Jake Schneider twirls a new mezuzah between his fingertips as he sits at a wooden table near the front of his deli in Chicago's River North neighborhood. The slim, silver pendant dangling from a chain around his neck is engraved simply with chai-life.
Mezuzahs contain rolled-up biblical passages on small pieces of parchment; instead, Schneider has filled his with his own handwritten notes and wears it as a necklace.
It's important for him to be recognizably Jewish-even though Schneider, one of this year's "36 Under 36" Honorees, already runs one of Chicago's only Jewish delis.
Inside his business-Schneider Deli-family photos from the albums of Schneider's grandma, Eunie, pepper the walls, along with images from Schneider's bar mitzvah and of him and his wife, Ariel, being lifted at their wedding during the Hava Nagila.
"I wanted it to be in-your-face Jewish, unapologetically Jewish," Ariel said.
One of Schneider's favorite things about being Jewish is the food. Growing up in Highland Park, his parents reveled in consuming traditional cultural dishes as a family, enforcing a strict policy of eating together every nightly regardless of other commitments.
The Schneiders would sometimes gather at Eunie's house for holidays. There, she quickly ushered her grandson into the kitchen, handing Schneider a peeler and a bowl of potatoes while she'd slice and fry.
Later in the dining room, family members passed around latkes, brisket, and kugel. The pre-meal prayers were quickly replaced by choruses of loud laughter and clanking forks. Food of everyday Jewish life became a centerpiece of memory.
Schneider's love of food stayed with him while moving to upstate New York for college. He wanted to learn how to cook so badly that he considered transferring to culinary school but ultimately stuck with his economics degree, knowing it could eventually help him open a business. After graduation, he moved to Chicago, sharpening his culinary skills as a line cook at several restaurants.
In 2021, Schneider and Ariel created Schneider Provisions, a pickle company that used Schneider's brine recipe, loosely inspired by the recipe of his distant cousin who had run off to join the circus. Soon, Schneider decided it was time to realize his ultimate dream of becoming a deli owner.
He spent months developing recipes. Much of Schneider Deli's menu reads like a family cookbook, including the brisket and latkes based on Eunie's special recipes.
Opening day came in August 2023. What surprised Schneider and Ariel more than the huge crowds was that many customers thanked them - for opening the deli, showcasing their Judaism proudly and publicly, and creating a center of community. "We needed this," they heard from diners old and young.
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On October 7, after hearing news of the Hamas attacks, Schneider was working at the deli when his mother arrived. Immediately, he knew something was wrong.
"Hersh was at the festival," she said.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Schneider's 23-year-old cousin, and his family had immigrated from the United States to Israel in 2008. Whenever the Goldberg-Polins visited Chicago, they stayed with Schneider's parents.
As antisemitic incidents climbed following the attacks, Schneider continued running his deli, never considering shutting it down. The only change was that by the register, Schneider set up a tzedakah box to raise money for United Hatzalah.
For months, the deli's online reviews were predominantly positive. After October 7, however, the mood shifted, including in this review posted last April.
"I used to enjoy this business, but for the last few months they have been collecting money that supports Genocide & Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinian People from their native homeland. No bagel will ever be worth the life of a child."
Schneider had always felt a duty to voice his Jewish identity, but even more now.
Since October 7, Schneider Deli's popularity has soared. It's a cherished spot that many flock toward to feel immersed in the culture, community, and food of their ancestors.
"I believe opening the deli was a mitzvah because of how much it provides people, whether that's bringing them together, eliciting memories, or shaping the way that we treat others," he said.
Sylvie Kirsch is a Chicago-based writer and recent Master's graduate of Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. You can find the full version of her story
here
.
