April 18, 2000 Dear Dad, How could you leave us when we need you so much?Where will Mom be without your warm touch? The Passover Holiday is so sad this year.You are supposed to be with us—here! I’ve had you for 46 years, you know.But it’s not enough—I didn’t want […]
Jewish Holidays
23 posts
By El Portnoy There were many little issues that appeared during the year that my parents died. Little things that you do not realize will cause distress. But for my sister and me, one of these issues was my Mom’s recipes. They were gone. We searched the house and could […]
Holiday preparations Pesach (Passover) is quite a big deal every year. It takes about a month before the holiday to clean the house, clear away every little crumb of ‘chametz,’ bread, and only then can we start preparing the food. Cleaning for Pesach is hard work but once I start […]
Making a Seder in a pinch happened about seven years ago. Here’s my story. Background My niece, Mary and her 10-year-old daughter, Kathy, were coming to town for Passover. They asked if they could stay with me since Mary’s father had no room at his house. Mary’s sister, Teresa, and […]
Chanukah miraclesChanukah light.In all my friends’ windowsthe candles shine bright. As I ride down the streetin my car, they appear. They say “listen and see;miracles happen here.” We light up the darknessbright as can befor long ago miraclesour people did see. In each home I pass by with candles aflameI wonder about […]
My father’s menorah has been sitting on top of a high bookcase in our house for many years. When we took it down the other day, unused and hidden, it was covered in a thick layer of dust. This menorah is heavy and cumbersome. Made of solid brass and estimated […]
Brussels, Belgium: 1948-1950 My first High Holy Day memory is from Brussels, Belgium. It is Yom Kippur sometime between 1948 and 1950. I was recently told that I was Jewish, not Catholic, and am trying to adjust to my new state. During a break in the service, a friend and […]
Image: chabad.org My wedding day was September 7, 1970. Rosh Hashanah was September 25th that year. I was truly a new bride (think honeymoon). We were married in New York City. Most people didn’t live together in those days before marriage. We moved to Washington, D.C. where my husband was […]
I was very pregnant with my first child when the High Holy Days were approaching. Rosh Hashanah began at sundown on September 22nd, and Yom Kippur began eight days later on the 30th ending on October 1st. Needless to say, I was very excited, eager, and yes, a bit scared. […]