This month my good friend Mel has taken over the writing. After reading his story I was so tired from all the work he says I did that I just couldn’t drag myself to the computer for a whole month. While reading the story I want you to remember that I have told Mel over a million times to never exaggerate. Since I don’t, he shouldn’t, and he didn’t.
Elliot

I remember watching Mickey Rooney movies when I was young and always marveled at how someone would say” let’s put on a show" and a big extravaganza would follow.

What went thru my mind was "why does that happen only in the movies, but not in real Life?” I remember saying "let's put on a show" to my friends, in my youth, and the arguing that took place over the differences of the theme and other things that we not only didn't put on a show but often walked away angry with each other. So, at 61, I never expected to see an uninhibited, loving, energetic group of people put on a show.

I'm a Messianic Jew. If you don't know what that means, I'm a Jew that believes that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Jewish Messiah, promised to the Jewish people. I attend a Messianic Congregation with like minded people, both Jew and Gentile. We worship in a Jewish manner and continue to live a Jewish lifestyle. It was before Chanukah and our Rabbi suggested we celebrate Chanukah with a "bring a dish dinner". Elliot, Len and I, the "Oneg Guys", were partly in charge of putting the show together.

Now let me tell you something about Elliot. He is a perfectionist; he concerns himself with the smallest detail, and is a superb chef. I'm the complete opposite. I believe people will always bring enough food to share, and I don't worry so much about perfection but rather relaxing and enjoying the process. I'm more casual about these things and don't worry if there’s not enough to totally fill our bellies with. The good company and holiday spirit will prevail and we'll make do with whatever we are blessed enough to have to eat. So for a guy like me, Elliot is a blessing and also makes me mashugga. Together we make the perfect team.

We posted a list for the congregation asking people to bring a dish from a food group. I emailed each member and asked them to please let us know what they're planning on bringing and then followed up with telephone calls. As the food group got filled I would ask those joining to bring food from another group.

Simplicity, so I thought until Elliot asked for the list. I had a rough copy typed and emailed it to him. He immediately put it on a sophisticated program and emailed that we would be short and that there would not be enough food. I emailed back not to worry. He emailed back that he was going to make 300 latkes, wanted to cook a roast and 800 pounds of his soon to be famous chopped liver, in the form of a full sized sculpture of the Rabbi. (Just kidding, but that's how it sounded to me). I said" El, don't worry, the food will come.”

Sure, say that to a perfectionist. He immediately emailed back. ”Get more chicken, we need more vegetables and according to his calculations we were going to be short food and he was going to bring applesauce as well and he himself was going to cook the whole day before the event.

Elliot's the chef; I'm the shlepper and caller. He runs the kitchen. He takes a bag of cookies and lays them out so you think they came from an expensive restaurant. He walks around telling everyone "presentation, presentation."

The day of the dinner, Elliot marches in with his three assistants and takes over the kitchen, slicing, dicing, hocking, chopping, turning on the oven, filling the refrigerators, bringing in empty trays to lay our food. With a case of special tools, he's a wild man ready to cook and saying all the while there won't be enough food. The show was just beginning. He has someone go to his vehicle and bring in carafes for heating food. All of a sudden, Missy, his wife, is there with a few people putting up the Chanukah decorations, making special Chanukah themed table cloths, laughing and working and at 5:30 the people and the food begin to arrive. The show is underway. With the first 10 people in, the serving counter is full with food and more keeps coming. It looks like there's enough to feed an army. Now, Elliot has this look on his face and is saying," don't put it out, bring it into the kitchen, there's more than we expected." He's putting food in the ovens and the fellowship hall smells like Mama's house during Thanksgiving. Wow!!!! Trays and trays of food and smiling faces, people shaking hands and saying Chag Samayach, tonight was a special night and everyone was there to celebrate, after all Chanukah is a wonderful holiday.

In our congregation we have a tradition. Each family brings their Hanukia, (Menorah), with them. The Hanukias are placed on a table with all 9 candles lit. The rabbi and the congregation say the prayers, and the light that shines is symbolic that we should be a light to all the nations. The children are in awe. Someone brings a shofar and the shofar sounds. People are clapping their hands and dancing. Joy has filled the room.

Missy brought all the food that remained to the Rescue Mission soup kitchen.

Afterwards, we all entered the sanctuary for singing, dancing and praising Ha Shem.

It was just like in the Mickey Rooney movie. It happened when I turned 61.

Next Month I will discuss the Frappe.
Mel Yahre