What do swordfish, buffalo, quail, and piranha have in common? They're all kosher- and they've all been served at the Biblical Museum of Natural History's legendary exotic dinners, events where adventurous diners discover just how far the boundaries of kosher cuisine can stretch.
This December 24th, celebrity chef Moshe Basson returns to the museum for another culinary expedition into the unexpected corners of kashrut. The evening promises an eclectic menu of species that are entirely kosher yet never found in ordinary kosher restaurants. Past feasts have featured everything from succulent game birds to unexpected delicacies from land and sea. Dessert? Don't be surprised if chocolate-covered grasshoppers make an appearance - they're kosher too.
"People are always shocked to learn what's actually kosher," says Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin, the museum's director, who provides the Torah context and natural history behind each unusual dish, after years of research on animals and kashrut. "King Solomon imported peacocks not just for their beauty. Centuries ago, they were considered a delicacy fit for royalty. Jews served them on special occasions. These dinners let people experience the breadth of kosher cuisine in ways our ancestors might have, discovering that these extraordinary birds and other unusual species are not just a feast for the eyes, but for the palate as well."
The combination of Basson's culinary artistry and Rabbi Dr. Slifkin's storytelling transforms each course into an exploration. Diners learn the fascinating laws and stories behind what they're tasting, connecting food to Torah, natural history, and Jewish tradition in ways that surprise even the most knowledgeable guests.
The feast is more than novelty, it's a gateway into the museum's larger mission of bringing the animal world of the Torah to life. Since opening a decade ago in Beit Shemesh and relocating five years ago to a magnificent facility near Ikea Eshtaol, the museum has become a destination unlike any other in Israel. It presents Biblical wildlife through a unique combination of living exhibits and carefully preserved specimens across multiple halls along with live species the visitors can touch and pet.
In the Hall of Biblical Wildlife, visitors stand face-to-face with the lions, leopards, hippos and crocodiles that once roamed ancient Israel, now preserved as stunning taxidermy specimens. The Hall of Small Animals and the Serpentarium showcase living creatures such as chameleons, rabbits, giant monitor lizards, and impressive snakes that visitors can touch and even hold under supervision. There's the Hall of Shofars with the world's largest collection from different species, the Hall of Wonders (where it's impossible to miss the elephant in the room), and a new exhibit of Noah’s Arks featuring over 100 artistic models of Arks from all around the world.
The interactive tours weave these exhibits into a narrative connecting Torah, nature, Jewish history and the Land of Israel. This connection is the foundation of Rabbi Dr. Slifkin's new book, "The Lions of Zion": Biblical Natural History and the Significance of Israel. The work demonstrates how the animals and plants of Tanach and Jewish law can only be fully understood through the centrality of Israel to Torah and Jewish history. It even addresses modern politics, showing how the Jewish People's relationship with Israel's flora and fauna undermines contemporary academic attempts to delegitimize Israel as a "settler colonial" project.
But on December 24th, the focus will be simpler and more immediate: the thrill of tasting something entirely new, the joy of discovery, and the realization that the world of Kashrut is larger and more surprising than most people imagine. Seating is strictly limited for this exclusive culinary adventure.
This article was written in cooperation with The Biblical Museum of Natural History