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03-12-2017 12:10 PM
Please post your memories, stories, comments or questions re: Passover. One of us will try to reply if needed.
No reipes, please. Check the Recipe Forum for PASSOVER RECIPES.
Thanks
Shanus
03-12-2017 12:42 PM - edited 03-12-2017 01:27 PM
Passover is a month away.........too early to start dealing with it yet. I have a trip to New Orleans to enjoy first. Not looking to rush my life away, it goes too quickly as it is.
Happy Purim!
03-12-2017 01:34 PM
I have never been to a Passover meal, as our family is Christian, but would very much like to be invited to one someday.
It is so interesting to me to learn new things about different cultures.
Looking forward to reading the replies.
03-12-2017 03:54 PM - edited 03-12-2017 03:56 PM
@Shanus the only thing I know about Passover is family sits around a table and says prayers and has bitter greens and a certain type of bread whiich I think is a beautiful ceremony. Don't laugh if I am all wrong. I would think in modern times you also enjoy the food your wife prepared after the prayers. I love tradition and I am thankful I was brought up with tradtion.
03-12-2017 04:48 PM
@roxxy1, skip over to Passover Recipes on the Passover thread under Recipes and you will find some great information as well as some great recipes!
Poodlepet2
03-12-2017 05:53 PM
Hello Reiki604! I was born in New Orleans and lived there until I was 24. It really changed: be very careful. Have you ever been there before? It has a very rich Jewish History. Be sure to visit the Uptown area!
If you ever saw "Pretty Baby", it was filmed at The Columns Hotel on St. Charles Avenue. Stop in for a cocktail and enjoy the beautiful architecture!
@Shanus, aall the talk about Pesach got me motivated to get into Zen mode and declutter. Trust me when I tell you, by the time Passover comes, I will consider cleaning traces of chametz a breeze!
I loved the story about your little granddaughter to be near the desserts. I have been to some long Seders, but not four hours! When we were living in New York, DH's aunt had the first night at her house: there were about 25 of us. Smart lady: she had hers catered although she did make a few of the dishes.
The second night was at my beloved in-laws in Monsey. That little town has become a destination for Torah scholars. Every house on my in-laws block was a synagogue. When it was roped off and people started throwing rocks at cars that drove through on Shabbat, that's when they and their friends left in a mass exodus and came to Florida.
For those who don't know what "roping off" is, it's a Rabbinic legalism for being able to push a baby carriage or do other things of that nature. No work is to be done, but taking a stroll with your baby is a good thing....so that's their answer to solving that issue.
Throwing rocks at cars is criminal however, and it certainly is NOT exemplary behavior. My MIL had to sign paperwork for funeral directors at all hours of the night so that deceased could be transported to wherever burial arrangements had been made. Usually, it was for burial in Israel.
These days, if we were to go back-no joking- I would be sure to wear a skirt-mid calf at least- make sure my elbows and collar bones could not be seen, and as a married woman, I would be sure to wear a head covering!
I don't want to give the impression these people are maniacal by any means, but they have made certain neighborhoods their turf. That being said, there are areas in Israel that rent "modest" clothes for women, and you are more than welcome to explore, but not if you are dressed in a way they don't find modest.
You would think the clothing for women would be boring....far from it! Visiting my in-laws was a blast for me! On Shabbat, everybody was out walking and the clothes were breathtaking. The unmarried girls would go out in groups, and they were stunning. Once the sun went down, shops and restaurants 're-opened....some of the best falafel I've ever had was there.
They had specialty Kosher groceries, but even going to Pathmark-a major grocery store chain in the NE was a blast! During Passover, they had everything imaginable including Kosher for Passover dishwashing liquid, cosmetics and soaps- even Kosher for Passover food for dogs and cats. I always thought that was odd because many frown upon keeping pets.
The range of food products just for children was astounding! Of course, many had lots of children: I'm sure sales boomed!
..... and there were the ubiquitous station wagons and vans....
The Lubobovitch Community is trying to establish a "colony" down here and they are just lovely people. They have a women's group that I've been invited to join. I'm a little intimidated by it, but I am all for expanding horizons. I didn't even think they made station wagons anymore, but I'm beginning to see more and more of those around town. I see it as a positive: diversity is the spice of life!
Poodlepet2
03-12-2017 08:42 PM
@Poodlepet2 wrote:@roxxy1, skip over to Passover Recipes on the Passover thread under Recipes and you will find some great information as well as some great recipes!
Poodlepet2
@Poodlepet2 Thank you. I certainly will !
03-13-2017 09:54 AM
@Poodlepet2. I feel it's important to point out to non-Jews, that not all Jewish people observe the rules of Kosher or adhere to the strict rules of Passover like you and some others do...nothing wrong with your observance of the faith, tradition, or culture or foods. I applaud you for your knowledge and religious commitment.
I and my family do not keep a Kosher kitchen. At Passover, we make every effort to avoid foods that are considered "forbidden", but do so rather loosely. There is no bread or use of bread crumbs, any products like cakes that may use yeast, etc., pastas and items containing any flour.
Because of our markets in a small town in NC, we are lucky to purchase matzo and several necessary items for a Seder, there's certainly not the selection in other areas of the country to maintain easier preparation of Passover meals for the remainder of the holiday. It's not just the one Seder night meal, but 7 or 8 days.
For me, although I enjoy cooking and use healthy ingredients and mostly not prepared items, I still find it difficult to make all the substitutions in ingredients needed to make a recipe acceptable for Passover (those in the market listed Kosher for Passover are limited). I do the very best I can with the foods available to me and my time constraints. I don't feel any less Jewish than those who are strictly Kosher or more stringent regarding Passover meal prep.
Some have mentioned here and/or Recipe Forum that remembering all rules & regulations of foods, Kosher or what's not Kosher, OK for Passover or not, etc. seemed impossible to remember and keep it all straight.
I hope God and my fellow Jewish "sisters" understand that some women do the best they can do with the circumstances they have and their level of observance.
03-13-2017 10:46 AM
I always went to school with kids of all faiths, but the 50's - 60's were still a period in our history in which "different" could mean "wrong", so most of us never talked or thought about family beliefs and practices very much.
My own personal introduction to Jewish holidays and the customs associated with them was a year in which I worked in a beautiful old department store in my community.
I was hired to work in the candy department of the store, and one of the lines of candies sold there was Barton's.
The candy was sold boxed and also by the piece or scoop in little bags, and it was Kosher and Kosher for Passover. We had Hamantaschen for Purim and beautiful selections of prepackaged candies for Passover.
I was hooked- the customs intrigued me, the preparation and special handling of the holiday gave me a special sense of pride in my work, and I got several perks for gift wrapping and arranging timely deliveries.
In later years I became more acquainted with the special relationship between the Jewish faith and the faith in which I was raised. Many churches in my area offer Passover explanations and sometimes Seders, as the logical basis of our own celebrations.
03-13-2017 11:03 PM
Shanus, IT A. I know that I did state on one of these conversations that I don't keep a kosher kitchen either....but we do the same thing your family does and maybe I carry things just a little further because DH's parents are now both deceased and it brings him joy to carry on tradition because neither of his sister's do.
In all of my posts, I have been very careful about noting that one's level of observance or kashrut does not make anybody inferior or superior to anybody else.
If you read my response to MacDuff, I try to point out why some foods may not be kosher, but if it's ok for you and your family it's ok. One of the best rules we have is never shame anybody, and I do try to live by that.
I've also tried to get across the idea that how one observes does not make one superior to others.
When we lived in Dayton, we were in the same situation you are in now- and it hasn't changed down here! We too have to "make do" and not everything is certified Kosher. We have a tiny area in our grocery devoted to Passover-and I bet you have the same offerings even though the Lubobovitch Rabbi shared with me that he has been pleading with Publix to bring in more Kosher food period: it's a real hardship for him and his family-especially when it comes to things like fresh produce. Once every month he has to drive across the state to Miami. He recognized me when I was at Publix he was shopping alone, and I asked him respectfully what was he doing about the kosher situation. He laughed and said "Right now, I'm being really careful!" They had just moved here from New York, and then he told me about the trip he was planning to Miami. He has worked very hard to let Jews here know that they are here. He must have gotten our name from our rabbi because the first Purim he was here, he and his wife and children were dropping off goody baskets. I have to say that is some of the best large Hammontaschen I have ever had!
It's funny: we have a hard time finding chocolate gelt during Channukah, but we get lots of it for Pesach! Managers bring in case upon case of gefilte fish....I always notice not too many indulge! Of course, jarred Borscht is brought in....and I don't know why, but if you need to have yartzeit candles, stock up!
We have a few cake and brownie mixes and last year, we even had ready made K for P marble cake. I didn't have any last year, but now I want to live and I want cake that the rest of the family enjoys. I never made it from scratch before other than sponge cake. That's when the Chocolate issue hit me!
We have two brands of matzoh and tons and tons of Tam Tam crackers which are kosher but not for Pesach. To anybody out there, by all means, try the "everything" variety: they are delicious!
Kedem grape juice is delicious, and if you can't have alcohol, it may be served in place of wine. Kids love it-I love it to make charoseth.
I was in absolute shock that Wal-Mart had Shmura matzoh last year....and I hope they have it this year!
What's in your grocery?
Poodlepet2
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