The coronavirus pandemic has halted or changed so many cultural touchstones Bloomington-Normal residents count on as annual traditions to mark the seasons of their lives. The Sugar Creek Arts Festival, Sweet Corn Circus, WGLT Summer Concert series, and musical events all over the region have all given way to the isolation medical safety requires.
Now, the Moses Montefiore Temple has canceled its annual Jewish Food Fair.
“The impact on a cultural level is like a spider web that just keeps getting bigger and bigger,” said Moses Montefiore president Meryl Brown. “People aren’t going to see the temple this year, people aren't going to get the money and the sandwiches and the things that we are known for.”
The comforting smell of corned beef and rye, the sharp garlic laden crunch of a pickle, and the sweet finish of a rugelach nosh won't happen for the first time in 57 years for people in offices and homes throughout the community.
“We value our community, and Food Fair is the greatest way that anyone who doesn’t know our community can come in and see what we do,” said Brown. “On the religious side, that’s the place where you can, ‘Come Meet the Rabbi’ in the fun way where she is wearing her apron that says ‘In the Bag.’”
She said children and youth are the generational pivot points, and their understanding is what drives us to appreciate each other.
“We have had Jewish people come to the Food Fair and not know there was a synagogue here,” said Brown. “Then they show up the next week for Shabbat services, or they come to one of our children's events, and that brings them into the religious aspect of it. The core of Judaism is the community. Knowing that we can do things together is really important to me.”
She said the fair exposes the Bloomington-Normal community to Judaic culture.
“Food Fair becomes something that puts us on the map,” said Brown. “It is very grounded in our Bloomington community to have a Food Fair.”
Eighty families belong to the temple. They'll miss the chance to get together and make 4,500 sandwiches. The temple also will forgo the chance to put the $20,000 of annual fair revenue into the temple and other community organizations.
“Everybody has a role,” said Brown. “This hurts. The Food Fair goes to our operating costs, but in addition to that the sandwiches are not going to the mission, the groups aren't getting their check that they might need.”
But not even coronavirus restrictions will last forever.
“We aren’t canceling for good. Pandemics kind of stink right now,” said Brown. “This will just be remembered as a bump in the road.”
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