This is an advertisement for Hellman’s and Best Foods mayonnaise published in the B’nai Brith Messenger in 1974. Two jars of mayonnaise appear in the top-right corner of the full-page advertisement, which includes recipes using the mayonnaise that were submitted by readers in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. The introduction reads: “Fresh new recipes for this fresh new time of the year.” The advertisement invites readers to submit more recipes by offering $10 to those whose recipes are published. Among the recipes are a “chicken artichoke salad,” “poached salmon with jewelled sauce,” and a “quick banana cake” – all including mayonnaise. Interestingly, the advertisement includes only two dairy recipes despite the tradition of eating dairy foods on Shavuot. Underneath the recipes is an illustrated scene from the Book of Ruth, showing Ruth when she decides not to return to her homeland but to remain with Naomi, her mother-in-law.
This advertisement is an example of international companies adapting their advertising to their audiences. In this case, the Hellman’s company provided recipes and content for their Jewish audience in the Jewish newspaper the B’nai Brith Messenger.
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B’nai Brith Messenger – The B’nai Brith Messenger was a Jewish newspaper published in Los Angeles, California from 1897–1995. It was named after the largest Reform congregation in Los Angeles and was published twice a month until the 1920s when it became a weekly publication. The newspaper chronicled a period of tremendous growth in the Los Angeles Jewish community.
The Book of Ruth – The book of Ruth is one of the Five Megilot that is including in the Writings (Ketuvim) section of the Bible. The story that is told is set in the area of Bethlehem at the time of the Judges. The book tells of Ruth's acceptance of the Jewish faith and her arrival in Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi. Once a rich woman, Naomi has returned penniless to her hometown and Ruth helps her survive by collecting reminders of the barley and wheat harvest. It is then that Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi and the owner of the field, notices Ruth and understands the kindness that Ruth is doing for Naomi. The end of the book tells of the marriage of Ruth and Boaz. They have a son who is the grandfather of King David. The Book of Ruth is traditionally read on the festival of Shavuot. One of the reasons for this is that the events of the book centre on the harvesting season and Shavuot is the grain harvest festival. Another reason is the focus of the book on the acceptance of the Torah by Ruth. Finally, a tradition that David, Ruth's great grandson died on Shavuot, might also be the reason why the book is read on this festival.
Shavuot - Shavuot, also known as the Festival of Weeks – is celebrated on the sixth of Sivan. Shavuot, one of the three biblical pilgrim festivals, commemorates many different things: it marks the day that the Israelites received the Torah on Mount Sinai; it celebrates the wheat harvest in Israel; and it signifies the end of the Counting of the Omer. It is celebrated with many colourful and festive traditions such as holding bikkurim ceremonies, eating dairy food, decorating the synagogue with flowers and greenery, reading the Book of Ruth, and studying the Torah all through the night (Tikkun Leil Shavuot). In modern Israel, kibbutzim celebrate Shavuot and the bikkurim with processions displaying their produce of the previous year, including fruit and vegetables, farm animals, and even the new babies!
