Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Culture editor Jessica Steinberg joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode.

Today, we dive into aspects of Israel’s culinary life and hear about Steinberg’s most recent visit to Kibbutz Be’eri in the south: Just two weeks before Rosh Hashanah, Steinberg joined baker Yaki Sagi as he was pouring honey cake batter into loaf tins at the Lalush bakery in Be’eri’s dining hall complex. We learn how Be’eri is slowly rebuilding and about Sagi’s flourishing bakery.

More from The Daily Briefing

We then turn to Tel Aviv, where Steinberg attended the 11th Whisky Live event. One of the whiskies she tasted is called Single Be’eri, a single malt project led by Be’eri resident and former Knesset member Haim Jelin, distilled at Tel Aviv’s Milk & Honey, with part of the proceeds donated to the rehabilitation of communities in the Western Negev.

And finally, we learn how nearly 10 months after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, a new set of culinary tours by the Tel Aviv-based Asif Culinary Institute of Israel is aiming to boost restaurants in Israel’s north that are still struggling with the fallout of the war.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

Can spinach pies infuse strength back into Kibbutz Be’eri? This baker hopes so

10 months after Lebanon war, culinary tours aim to help local eateries

Israel’s Whisky Live 2025 to feature local malt honoring Kibbutz Be’eri

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.