High Holidays host or guest: It's all good.

This year the High Holidays have gone, and will be going, a little differently then usual. I usually am the person to put on meal after meal inviting friends, community members and students.

The First Night of Rosh Ha Shana was spent at a wonderful dinner at a friends house.  It was one of the first Rosh Ha Shana's, Jewish New Year, that I did not spent the day cooking and cleaning. Usually I would have been getting ready for friends to come and spend the dinner celebrating the holiday. 

We were glad to be invited to friends this year as, like many American's, our financial condition made making big meals for many people less possible than last year.  Not to say we would not have made it happen if we had not choice.

Realistically ,I usually drop several bills to make each feast happen.  I probably don't need to make as much food as I do, but I can't help myself.  I like to put on a feast when it is time.  I learned this at my mother knee and am glad of it.  Anyway, I digress, as I often do, which you know if you read any of my stuff.

As I was saying, I was reminiscing about what this holiday stuff is all about.  As a kid I remember my folks getting us ready for the high holidays.  I think my mother and father, as immigrants, wanted us to be well turned out for the holidays.  This was their tradition and it symbolized a successful year and a family well managed.  It portrayed a people in progress and a general acceptance of our position as Jews.

No matter how close to the holidays my parents waited, we inevitably grew between when our clothing was purchased and when we needed to fit in it.  We, as a family, did not have the extra funds to buy more than we needed or better than we could.  This was always a challenge to watch how it was to be managed, letting out hems or making a last minute run to the mall.

I remember the joy and the stress my family would take to make a lovely Rosh Ha Shana dinner. My parents would invite friends, and family both Jews and non Jews. My mother loved putting on an organic, locally grown, delicious meal that would make everyone go away feeling loved and well fed.  

My mother was not much of a cook so I took the chef role.  Making food for 40 seemed like just the best way to do it.  There was no point in making small portions.  Once the adrenaline started pumping it just felt right and all worked out...usually. 

This year when paychecks were a little scarce, making these huge meals was not the right call.  But we did decided we would do one lovely meal for Yom Kippor,'s breaking of the fast.   Making this call was hard but it felt right.  All my guests volunteered to bring something to add to the feast letting me know I had made the right call. It also told me that we love our community and our times together, at my place or elsewhere.

Of course there will be too much of everything and it will be great.   Hopefully we will all fit into this small house and enjoy our times together. There are 23 people coming with 10 of them kids.  We are serving smoked salmon, salads, fruit, and other milk related dishes.  I am looking forward to doing this holiday well.

May you and yours be written in the book of life and may you have a sweet year.