Wyn Caudle

Business Manager

On Sept. 6, 2026, The College of Wooster’s Jewish Student Organization (JSO) hosted Pickle Day from 2-4 p.m. in Bornhutter’s Pavilion. The event centered around pickle-themed food, activities and history, as attendees walked around the tables.

JSO’s Secretary, Sophie Noble ’27, shared some comments regarding the organization’s second year of hosting the event. “For Pickle Day, we have taste testing, pickle coloring pages – you can rank the pickles if you like –  you can also just eat them. We have a couple pickle snacks, [and] we have pickle zines.”

The Pickle Zine, created by the JSO board, educates readers about the history of pickles and their relation to Judaism.

“As much as we’d love to claim the Jews invented pickling, it’s not really true,” the zine stated. “Different forms of pickling have been invented all over the world, from at least 9,000 years ago.” This was on the first page of the zine, giving context to readers. 

It continues “The pickled cucumber was well-known in America before significant amounts of Jewish immigration started. It was popular enough to take the name of ‘pickle,’ even though other items were pickled – tomatoes, bell peppers, peaches, oysters, asparagus, and many more.” 

At JSO’s pickle event, many different types of pickles were available – including Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickles, Cleveland Kitchen’s Dill Pickle Spears and Mr. Olive Pickles, which have partnered with Make-A-Wish America since 2020. Gwen Doyle ’29, an attendee of the event, said “I love the selection of pickles!”

The zine also says that “when Jewish immigrants came from Germany, Eastern Europe, and Russia starting in the mid-nineteenth century, they brought their own assortment of pickled foods with them – among these the kosher dill pickle.” It then continues on by providing more of a historical context of kosher being applied to pickles.

“The kosher dill pickle, fermented in brine with garlic and dill, is the classic Jewish pickle. ‘Half sours’ are fermented for a shorter time, ‘full sours’ for a longer time, but both became a popular Jewish introduction to the Lower East Side in Manhattan, sold by and to Jews (as well as everyone else).” 

The zine finishes with one last sentence providing some final context of the roles of pickles. 

“Though not a traditionally religious food, (cucumber) pickles have become a characteristically Jewish food. A cookbook provocatively titled The 100 Most Jewish Foods provides recipes for both half- and full-sours alongside a nostalgic reminiscence, ending in the hope that the author’s daughter will think of the food “as a vital link to our past and to the generations of Jewish pickle eaters who came before us.”

Amelia King ’28, JSO treasurer, commented on Pickle Day this year compared to last. “I don’t feel like we’ve had as much of a turn out as last year… I feel our pickles aren’t going quite as quickly.” She also shared “…for JSO, anyone can come to any of our events regardless of affiliation.”

Attendee Sara Prokosch ’29 shared “It was unique! It was a unique experience.” The event provided a space for students to learn more about JSO, and to participate in a pickle-loving community.

To hear more about JSO, follow their Instagram @wooster.jso