"Kadosh, Kaddish, Coleslaw" by David Buchalter

In loving memory of Stanley Balter (1928-1997) on the anniversary of his death. This recording is for my Aunt Phyllis Balter.

The meat and potatoes of Jewishness are the portions prepared and consumed in a kitsch temple: house of the stainless service, home of the pilot-light eternal flame, the kitchen is where the hungry Jew is called to, stuffed, remains. Jewishness is feeding and eating--history tells us Jews are nothing if not either starving or stuffed.

--DSB

Open Letter to Martin Espada:

Dear Prof. Espada,

I'm a former student of yours. Now I'm a PhD student and teach the literature that you taught me a decade ago.

Your picture and poems in September's Writer's Chronicle got me thinking about the stuff you taught me. "Niggerlips," for example, dared me not to be ashamed of being a Jew. An explication on mole sauce you did made me realize how important food is to one's identity. I realized this more fully when, to recover from an attack of hate speech directed at my Jewish nose, I went to the deli and had a pastrami on rye.

Since for every Krystal Nacht Jews have a Billy Crystal, I wrote a poem about the time my Uncle introduced me to coleslaw at a funeral reception, to remember my Uncle, who passed away one year ago this week.

An explication of mole sauce you did ten in a class 8 years ago came to mind, when I wanted to comfort my Aunt with this poem. As my dad said today when I showed him the poem, "stories are like comfort food."

If you want to view the video of "Kadosh, Kaddish, Coleslaw," which I couldn't have written had you not taught me to value my roots and to identify with food, here's the link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEAPvVet-fE


Thanks. You changed the way I look at myself and how I self-identify--it is no longer with shame.

--David

PS. I met Jimmy Santiago Baca last year; he said to say hi.

David Buchalter
Doctoral Student
Department of English
University of Arizona

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[chutzpanik]

Thank you for sharing your stories, your poetry, your insights, and through it all your humor! You're a mentch, truly, and your video confirms so many of my own jewish values: facing hardship through laughter, sharing empathy, helping others understand, "stories are like comfort food" (well said!), and the number one jewish value above all - FAMILY. Thank you, and zeit gezunt.

[dsbuchalter]

Well thank you very much, your comments mean a lot. You reminded me of something down deep I'd almost forgotten, and it's wonderful to be reminded of it. cheers.

david

[GotChutzpah]

Yeah, I get that "you're a Jew, aren't you?" Got it three times last week in one day! Oy, vey!

[dsbuchalter]

Hah!

Have you seen Larry David's show Curb Your Enthusiasm? There's one episode where he's whistling Wagner and another Jew says to him, "Are you Jewish?" Larry responds, "What, you want to check to see I'm circumcised?" He's got a great way of making something funny enough that people watch but simultaneously communicating a real awareness of the phenomenon of antisemitism, and in this case even intra-Jewish conflicts.

Thanks for your comment, Chutzpah!

[mickeleh]

This was, in its own way, also an unveiling. While thinking about you and your family and your Jewishness and your guilt, I had was also thinking of my own. I felt almost as though I was intruding to watch this. But then again, you put it out there. So I figured you were inviting me.

[dsbuchalter]

Yes, Mickeleh, I think you're absolutely right about this being an unveiling; at least it certainly was for me.

And yes, I did put it out there as an invitation.

[Emilydogcat]

My Great Grandmother was Jewish. She was from Germany. She hid her Jewish religion from everyone and I didn't know until after she died. Her eyes always looked sad and I think I know why now. She hid herself when she moved to Canada. I've always loved bagels :)

[dohertykaki]

I'm sorry that ,that woman approached you like that. I have no hatred. The Merchant of Venice was my personal favorite's of Shakespeare. LOL. This morning I enjoyed an onion bagel with chive cream cheese. YUM! K

[dsbuchalter]

Thank you very much JaYnE.

[gatsbygrl]

Thanks for sharing this video, David! Your stories were very interesting!