Friday eve was a special time in the Abner household. The smells of delicious foods drifted through the entire household. There was the smell of chicken noodle soup, crispy golden brown chicken, fresh baked braided challah bread, cake and much more.

           Droozy loved being there watching her mother in her crisp clean apron stir the soup which was cooked in a large silver colored pot. The house had been scrubbed thoroughly and smelled so clean! Mama always prided herself that “you could eat off the floor without getting germs.”

The special dishes graced the table. It was set with a bright white cloth, beautiful silver candle sticks which had been handed down from Droozy’s grandparents, and highly polished silver soup spoons, forks and knives. The white candles looked sedate in their place as if waiting to usher in the Sabbath with its calming beauty. There were two of those fresh Challah breads on a special holiday plate, covered with an embroidered cloth. A cup of wine was next to the plate over which a blessing was made thanking G’d for bringing forth grapes from the earth which produced the wine. The whole family would partake by drinking one sip of the sweet juice.

There was a special place for Papa at the head of the table where he would preside over the Kiddush, a blessing for all the goodness that had been bestowed on the family. Mama would begin by cupping her hands over her eyes and reciting a prayer while standing by the brightly lit candles. The sisters would watch their mother with warm feelings of love as they chimed in singing “Lecho Dodee”, a Sabbath hymn ushering in the weekly Friday eve celebration. Papa would join in and would for one evening be able to put aside all of the cares of a stressful week.

Mama was always the last to sit down at the meal since she served her husband and children the delectable meal which they all enjoyed so much.

Sabbath was a peaceful time, a time in which the senses were alerted to the smells and feelings of a meaningful family evening – an evening which linked the generations one to the other and was a reminder of the long ago, the present and the future.

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Introduction
Pork Dumplings
Please Don't Eat the Goldfish
Pretty Shoes
Blueberry Cake
Sukkot
The Garden
Maxel
The Red Rabbit
Passover
The Lost Bathing Tickets
What Shall I Do?  The Double Message
Pieces of Gold
Aromas of the Sabbath
The Birth of a Brother
Green Apples
Herr Kübler
The Broken Leg
Boarding School
The American Calendar
Suse Puppe
Shirley Temple Eyes
Kristallnacht Nov. 9, 10, 11
Aunt (Tante) Mathilde
Ice Skates
The Cologne Cathedral
The Escape
A Belgian Holiday
Gas Balloons and the S. S. Washington
Papa
The Statue
A Bad Dream
A Pencil Thief
The West Virginia Hills
Thanksgiving
Ice Cream, Grieben and Baked Spaghetti
The Gypsy’s Song
Venetian Blinds
The Deaf One
Dimmed Lights
Marryyayo
Friendship
Norma Mae
The Spelling Bee
Run, Thief, Run!
Chances
The Candy Store
The Birthday Party
Deep, Shallow Waters
Red Riding Hood
Small Mama
Droozy In Love
Eskimo Pies
Apple Picking Time
Working Days
Easter Baskets
Valedictorian
Farewell
Blind Joe
Lessons Learned From Parents
About the Author