The tzaddik grew up in the Bronx, across from Yankee Stadium. That must say a lot about him, but I’m not sure what exactly. His family lived in a shvitzy little apartment, overcrowded with uncles and cousins and such. That was in addition to mamma, poppa, the tzaddik and his two younger brothers. Of course,…
the mystery of the missing beat: on meter in Kogan’s “Kaddish”
How I came to notice that Lev Kogan’s “Kaddish” for solo horn is missing a beat. After TWENTY-FIVE YEARS of caring passionately about the piece. Hm.
daily kaddish: for Walter Bruening z”l
A Kaddish for Walter Bruening of Great Falls, who died on Wednesday at age 114. Since 2009 he’s been recognized as the world’s oldest man.
the very best sephardi charoset ever, hashisha candy, and the religion of labor
I mean, it’s not really chauvinistic to admit when something is without question and beyond doubt just the very best, right? This is something that can be tested empirically. Blind taste test, right? Well, actually not. There’s the nostalgia factor. People are attached to family traditions, especially with regard to foods, and they become…
bondage, sephardi style
I have heard this bit every single Pesach of my life when my mother has been present. And when she wasn’t, I’ve taken it upon myself to tell it myself (albeit a short short version). All my stories are the short short version, in case you haven’t noticed. Mrs Tzaddik is much better on detail….
next lifetime: on the origins of religious experience
I don’t believe any of this stuff, right? So how come I can see it all so clearly? Maybe I’ve just got no imagination at all. I can see the house vividly. Every detail, from ceilings to secret balconies and sunbathing decks. The place needs a major paint job. You’d think my next lifetime would…
daily kaddish: for kathy ebelt z”l
I got word today that the pastor’s wife from my childhood died, and this is her kaddish.
a kiddish for our kaddish — and then al-fatihah —
It’s time to raise our glass and say a Kiddish for our Kaddish in Two-Part Harmony. I sit here in utter amazement that our whimsical little project is chugging along not just functioning but doing what it’s supposed to be doing. When we started this project, I must admit I was a bit of a…
daily kaddish: after kiddush
A kiddush for our kaddish. A kiddush for the best collaborator a kaddish-player could possibly have.
daily kaddish: for abraham & sarah
A Kaddish for Abraham and Sarah. And their mistakes.