The Spicy Peach Hosts Jewish Holiday Market

Shoppers enjoyed meeting vendors selling unique Yom Tov items.

By Chana Shapiro October 16, 2024, 10:37 am Edit

Chana Shapiro is an educator, writer, editor and illustrator whose work has appeared in journals, newspapers and magazines. She is a regular contributor to the AJT.

On Sept. 29, The Spicy Peach, the popular kosher specialty grocery in the Toco Hills Shopping Center, hosted its second annual High Holiday Market on the wide walkway in front of their store. The sunny, temperate weather was perfect for the outdoor High Holiday Market, and families out for a casual Sunday stroll shared the busy walkway with a steady bustle of focused shoppers who came to visit the vendors and then continue their mission of Yom Tov shopping in the store.

Jodi Wittenberg and Tzippy Teller at the High Holiday Market

The Sunday before major Jewish holidays is always a busy day. The Spicy Peach is a go-to destination for Yom Tov groceries and dry goods that are features of the Jewish Atlanta’s Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur Break-Fast, and Sukkot tables.

Many shoppers found a seat at the store’s outdoor tables and chairs where they took a break to enjoy a variety of hot foods being served from a large, portable catering station. Resounding wishes of “Shana Tovah!” and Happy New Year!’ filled the air, as people ran into neighbors, members of their own family, and old friends who hadn’t seen one another since before the years of COVID isolation.

Nava Teller holds an Atlanta Jewish Academy fundraiser honey cake.

The Spicy Peach Holiday Market looked like the place to be. Everyone seemed to enjoy sharing recipes, catching up on the latest news, meeting the outdoor vendors, finding special holiday items, and—together—looking forward to a good new year.

Spicy Peach store owners, Jodi Wittenberg, Tzippy Teller, and Lydia Schloss organized their first Holiday Market last year, and the event’s popularity convinced them to offer the Jewish community an opportunity again this year to shop both inside their physical store and to peruse and purchase the wares of Jewish groups and creative individuals who sell holiday-related items.

The scene was convivial, colorful, and lots of fun. Jewish vendors from all sectors of the city stood at their display tables to greet a constant stream of shoppers. Inside the store, The Spicy Peach displayed a trove of traditional and exotic foods on overflowing shelves, at a sushi station, and in long walls of refrigerated cases. As people filled their carts, Wittenberg and Teller were busy unloading delivery trucks, making sure that shoppers, through the High Holidays, would have access to last-minute necessities, table enhancements, and specially wrapped hostess gifts.

Ami Weismark is a teen apiarist who makes his own honey.

Holiday Market vendors included Temima High School girls selling large, laminated posters to decorate home sukkahs; an Atlanta Jewish Academy fundraising display of wrapped honey cakes that were baked by Ali’s Cookies; Benjamin Price, a member of Jewish Boy Scout troop 1818, selling their fundraiser of wrapped bags of popcorn; Ami’s Bees, selling homemade honey (Ami Weismark is an Atlanta teen apiarist who raises bees and makes his own honey); Simone Sobel, selling handmade custom glazed pottery; Purim and Poppy Florals; Israel Rosh, caterer of Kosher Kreations, serving on-site, hot Moroccan-style “soul food” from large chafing pans (which filled the area with alluring wafting aromas); Elyah Sadeh, selling customizable honey containers; and Ada Sapir, selling framed paper quilling artwork.

Taking into account the pre-Rosh Hashana rush, The Spicy Peach is still well-stocked with High Holiday specialties, including four different flavors of round challahs, challah rolls, uniquely flavored honeys, honey jars, imported products from Israel, Yom Tov specialty snacks, and chocolates. There is an enticing selection of items that make perfect Yom Tov and Shabbat hostess gifts. Owners Wittenberg and Teller (third partner, Lydia Schloss, was in Israel) who have considerable knowledge of what’s new and desirable in the ever-expanding niche of kosher holiday food, assured shoppers that their store will remain well-stocked with Yom Tov specialties for Break-the-Fast gatherings and Sukkot.

Simone Sobel is pictured with her handmade pottery.

During the work week, The Spicy Peach offers fresh soups, sandwiches, salads, cheeses, dry goods, and an excellent selection of global products. They advertise frequent specials, including prepared dishes for Shabbat meals, make their own sushi, and cater for simchas and Shabbat Kiddush at synagogues. The store is closed on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.

Israel Rosh, caterer of Kosher Kreations, prepared Mediterranean-style soul food.

Keeping in Touch

The following vendors at the Holiday Market may be reached at:
Ada Studio Designs: info@adastudiodesigns.com (954)281-2168
Ami’s Bees: (770) 312-6723
Kosher Kreations: kosherkreationsga@gmail.com (770) 885-2064
Posters for Sukkot: contact Temima High School (404) 315-0507
Prim and Poppy Florals: primandpoppyflorals@gmail.com (438) 923-6318
Stickit Custom Containers: stickitgift@gmail.com (786) 858-1886
Siman Tov Pottery: (404) 964-9260

Keeping in Touch

comments