What Brings Gail Simmons Jewish Joy
Published to help alleviate modern social paralysis, the beautifully illustrated book positions Simmons as a guiding voice for individuals navigating the often-perplexing rules of modern etiquette. Rather than offering a rigid list of dos and don’ts or consumerist purchasing suggestions, the book delves into the psychology of social interactions. It aims to transform the anxieties of attending events into second nature, drawing deeply on Simmons’s culinary expertise, her perspective as a public figure, and her lived experiences as a Jewish woman. Throughout the volume, she weaves in thoughtful reflections on major ritual celebrations, including Passover, Yom Kippur, and milestone life-cycle events like bar and bat mitzvahs, using them as universal examples of gathering and community.
In the introduction to "Guesting," Simmons candidly addresses what she identifies as a significant cultural void. She observes a gaping hole in collective confidence regarding how individuals are expected to behave when invited into someone else’s space. Having witnessed and personally succumbed to waves of social anxiety driven by unknowns, variables, and unwritten social nuances, she designed the book to relieve the paralysis that often prevents people from fully enjoying communal celebrations. While the act of being a guest can occasionally feel fraught with tension, Simmons argues that guesting is inherently rooted in joy—a sentiment that mirrors her own effervescent public persona.
In celebration of the book’s release, Simmons has shared a deeply personal look into the elements that cultivate her own sense of Jewish joy, blending nostalgia, culinary heritage, family heirlooms, and contemporary cultural discoveries. Among the highlights is a meticulously detailed, tiny illustration of a seder plate created by artist Nancy Pappas for "Guesting." Featured in a comprehensive matrix within the book that categorizes religious and cultural celebrations across a spectrum from somber to celebratory, the miniature artwork includes every traditional seder item, complete with a modern orange in the center—a contemporary symbol of inclusion and equality that Simmons actively incorporates into her own family’s holiday table.
Food remains a central pillar of Simmons’s personal traditions, particularly a cherished applesauce recipe passed down from her father. During autumn, her father would traditionally process massive batches of bushels of apples in the family kitchen, preserving them in large mason jars to sustain them throughout the year. The family’s culinary secret involved incorporating a handful of dark plums alongside the apples, imparting a striking fuchsia hue to the mixture. Eaten for breakfast or as an after-school snack drizzled with fresh cream, the applesauce was a permanent fixture on the Hanukkah table, served alongside her mother’s renowned crispy latkes. Today, Simmons continues the tradition alongside her daughter, finding that the flavor permanently links her to holiday memories of the past.
Nostalgia also permeates Simmons’s connection to physical mementos, such as a piece of retro bar and bat mitzvah jewelry. Rediscovered in her jewelry box several years ago, her initial "GS" ring—a gift from her Aunt Sue and Uncle Lou for her 1989 bat mitzvah in Toronto—has remained on her finger ever since. The tradition of marking these coming-of-age milestones has carried into the next generation, with her daughter recently uncovering her husband’s childhood Chai necklace from his own bar mitzvah and adopting it as an everyday accessory.
Simmons’s appreciation for cultural fusion and modern culinary trends is further highlighted by her recent discovery of Holy Tshili Furikake, a Japanese-Jewish hybrid condiment that combines spicy Japanese furikake with toasted everything bagel seasoning. Described as an umami flavor explosion, the condiment has become a staple in her household, where it is routinely applied to everything from breakfast eggs and peanut butter toast to salads, bagels with cream cheese and lox, and popcorn. It has earned a spot as her signature holiday gift for friends this season.
Family life and domestic joys also heavily influence Simmons’s daily routine, underscored by her eight-year-old son’s enthusiastic affection for pickles and onions. A recent family excursion to restock their refrigerator at The Pickle Guys prompted a humorous request from her son to host his next birthday party directly inside the iconic establishment. Meanwhile, traditional Judaica holds a permanent place in their home, exemplified by a hand-sewn challah cover given to the family by her husband’s aunt, Dorothea Bersani, upon the birth of their daughter, Dahlia, thirteen years ago. Handcrafted by a lifelong, deeply rooted Italian-American New Yorker from Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, the textile features the embroidered Hebrew phrase "Shabbat Shalom" and serves as a treasured family heirloom—complementing a playful recent moment when the now-teenaged Dahlia surprised her mother by bedazzling a copy of "Guesting."
Simmons’s curation of personal joys extends into the broader artistic and culinary landscape, featuring works by contemporary creators and innovative food products. She highlights the forthcoming art book "Thick Bleach & Euphemisms" by acclaimed Jewish artist Zoe Buckman, whose intricate work she has long admired. On the culinary front, she champions Little Latke crisps, a modern snack product that merges the nostalgic, comforting aromas and flavors of her mother’s potato latkes frying in oil with the convenient format of a crispy chip, providing an ideal vehicle for dips and snacking boards while honoring the sensory memories of her childhood kitchen.
