In Iowa, there’s real Jewish in the deli

The eyes of America are on Iowa as the state prepares to host the first-in-the-nation primary caucuses next Monday night. While Iowa is off the radar of most frum Jews, the Chabad Lubavitch emissary in the state capital of Des Moines is feeding both spiritual and temporal needs — for 24 years at his shul and more than a decade at his Maccabbees Kosher Deli.

This report is reprinted with permission of the Lubavitch International newspaper and Lubavitch.com

Rabbi Yossi Jacobson, keeping pace with the needs of his community, has found a winning recipe: delicious eats in a warm and inviting atmosphere, spiced just right with an infusion of Jewish wisdom. And it’s not in New York, not even close: One would not expect to see this city among those on a list of Top Ten Kosher Delis: Des Moines, Iowa.

“We are widely known as the best deli in town. Hundreds come in each week, and we’ve probably served 20,000 to 30,000 people by now. Our food is good, our place is sparkling clean, but what we really do is farbreng all day,” Rabbi Yossi offers.

Corned beef, pickled just right, on thick slices of rye, with pumpernickel seeds embedded in the chewy thick crust. A juicy, firm garlicky pickle. The kosher deli stirs up warm memories, nostalgia for the old world.

I was with my dad when his cardiologist told him he’d have to follow a low sodium diet. Dad was concerned. Could he cheat at least once a month and have a corned beef sandwich and cup of that amazing chicken soup at his favorite deli, thick golden broth with carrots and matzo ball floating on top, he asked the doctor—with urgency. More than a good meal, he needed this fix to nurture something in his soul.