The bagel’s journey from Jewish immigrant food to American breakfast staple
Eastern European Jews brought bagels from Poland, and Harry Lender’s family later helped turn them into a national frozen grocery item.
- As part of the 'American Objects' series marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, the bagel stands as a staple of American life and symbol of cultural integration.
- Originating in Poland, the bagel arrived with Eastern European Jews escaping persecution in the 19th and 20th centuries; Harry Lender later grew his New Haven, Connecticut, bakery into a national business.
- For American Jews, the bagel provides comfort during life's milestones, from celebratory Bar mitzvah moments—held 13 years after birth—to mourning at a Shiva house.
- Eating a bagel invites personal preference, whether simple plain, poppy seeds, or an everything bagel, providing a satisfying experience for Americans with each bite.
- The bagel represents a successful immigrant story in America, with shops now run by families of original immigrants and new groups, cementing its place as a staple.
25 Articles
25 Articles
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Bagel’s journey from Jewish immigrant food to American breakfast staple
The bagel in America is an immigrant story with a hole in the middle. It came with Eastern European Jews escaping poverty and antisemitism, landing in New York street carts and bakeries. Later, it reached supermarket freezer aisles and became…
The bagel's journey from Jewish immigrant food to American breakfast staple
A breakfast egg and cheese on an “everything” bagel photographed in Phoenix, Ariz., Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)A plain bagel with cream cheese is photographed in Phoenix, Ariz., Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)A poppy seed bagel on a plate photographed in Phoenix, Ariz., Monday, July 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills) NEW YORK | The bagel in America is an immigrant story with a hole in the middle. …
Associated Press News
The bagel’s journey from Jewish immigrant food to American breakfast staple
The bagel in America is an immigrant story with a hole in the middle. It came with Eastern European Jews escaping poverty and antisemitism, landing in New York street carts and bakeries.
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