"I ♥︎ Bagels" is an ongoing project documenting bagels and the people who love them. Bagels contain a wealth of cultural importance for American Jews and serve as the perfect metaphor to discuss the Jewish diaspora. Bagels were first invented because it was illegal for Jews to bake bread in 17th century Poland, so in order to get around that law Polish Jews began boiling their dough before baking it; and thus the bagel was born. In the early 1900's Jewish refugees brought bagels to America, where they quickly became a staple among New York city Jews and gentiles alike. Now, bagels are a prolific food item enjoyed people all around the world; regardless of race or religion.
The poetic history of the bagel demonstrates the perseverance of my ancestors, and how the power of food can tear down boundaries between people. This project seeks to show how breaking bread can be an act of communal bonding, and how food can be a tool for cultural dissemination.