Chewdaism: A Taste of Jewish Montreal

Chewdaism: A Taste of Jewish Montreal (2018) is a Canadian documentary written by, directed by, and starring Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman.

Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman are two Jewish comedians who set out to teach us about the history of Jews in Montreal. The method they use to demonstrate the history is by eating Jewish food wherever they can find it in Montreal. Trust me--they find it.

The film is fascinating, even if you think you know Montreal. (I lived there for four years, and I only knew a fraction of what I learned from the movie.)

The problem--at least for me--is that the men eat, and eat, and eat all day long. I think they had seven meals. They ate so much that I felt stuffed. If you can get over the gluttony, you'll enjoy the movie.

We saw this film at Rochester's wonderful Dryden Theatre in the George Eastman Museum. The movie was part of the Rochester Jewish Film Festival, which is outstanding. Not only are the movies great, but after this movie the festival staff arranged for free bagels and cream cheese for everyone. That is class!

It's probably better to watch this film after you've eaten. Of course, if you're seeing it at home, you can pause to have a nosh. If you're hungry when you enter the theater, you'll really want food at the end.

Really well done documentary! I'm a foodie and it was amazing to see the history of Jewish MONTREAL told through food. The segments really worked, the visuals were amazing and all the food looked amazing. From smoked meat to bagels to Moroccan delicacies, I wanted to eat everything ! Kudos for an awesome and informative feast for the eyes!