Tag Archives: jewish culture

Homage to Hammer’s Dairy Restaurant

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

    So many of our memories involve food and this one is no different. This is Steven Hammer, my classmate, a sweet little second grader with red hair. His dad was Bill Hammer, and the Hammer family owned Hammer’s, the dairy restaurant at 243 East 14th Street, off Second Avenue. I don’t think we were in any other classes together, having consulted my stack of class photos, but for some reason, I remember his face so clearly, a seven year old. It was 1955-1956. The class was taught by a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Marion Oppenheimer, who later left to … Continue reading →

Creativity Takes Courage

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

I finally had some time to go through my camera roll and see what needed to be edited. I came across two photographs of a display in The Jewish Museum, which were taken last March. The story below is extremely moving and the photograph is even more so. As a collector and creator of charms and charm bracelets, this was something to behold. Imagine the circumstances. Imagine the need to create. Imagine how creativity can keep one going. Imagine how this was made. Imagine.         Bracelet. Terezín (Theresienstadt), Czech Republic, 1941-43. Brass: cut-out; porcelain; cord. The Jewish … Continue reading →

131. Mother-Daughter Journey: What Do You Want For Your 100th Birthday?

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

My mother recently had her 100th birthday. What did she ask for? K N I S H E S  !! https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/what-is-a-knish Sometimes you just have to indulge in some gustatory nostalgia! A lesson about knishes.     Nearly A Century Of Gabila's Knishes "My grandmother made knishes in her kitchen and my grandfather took them out and put them on a pushcart and sold them on the streets of Manhattan."From humble beginnings nearly a hundred years ago rose Gabila's Knishes — a true New York food icon. Posted by Verizon FiOS1 – Restaurant Hunter on Friday, March 16, 2018   … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: I Guess I’ve Been Busy: BKLYN/OHNY/Kings Theatre, East Midwood

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

This is me multitasking: notice how I can take a selfie of my selfies at the same time   So, kids during my hiatus I have been caring for my mother’s issues, caring for my own issues, taking a lot of iPhone photos, doing a little playing: I’ve watched up to Season 5 of Game of Thrones, and everything but the final six or so episodes of Season 7 of Mad Men; I’ll be sorry to see these series end. As for movies; I loved Learning to Drive, I liked 99 Homes, saw a few plays at MTC (Manhattan Theater … Continue reading →

Today We Remember. We Never Forget. Never Again.

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

  Today is an important anniversary; it was seventy years ago on this day, 4/29/15, that the Dachau Concentration Camp was liberated. The photo above is of Gershon Press, who you might call a cousin. The photo was taken after the war in a DP, Displaced Persons’ Camp; he is still wearing part of the camp uniform. Taken from the photo archives of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Gershon Press poses after the war in his concentration camp uniform. Shirley Press is the daughter of Gershon Press. Gershon Press was born in 1921 (though official documents listed his birth … Continue reading →

The Country House in Manhattan

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

To Manhattan to the theater … to see “The Country House” by Donald Margulies.   First, the journey across the 59th Street Bridge, aka, the Queensborough Bridge, aka, The Ed Koch Queensborough Bridge. This will give you folks who are not familiar with New York City a feel for the expanse. Going into Manhattan, the center of the Universe. Can you find the tram?  

Continue reading →

On Bagels and On Selling Children

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

    I thank my friend Joyce, who was the source of the following two articles, which moved me in different ways. The first is the story of bagel making in New York City. If you are from NYC–especially Brooklyn, you’re gonna LOVE this. If you are not from NYC, you’ll get an education. This is what real bagels are all about: The boil>bake process with NYC WATER. The bagel originated in POLAND and is considered to have Jewish roots. The Wiki page on bagels is fairly good.         I hope that left you sated and happy. … Continue reading →

181. On My Nephew’s Bar Mitzvah, and How It “Changed” the World

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

I had a very strange week, last week, it baffled me and tackled me technologically, it created a low level of subconscious stress, as this weekend was my beloved nephew’s Bar Mitzvah and I had to work out details of my son’s coming home from college and his subsequent return, the clothing issues—the finding of panty hose that would not edge down below my knees, the fear of 5 inch heels that had to go up 3 stone stairs to participate in the ceremony, on and on, all things quotidian. Then my sister called my attention to an avatar of … Continue reading →

Friday Fluff: OY VAY! You’ll LOVE these! Yiddish with George and Laura–and more!!

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

It’s time to lighten up! A bissel (little) Friday Fluff for all! WARNING! DO NOT HAVE FOOD OR DRINK IN MOUTH WHILE WATCHING; I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN. An educational recitation from the best selling parody YIDDISH WITH DICK AND JANE, By Ellis Weiner and Barbara Davilmn. You’ll Plotz. 25 CommentsChronological   Reverse   Threaded reply locarb wrote on Jul 18, ’08 LOLOLOL Thank you. These were priceless. reply starfishred wrote on Jul 18, ’08 ya die sind einmalig these are precious oh so precious- editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Jul 18, ’08 I’m glad I didn’t eat before I … Continue reading →

270. Travel Part 3: So Vat’s Nu, dahlink? Yiddish, anyvun?

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Day 2 at the National Yiddish Book Center: Funny Jewish Women >>So go here already! But don’t forget, there are more trip things before this! >>Go here! Part 1 >>Now go here! Part 2 So DO it already!!! Now for some delightful memories. 1. Episodes of the 1950’s series, “The Goldbergs,” featuring Gertrude Berg. I was able to find a comparable video for you to enjoy. From my childhood, I can still hear Gertrude Berg yell out the window (vinder) to her neighbor, “Yoo hoo, Mrs. Bloom! Get S.O.S.! I’m tellink you, with more soap it’s loaded!”   2. Here … Continue reading →

269. Travel part 2: Poetry to Photography: The National Yiddish Book Center

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

click here for Part 1 of trip. Photo from 2007 trip along with first slide show and poetry. Before I proceed, I would like to offer a little information on the Yiddish language. The most basic description would be a mix of Hebrew and medieval German with a smattering of other languages. It was spoken by the Jews of central and eastern Europe. The photos show the outside of The National Yiddish Book center, which houses over a million Yiddish books that were rescued from extinction. It also is a cultural center where Jews from all over the world come … Continue reading →

268. Part I : A Travel Log: From Bosco to Lip Plumper

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

It’s an annual trek to the Berkshires, the mountains of Massachusetts, where culture thrives. A few hours drive to an uncrowded world dense with creativity, where I feel I get spiritually refreshed through art and nature. It’s worth it. But first, some fluff… 1.On our way to our first stop in Hadley, MA, we dipped into Vermont to get an up close view of The (famous) Vermont Country Store, where time has appeared to have stood still. You can wax nostalgic, rhapsodic, or however you wish over those perfumes you used to find at Woolworth’s in the ’50’s (Evening in … Continue reading →

53. Part 3: Glacial Potholes, Vintage Cars, Yiddish Books: a travelogue

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

A short ride into Vermont; we make our annual visit to Hemmings Motor NewsFilling Station.Vintage cars are the thing here, and all kind of car memorabilia abound.My kind of 50’s and 60’s music is pumping. I take a walk on the treadmill at the fitness center, back at The Porches and then get a massage, which was part of the hotel package.Nice, very nice. As my mother would say, “So what could be bad?” Wednesday, July 11, 2007 We leave North Adams and go to Hadley, MA., which is central to several Universities; Mt. Holyoke, Smith, U Mass, Hampshire College, … Continue reading →

54. Part 4: The Yiddish Writers’ Garden: travelogue

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

Before I proceed, I would like to offer a little information on the Yiddish language. The most basic description would be a mix of Hebrew and medieval German with a smattering of other languages. It was spoken by the Jews of central and eastern Europe. The photos show the outside of the National Yiddish Book center, which houses over a million Yiddish books that were rescued from extinction. It also is a cultural center where Jews from all over the world come to experience their culture. The outside is lovely; a path leads one to a contemplative retreat. A pond … Continue reading →

561. On love and relationships: observations and segues, religion and Valentines

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

This morning I came across an article in The New York Times that I felt was an interesting statement in terms of religion and marriage. To be more specific, the Jewish marriage certificate, known as the ketubah is being adopted by non-Jews. The ketubah is an embellished document that has been signed by marrying Jewish couples for centuries. According to the Times, the earliest known version dates to the fifth century B.C. in Egypt. The ketubah is a combination of a work of art and a document; it originally was meant to protect the wife financially in the event of … Continue reading →

Poem/Prayer and Max Bruch: Kol Nidrei for Yom Kippur

Cerebral Jukebox Magazine Posted on by

I took this beautiful prayer/poem from my sister, Laurita’s page; she lovingly posted it, in dedication to me. It is in the Hebrew prayer book for Yom Kippur services. The holiest day of the year for Jewish people is this day, The Day of Atonement, which began Friday evening at sundown and ended this evening at sundown. Birth is a beginning, And death a destination. And life is a journey, From childhood to maturity, And youth to age. From innocence to awareness, And ignorance to knowing, From foolishness to descretion, And then, perhaps, to wisdom, From weakness to strength, Or … Continue reading →