UP IN SMOKE: Is the Kosher BBQ Festival Cooked?
This is part one of a series that recalls the legacy of the Kosher BBQ Festival with an eye toward the future.
Sasha Heller is the Web Editor and Copy Editor for the Atlanta Jewish Times
For the past 11 years, the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival, presented by the Hebrew Order of David, has filled the bellies of community members with savory delicacies and filled their hearts with goodwill and Jewish pride. But unfortunately, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
In this series, entitled “Up in Smoke,” the AJT will recall the festival’s legacy, speaking with those who were heavily involved over the years, and discussing what plans there are for a potential replacement in the future.
Jody Pollack, the festival’s Executive Director, has announced that he is stepping down from his leadership position to focus on his family. The AJT recently spoke with Pollack about his personal history with the festival and what it means to him to be a part of its legacy.
AJT: How would you describe your experience leading the festival for the past several years? What was it like for you?
Pollack: First off, it was a joy but filled with trepidation, angst, frustration, amazement and immense satisfaction. Each festival, I worried about the weather, how many teams would participate, would the community come out, could we get the sponsorships and donations and so on. Every year since 2015, I put in a lot of work that ultimately paid off with the realization that I led a team effort that brought disparate members of the community together for great kosher BBQ and a day of family fun.
AJT: What will be your lasting memories of the festival over the years?
Pollack: The people that I met and interacted with as I led the team to put the festival together were, for the most part, people that under other circumstances, I would have not had any reason to chat with let alone work closely with and now call friends. On top of that, seeing so many people of all flavors, eating the same food, listening to the same music, following the rules of kashrut in preparing their BBQ and enjoying the day are memories that I will cherish forever. In addition, being able to convince some amazing filmmakers to join me in making one of my dreams a reality by creating the documentary, “No Pork on the Fork.” We were so fortunate to finish it just in time for the 2020 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival and to have it shown just before COVID shut everything down.
AJT: Why have you chosen to not continue hosting the festival?
Pollack: I had to do a lot of soul searching before stepping down. For the past 10-plus years, this has been an integral part of who I was, and I am now in a phase of my life where I need to refocus my efforts and priorities. The workload was not decreasing, and family responsibilities were increasing. It is a huge effort to pull the festival together and it is time to focus on our accomplishments and go out on top. We ran the festival for over 10 years and made a movie about it. We truly brought a diverse community together and lived by the phrase, “We don’t care what flavor you are, as long as you love BBQ.” And on top of that we raised a few dollars for the community.
AJT: Please speak about the donations that were raised each year and how the Order helped support local organizations through the festival proceeds.
Pollack: As we looked into taking over the festival and determining how to assess the goals of continuing it, we had to define success. In other words, were we going to be a fundraising event or a community event? After looking into the financial projections, we realized that we would be lucky to break even each year and if we had funds available to donate, that would be a bonus. The realization was quickly made that this festival needed to focus on its value as a community event where we would be breaking down cultural barriers and truly provide a safe, fun space where everyone from all levels of Jewish observance and the non-Jewish community could gather in one place under the umbrella of togetherness.
AJT: What would you like to see replace the festival going forward? Should there be some type of community gathering to take its place?
Pollack: I would love to see a festival with a similar vibe that I can bring my family to and just enjoy without the pressure of ensuring its success. I am happy to leave that to someone else.
Giving Back
Through the generosity of donors and the stewardship of the festival’s accounting team, organizers were able to donate approximately $30,000 to various Jewish and non-Jewish community organizations, including:
Atlanta Israel Coalition
Backpack Buddies
Cobb County Sheriff’s Fund
United Hatzalah
I Care Atlanta
Jewish Educational Loan Fund
Jewish HomeLife Communities
Kingswood Church
St. Patrick’s Church
DeKalb Fire & Rescue
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