The vegan cook-off was a great opportunity to unite with friends and share amazing food. Veganism, like Kashrut, is a great way to connect to your identity and food choices every time you eat. Although no one at the Shabbat meal was vegan or strictly kosher, it was a very easy way to accommodate all dietary choices that people from various communities create for themselves. Food really can be an identity marker, and what better way to express your identity than in a warm house with friends?