My son-in-law Mark frequently invites guests for Friday night (Sabbath dinner) and Saturday (Sabbath) lunch. Occasionally he gets very creative with the theme and the content. This is a recent invitation, with footnotes for those who may be confused by some of the lingo.
Twas the night before Christmas, which for Jews was just groovy
As their plans were for Chinese food and a movie.
But this year traditions would not work out right,
Because erev1 Christmas was their shabbos2 night.
Ta'am China3 would close, as would Ta'am China Two4.
Oh what were those poor frummy5 Jew-folk to do?
Some became verklempt6, with fear they were fraught,
And then Mark and Naomi came up with a thought.
Have homemade Chinese food for a shabbos dinner
A bit odd paired with challah, but still quite a winner.
And as for the movie, would that custom keep?
"It could," said the TV, "I've a timer for sleep."
And so happiness spread 'mongst the Camberville7 Jews,
Because this was an offer they could not refuse.
So as the goyim8 all toast to the birth of their Lord,
We can eat, watch a movie, or play games on a board.
- Erev – Hebrew meaning evening. In this usage it means the night before Christmas.
- Shabbos – Yiddish for Sabbath. Same as the Hebrew Shabbat, meaning Friday night to Saturday night.
- Ta’am China is a kosher Chinese restaurant in the greater Boston area
- Ta’am China Two is another kosher Chinese restaurant in the greater Boston area
- Frummy – another Yiddish word, actually “frum,” meaning religious or observant
- Verklempt – excellent Yiddish word that describes me lately, meaning ‘overcome with emotion’
- Camberville – a combination of two Boston suburbs, Cambridge and Somerville
- Goyim – non-Jews
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