In the kitchen cooking for our family seder and listening to some of my favorite Ladino music. I think it connects me to the generations past and touches my ethnic soul! Amongst my favorites is an album of Pesah songs in the Ladino tradition by Yehoram Gaon. You can download it on iTunes. (Go to iTunes; click on search box in upper right section of page ‘search store’; type in ‘Yehoram Gaon’ and look for the album ‘Shirim Lepesach’).

Included in the album are two from our family ‘hit parade’……’un kavritico’ ( chad gadya – an only kid) and ‘kien su piense’ (echad mi yodea – who knows one).

In our family, singing theses songs at the end of the seder is one of the highlights for all generations. Everyone know the melodies, and year by year, they learn the lyrics. Even first time guests quickly get into the spirit and sing with us. It truly is something that connects us – as a family, as part of a tradition.

Check out the lyrics. Listen to the song as recorded by Yehoram Gaon. If you have not yet made it part of your family tradition, consider adding it.

Enjoy your seder – and the love of being with family and friends. May it be a holiday of meaning and joy to all.

~Bendichas Manos

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AN ONLY KID

LADINO VERSION: UN KAVRETIKO

Un kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vi no el gato, y komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre, por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el perro, y modrio al gato, ke komio el kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el palo, y aharvo el perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el fuego, y kemo al palo, ke aharvo al perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino la agua, y amato al fuego, ke kemo al palo, ke aharvo al perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim. por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el buey, y bebio a la agua, ke amato al fuego, ke kemo al palo, ke aharvo al perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el shochet, y degoyo al buey, ke bebio a la agua, ke amato al fuego, ke kemo al palo, ke aharvo al perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko, ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el Malach Hamavet, y degoyo al shochet, ke degoyo al buey, ke bebio a la agua, ke amato al fuego, ke kemo al palo, ke aharvo al perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

Y vino el Santo Bendicho, y degoyo al Malach Hamavet, ke degoyo al shochet, ke degoyo al buey, ke bebio a la agua, ke amato al fuego, ke kemo al palo, ke aharvo al perro, ke modrio al gato, ke komio al kavretiko ke lo merko mi padre por dos levanim, por dos levanim.
HAD GADYA, HAD GADYA!

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WHO KNOWS ONE?
LADINO VERSION: KIEN SU PIENSE?

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo es el uno?
UNO es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los dos?
DOS Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los tres?
TRES muestros padres son, dos Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los kuatro?
KUATRO madres de Yisrael, tres muestros padres son, dos Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los cinko?
CINKO livros de la Ley, kuatro madres de Yisrael, tres muestros padres son, dos Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los sesh?
SESH dias de la semana, cinko livros de la Ley, kuatro madres de Yisrael, tres muestros padres son, dos Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los siete?
SIETE dias kon el Shabbat, sesh dias de la semana, cinko livros de la Ley, kuatro madres de Yisrael, tres muestros padres son, dos Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Kien su piense y entendiense alavar al Dio kriense, Kualo son los ocho?
OCHO dias de la millah, siete dias kon el Shabbat, sesh dias de la semana, cinko livros de la Ley, kuatro madres de Yisrael, tres muestros padres son, dos Moshe y Aharon, uno es el Kriador, baruch Hu uvaruch shemo!

Passover is fast approaching — a time for family gatherings and the retelling of our seminal story of peoplehood as Jews, the Exodus from Egypt. In telling this story, we use several symbolic foods as reminders, including the matzah – the unleavened bread, symbolizing the haste in which the Jews left Egypt, with no time for their bread to rise; a roasted egg — representing the festival offering; a roasted lamb shank bone — representing the Passover sacrifice; karpas — a green vegetable – we use celery (many Ashkenazim use parsley) representing hope and renewal; maror — we use romaine lettuce (many Ashkenazim use horseradish) — representing the bitterness of slavery and persecution; we use vinegar, although some use saltwater, into which we dip our karpas (celery) to recall the tears that the Israelis shed in Egypt. And haroset, a mixture of nuts and fruits made to resemble the mortar used to make bricks when the Jews were forced to build the cities of Ramses and Pithom.

Haroset – It is something we make only in conjunction with the Passover holiday. Different ethnic communities used different ingredients, depending, one suspects, on ingredients available in their particular areas. In the Sephardic and Mizrahi world, there is a tremendous variation in the recipes for haroset. Recently, the Cook Book group of Sepahrdic Temple Tifereth Israel, as part of its effort to produce a new cookbook in the next few years, had a tasting of haroset from a variety of backgrounds. Several variations from Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Rhodes and different parts of Iran were lovingly prepared and shared with the group. Each version was uniquely delicious.
In a previous post, I highlighted our family haroset prepared by my cousin Sarita Hasson Fields in the tradition of the Sephardim of the Island of Rhodes. This post will highlight a recipe from Iran which I just made today to add to our family table this year, made by Neda Mehdizadeh, based on her mother’s recipe from Iran.
The texture and taste are delicious for both — something new to add to your Seder table. As always, we would love to hear from you about your traditions and some of your special foods.
Cook with love – and enjoy this special time of year.
Pesah Alegre!
~Bendichas Manos

Neda Mehdizadeh is one of the dynamic young leaders of the Sephardic Temple Tifereth Israel Sisterhood, Or Chadash. She is a wonderful cook and gracious hostess. For our haroset tasting, Neda used the recipe of her mother, Nahid Jahanbin Khazai. This recipe is delicious, and the cardamom and cinnamon adds a distinct and delightful taste treat.

Neda’s Haroset

· 1 cup Concord seedless raisins
· 1 cup dried pitted prunes
· 1 cup pitted dates
· 1 cup Manischewitz kosher wine
· ½ cup raw almonds
· ½ cup walnuts
· ½ cup raw hazelnuts
· ½ cup raw cashews
· ½ cup fresh orange juice
· ½ cup pomegranate juice
· 2 chopped fresh apples
· 2 bananas
· 2 chopped fresh pears
· 2 cups fresh seedless concord grapes
· 2 tbsp ground cardamom
· 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 – Soak the raisins, prunes and dates in the wine for a few hours or overnight
2 – Ground the almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and cashews in food processor, set aside
3 – Process the dried fruit and wine mixture in the processor
4 – Add and process the fresh fruits into the processor
5 – Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl (the dried & fresh fruit mixture, ground nuts, orange and pomegranate juices, and spices)
6. You can adjust the spices and wine to suit your taste
7. Haroset will keep well in the refrigerator for at least two weeks

You asked – here it is! Re-posting recipe for Passover Megina
Enjoy!!

One of the staples of our seder meal is a Megina, sometmes refered to as “mina”, or a “meat quajado”. My mom’s is made with crumbled matzah mixed in giving it a quajado like consistency once cooked, and able to be cut into and served in squares. The “mina” version is often made with layers of soaked and softened matzahs and constructed more like a meat lasagna. I am sharing the recipe as my mom makes it for our family and as she has taught it in community cooking classes. This is one of those dishes you can customize to your liking, adding different spices for a differnt flair ( think cumin or ‘ras el hanut’ or even cilantro instead of parsley, to name a few). This version is made with ground beef, although ground turkey could be substituted. Let us know what you think!

My Mom’s (Kaye Israel) Recipe for Passover “Megina” (meat casserole) {sometimes called Quajado de Carne or Mina}

2 C chopped onions
2 lbs ground meat
2 tblsp oil
1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)
1 tblsp salt
1/4 c parsley, chopped
10 eggs
1 C farfel (soaked in warm water, and squeezed dry) or 4 sheets matzah (soaked in warm water, squeezed dry and crumbled)
touch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Brown meat with onions in oil; transfer to bowl and allow to cool. Add salt, pepper, parsley and farfel (or matzah). Add 2 beaten eggs at a time until 8 eggs are mixed in.

Grease 9 x 13 inch pan (pyrex type) and heat in oven for 2 – 3 minutes. Pour mixture into pan. Spread remaining 2 beaten eggs to top of mix. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool. Cut into squares and serve. Delish!!!!

As with all things Passover…..enjoy the opportunity to be with family and friends. Document your family recipes and traditions, cook together, enjoy the time. With each dish we serve and each traditional song we sing, we recall lovingly those family members who are no longer with us, whose recipes and memories are present at our table, and whose names we mention at various time throughout the evening (and throughout our many family gatherings).

As we retell the Passover story, so too, we retell our family stories. I love the fact that our sons, aged 19 and 23, “know” and talk about family members, several who passed away years before the boys were born…..but whose life lessons and stories are still very much a part of our family gatherings. Memories live on!

We would love to share some of your family stories with “Bendichas Manos” readers…..please feel free to send them on to us! Most important, share them at your seders. This keeps our histories and our stories alive!

~”Bendichas Manos”