Hanukkah Cholent Day 8: If You Read One Story

A tale of friendship between two communities from the silent generation.

This is probably my favorite story. What started as a simple inquiry into the closure of a popular fish shop revealed the untold — literally, no one talked about it — depths of connection and friendship between the mid-century Jewish and Japanese communities.

When the Wing Luke fiasco unfolded last year, I felt a sort of rage that stories like this one are so undervalued and under-told, while new narratives that seek to artificially link the Asian and Arab experiences can crash a whole museum. The aggressive agenda that captured the Wing Luke staff thwarted the telling of real stories of communal partnership and undermined their work as a beacon of historical truth.

Thanks for reading the last week of stories from The Cholent archives. Thank you for your support, whether you’re an OG subscriber or just stopping by.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous, and safe 2025.

Emily