{"id":174690,"date":"2025-08-25T15:51:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/174690\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T15:51:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:51:10","slug":"new-kosher-deli-brings-jewish-life-to-santa-fe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/174690\/","title":{"rendered":"New Kosher Deli Brings Jewish Life to Santa Fe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Santa Fe now has its first kosher restaurant, Manhattan Avenue Deli, opened by the shluchim Rabbi Berel and Devorah Leah Levertov, serving classic New York\u2013style Jewish dishes like pastrami, knishes and matzah-ball soup, while creating a warm hub of Yiddishkeit and community in the Southwest.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Chaya Ohana \u2013 Chabad.org<\/a><\/p>\n

New York-style kosher deli classics are now on the menu in the mountains of New Mexico, where the city of Santa Fe welcomed its first-ever kosher restaurant\u2014the Manhattan Avenue Deli\u2014housed on the second floor of Chabad-Lubavitch of Santa Fe\u2019s newly expanded Jewish center.<\/p>\n

The deli offers a mouthwatering selection of classic Jewish deli foods like hot pastrami on rye, a (kosher!) Reuben sandwich, matzah-ball soup, latkes, knishes and a NYC Bagels n\u2019 Lox (featuring non-dairy cream cheese, of course). More than just a nice place to enjoy a good meal, the deli is fast becoming a cultural and spiritual hub in the city, drawing locals, tourists and seekers of all backgrounds into the heart of Jewish tradition.<\/p>\n

Aside from providing a connection to Jewish cultural heritage through salted and cured meats, hearty soup, pillowy knishes and a good dose of kibitzing, Manhattan Avenue Deli champions the 10 Mitzvah Campaigns launched by the Rebbe, most notably the Kashrut Campaign he launched in 1975. The purpose of this campaign was to spread awareness of the importance of the kosher laws, and make it easier for Jews of all backgrounds to keep kosher both at home and out and about town.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy providing a kosher service in the heart of Santa Fe, more people are able to understand what it means to eat kosher in a practical way, connecting body and soul,\u201d shares Rabbi Berel Levertov<\/strong>, director of Chabad of Santa Fe. \u201cAside from dine-in and takeaway deli food, we also have a range of kosher products for people to buy and take home, making kosher food readily available on our side of town.\u201d<\/p>\n

A December 2024 piece about the deli in The Santa Fe New Mexican called it \u201ca little slice of New York City in the middle of the Southwest and a unique addition to the city\u2019s vibrant food scene.\u201d It also noted that prior to Manhattan Avenue Deli, the closest kosher eatery was nearly 400 miles away, in Denver.<\/p>\n

\u201cVisitors to the restaurant may not have much knowledge about Judaism, but there\u2019s certainly a Jewish cultural awareness, and the food we serve is a throwback to tradition, which is a great starting point,\u201d explains Rabbi Shmuel Itkin<\/strong>, Levertov\u2019s son-in-law and manager of Manhattan Avenue Deli. \u201cThe restaurant offers a gentle and informal entry point for those who may not feel ready to walk into the synagogue. Once they come and experience the genuine and warm atmosphere, they get a chance to walk around the centre on the way out, catching a glimpse of events and Torah classes, and it piques their interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making Chicken Soup for the Soul<\/p>\n

The Manhattan Avenue Deli was born after 28 years of devoted effort by Levertov and his wife, Devorah Leah<\/strong>, who moved down to Santa Fe in 1996 as emissaries of the Rebbe, empowered to revive Jewish life in Santa Fe to its fullest capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cSanta Fe is a beautiful city, perched in the mountains, with around 10 percent of the local population being Jewish, including the mayor,\u201d says Levertov. \u201cAlthough it is somewhat a transient community, we have many retirees, with a growing number of young families and younger people, as well as tourists.\u201d<\/p>\n

The rabbi notes that New Mexico never had a robust Jewish infrastructure, and therefore many Jewish locals grew up without the benefit of a Jewish education. Nevertheless, he says, there\u2019s a strong sense of spiritual searching among those who are drawn to the state known as the \u201cLand of Enchantment.\u201d \u201cThere\u2019s this sense of seeking, and yearning for something more, so we see tremendous engagement with the weekly classes in Chassidus and Kabbalah\u2014the mystical parts of the Torah\u2014that we offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devorah Leah Levertov runs programming for women with regular challah bakes, Jewish Women\u2019s Circle Events and teaches Torah classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank G\u2011d, we have a very active and engaged community,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The Levertovs\u2019 Chabad center started in their living room. Almost 30 years later, in June 2023, they completed a $6 million Jewish community center, a three-story building featuring breathtaking views that houses all of Chabad of Santa Fe\u2019s programs and serves the entire community. \u201cOur Jewish center stands out as a tall, majestic symbol of Jewish hope and pride,\u201d Levertov says proudly.<\/p>\n

During construction, the Levertovs spotted a large space in the new building without a clear purpose, and thought of ways to best utilize it. They quickly realized that Chabad could do with an industrial kitchen, since they were constantly catering events for the community; be it Shabbat meals, Torah classes, celebrations for Jewish festivals and other milestones.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince we were making so much food anyway, an in-house restaurant was naturally the next thought; but we had no one to run it,\u201d recalls Devorah Leah Levertov. Two years ago their daughter, Esther<\/strong>, married Rabbi Shmuel Itkin, and soon thereafter the couple moved to Santa Fe to join the Levertovs in their work. Shmuel became assistant rabbi, youth director and chazzan, and when the idea for the city\u2019s first-ever kosher deli came up, restaurant manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how the Manhattan Avenue Deli began. Our son-in-law does a great job. He\u2019s warm and personable; it\u2019s incredible, people immediately feel at ease from when they walk in,\u201d she says. \u201cTogether with our daughter Esther, he genuinely enjoys meeting the visitors who come in to eat. Combined with our amazing chef, it\u2019s a win-win: top-rated food and great conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deli is \u2026 a family affair,\u201d the New Mexico Jewish Journal wrote, noting both Itkins\u2019 senses of humor, and Esther\u2019s skillful table-bussing while cradling their baby son, Mendel<\/strong>. \u201cThe atmosphere is light, fun, the service is fast, the prices are moderate for Santa Fe, and over the next few hours, people kept coming for the food and staying for the new and old connections and sense of community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deli appeals to Jews of all backgrounds: even those who may not be looking for Judaism in their life, are always looking for a good deli in their life,\u201d shares Rabbi Itkin.<\/p>\n

Hot Spot for Food and Community<\/p>\n

At the helm of the kitchen is Chef Aron Moskowitz<\/strong>, who blends his culinary experience and expertise from years in the food industry with his Ashkenazi heritage. He creates his own bespoke tried-and-tested recipes from scratch: \u201cMany of our dishes we make here are inspired by my ancestry, and the methods passed down from my mother and grandmother being Ashkenazi Jewish, straight from Minsk.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Santa Fe also serving as a tourist hotspot, with a vibrant food scene, the deli attracts a wider audience: \u201cAbout 50 percent of the deli\u2019s visitors aren\u2019t Jewish, and visitors can get to experience an authentic vibe: New York Jewish food and Israeli food. We even make our own hummus and tahini, and we have the best falafel in town,\u201d Moskowitz adds.<\/p>\n

The deli\u2019s exposed brick walls give it an authentic vintage New York vibe that pairs perfectly with classic Jewish comfort food and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur vision is to expand to the fullest capacity, attracting as many people as we can\u2014connecting them to their Jewish roots and heritage, through traditional Jewish food,\u201d Moskowitz says, adding that there is a sense of fulfillment working at Manhattan Avenue Deli, knowing how powerful food is to Jewish memory, tradition and connection. \u201cWe have our regulars, and it\u2019s nice to shmooze, hang out, and what better way than over a good pastrami sandwich?\u201d<\/p>\n

The alt weekly Santa Fe Reporter was effusive in its praise of Manhattan Avenue Deli\u2019s pastrami\u2014\u201cthin sliced and bursting with the subtly salty\/spicy kick\u201d\u2014but saved its most rapturous enthusiasm for a side-dish too often taken for granted on the East Coast: \u201cAs for the latkes? No notes, jack!!! Talk about the perfect combo of salty and crispy. And with the sweetness of the apple sauce side? Ooowweeee, it\u2019s all we can think about, honestly. As in, the deli is closed today and we don\u2019t know how we\u2019ll live without them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The restaurant is currently open three days a week, but there are imminent plans to expand to five due to growing demand in the community, illustrating the principle that while food may open the door\u2014it is the community that takes it from there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Santa Fe now has its first kosher restaurant, Manhattan Avenue Deli, opened by the shluchim Rabbi Berel and…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":174691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[210,1182,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-174690","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115090206366003679","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=174690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/174691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=174690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=174690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}