Part II Beth Shalom Sisterhood Simcha Sweets: Rose Kline’s ShoeBox Cookies
Rose Kline OBM, was president of the Beth Shalom Synagogue Sisterhood for many terms in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as one of the first women on the Board of Trustees of the synagogue. She was a beloved figure in the Jewish Community. Rose’s husband, Harold Kline, spoke of her dedication to all things that pertained to the Beth Shalom Synagogue.
Harold and Rose Kline ca. 1956. Courtesy of Harold Kline.
Rose Samuels Kline was from High Point, North Carolina. Harold met her at a party at a lake in Rock Hill. He was smitten with her from the start. They married in 1956 and moved back to be with Harold’s large family in Columbia. Rose immediately became interested in all things that had to do with the Beth Shalom Synagogue. Harold said, “she was like a duck in water.” Rose, known for her organizational skills became the synagogue’s archivist. Because of Rose, the synagogue’s early history dating back to the beginning of its inception was found and saved. The first synagogue board’s minutes were in Yiddish! These records are now archived with the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library Jewish Heritage Collection.
Rose although very committed to the synagogue was also dedicated to her family and friends. She and Harold had three children, Richard, Mindy, and Larry. She really was the essence of a 1950s homemaker. Rose kept a beautiful home, was a wonderful cook and baker, always coiffured and a loving mother and wife. The family celebrated all the Jewish holidays with family. The Klines are one of the early Columbia families. Harold said that she could make all the traditional holiday foods from brisket to kugel to tachleg cookies.
Left, Shirley Levine; Center, Rose Kline; Right, Helene Kligman. Courtesy of Lyssa Harvey.
Rose, Shirley Levine, and my mother, Helene Kligman were best friends and spent many happy hours involved in “Sisterhood business.” I have a soft place in my heart for Rose. I liked her style and her panache. She and my mother’s friends hosted my bridal shower in 1977. Thinking back, I was surrounded at this simcha by all the best cooks of the community. Her recipes have been saved and cherished by her daughter, Mindy, and her daughter-in-law, Kathy Kline. Kathy has her file boxes of handwritten favorites. They all remember her specialty called “Shoe Box Cookies” baked for family holidays and synagogue simchas. Her Jell-O mold was a family favorite and always graced her family celebrations.
Heide Golden, Sisterhood president for many terms during the 1970s remembers Rose and all she did for the Beth Shalom Synagogue Sisterhood. She said that Rose was a treasure for the community. Heide Golden became known as the synagogue’s kitchen maven. She and her sisterhood cohorts Sarah Kline, Mary Miller, Sarah Laden, and Helen Kahn were responsible for most of the kitchen activities including outfitting the kitchen with sterling silver trays, appliances, and equipment needed to become modernized. Heide, an excellent baker could always be found in the synagogue’s kitchen preparing large portions of baked goods such as her one-bowl challah or her fruit strudel (originally Ida Gergel’s recipe that she changed a little) for the congregation events.
Courtesy of Lyssa Harvey
Shoe-Box Cookies
By Rose Kline
This recipe was named Shoe Box cookies by my children, Richard, Mindy, and Larry, because I used a shoebox to store them in and take them to the beach and to friends, etc.
½ cup graham-cracker crumbs
1 cup or 1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 bag
½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
1 can of sweetened condensed milk.
Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes then cut to into square bars and remove. Place in a shoe box with wax paper or aluminum foil.
This recipe can be doubled. Use a 9 x 13 pan.
Fruit Strudel
By Heide Golden
Originated from Ida Gergel
Heide would make this in large quantities to feed the whole congregation.
Dough
4 large eggs
½ cup of oil
½ tsp salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups of flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
Mix egg, salt, oil, and sugar until well blended. Sift flour and baking powder. Knead until smooth. (It may need a little less or more flour to knead smooth). Divide dough into 6 portions. Place dough on board. Put into the refrigerator.
Fruit and Nut Filling
½ lb. pecans, chopped
½ lb. date chopped and soaked
2/3 lb. golden raisins
6 oz. of dried pineapple cut up fine
4 ox. dried cherries cut up fine
1 cup coconut
2 cups of apricot Jelly
2 cups of strawberry jelly
½ cup lemon juice
Sugar
Cinnamon
Oil for brushing on top of strudels
Mix above ingredients, except jelly. Roll out dough, as thin as possible without breaking. Brush dough with oil. Add filling. Add jelly last in small amounts. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll up from bottom. Close ends. Brush with oil and sprinkle more sugar and cinnamon on top. Make indentations 1 ½ inches apart without slicing all the way through. Put 2 strudels per oiled cookie sheet.
Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Watch carefully not to burn bottom. Remove and baste with apricot jelly. Return to oven for 20 more minutes. As soon as golden brown, remove, then slice all the way through.
Makes – 6 strudels and about 160 pieces.