Author, Rabbi, Author, Rabbi
The book launch party last week for On the Chocolate Trail brought together longtime friends, chocolate lovers, food writers, and rabbinic colleagues. Spirits and calendars were understandably subdued by Superstorm Sandy and by the Israel/Gaza conflict. Those able to attend included–Lenny and Linda who had supplied us with chocolate treats from their exotic travels, endorsement and Forward writer Leah, the chocolate C spot blogger Mark, chocolate expert David, manuscript reader Avigail, semitic swinologist and Gefilteria creator Jeffrey, NYC Jewish chocolate walking tour participant Alice, CCAR co-workers (Dale, Debbie, Ortal, Tanya, Steve), Shabbat dinner hosts extraordinaire Mirele and Richard, cheerleaders Bonnie and Danny. Bob and Gloria’s Chanukah gift list had me signing lots of books. We savored a bit of respite and celebration by imbibing one of the best hot chocolates anywhere, in the jewel box setting at MarieBelle. Ahh, chocolate, the oldest of comfort foods.
Celebrating On the Chocolate Trail
How does it feel to see On the Chocolate Trail in print, people probe. Around the same time that I birthed my book, Noam & Rachel gave birth to a baby–amazing life cycle experiences and stages for all of us. First grandchild, first book. Each embeds some of my mortality and immortality. (Ami outweighs all, slightly built guy that he is.)
Writing was fun, full of adventure and repeated discoveries; it was also intensely private, isolating and definitely developed my introverted side. I had no idea how much time, intensity, and trepidation would come with the book process, especially while working a more than full time job.
Book signings, presentations and reviews (5 stars at Amazon and a great write up at the LA Jewish Journal) have shifted that inward focus to a kind of affirmation, even adoration, the kind that rabbis receive, that I knew from pulpit work. It is familiar. It is fleeting. It is validating. Strangers say: “What a great idea! Wow! Yum, chocolate. Perfect gift. Who knew?”
Mostly I am full of gratitude for the journey that led us to this time and for the chocolate trails yet ahead.
One thought on “Author, Rabbi, Author, Rabbi”
Leave a Comment
Recent Posts
-
On the Chocolate Trail in Bariloche, Argentina
In March, Mark and I finally extended our chocolate trail explorations in celebration of our special anniversary to Bariloche…via Miami, Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Antarctica, and Buenos Aires again. There were international flights, a cruise, a couple of domestic flights to get there. All of the travel was amazing, but Bariloche, sometimes called the chocolate capital
Read more › -
Sunday Yeast Polemics: On the Bread Trail
Leavened bread or not? While some of us may think of Passover, the question applied to Eucharistic bread and created significant division in the early Christian Church. The leavened bread for Sunday use was often baked at home by women. Over time, preferences shifted to clergy, church-produced, breads… and, the Eastern Orthodox Church preferred a
Read more › -
Sweet Treat: Chocolate and the Making of American Jews
You may wonder: how did chocolate help define American Jews? Through chocolate, we see that Jews were part of America since its earliest days. Well, since 1701 at least, Jews in the Colonies made part of their living through chocolate. Several Sephardim, leaders of their New York and Newport Jewish and secular communities, participated in
Read more › -
How About Some Uterus Challah?
When Logan Zinman Gerber felt enraged about the loss of reproductive rights in the U.S., she baked challah. Not any challah. She shaped it into a uterus. It wasn’t long after the birth of her daughter that Gerber, a longtime challah baker and staff member of the Religious Action Center of the Reform movement, considered
Read more ›
Some Previous Posts
(in alphabetical order)
- "Boston Chocolate Party" Q&As with Deborah Kalb
- 2022 Media for The "Boston Chocolate Party"
- A Manhattan synagogue explores the rich, surprising history of Jews and chocolate
- About Rabbi Deborah Prinz
- Baking Prayers into High Holiday Breads
- Boston Chocolate Party
- Digging into Biblical Breads
- Exhibit Opens! Sweet Treat! Chocolate & the Making of American Jews
- For the Easiest Hanukah Doughnuts Ever
- Forthcoming! On the Bread Trail
- Funny Faced Purim Pastries
- Good Riddance Chameitz or, The Polemics of Passover's Leaven
- How About Some Uterus Challah?
- Injera*
- Jewish Heritage Month: Baseball & Chocolate!
- Matzah - But, the Dough Did Rise!
- Plan a Choco-Hanukkah Party: 250th Anniversary Tea Party
- Prayers Into Breads
- To Shape Dough: A Trio of Techniques
Lovely! Thanks for sharing your reflections with us. Naches!