Naftali Engel

I always had an affinity to cooking and loved to work with food in general. I guess I had an early exposure to herring from age seven

Ladies, I promise that after you read this article (and hopefully taste his herrings), you too will join the club.

Where did your herring aspirations begin?

My father was the gabbai and president of our shul in Kew Gardens Hills, and I set up the kiddush every Shabbos. I developed a real love for herring. I always had an affinity to cooking and loved to work with food in general. I guess I had an early exposure to herring from age seven!

When I studied in Israel, I couldn’t find anything comparable to the American-style herring I loved. I really missed that taste from home. Baruch Hashem, early on in my year, I visited my brother, who lives in Tzfas, for Shabbos. At the kiddush after Shacharis, I tasted the most amazing herring. I asked to meet its creator. He was very generous and gave me his recipe, which includes instructions to dance with the fish, say Tehillim with the fish, and learn a little Likutei Moharan.

Did you execute these “instructions”?

Well, I definitely learned a lot about the importance of understanding why we eat in general. This chassid in Tzfas taught me that eating is an essential part of our avodas Hashem if we do it with the right intentions.