Dirty Jewess by Silvia Fishbaum

Author:Silvia Fishbaum
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Urim Publications
Published: 2018-08-19T21:10:05+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Moving to New York City

My bosses invited me to join them for their seder, which was held on the first night of Passover. It evoked sweet memories of Passovers gone by at my family’s home in Porubka, and later in Kosice. As far back as I can remember, my sisters and I would look forward to the Passover holiday with great anticipation. When reading from his pictorial Haggadah, Father would alter his voice, performing the part of each character until our jaws dropped, and we hung on his every word. I can still remember helping Father carry all of our special Passover dishes up the stairs, from the cellar of our building. I also remember my mother rushing around the kitchen, lovingly preparing cakes and other goodies from matzo meal. Her perfectly soft matzo balls would float like buoys in the steaming bowls of chicken soup. Perhaps most unforgettable, though, was her walnut cake with chocolate frosting, dipped in wine sauce for dessert.

My boss’s son, who wore a ponytail and also worked at the store, was kind enough to pick me up and drive me to their luxurious home in a posh suburb of Chicago. The five tables set up in the basement were elegantly arranged. In the center of each table sat a plate with three covered pieces of matzo. The Seder plate was arranged according to tradition, bottles of wine were placed on the tables, and a leather-bound Haggadah was placed next to each Kiddush cup. A separate glass of wine for the prophet Elijah was set on one of the tables, signifying his welcome, as well as the Messianic meaning of this holiday.

To my great surprise, the kosher meal was catered rather than homemade. I looked around stunned, hesitated for a moment, and then I asked my boss’s son, “Is this all kosher for Passover?”

“Of course it is,” he answered, while I tried to formulate the next question in my head.

“All these fancy cakes and colorful pastries are really kosher? I’ve never seen anything like this made from matzo meal,” I said.

“Yes, everything here is kosher. My parents order it from a famous bakery not far from here every year.”

“I’m not used to being catered to,” I said.

“I am sure there are more things that you are not used to,” he said. “What?” I thought he was teasing me.

“The wine!” he said loudly. “What?” I asked again.

“We have to drink four full glasses.”

“I know,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

I couldn’t stand those American know-it-alls. Of course I knew the order of the four cups of wine at the seder; it was one of the few traditions that women were required to participate in. I also knew how each of the four cups related to a different proclamation from the Exodus story, when the Jews were led out of Egypt.

“I will take you out.” “I will liberate you.” “I will save you.”

“I will accept you as my people.”

Well into my second glass of wine, at the time of “liberation,” I could already feel a buzz coming on.

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