as everyone is tired after a long week, and Sunday lunch would be a lot easier.
Unexpectedly, she says, “it’s evolved from what are you cooking for Friday night or holidays to become about the tradition and the family’s connection to the food traditions.” She says she has learnt that Jewish food traditions are more complex than just Ashkenazi Vs Sephardi. Even within some communities there are different traditions.
This was most clearly demonstrated to her in the way people from different parts of the world break the Yom Kippur fast. There were more than 150 comments from just one post asking people what their tradition was for post-Yom Kippur victuals. Rosen says worked over Yom Kippur but was delighted to try three (yeast, sponge and chocolate sponge) types of kugelhopf at the end of Yom Kippur.
[gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="31539,31540"]
This richness of Jewish food and tradition has been a great outcome of the group, as well as rekindling connections between members from across the globe who haven’t been in touch for years. Rosen wants to reach even more countries and communities and is fascinated by the connections and different places that Jews end up.
She’s aiming to reach 10,000 members and is considering setting up a website. She wants to help break down the stress of cooking for Shabbat and holidays. With steps on how to make things quicker in the kitchen, perhaps adding planning charts for when to start what, in preparation for the High Holidays, etc, so the non-foodies among us stand a chance.
There are members from over 28 countries in the closed group, including those without large Jewish communities such as Thailand, Kenya, Japan, Cyprus, India and Gibraltar.
An estimated 90 per cent of members are female and the feminist in me is somewhat appalled that all these women choose to spend so much time cooking in lieu of other activities.
One could argue that they are drawn to a space like this because, with a few exceptions, most of our community structures and organisations don’t offer an opportunity for women to have a voice and be heard.
Yet you can see by their posts that people genuinely enjoy the connection, sharing their results with others, and the inspiration of seeing what others are making. So, ignore my cynicism and get some ideas for your next Friday night meal.
Main image: Susie Rosen and her family
