On October 6th, the kitchen in the Africana, Latin American, Asian American and Native American (ALANA) Cultural Center was set up in various stations with different ingredients for one purpose: hummus. This was the Israel’s Club latest initiative here at Colgate. Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip or spread that is made out of chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon juice. It has been eaten for thousands of years and remains a popular dish throughout the world.

The Israel Club advertised the event around campus with posters and emails. As a result, the kitchen quickly filled up with students of all different class years, ready to make the delicious spread they all shared a common appreciation for. After everyone was introduced, senior Jake Pulver explained the hummus making process and assigned people to various tasks. The first matter of business was peeling chickpeas. Pulver explained that peeling the chickpeas gave the hummus a smoother texture. Other stations included mincing garlic and squeezing lemon juice into bowls. There were even people making homemade pita chips to dip after the hummus was made. As the main ingredients were prepared, Pulver demonstrated the ways in which to blend the them together. Once the finished product had been distributed into bowls around the counter, zaatar and red peppers were added to the blended hummus. This was unanimously enjoyed.

When asked about how he began making hummus, Pulver explained that he got the idea to make it on his own after learning how to do it through a program called “Hookah and Hummus.” This prompted him to bring the process to Colgate.

“This is something that is very pertinent to Israel Club because it is an Israeli food…and now that we have a stricter setting I wanted to really blow it up,” Pulver said.

I speak from personal experience when I say that I felt surprisingly at home while making hummus with a group of people I had just met. The idea of being able to utilize a fully stocked kitchen to make homemade food is one that seems almost too good to be true, yet that is exactly what Israel Club allowed students to do. It brought together a group of students who otherwise may not have been able to come together. As Colgate strives to be more welcoming and inclusive, events that incorporate cooking and aspects of different cultures are definitely a step in the right direction.