The Bagel: An Immigrant's Story

When my grandmother, the renowned filmmaker Joan Micklin Silver, passed away, she left behind an unfinished project, entitled The Bagel: An Immigrant’s Story. The documentary was never completely edited, but there is a wealth of footage that she shot detailing the history of the bagel: its ethnic origins as a Jewish staple, the labor struggles surrounding bagel-makers who fought for fair wages, and its eventual assimilation into a mainstream breakfast food. She filmed dozens of hours of interviews with historians, food critics, bagel makers, and friends meditating on what exactly makes the bagel such an enchanting food. The discovery of the footage in mini-DV format offered me the exciting possibility of completing her last major project. This documentary will reflect on the legacy of the bagel as a symbol of Jewish immigration and the history of its rise and assimilation.