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.
Anyone who vacations on Martha's Vineyard when the President is there has a story to tell. Here's mine. Last Sunday, we were walking down Main Street in Edgartown and I saw a black shoulder bag on a bench in front of the liquor store. I poked my head inside the store to let the clerk know about the bag. He told me that he knew about it, but didn't …
December 31st sixteen years ago and we were all worrying about the imminent disaster of “Y2K” that was to occur when computers did not recognize the year 2000. Without such concerns looming today, we are able to reflect upon the past year and formulate our hopes for the coming year. May today be a day of reflection and may all of our hopes for the …
This blog is not written by Scroog. However, I noticed that I received fewer holiday cards this year than ever before. Several years ago the trend of fewer paper (and mailed) cards replaced by eCards became more and more apparent, but this year I received fewer holiday greeting cards of either kind. I am not sure of the reason for this phenomeno …
Last week I heard a psychologist on the radio talk about how stressful Thanksgiving has become. She focused on the difficult choices people have to make about where to be for the holiday. As families grow, in-laws, and other complications lead to impossible choices and conflicts. I think that thanksgiving includes understanding and forgiveness …
Cayce’s blog yesterday was the perfect lead for mine today. As we approach this Passover and Easter holiday weekend, traditions are embraced. One of my favorites is making two of the traditional foods for the Passover Seders. Once again, I’ll be making the charoset -- a mixture of apples, walnuts and wine representing the mortar used by the Hebre …
I'm a traditionalist and one of the things I like most about Thanksgiving are the traditions. One of our traditions is a football game before dinner. Given the rain and wet field conditions, this tradition may be in jeopardy this year. And there are the food traditions. Except for the tradition of family, Thanksgiving is mostly about the food t …
To all who celebrate the new year, best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year. Before holidays, and at other times as the spirit moves us, Flo and I make apple sauce. Natural, no artificial ingredients -- the perfect comfort food. I do the prep work. The coring, peeling and chopping. If they’re not prepped right, the apple sauce will not be …
It was a few hours before Passover and we were on our way to the family Seder. One of our many traditions is to call relatives who we will not be seeing and wishing them a “Sweet Passover”. Flo called her Aunt Lillie who lives in Florida. After exchanging holiday greetings, Lillie mentioned to Flo that it was a significant day for her and her s …
