By Deb Silverthorn

Cantor Leslie Niren, who for 16 years has graced Temple Emanu-El and the community with her voice, her teaching and her heart, is ready to host her Cantor in the Kitch, celebrating Yom HaAtzmaut. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 22, at Temple Emanu-El, the evening — inspired by the vibrant flavors, shared stories, energy and joyful connection of Israeli markets — is open to the public.

The night will include a selection of appetizers, instruction and a live cooking demonstration followed by a seated dinner featuring a vegetable-forward, shuk-inspired menu alongside Mizrahi fish and chicken dishes. Special guest chef Shimi Aaron — Los Angeles’ “Babka King” — will bring dishes rooted in his Egyptian, Iraqi and Yemeni heritage. Temple Emanu-El’s Israeli sh’lichah (Israeli representative), Aya Margalit, will also participate.

“In a world that feels overwhelming, people are craving connection,” Niren said. “This is a chance to come together, to be nourished not just by food, but by story, music and community. The best compliment is when someone leaves a program saying they learned so much about the history and traditions of a Jewish culture they hadn’t known before — and now they feel connected.”

The program, created by Niren, is a multisensory experience blending food, music, storytelling and learning. It brings people together and creates connection to Jewish culture and tradition with its immersive, educational and deeply communal exploration of Jewish identity through the most universal language: food.

Behind the scenes, each program is the result of several days of preparation, brought to life in partnership with Temple Emanu-El’s in-house caterer, Spice of Life Catering, led by owner and chef Jeffrey Kollinger and chef Angelo Porcelli. Niren also works with Temple staff partners Brett Deckard, Tal Drori and Chevie Valentine to shape and produce each experience.

“Food is one of the most powerful vehicles for teaching and connection,” said Niren, who weaves Jewish joy through music and song throughout each experience. 

“Through a dish, you can tell a story about holidays, people, places and memory. What’s most meaningful is that each person at the table begins to unlock their own food memories and family stories. It becomes both deeply personal and communal,” she said.

It began when public gatherings were halted during the pandemic. From her home kitchen, with her guitar in hand, Niren livestreamed Jewish holiday-centric cooking sessions. What began with a handful of participants grew into a devoted following and, since returning to in-person events, has drawn 150 to 250 people to programs featuring teaching, live demonstrations, guest chefs, music and a meal.

“At the heart of each evening is a shared table, people sitting with strangers and leaving with new connections. In a world that often feels fragmented, breaking bread together creates something immediate and human,” said Niren, who, believing everyone can cook, added, “sometimes all it takes is the right invitation, a little guidance and the confidence to begin. What sets Cantor in the Kitch apart is its intention.”

Thinking about her start in the kitchen, Niren, a native of Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill, reflects on her grandmother’s cooking: matzah ball soup, latkes, holiday meals and time spent in the kitchens of her parents Carol and Neil Niren, and her grandparents Janet and Edward Snyder, of blessed memory.

Niren remembers watching 1990s Food Network cooking shows and being drawn to their spirit of teaching and sharing. Later, at Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned degrees in vocal performance and music education, Niren cooked regularly for friends. That passion deepened during her time at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, where she hosted Shabbat dinners.

“Israel is a true melting pot. On one Shabbat table you might find Iraqi kibbeh, Yemenite breads and Persian herb platters alongside Eastern European pickles, kugel and babka,” Niren said. “That’s the story of the Jewish people; a dynamic fusion of flavors and histories layered into something vibrant and evolving.”

“The Jerusalem and Tel Aviv markets changed me,” she said. “The colors, the intensity of the spices, the energy — it was alive. I wanted to bring that energy and sense of connection into this program. That inspiration now shows up in every Cantor in the Kitch menu, where dishes are layered with meaning, music and memory.”

The February 2026 pre-Purim Persian Cantor in the Kitch drew 250 participants for a feast of traditional dishes including khoresh fesenjun and kashke bademjan, while providing, as Niren said, “a cultural journey through the history and flavors of Jewish Iran.”

Bringing people together across generations — families, young adults, longtime members and newcomers — creates a space that feels both intimate and expansive to Niren. “There’s something powerful about sitting at a table with people you didn’t know an hour ago. Food lowers the barrier. It opens people up.”

As Niren prepares to leave Temple this summer, she looks back on the friendships she’s made — many that feel like family — while continuing to create innovative, accessible pathways into Jewish life through arts, culture and shared experience.

Across social media, Niren posts regularly to her #CantorintheKitch. Sharing recipes and lessons, of her own creation and others she respects, Niren makes the impossible — or improbable to a novice — be it bourekas, breakfast tacos, latke waffles, Dubai chocolate-covered pistachio-stuffed dates and more — easy as pie.

Hoping to take Cantor in the Kitch beyond Dallas, bringing its unique blend across the country, of the April 22 event Niren says first, there’s one more seat at the table.

“Pull up a chair,” she said. “There’s always room.”

Niren, sharing recipes, inspiration and the stories behind the food, can be followed @CantorInTheKitch on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

To register for the April 22 event, visit tedallas.org/event/citk-israeli-fusion. To follow Niren online, visit @CantorInTheKitch on social media.