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Jerusalem bagel

Jerusalem Bagel
Jerusalem bagels
Alternative namesKaʿak al-Quds
TypeBread
Place of originJerusalem
Associated cuisineCuisine of Jerusalem
Main ingredientsFlour, yeast, sugar, water, sesame seeds[1]


Jerusalem bagel or Jerusalem ka'ak (Arabic: كعك القدس, romanized: ka'ak al-quds; Hebrew: בייגל ירושלמי, romanized: beigel yerushalmi) is a type of bread baked in Jerusalem. It has a ring shape but is otherwise unlike a traditional boiled bagel.[2] It is related to Middle Eastern ka'ak bread.[3]

Typically, this is a yeasted, crusty bread which is shaped into an oblong ring and covered in sesame seeds.[2] The dough has a lighter texture than a traditional bagel.[2] It can be sliced and served with various toppings.[4] Countless variations of it exist across the Eastern Mediterranean, but the oblong one from Jerusalem remains the most iconic and is thought to stretch back to the Middle Ages.[5]

History

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Palestinian man with a cart full of Jerusalem Ka'ek

Ottoman Period

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While the precise origins are unknown, Jerusalem bagels are often traced back to the Ottoman period, similarities are drawn to Turkish simits.[1][6]

Jerusalem Ka'ak or Jerusalem Bagel became popular in the holy city during the visit of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent's wife Roxelana to Jerusalem in 1552. She ordered the creation of a charitable kitchen known as "Khaski Sultan" (Sultan's beloved). Initially, the ka'ak was part of a complete meal consisting of rice and meat, but over time it evolved into a main dish consumed by Palestinian residents of the city. It is said that the unique aroma of this bread in Jerusalem is due to it being baked on olive wood.[7]

20th Century

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Over time, the shape of Jerusalem Ka'ak or Jerusalem Bagel changed from a round shape without a hole to one with a hole, and eventually to its current rectangular form. Bakeries specializing in Jerusalem Ka'ak or Jerusalem Bagel are spread throughout the alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, with more than 20 bakeries in operation. This craft has been passed down from fathers to sons for generations.[7]

A photo taken on the 14th of July, 1967 shows a boy selling sesame coated, ring-shaped (but not elongated), "bagels" in the alleys of the Old city of Jerusalem.[8]

The "longer shaped" ka'ak is believe to have appeared in the 1980s after some Palestinian bakeries began making it in that shape, as it allegedly sped up leavening.[6]

Culture

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Jerusalem is frequently said to have the best Jerusalem bagels,[6][9] as such, the inhabitants of Jerusalem would gift Jerusalem bagels to those living outside the city.[10] In the old city, ka'ak-cart sellers push their carts around the old city yelling "ka'ak" to attract customers.[6][9]

See also

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jerusalem Bagels.
  1. ^ a b Vered, Ronit (2013-12-04). "Back to the Sources". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 2024-01-14.
  2. ^ a b c Amy Scattergood (25 February 2019), "Jerusalem bagels, the addictive, hard-to-find bagels that aren't bagels at all", Los Angeles Times
  3. ^ Rebecca Pardess (2 May 2016), "Bibi's Bakery sells Jerusalem Bagels like the ones in the Old City", LA Weekly
  4. ^ Barr, Neria (2023-02-04). "Claro: Jerusalem-inspired food in Tel Aviv - review". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  5. ^ "Ka'ak, and the Case for the Ancient Arabic Origins of the Bagel". Serious Eats. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  6. ^ a b c d Aghazarian, Arda (6 May 2021). "Ka'ek al-Quds: What's the Secret?". Jerusalem Story. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b Khalil Musa (14 May 2023), "الكعك المقدسي أصله عثماني ونكهته فلسطينية سرها حطب الزيتون", The Independent Arabia
  8. ^ "IN PHOTOS: Jerusalem's Old City in 1967 and 2017". Haaretz. Reuters. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  9. ^ a b Kassis, Reem (10 Mar 2025). "Ka'ak al Quds (Jerusalem Sesame Bread) Recipe". Serious Eats. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  10. ^ "كعك القدس هدية مميزة للفلسطينيين خارج المدينة المقدسة" [Jerusalem bagels are a special gift for Palestinians outside the Holy City.]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 August 2025.