REVIEW: The Village Feasts: Stories of Food and Laughter (The Village Life) by Izzy Abrahmson
Delicious Passovers in The Village
Life in The Village often revolves around food and families. THE VILLAGE FEASTS is the follow-up collection to WINTER BLESSINGS by National Jewish Book Award For Family Literature nominee Izzy Abrahmson.
Rich with misadventures and ingenious solutions, the stories dance with a traditional feel around contemporary issues…
Mrs. Chaipul refuses to cook.
The Gold family can’t afford matzah (unleavened bread).
Reb Stein, the baker wants to set a world record.
And why would anyone eat matzah made from cabbage?
“The eight days of Passover mark the transition between dark icy cold and warm sunshine,” Izzy explains. “The streets turn to mud, the weather is inconsistent, and for a whole week you’re not allowed to eat bread, only matzah. This is never easy, and so the villagers do their best to laugh and smile and complain, while they gather together to celebrate.”You’ll learn why Mrs. Chaipul’s lead sinker matzah balls are a favorite. And discover what was Rabbi Kibbitz’s “Temptation”?
Dear Mr. Abrahamson,
After reading the first two collections, I’m hooked on your short stories set in the small Eastern European village of Chelm. This set seemed a little more serious than the others although the Pesach during which the village came together over a feast made up almost entirely of cabbage was cute. And the time the women wanted to lead the Seder, which meant that the men would need to cook the meal according to Rabbi Kibbitz, each group learned to appreciate Seder even more (and the men discovered that their effort to make chopped liver wasn’t half bad). Some celebrations were as immigrants in new lands while others had relatives returning to the Old Country. But all were filled with love and care. B-
~Jayne
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