Second Avenue Deli

No one expects most Jewish delis to be kosher anymore.
But when you pull Hebrew National salami and Dr. Brown’s soda from the menu — and downsize the iconic, mile-high corned beef sandwich — can you still claim to be a guardian of the great Jewish deli tradition?

Even at Saul’s Deli, a Berkeley, Calif., eatery where the pastrami is grass-fed, the pickles local and Alice Waters’ legendary Chez Panisse is just down the street, sustainably farmed and ethically raised food can be a hard sell to customers craving Jewish comfort food.

There is nothing remotely community minded about the war that is gripping the Sixth Street Community Synagogue.

Tensions at the East Village Orthodox shul, which have been building between old-timers and newly recruited younger members for six months, erupted last Sunday morning at a meeting to elect new board members.

The two sides hurled curses at one another in the shul basement, where a spread of whitefish salad and bagels had been laid out. At one point, someone suggested that the police be called in to restore calm.