Re: [Cz-L] Motto for the Cz.-List

I'm not a cook, and only the son of Czernowitzers, but I can share some of
my mother's (Pearl Spiegel Fichman's) food related recollections from growing
up in the 1920's and 30's there (from her book, Before Memories Fade). Some
of her explanations of Jewish culture were geared for New York raised members
of her audience (like me) not so familiar with the traditions as many of you
clearly are:
 
"The loveliest childhood memories include the holidays and preparations
for them. Mother used to cook and bake all the traditional foods for each
holiday. For Passover everything in the apartment was cleaned, rearranged,
washed, polished - so that no “khametz” remained anywhere, no bread, no
breadcrumbs. The preparations also meant buying lots of food: eggs by
the hundred, goose fat that had to be rendered and the cracklings, called
“greeven” reserved for the holiday, potatoes by the sackful, nuts, wine,
and of
course matza. Father ate a different matza called “shmoora”. It was baked
of less refined wheat flour, under special supervision, with him present at
the baking. Even to-day orthodox rabbis eat “matza shmoora”.
On the day before the Seder, all the dishes and glasses were put away
and the pessach stuff put in place. All this to commemorate the exodus of
our Israelite ancestors from bondage in Egypt and the rejoicing in freedom.
In their hurry, they baked unleavened bread-matza. It was a time of good
food, great expectations; it was also the joyous expectation of spring and
warmth after our long, cruel winters."
 
"Father, who was a deeply religious Jew, without being fanatical, took
his social responsibilities seriously. He belonged to the Jewish Community
Board and was an unpaid member in charge of social aid. Since there were
large numbers of poor Jews in town, his responsibility, by his own choice,
was to see that nobody goes without Pessach kosher food - matza, meat,
potatoes, eggs, sacramental wine. The same care was applied to see to it that
Jews in hospitals, the insane asylum and prison were provided with kosher
food for the holiday. By the time he had satisfied all these provisions,
he came home to celebrate the seder. By that time Mother was almost
asleep from the accumulated tiredness after all the work that had gone into
preparing the holiday and the hour was late.
However, by the time he arrived, everything went into motion. He sat on
a “hesse bed” - three chairs along which was spread a feather bed. Father
put on a white “kittel” - a wide, white linen garment with wide sleeves and
he began to read the Haggadah, the story of the Exodus.
I, as the youngest child, enjoyed the privilege of sitting next to him and
I asked the four questions. One of the great attractions of the seder were
the different wine glasses reserved for everybody year to year. The children
had small blue or green or yellow glasses, with little handles. As one grew
older, one advanced to a bigger ornamental glass, or a different color. Since
every celebrant was supposed to drink four glasses, the parents made sure
the children should not get tipsy.
There was laughter and merriment about the prophet Elijah. His glass
stood filled all evening and at one time, during the seder, one opens the
door
for Elijah to appear."
 
pp. 21-22
 
Eytan Fichman
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
In a message dated 10/24/2006 12:49:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,
jlapides_at_comcast.net writes:
It goes along with the saying, "a way to a person's heart is through the
stomach."

Jerry

Jerry Lapides, Ph.D.
Received on 2006-10-24 13:56:15