Aging or Sage-ing: Thriving as the Seasons Change

Jewish tradition provides us with a philosophy for valuing our elder years, as well as a treasure trove of specific actions to support our bodies, minds and spirits. Join Jewish ethnobotany aficionado Naomi Stein in an exploration of culturally specific plants and practices bolstering your healthy aging. 

In this session, we’ll examine the overarching themes and repeated ingredients that our ancestors used to promote health and longevity. We’ll investigate the concept of general health and aging Jewishly utilizing the foundational framing described in the Tanach and Talmud.  Jewish foodways beginning in the Tanach and ending with an Ethiopian Jewish cookbook published this year will be another focus. Lastly, we’ll delve into the fascinating world of Jewish herbal medicine, from a shtetl cough syrup recipe by a local Shoah survivor; part of Ms. Stein’s Old World Plant Project, to recipes from Maimonides. 

Expect historical images, modern phytochemistry, and interactive elements from a master teacher while savoring a delicious, culturally grounded, immune supporting tea. 

Naomi Stein is a culture keeper, researching, studying and teaching Jewish Ethnobotany. Her most treasured part of this work is the primary source research she does with Shoah survivors documenting their plant relationships in the Old World. 

Naomi first taught Biblical Ethnobotany at the Berkeley- RIchmond Jewish Community Center with Rabbi Jonathan Seidel, PhD. in 1996, she will teach at the Jewish Food and Wine Festival there once again in October. She worked at the UC Berkeley Public Science Center, for close to two decades using theatre to engage people about science and the environment; her curriculum was funded by the National Science Foundation, the State of California, and the National Institute of Health among others.  

Naomi also has a long history in live theatre, and she brings those skills to enliven her presentations.  She’s performed with many groups with the words “San Francisco” in their names including the Opera, Mozart Festival, Film Festival, as well as the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.  

Her most important credential is that she is the “balebuste” or homemaker for her family of four, maintaining their health through eco-kashrut meals and medicines.