As we wrap up the year, we want to express our gratitude to our community of readers for supporting us in so many ways, from cheering us on, suggesting story ideas, and contributing articles, to donating to help sustain this all-volunteer effort. We also want to remind you that the Becket Beatwill not publish a January issue. Instead, we will take our annual retreat to reflect, recharge, and brainstorm how to make the Beat even better in 2026 and beyond. Look for our next issue on February 1. In the meantime, we wish everyone a healthy and happy holiday season!
To celebrate the season, we are pleased to share a little “food for thought” from one of our neighbors, David Mittler.
A Toast to Bread
By David Mittler
As we prepare for the holiday season, I’d like to propose a toast: to bread. This simple staple is both nutritious and delicious, and it holds a cherished place in winter celebrations across the globe. Bread connects us to family, to faith, and to history. Breaking bread is a universal symbol of togetherness, reminding us that learning about bread is also a way of learning about one another.
Matzoh, flat and quick to bake, sustained the Jewish people during their exodus from Egypt and still symbolizes resilience and freedom during Passover. In Christianity, the Communion wafer and the concept of “breaking bread,” of various sorts, carries deep spiritual meaning.
Naan, also flat and fast to cook, once nourished royalty and merchants along the Silk Road before becoming a beloved everyday bread. As it traveled, each culture shaped it with new flavors and uses. Italian bread, long favored by workers and travelers, comes in many regional varieties—long, round, or flat—each reflecting local tradition. And the tortilla, with roots in ancient Maya culture, may be the world’s most traveled bread, even accompanying astronauts in space.
So when you break bread this holiday season, take a moment to savor this unifying ritual that connects us all, past and present. Here’s to bread!
