Palestinians have long been criminalized for foraging from their own land. Za’atar; an ancestral blend of wild thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt—is more than a spice; it is memory, resistance, and connection to the Land.

For generations, Palestinians have faced fines, surveillance, and even arrest for harvesting native plants like wild za’atar and ‘akkoub. These practices that were once simple acts of sustenance and tradition.

This workshop is more than cooking. Manaeesh is a flat bread with Za’atar spices.
Together, we will prepare za’atar man’eesh while also reflecting on the parts of ourselves that have been labeled, restricted, criminalized or pushed into hiding. Through this process, we’ll begin to unlearn shame and reconnect with what was never meant to be taken from us.

By the end of our time together, you’ll leave not only with something nourishing to eat, but with a deeper understanding of the parts of you that were always worthy and never deserving of ridicule, silence, or erasure.