Portland restaurants overflow with local produce and free-range meat, but Oregon has one of the worst hunger problems in the country. This year, the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland is putting together the very first Food for Thought Festival (for Jews and Gentiles alike!) from April 18-21. It’s a food-driven marathon of events from talks with award-winning journalists and political lectures to cooking classes and food cart tours all benefitting the Oregon Food Bank. Here are a few events we are getting psyched about:

The Wisdom of Davids
April 18^th, 7:30p-9p
Location: Portland Art Museum, Kridell Grand Ballroom, 1219 Southwest Park Ave.
Price: $35

A seriously funny conversation with 12-time Emmy-winning David Javerbaum (writer and executive producer behind The Daily Show) and legendary comedian/television director David Steinberg (Friends, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm). With The Oregonian’s own David Sarasohn moderating, these two pillars of primetime comedy will discuss humor as a vessel for news and current events.

Cook. Eat. Love
April 19^th, 10-12pm
Location: KitchenCru, 337 Northwest Broadway
Price: $75 (enrollment limited to 20)

Most home cooks know Marcella Hazan, the legendary mother of Italian cuisine in America. Her son Giuliano Hazan (also an international culinary superstar) is coming to Portland to drop some old-school Italian knowledge at the Pearl District’s KitchenCru followed by lunch with wine pairings. Hazan will also be doing signings for his new cookbook, Hazan Family Favorites: Beloved Italian Recipes, at Powell’s later in the afternoon.

The Great Latke-Hamantaschen Debate
April 20^th, 5-7pm
Location: The Cleaners at Ace Hotel, 403 Southwest 10th Ave.
Price: $5

It’s hard to say what they will debate…latke and hamantaschen are mutually exclusive holiday treats. But we jumped at the chance to see some of Portland’s leaders in Jewish cuisine—Lisa Schroeder from Mother’s Bistro and Ken Gordon from Kenny & Zukes—come to blows over Purim and Hanukah during a Happy Hour at the Ace Hotel.

Win tickets: Eat Beat scored a pair of tickets to Food For Thought's The Wisdom of Davids event at the Portland Art Museum, worth $70:

The contest will be open through noon on Thursday, March 28, and winners will be notified the week of April 1, no foolin'.

For the full Food For Thought schedule and ticket information, head to the Food For Thought website.