Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, starts at sunset this Sunday. Many people in Jewish homes around the country are planning big holiday meals. Some also face a conundrum: What is suitable for serving to people who keep kosher?

This isn’t a new problem – even for those whose relatives arrived more than 100 years ago. Many Jewish immigrants left their families behind when they came to the U.S. And even if their ancestors knew all the rules of kosher food preparation, that knowledge may have faded over time.

Deborah Dash Moore, a historian at University of Michigan, explains how during the 19th and 20th centuries, female cookbook writers stepped into this knowledge gap. These women left a lasting influence on the food choices that guide American Jews today.

This week we also liked articles about the history of Westminster Abbey, deepfake audio and when you should get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines.

Kalpana Jain

Senior Religion + Ethics Editor
Judaism possesses an elaborate system that determines what foods Jews can eat and which ones can be eaten together. Rafael Ben-Ari/Photodisc via Getty Images

‘Traditional’ Jewish American foods keep changing, with cookbooks playing an influential role in how Jews mark Rosh Hashana

Deborah Dash Moore, University of Michigan

A historian of American Judaism explains how cookbooks across the 20th century have influenced and reflected the shifting tastes of American Jews.
With deepfake audio, that familiar voice on the other end of the line might not even be human let alone the person you think it is. Knk Phl Prasan Kha Phibuly/EyeEm via Getty Images

Deepfake audio has a tell – researchers use fluid dynamics to spot artificial imposter voices

Logan Blue, University of Florida; Patrick Traynor, University of Florida

AI-generated voice-alikes can be indistinguishable from the real person’s speech to the human ear. A computer model that gives voice to the dinosaurs turns out to be a good way to tell the difference.
It is safe to get the newly formulated COVID-19 booster shot and the flu shot at the same time. SDI Productions/ E+ via Getty Images

When should you get the new COVID-19 booster and the flu shot? Now is the right time for both

Libby Richards, Purdue University

When COVID-19 and the flu co-infect, it’s ‘flurona.’ But such cases are rare, and there are effective ways to protect yourself from both viruses.

The Conversation Quiz 🧠

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    Quizmaster, The Conversation

    Here's the first question of this week's edition:
    NASA will try out full-scale planetary defense with a mission, dubbed DART, next week. What does DART stand for?

    1. A. Distant Asteroid Retrieval Trial
    2. B. Debris Aspirating Rocket Test
    3. C. Double Asteroid Redirection Test
    4. D. Drilling Aimed at Righteous Titanium

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