Dishing it with Syrian Refugees

There is nothing quite like food to motivate a Senior School boy and soon, we were elbow deep in dough, parsley, red peppers, cheese and meat. We were making fatayer, delicious small baked snacks that range from pizza-like flatbreads to baked turnovers, with countless different shapes and fillings. 

Both of our Syrian instructors came from Damascus. Kholoud used to be a high school teacher there and relished the opportunity to re-engage with students. Muna, a mother of four, didn’t speak much English, but through Kholoud was still able to share her love of cooking and her new life here in Canada. Both had left large families behind in Syria and had found friendship and support through Newcomer Kitchen. At this time of year, can you imagine the holiday season without family?

Cara, who runs Newcomer Kitchen, explained social enterprise to us and in particular how they are able to help Syrian women connect and support each other both emotionally and financially. There is a lot of dignity in being able to provide for yourself and those you care about. Lunch was great. The boys filled themselves with hot fatayer and mint tea and took away life lessons that hopefully will one day percolate back up and inform their own life choices.