Is that a Matzoh Ball floating in the Tomato Sauce????

My family is truly an American blended family, we epitomize the term melting pot. I am of Italian heritage, married to a nice Jewish boy from a Russian, Polish, and Austrian background. My mother had a wee bit of French blood, my sisters-in-law are of Lebanese, Puerto Rican, Jewish backgrounds, one of my favorite aunts was of Irish heritage, so we cook everything in this house. We have adopted a wonderful Bosnian family, who have now become our dearest friends, giving me was is proving to be my only "grandchild."


Edin is Muslim, yet when he is here for Passover, he has his sedar plate, he has a Chanukah bear with a menorah that lights up and here is a picture of him from his family holiday card this year

Does it get any more ecumenical and tolerant than that????

We are very ecumenical, putting up a St.Patrick's day tree on the dining room table for my Aunt Edith, my husband doesn't even question why any more. We don't celebrate Christmas, but the dreidel was the first ornament hung on my mother's Christmas tree.

Every Christmas we do the most Italian fish dinner of anyone I know

We make latkes at Chanukah.

At Passover and Easter we sway from no bread to Italian meat pie and all the Easter breads. We have corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's day, bagels and lox on Sunday morning,

and macaroni for Sunday dinner

Most of the time in my house, there is a pot of
chicken soup on one burner, and a pot of "gravy"
as we call tomato sauce on the other burner.
One of these days, I fear the matzoh balls

will end up in the tomato sauce, lol

Does that make us any less religious? I don't think so. I like to think that I am teaching my children tolerance, the sharing of other customs and religions, and I would hope that those are truly the things worth learning. I would like to think I believe in God, a more tolerant God than one who would worry about if I eat pork, or meat on Friday, or some other food related religious custom. I would like to think that God is more concerned about respect and love for our fellow man.

My husband and I were even in church the other day because I always have an anniversary mass said in memory of my parents. After all, somebody has to do it, and that always leaves me. Of course, who do they always approach to bring up the gifts...my husband, lol

The first time this happened, he turned to me and said, "Were we supposed to bring gifts too, I thought we paid for the mass?" Life is certainly never dull in this house. I for one, wouldn't have it any other way.

Teach your children about other heritages.
Food is a very good way to do that.
Perhaps arrange with a group of friends
of different ethnic backgrounds to
share a meal with them.
Order from a Chinese restaurant,

try some Pad Thai,

make an French meal at home.


Branch out, diversify, there is more to life
than American food. What better way is there
for your children to learn tolerance and sharing?
Some life lessons need to be shared
to make a lasting impression.