The Mac & Cheese Millionaire

13MissionThe Only Good Reason to Change out of Soft Pants in the Morning

“We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.”

—Stevie Wonder

The power of lard brought my parents together. The day my parents met, my American father was visiting Israel, standing outside a movie theatre, eating an entire box of Oreos by himself. This was back in the day that the Oreo filling was peak delicious owing to the fact that Nabisco used lard to make the sugary white center (it has since been replaced by vegetable shortening to cater to Jews, vegetarians, and all other non-pig-eating people). As such, the cookies were not kosher for Jews to eat, and rarely found on the streets of Jerusalem.

My mother approached my father to ask for a cookie, which he gladly shared, not realizing what precious contraband he was holding. As they struck up a conversation, she learned that not only was he an Oreo-eating goy, but that he had grown up in the ultimate unkosher profession—a pig farmer from America.

They shared the box of cookies throughout the movie, my mom dipping her hands into the box for the forbidden treats. And so began a relationship that would span more than 50 years, and an untold number of pork products.

Being raised in the home of an Israeli Jew and American pig farmer, I experienced a mash-up of both cultures. Specifically, I was raised to deliver Jewish hospitality featuring American food. If you’re unfamiliar with Jewish hospitality, the main idea is to ply guests with ...