Yiddish is an old language. Some say it is a dying - if not already dead - language. No room for technology and Yiddish? Not so fast... Flo shared this story with me. Recently, she was in the Jewish Museum in New York for the opening of the Art Spiegelman exhibit when she overheard a group of "older" people asking "What is the Yiddish word …
I am happy that the Red Sox won the World Series and I'm happy that they won the final game in Fenway Park. It is more fun to watch sports if you'e routing for one of the teams, and, for that reason, I had to choose between the Red Sox and the Cardinals. I was routing for the Red Sox. I'm a Mets fan and after the New York teams ended their seas …
Seventy years ago, George Horner was a prisoner in Theresienstadt, a concentration camp outside of Prague. He was a musician and played the music of Karel Svenk, another prisoner. They played cabaret pieces, the Theresienstadt March, and “How Come the Black Man Sits in the Back of the Car?” for other prisoners. By some historical accounts, music, a …
With the change of seasons, I am motivated to get into my closets and do a little cleaning. I am truly amazed (perhaps embarrassed would be more accurate) by the number of T shirts that I have. It seems that every event in my life is commemorated by a T shirt that found its way into my closets. As I go through the piles, most of the shi …
The entrance sign said “Admission - $20 Seniors - $10” But nowhere was there a definition of “Senior”. Since getting my Senior Citizen Beach Permit from the Town of Oyster Bay (undated but good for “Lifetime”), I have become aware of senior discounts. Although you start getting offers t …
I like the Fall. I like the change of weather from summer to the cooler nights, and, ultimately, the cool days of Fall. But the best thing about Fall is the color. There is nothing better than the natural beauty of the leaves changing. This looks like a good year for the colors of foliage. We were up in the Berkshires last weekend and the leave …
On Tuesday, I eavesdropped on my Mother speaking to about 50 Gothamites and guests at the Friar's Club about her experiences as a Holocaust survivor. I say "eavesdrop" somewhat in jest, because I was in the audience and in plain sight. No matter how many times I have heard the stories, there is always something new. Perhaps I have heard it …
I like it when we -- that is Flo, me and all of the children -- are in the same time zone. I can safely write about this because my daughter, Mea, and son-in-law, Charles, who live in Seattle, are in New York for the next few days. Everyone else lives in New York and, until Monday, we'll all be in the same time zone. When Mea and Charl …
A Guest Blog by Flo Feinberg It was a beautiful Sunday, perfect for a healthy walk. We had returned from a week of mindless bliss on Martha's Vineyard into the maelstrom of the Jewish holidays...this was the first moment we had to refresh and contemplate the busy autumn ahead. It was warmer than I expected; not a cloud in the sky. So thrille …
Happy and Healthy New Year! There's a custom associated with the Jewish New Year to dip sliced apple and/or challah in honey -- to bring in a sweet new year. With that tradition in mind, Flo and I made our way to the Framer's Market in West Tisbury (Martha's Vineyard) last week to get honey for ourselves and family. The farmer's market …
The bottle was on the top shelf of a little antique shop in the village of Menemsha on Martha's Vineyard. It was old and dirty - a soda or beer bottle. On the clear glass, I could make out the embossed writing. “Henry Immen's Sons, 46 & 48 Commercial St, Greenpoint, LI”. That's what made me think. Greenpoint is in Brooklyn, Greenport is on …
We were on a very nice rooftop in New York City. It's at Ink48, a hotel at 48th Street and 11th Avenue. We were told that it has been rated as the sixth best rooftop in New York (and the lines to get in attest to that). It truly offers a great view. And it's also a good place to observe people. I watched as people stepped onto the rooftop and …
I had heard the story - a bit of family lore - and now it has a new twist. Years ago, my brother-in-law, Howie, met Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) on a golf course on Martha's Vineyard. "Hi, Mr. David, I'm a fan of yours." "What's your name?" "Howard Diamond." "Howard! I'll remember that name." And they parted ways. Last weekend, Larry David's …
Three of our four children live on the fourth floor of their respective buildings. The two in Brooklyn are walk-ups, while one in Seattle has an elevator I think walk-ups are healthy. Flo had a Great Aunt Anna who lived in a fifth floor walk up in the Bronx. She lived into her nineties. I bet the walk-up had something to do with her longevity. …
It's August 1st! The summer and the year seem to be flying by. There was something special about blogging on the first day of the month (and not-so-special about blogging on the last day of the month) but that was when we had the old website and blogs were "up" for the month. With the new website, today's blog is on view on the homepage and tha …
