THE WEIGHT OF INK

Rachel Kadish reads from her recent novel, THE WEIGHT OF INK, at the Woman's Club of Newton Highlands. Photo by Marash Girl

Author Rachel Kadish spoke to the Woman's Club of Newton Highlands this week about her experience writing THE WEIGHT OF INK, a novel set in 17th Century London (based on maps made by Queen Elizabeth's cartographer) and Amsterdam, where the Jewish people sought refuge (although the author admits that she herself never made it to Amsterdam -- only to the Houghton Library in Harvard Square!)  The question for the Jewish people was, according to Kadish, "Though we have found safety, are we really safe?"  The novel centers around a 17th Century woman, poor and Jewish, who has taken seriously Verse 5 from Psalm 137

ה  אִם-אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָם--    תִּשְׁכַּח יְמִינִי."

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."

and the central theme, according to the author?  "Writing can be a life or death act!"

When asked about her approach to writing, Kadish says that, as she gets ideas, she places post-it notes on her wall, reorganizing as she goes, but she does NOT recommend that others necessarily do so!

Set in the present,  and in the 1660's,  the main character in THE WEIGHT OF INK is a woman who has been allowed to be the scribe for a Jewish Rabbi.  A fascinating look at history, the place of women in history, the courage to write, the secrets that our houses hold, and the history of the Jewish people.

Man of La Mancha for Christmas . . . Really?

Looking for an uplifting evening at the theatre?  Avoid going to MAN OF LAMANCHA.  So well done by the New Rep that it leaves you wondering why they would ever perform this piece during the  Christmas season!

Stressing for the Holidays?

Counterproductive!  Don't fall for the trap!  Rather, celebrate Armenian Christmas . . . you'll have an extra 12 days!

Antiquing with Raffi on a Hot Summer's Day

Some tips to remember when Christmas Shopping on Cape Cod next summer!

1.  Real brass won't attract a magnet, but then neither will white metal.

The weight, then; the weight!

2.  Can't see in the dim light of the shop?  Feel the edge of the dish or the glass for chips . . .

Ama -- didn't you feel the edge of this? It's chipped! You don't want it!  (Out of the mouths of babes!)

And remember . . . even if there is a slight chip, you can use emery paper or an emery board to smooth the chips that you missed!

Kicking a Bone from the Spring to Home

A block from the house in which Marash Girl lived for the first 20 years of her life there were woods -- only for a block, but none-the less, woods -- and at the corner of Hull Street and Lowell Avenue where the woods began, was a spring.  It was at that spring that very young Marash Girl found a fossil -- or so she thought -- an old bone that she knew must be a fossil; she feared carrying it with her hands, so she kicked the fossil up the hill, about a half a mile to her house.  When she arrived home, glad to be bearing this ancient museum piece, she was not praised for discovering the ancient fossil but rather chastised for scuffing up her brand new shoes, scuffing them for none other than a not so old bone, a bone not even worthy of a dog's interest!

Save Those Christmas Cards

We never did save them; we threw them all away after Christmas.  But one card we did save, and that card was a reminder, a sweet reminder, so  don't throw away those Christmas cards.  They will survive long after your days of yore, long after your friends of yore, long after your memories of yore -- and they will bring those days, those friends, and those memories rushing back!

Strolling the Aisles . . .

Since when was a trip to Costco a moment to treasure?  Since Marash Girl used to make those trips with her dad.  He would love to stop and chat with the fellow "guarding" the entrance, with the women "guarding" the free samples of tasty tidbits, with his old friends who would invariably be similarly strolling the aisles.  A great way to get exercise in the middle of the winter . . . a great way to socialize in the middle of the week!  And invariably he would hear folks chatting in Armenian -- always an excuse to interrupt them for a lively, three-way conversation.        

Costco had become a family event.

Some Don't Mind The Snow!

On Marash Girl's front lawn is the little boy who keeps guard over her garden, taking a rest 'til spring!

Laughing your way through a boring lecture . . .

Marash Girl's dad would love to laugh (rather than cry, rant or rave) when he was forced to sit through a boring lecture . . . He would always quote the old "stand"ard,  "I stand before you to sit behind you to tell you something I know nothing about . . . "

Red Candles, Anyone?

Every year, during the daylight hours of December 24, Marash Girl would frantically send out a battalion of family members to search the local stores for tall red candles -- candles to light the living room, dining room, and hallway on Christmas Eve.  (We kept electric lights on in the kitchen, to make sure that we didn't use salt instead of sugar when making the syrup for the kadayif!)

This year (finally, after how many years?) Marash Girl decided to tackle the chore herself and clever girl that she was, she found a raft (literally) of tall red dripless candles at the $ store for . . . yes, a dollar for a package of two.  You guessed it!  She bought them all.  All she'll have to do now is remember to check the shelves in the basement rather than heading out to buy red candles for Christmas Eve next year . . .

Can't sleep?

Turn off the news!  That's what Marash Girl's father was told by his doctors many years ago; that's what Marash Girl would advise today.  A lot better than sleeping pills!

A Real Live Christmas Story

Marash Girl heard --  what was it? Someone shoveling her sidewalk?  Why?  Who was it?  She went out to see who it was and found a young fellow shoveling all the way up the sidewalk along the side opposite her house on her little street, and all the way back.  Next thing she knew, he was shoveling along the sidewalk on her side of the street, as well as the apron and steps leading up to her house.  Who was this Christmas Elf?  She reached into her pocket, grabbed a $10 bill and headed out the front door . . . Who are you? she asked the young man.   Oh, I'm just the neighbor at the end of the street -- I needed to get some exercise, so I decided to shovel.  Really? asked Marash Girl, astounded.  Yes, he answered; I'm a teacher and I don't get much exercise, so this is great!  What do you teach? asked Marash Girl.  Oh, I teach fourth graders.  Well, here's for your efforts, said Marash Girl, handing him a $10 bill.  No, no, answered the young man.  I can't accept that!  Oh, yes you can, answered Marash Girl; accept it for your students; buy your students a Christmas treat with the money!  Okay, agreed! grinned the young teacher, pocketing the $10 bill, as he continued his mitzvah, shoveling along.

Snow?

Looks like the folks here are in for the first big snowstorm of the year, and none too happy about it!  But Marash Girl remembers when it was a joy to watch the snow coming down, a joy to clear the snow from the 35 steps leading to the sidewalk below, a joy to help her dad and uncle clear off the two cars, a joy to clear the sidewalk along the two lot length of stone wall!  Oh, for the joys of the old days!

Driveway Into The Past

Walking along Ethan Allen Avenue into the town center of Takoma Park, Maryland, Marash Girl spied a scene that took her straight back to her childhood.  The only difference was the downward slant of the driveway.  The driveway to the garage of her childhood went uphill!

A House on Commonwealth Avenue!

Mummy's dream, a dream that was never realized, was always to have a house on Commonwealth Avenue . . .  along the carriage lane, of course . . . or short of that, a brand new, single-family ranch house in Weston.   Just saying. . .

'Tis the Season!

'Tis the season, and if you want some interesting items for little ones (and big ones alike) at bargain prices, try the $ store!  Amazing what wonders you can find there that will fit comfortably into a Christmas stocking!

No snow yet!

But snow is in the air, and Marash Girl knows that she's no longer a kid (though sometimes you'd wonder) because she no longer looks forward to the snow flakes falling from the sky.  How wonderful that was . . . watching the first snowstorm of the season, making angels in the snow (do you know how to do that . . . she can tell you), and, of course, building snowmen (we never thought of building snow-women because what woman would want a carrot for a nose, and two pieces of coal for eyes!)

An Armenian Nursery Rhyme

The posting below on Facebook reminded Marash Girl that eons ago, Kenar and Marash Girl recorded on paper Armenian nursery rhymes from Marash, nursery rhymes remembered by Kenar's mom.  Marash Girl will have to dig into her files to find them and start posting them on her website.  In the meantime, enjoy the one below from Aintab!

Armenian Nursery Rhyme/ Lullaby Aintab mothers said to their children. Remember Armenian language was spoken differently back then. Djor, Djor, Djor Mama, Djoring maman jam g'erta Gorgod abour bish enna, Yeghe vran khesh enna. Kkachon oude, josh enna, Lop, Lop Ashenna.

Trouble on Maple Avenue?

                                                                                              Photo by Kate Walker

A neighbor reported excitement at the end of our "dead end" street yesterday early evening; to wit: "Around 6:30 PM, heard cars, yelling, big drama.  Obviously, another 'Oops, it’s a dead end' move. Sounded like a domestic thing. Crazy blocked car, car hitting hydrant, people screaming in some really bad Bawstin accents!  Really crazy and unsettling. Better you were snoozing, it was ugly to hear."  Apparently even the police came by . . . unusual for our quiet corner of the city!

The Christmas Crèche

The Christmas crèche -- there are many available, both new and antique -- a beautiful and tactile way to introduce Christmas to the little ones.  Ironically, or perhaps as it was meant to be, most antique crèche assemblies are missing the Baby Jesus. . . a perfect fit for baby's hand and baby's heart!  Marash Girl's Christmas crèche was handmade by Nancy, our dear neighbor on Beacon Hill, on the occasion of the birth of our first child, and as fitting, Marash Girl has gifted that hand built crèche to her first-born child (who prefers to remain anonymous on Marash Girl's blogs)!

Have You Done Your Christmas Shopping Yet?

Better get going!  Not too many days left!  And you don't want any disappointed faces peering up at you on the big day!  But don't you worry.  There really are 12 days of Christmas, and in the old days the young 'uns had 12 gifts to open (and if you were the older generation, 12 gifts to provide)!  Maybe you could get many dozens of donuts, and give each child a donut a day?  (Keep 'em fresh in the freezer?)  Whoops, methinks the season is really getting to Marash Girl!