Passover Memories - The Kline/ Jacobs Family Seders
Passover Memories - The Kline/Jacobs Family Seders
Submitted By Peggy Kline Jacobs
My memories of Passover have always been about family and friends. There were five children in my family, and there were so many people around our Passover table. My Grandma Lena Kline’s three brothers, Morris, Benny, and Sol Goldsmith, would be with us, and they were so loving, wonderful and had so many stories! Our family opened our homes to so many people—soldiers, college students, new people in town, or just friends. Mom (Sarah Schwartz Kline) and Dad (Bernard H. Kline) always had such a beautiful Seder table!! There was always so much conversation and food to go around; it was a very special time of year!!
Kline Family Gathering, 1994. Peggy Kline Jacobs is at the top of the stairs next to the painting. Image courtesy Peggy Kline Jacobs
THEN
Using Haggadahs that were mostly in Hebrew.
Falling asleep at the dinner table.
Grandma Lena’s Tsimmis.
Mom’s favorite jellied candies and coconut-covered marshmallows.
The best Matzah Ball soup made with TLC.
Mom’s delicious Sponge Cake.
Opening the door for Elijah and Uncle Hymie Gerson being there!
Taking lunch to school with Matzah and kids teasing me about it.
Eating so much Matzah and us all getting locked Tuckus! (a family expression)
Dad always telling Mom we should have saltwater hardboiled eggs and onions more during the year, which we never did.
Having Pasadika pancakes.( An endearing family word)
Looking for the Afikoman.
Being nervous about reading the four questions in Hebrew.
The adults talking about how the services were so much longer in their youth so we shouldn’t complain!
As time went on, my siblings and I began having Seders at our homes. Each of us had our own way of doing things, so there was quite a variety of ways to do the service. We continued to have huge gatherings of family and friends. Seders are now not as serious and more child-based and shorter. (No falling asleep at the table.)
Now
Still having family and friends for the Seder at our home or Jerry and Sue’s home.
Now using less serious and fun Haggadahs for Passover service. (Everything for the Kinda.)
Shorter services with a lot of props. (Everything for the Kinda.)
Still hoping someone interesting would show up when we open the door for Elijah.
Toasting Matzah for peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwiches.
Making chopped liver to put on Matzah crackers.
More variety of Passover foods. (Thanks to all the grocery stores.)
Our family at Passover, 2018. Image courtesy Peggy Kline Jacobs
Props for the Kinda, Passover 2018. Image courtesy Peggy Kline Jacobs
I must say that as our children and my brother’s (Jerry and Sue Kline) and sister’s (Susan Neider, Chery Love, and Cathy Kline) children have grown, our Passover Table is not as large as it used to be. I miss that!! As each generation comes and goes the spirit of Passover should continue! WE must remember where we came from and how the generation before us made it possible to live the lives we do now. May we keep all those of Blessed Memory alive!
Happy Passover! (Hope no one gets locked Tuckus during Passover.)
Sponge Cake by Sarah Schwartz Kline
This was probably handed down from my grandmothers, Jennie Schwartz and Lena Kline.
9 eggs, separated
1½ cup sugar
½ cup potato starch
½ cup cake meal
Juice and rind of one lemon
Juice and rind of ½ orange
Mix potato starch and cake meal together. Beat yolks with ½ amount of sugar and add lemon and orange juice with rinds.
Beat egg whites until stiff with remaining sugar. Fold whites into fold mixture slowly. Then slowly blend in potato starch and cake meal mixture. Bake in ungreased tube or large pan at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
You can put Cool Whip and strawberries on top.