Nyrah Dhariwal ’28

WUJUR (2025)

Abstract

There is substantial research investigating the relationship between traditional ethnic food and diasporas for other ethnicities. Yet, there is a lack of research investigating the relationship between traditional Moroccan food and Moroccan Jewish diasporic identity. Although numerous studies have examined how traditional Jewish practices–as a religious artifact influence Moroccan Jewish diasporic identity, the role of ethnic identity artifacts like food has yet to be adequately explored. Therefore, this qualitative ethnographic study explores the effect of traditional Moroccan food on Moroccan Jewish diasporic identity through a case study approach examining one Moroccan-born participant residing in Toronto, Canada, in detail through a semi-structured interview. The participant was asked about his food practices, such as food preferences, food eaten at home vs outside, and the role of Moroccan cuisine in his life. The interview was then followed by inductive thematic analysis, which extracted the following themes: (1) acculturation, (2) apprehension, (3) cultural connection, and (4) normalcy. Overall, these findings align with the surrounding literature regarding the relationship between traditional Moroccan food and Moroccan Jewish diasporic identity. It was found that the consumption of Moroccan food generally strengthened Moroccan Jewish identity within diasporas, thus placing the results parallel with those of similar studies conducted regarding other ethnic groups. Ultimately, this study concludes that there is a positive relationship between the consumption of traditional Moroccan food and Moroccan Jewish diasporic identity. It is recommended that further research be conducted on a cohort of varying socioeconomic status, age, place of residence, and birthplace to examine the effects of Moroccan traditional food on a more diverse participant population.

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Citation (APA)

Dhariwal, N. (2025). Salam meets Shalom: The impact of Moroccan traditional food on Moroccan Jewish diasporic identity. The Washington University Journal of Undergraduate Research, 1(1), 27–32.

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Dhariwal, Nyrah. Washington University in St. Louis.
Corresponding Author. Send correspondence to d.nyrah@wustl.edu.

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