On July 4th, James Taylor celebrated his fiftieth anniversary of Fourth of July concerts at Tanglewood - the renowned music venue in Lenox Massachusetts.I love traditions. Although we’ve seen James Taylor at Tanglewood many times, we were not there last week. Instead, we’ve were extending our own tradition - in its third year - of having our family …
Yesterday we celebrated Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when the Union troops reached Galveston Texas with the news (belated by over two years) of the Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery and granting freedom to all.Freedom. Individual freedom. I wonder how the news was received and how the concept must have been incorporated into the psyche of …
Did you continue a tradition for celebrating Valentine’s Day?The other day the New York Times reported on an alternate Valentine’s Day tradition. The San Antonio Zoo runs a fundraiser in which you can symbolically name a roach or rodent that would be fed to one of the zoo’s animals. The opportunity to acknowledge someone on Valentine’s Day to whom …
One of the great things about blogging on Thursdays I that I always get to blog on Thanksgiving...... To all in the Gotham Family..... Surround yourselves with people you love, give Thanks, and take an extra moment to pray for Peace. Happy Thanksgiving
Since I blog on Thursdays, I have the honor of continuing the annual tradition of wishing the Gotham family a very Happy Thanksgiving. May we surround yourselves - in person and in spirit - with those we love.... and give thanks ......
There’s an expression in Yiddish to the effect that “ Man plans and God laughs”. In these times, I think the expression could be “Man plans and Covid laughs”.And so it was as our extended family planned for the return to the traditional in person Seder that had been so evasive over the last two years. All vaxxed and ready to test.And there was a di …
Happy Thanksgiving to the Gotham Family ! Whatever you are doing and whomever your are sharing with..... Take at least one moment to be thankful ...and be safe
Three weeks from today is Thanksgiving. Time to start considering the holiday seriously, if you haven’t already.The Thanksgiving Day Parade will be back - perhaps a sign that things are getting back to PC normal.And after the parade are families gathering for dinner as they did before?With three weeks to go, our family is in discussions. Concerns o …
Eating jelly donuts is one of the customs that makes Hanukah what it is. My friend related the following story. Bob was seeing some people for the lighting of the first candle. He thought it would be nice to bring donuts. He called and ordered two dozen from the bakery and would pick them up on the way. With a credit card, it was done. A few hou …
Independence Day is one of those few holidays that will always be celebrated on the precise day of its origin —— July 4th. No changes to Monday for the convenience of a long weekend. Most years, however, Independence Day provides a long holiday weekend — either three or four days — to begin Summer. But, by my unscientific calculations, every six …
On this day, there are so many things to be thankful for.... As I sit at our Thanksgiving table, surrounded by family, I expect that my thoughts of thanks will focus on two things: First, having just survived the annual Thanksgiving basketball game, and Second, the two newest members of our family who are celebrating their first Thanksgivng this ye …
First, I was just always around to see my Father. Then I was taken to see my Father. I was then reminded to see my Father. I then remembered to see him on my own. I then looked forward to seeing my Father. I became a Father and they came to see me. And now they are fathers and ......
Last Sunday, I attended the annual Commemoration of the Holocaust at Temple Emanu-El in New York. I watched, as I have for so many years, my Mother light a memorial candle with other survivors. We remembered. During the ceremony, survivors were honored and as I listened to their stories, a theme resonated. The majority recounted how they fled and …
I have often written about tradition and I very proudly relate yet one more story. At the Passover Seder (the traditional meal at which the story of the exodus from Egypt is retold), we eat bitter herbs (to remember the bitterness of slavery). For the bitter herbs, my family uses raw horseradish. I remember my father grating the large horseradish …
After what has been a most unusual year leading up to the election, we sit down with family and friends to enjoy the ultimate American tradition. In sharing the day with others, enjoy the food, be thankful, be optimistic, watch football (instead of CNN), and don't talk politics. Happy Thanksgiving.
