CHAG KASHER V''SAMEACH

When we were kids, our house was always noisy and full of commotion.
There were (and still are, thank God) six kids, and together with our
assorted friends, we made quite a baalagan!

Passover was a very
special time in our home. What with assorted grandparents, aunts,
uncles, cousins, friends, groupies, students from the Coast Guard
Academy, and various and sundry others, our three seder tables were all full.

When we were kids, we all could hardly wait until we were
big enough to sit at the grown ups” tables. Actually, we had it all
wrong. The kiddie table was where all the action was. We could kick
each other under the table. We could stab each other with our
mismatched silverware. We could play Look (Those who know, know. There
is no explanation here.) and really gross each other out. Colored horse
raddish and charoset were especially good for playing Look.

One of the younger brothers would always slip away from the table just
before opening the door for Elijah. When we opened the door, there
would he be, dressed in a bathrobe and wearing a towel turban on his
head. To this day, no one knows why he thought Elijah wore a
bathrobe…. ! Or a turban for that matter, unless it was the picture
of Rambam on the old blue Hebrew School Machberet (note book).

The four questions were the Fier Kashas and they were asked in Yiddish.
Years later, we switched over to Hebrew in time for the youngest (who
speaks no Yiddish, btw) to say them. When she would complain about
having to sing them alone, we would all say that she had to because she
was the only one who knew them in Hebrew. It was not true, of course,
but it worked for a long time!

Dairy foods were fairly non existent in those days (the fifties), and
as a result we either ate pareve or meat meals all week long. Lunches
were potatoes eggs and onions, or eggs onions and potatoes, or onions
potatoes and eggs.

The other day we saw a bottle of chicken schmaltz for Passover. For a
moment we were tempted. But, we know it is not healthy, so we picked it
up. looked at, put it back and walked away. You just can”t go home
again!

From all of us at the UTJ and the Kosher Nexus, we wish you a kosher and
happy Pesach. May Elijah tarry at your table.

Rabbi Jeffrey Rappoport