Happy Channukah

"Jere Williams" ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

See, all those blazing lights served a purpose ! My kids do love them, they are a lovely record. I realize today with videotapes and now videocameras, it's no big deal, but it was then.

I received a videotape of some 16mm B/W film done when my mother was pregnant with me. It was the weirdest feeling to see my grandparents and mother way back then, it was a family wedding so all my uncles and aunts were there. There were pictures of my christening as well and me as a bridesmaid to my aunt. I am not a person given to crying, but I did cry the first time I viewed it. Mind you, my cousin sent it to me not saying what it was, just saying, "Are you ever going to have a surprise when you see this" - I suppose he didn't realize because he is much younger than me and he didn't know most of the participants, but I did. Blast from the past.

I really love to watch old home movies and to look at old pictures. Oddly enough, I wear my hair now almost the same way my mom did at my age, which is very different from the way I used to wear it. Who knew genes could affect hair styles....

You're right though -- it's weird to see my parents and siblings so young and vibrant.

Yes it does - but it is remarkably effective at removing all sorts of stains and baked/burned on crud.

Cheryl

I know some one that had the full works - very nearly mirror image fully appointed kitchens; two of every appliance, cookware, dishes, flatware, silver.... My MIL used joke that she needed two dining rooms.

Cheryl

When I used to cook professionally -- the only thing that ever completely got to me was the, err, aroma of cooking sweet and sour red cabbage. Made me so nauseous I had to leave the area.

AS Ellice put so well , who are we that grew up with this traditions , live with this traditions, and probably heard and read a bit about it, Compared to Karen? I wouldn`t dare to doubt your `sources` Karen, or double check on them. We all know how Well connected you are.. [ ps i still haven`t heard from your Tel Aviv Based friend who had trouble reading Hebrew?]

Lucky for me my closest friends are partly from families who never left Israel, and from various diasporas. Thus i have eaten & Collected a little knowledge about the various traditions. I am also very curious and always get the story behind a recipe. Having learned in school while cooking was still a Must class for girls, we learned a bit as well . But of course how dare i compare all this tiny knowledge to your wide experience ,,,,

Probably the woman wasn`t so thirsty or had other reasons not to drink water in your kitchen.

first time in my life that i hear that a Cantor , is a Kashrut Teacher. And Never ever did i get Fish in Hanukah, as parties here are for all traditions, and some can`t have fish with diary things.

But as i wrote above , who am i compared to Karen? about Judaism , Life in Israel and Hebrew ??? mirjam

Interesting after all the unkind words you always threw at me, and my JEWISH heritage, and after all the historical/ biographical facts you told about your family background , that now you `suddenly` , disclose that your father was a Shabbat Goy ,,,,and that you dated Jewish Boys ,,,, [sorry the last `fact` has been told before]... Ellice is right , Cantors aren`t that easy to find ,,,, in my 56 years in Israel , i had one neighbour who was a Cantor, and maybe i met 2 more ...... a cantor who becomes friends with a woman [and if i remember well you aren`t married , or separated several times ???] Where did you sing with the Cantor , exactly ???? mirjam

I once baked a "Failsafe Sponge Cake" for a friend for her birthday. It split into 2 layers - a custardy one and a crumbly one. It wasn't too awful if you bit through both layers, but either one on its own was terrible.

To make matters worse her brother made her a different type of cake and his was yummy!!!

Rosemary

I love cooked cabbage, but I must admit that dish leaves me cold!

Cheryl (all puns intended)

Anne !! i am so sorry ,,, why do you add baking soda ???

My kitchen catasthrophe ,,, using salt instead of sugar in baking a cake , mirjam

This is NOT a good advice at all ,, don`t do it . mirjam rote:

Yes Lucretia traditions variate , but what you described down here are differences in taste , which is not a different way of seeing traditons. For us there are symbols involved , in the food ingreditiants in the method in which it is prepared etc,,, mirjam

Jere what you discribe is more `custom` , but it is true that many customs become tradition. I like to tell the story of the fish, to explain this. A young bride, cuts her fish always into 3 parts before cooking it. When her husband wanted to know why she did it , she said that was the way her mother always did it. Visiting her parents , he asked his MIL , why she cut her fish into 3 parts, and she answered that her mother always did it. Visiting Grandma the young husband asked her why she cut her fish into 3 parts, and she answered that when she married , she had only one small pot , thus she had to cut her fish in 3 parts, to cook it. This is the way many traditions start. A custom whose origins are forgotten , and it is done `because my mother/father/teacher ALWAYS did it`. But there are many customs which are followed by a whole community , in this case there might be another origin for it`s being kept. So yes Jere you and your mother STARTED a tradition , you `handed` it to your kids who will in time hand it on... mirjam

You see Lucretia ,,,,, You are very fortunate to get such a videotape. and i am pleased for you and your children

so why when i spoke about trying to research my family that was murdered, you had to make all this unkind remarks. mirjam

Reminds me of the time I was making Thanksgiving (US) dinner. We invited a guest and I asked him what dish meant Thanksgiving to him - I'd be happy to make it. I was expecting squash or creamed onions or something like that. What did he request - Spinach quiche with a whole wheat crust. Of course I made it but I still shake my head at it...

Alison

re Kosher - there are a lot of houses here in Brooklyn with double kitchens. Sometimes they are on different floors. Also - my boss is careful to get packages of kosher cookies along with other refreshments for office parties, but the package has to be opened by one of the people who keep kosher, otherwise they won't/can't eat it.

Alison

Alison ,in rec.crafts.textiles.needleworkwrote: and entertained us with

Lol, just what one needs while coming up with turkey and trimmings !

LOL- my aunt - who is a really youthful looking late 60's (maybe coming on

70?) but you'd never guess it - does that. It's hysterical - because it's some childhood thing that she has re-adapted and suddenly she'll stick her tongue out, making a face.

ellice