Cincinnati-area Jewish young adults gathered last week at the Mayerson JCC for an evening of bourbon, Jewish learning, and conversation. Rabbi Drew Kaplan led a “Booze & Schmooze” program for the Mayerson JCC’s Jewish 20s and 30s programming series, exploring Whiskey in Jewish Life.
The event also marked the return of the Mayerson JCC’s programming specifically for Jewish young adults after a brief hiatus.
“This was the Mayerson JCC’s first 20s & 30s event after a brief hiatus, so we were very thrilled with how it turned out!” shared Maddi Trick, Program Director at the Mayerson JCC. “Our intention was to create a space for young adults to meet and be in community with each other beyond the typical happy hour, and Booze & Schmooze exceeded that goal.”
The evening combined a guided tasting of four bourbons with an introduction to the world of whiskey. Rabbi Drew walked participants through the basics of whiskey and bourbon, including what distinguishes bourbon from other styles of whiskey and some of the fundamentals of tasting and appreciating the spirit.
“Rabbi Drew’s interactive lecture on the cross-section of Jewish life and drinking added an educational component to the event that not only engaged the crowd during the bourbon-tasting, but encouraged them to stay after it finished and to continue socializing with each other,” Trick said.
The combination of tasting, Jewish learning, and socializing offered participants an opportunity to encounter Jewish tradition through a subject they might not ordinarily associate with Jewish study, as Rabbi Drew offered an introduction to the history and role of whiskey in Jewish life, including its use for Kiddush and other Jewish rituals, questions surrounding whiskey and Passover, and the history of Jews’ involvement in the American distilling industry.
“Rabbi Drew was AMAZING! His strong knowledge of the intersection of Judaism and alcohol mixed with his ability to deliver it in a way that was captivating, informative, and fun was impressive,” said attendee Kaleigh Nolan. “Lots of laughs & learning! Would attend another one of his events again and again.”
For others, the program provided an opportunity not only to learn something new, but also to meet other Jewish young adults in Cincinnati.
“I am not normally a bourbon-drinker, but I had a great time!” said Adam Trick. “Rabbi Drew had great energy and was very informative. It was also good to connect with others around my age that I hadn’t met before.”
The evening’s combination of Jewish learning, bourbon-tasting, and conversation made “Booze & Schmooze” both an educational program and an opportunity for Cincinnati’s Jewish 20s & 30s to build new connections with one another, fulfilling the Mayerson JCC’s goal of creating a young-adult gathering that went beyond the traditional happy hour.
