A recent cheesecake tour for journalists in central Jerusalem showcased luxury confections priced as high as NIS 62 ($21) per slice, underscoring the significant surplus extraction within the holiday food market. This indulgence coincides with a reported surge in dairy product sales, which rose over 60 percent in the week before Shavuot last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The tour, led by bestselling cookbook author and kosher food influencer Jamie Geller, visited seven kosher establishments and bakeries, sampling 14 slices of cheesecake.
The most expensive items on the tour were served at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where slices cost NIS 62 ($21) each. Geller, who also serves as the Chief Media and Marketing Officer at Aish, stated the goal was to sample a variety of cheesecake styles ahead of the holiday. The hotel presented its entire Shavuot collection, including two Basque cheesecakes and three non-baked varieties: chocolate, wild berries, and lemon-passion fruit.
Profiting from Tradition
For centuries, many Jewish communities have observed the tradition of eating dairy foods on Shavuot. This custom, referenced as early as the 13th century CE by Rabbi Elazar of Worms, Germany, now fuels substantial capital accumulation in the food sector. The Agriculture Ministry's data from last year confirms this, showing a dramatic increase in dairy product sales in the week preceding the holiday. Families globally now mark Shavuot with festive meals featuring gourmet cheese platters, cheesy pastas, and desserts like ice cream, buttery pastries, and cheesecake.
Other establishments on the tour also demonstrated the high price points of holiday confections. Moulin Doré, a French bakery, offered cheesecake slices for NIS 30 ($10) and whole cakes for NIS 190 ($65). A flan at the same bakery was priced at NIS 120 ($41). Geller noted that French immigrants have "elevated the culinary scene" with their "family-owned bake shops," describing their pastries as "luxurious, decadent and rich." This framing highlights the aesthetic appeal of these products without addressing the labor conditions or accessibility for the working class.
At Napoleon Patisserie, a cheesecake slice cost NIS 25 ($8.60), while a cheese mousse pastry was NIS 42 ($14.50). Helen Family Bakers, a popular establishment, sold its single variety of cheesecake for NIS 40 ($14). Yolo Bakery offered a creamy cheesecake for NIS 43 ($15), and Teller Bakery served Basque-style and berry cheesecakes for NIS 30 each. Marzipan Bakery, known for its rugelach, provided a family-size crumb cheesecake for NIS 40, which Geller called “the quintessential Israeli cheesecake.”
The Cost of Indulgence
The tour, designed for journalists, concluded with participants enjoying "fat and sugar highs," a stark contrast to the economic realities faced by many. The prices of these holiday treats, particularly the NIS 62 ($21) slices, place them firmly in the realm of luxury consumption, inaccessible to those struggling with stagnant wages and rising costs of living. The focus on such tours and the promotion of high-end culinary experiences serve to normalize and celebrate the extraction of surplus value from traditional observances, diverting attention from the systemic underpayment of labor that produces these goods.
Geller's role as a media and marketing officer, alongside her influencer status, positions her as an agent in shaping consumer demand and directing capital towards specific vendors. Her plans for future food crawls, including cholent in the winter and honey cakes before Rosh Hashanah, indicate a continuous effort to monetize traditional foods and holidays, further integrating cultural practices into the capitalist market. The state, through its Agriculture Ministry, tracks the surge in sales, documenting the scale of capital accumulation without intervention to address the underlying economic disparities this market reflects.