10 | APRIL 14 • 2022 

new Jewish motif for teaching, 
and the goal is to eventually 
read all 13 lines of the song as 
fast as possible. While our par-
ticipation in this song may not 
be exclusive, I’
d like to think we 
are among a very small minori-
ty who have turned this ritual 
into a speed-reading contest 
with participants being timed.
The rules are pretty lax, as is 
evident by the mumbling ren-
ditions which are accepted as 
valid entries. Record holders in 
the past have read all 13 lines in 
under 9 seconds. To be fair, we 
have categories for both chil-
dren and adults. 
When the dust finally settles, 
we have a bonus round for cre-
ative entries. My great-niece, 
Rebecca, does an incredible 
rap version of the song. One 
year, a guest impressed with 
her version in Japanese. I will 
occasionally chime in with one 
of my impersonations I used 
to perform on the Dick Purtan 
Show. Who knew Bill Clinton 
or Regis Philbin knew “Who 
Knows One?”
Thankfully, after two years 
of Zoom seders, the Newman 
Seder is returning to in-per-
son. It will be a pleasure to 
see everyone outside of their 
designated Zoom box. “Zoom 
kept us going,
” Sharon says, 
“but nothing replaces the joy 
of being together, especially the 
nachas that comes with hearing 
children’s laughter.
” 
I’m especially excited because 
I’ve been told we will actually 
see Elijah for the very first time. 
Supposedly his mask gives him 
away. 

Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/

acting talent, speaker, and emcee. Visit 

his website at laughwithbigal.com,“-

Like” Al on Facebook and reach him at 

amuskovitz@thejewishnews.com.

TREASURED TRADITIONS 
continued from page 4
letters

Thank You, 
Soul Cafe

I just had a recent 
heartwarming dining 
experience at the Soul 
Cafe in West Bloomfield. I 
brought a senior friend who 
was celebrating a special 
birthday and her caregiver 
to lunch. I had promised 
her daughter that, due to 
COVID concerns, we would 
eat outdoors. 
After making online 
reservations, I called and 
requested outdoor seating. 
Because it was a windy, cold 
day, when we arrived we 
were told they had not set 
the outdoor heater. 
 When I explained, Chaim, 
the maître d’
, and his staff 
bent over backward to 
accommodate our needs. 
While we ate the first course 
indoors (at a table far from 
other patrons), they turned 
on the outdoor heater. 
 They seamlessly moved us 
outdoors for the main course 
when the temperature was 
comfortable. 
 Later, when it got colder, 
they moved us indoors for 
coffee and dessert. We joked 
that we had eaten at three 
different locations. 
 How impressive to share 
a lovely birthday meal in 
such a pleasant, sensitive 
environment! 
 Kudos to the Soul Cafe!

— Tamy Chelst 

Southfield

Passover in a Box
Thinking back when I was 
a child, Passover was quite 
a production. My mother 
spent weeks cleaning the 
house. Taking out all the 

Pesach dishes, pots and pans 
and silverware. 
We were so excited that 
Grandmother Ellis was 
coming and a slew of family. 
I didn’t understand a word 
she said, but she gave my 
sister and me a chocolate 
bar and a roll of Lifesavers. 
She had a beautiful Persian 
lamb coat. It smelled like 
mothballs. Everyone’s coats 
smelled like mothballs in the 
1950s.
 After I married and had 
my own home, we always 
went to our Aunt Anne’s 
house for a fabulous seder. 
That was just a beautiful 
memory being with the 
cousins and their children. 
As the families grew, we each 
went to our own families’ 
homes. There were not 
enough chairs for the whole 
group.
My oldest son was 
married, and we jammed 
their friends and families 
into the house. Adam would 
always bring a business 
friend from out of town. We 
were still young and enjoyed 
every minute.
Life happens, and my 
youngest son was in a 
diving accident that left him 
paralyzed. That’s when our 
lives changed forever. It was 
still good but different.
No one thinks about 
getting in and out of people’s 
homes with a wheelchair and 
no ramp. 
So, we decided that I 
would do all the shopping 
and cooking. I was working 
full time and that was quite 
a feat.
I made the usual matzah 
balls with chicken soup, 
vegetarian chopped liver and 

sweet and sour meatballs 
for our gentile guests. Also, 
Passover rolls, kugels, mock 
kishka, asparagus and a 
turkey. Choroses, matzah, 
boiled eggs and a seder 
plate. My sister always 
made the gefilte fish, and I 
insisted that a couple jars of 
Manischewitz fish and a jar 
of horseradish were fine. I 
made a sponge cake, and she 
made her special apple cake 
and cut up fruit.
I was holding my back and 
moaning with pain when 
I realized I would have to 
get all this food to my son’s 
house.
Thank G-d for my friend 
Bruce, who would bring a 
big box over and we would 
pack up everything including 
the wine, candles, etc. Then 
I put duct tape around the 
huge soup pot. We carefully 
packed up the car and trunk, 
and drove 25 miles an hour 
down Telegraph to my son’s 
house. I was holding the 
cake and wrapped my legs 
around the soup on the floor 
below me.
The men carried the food 
into the house and nearly 
had to carry me, too.
This became our family 
tradition. We had Rosh 
Hashanah in a box and 
Chanukah in a box, etc.
My sister did get me a 
back brace for my birthday 
that year. I still use it while 
cooking.
So, when you are cooking 
for Passover this year, don’t 
be stupid; ask a friend for 
help.
 Have a Zissen Pesach. 
From my house to yours.

— Arlene Nisker

Oak Park

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