Lokshen Kugel

Cooking Time: 1.5 hours Serves: 2

Ingredients

•

115g lokshen (I use vermicelli or pasta) • 2 eggs, beaten • pinch cinnamon • 2 tbsp sugar • 2 dstsp fat (spread/fat/whatever) • 85g sultanas • strawberry jam

Method

1.

2. 3.

4. Grease ovenproof bowl and spread jam on bottom. Boil and drain the lokshen. Mix boiled lokshen with other ingredients and place on top of jam in bowl. Bake in oven for 1–1.5 hours at 150–180°C.

About Kathy

“With the exception of my two grandfathers who were born in Glasgow, my grandparents, parents, siblings and I were all born and raised in Belfast within the local Jewish community which, at the time of my birth (1957), was thriving. ”

My great-great grandparents came from various parts of Eastern Europe—mainly Lithuania as far as I know. They, like many Jewish people, were forced to relocate and many came to the United Kingdom. On their arrival in Northern Ireland, they had to learn to speak a new language and to live in an entirely new place with a different culture and ways of living. Most changed their foreign family names to more Englishsounding names to blend in and assimilate. Being Jewish is much more than just a matter of religion. There is a lot about culture and belonging. Growing up in the local Belfast community was wonderful—the size (then approximately one and a half thousand people) was small enough to foster a wonderful closeness which has stayed with me to this day. Unfortunately, the community has recently contracted sharply. Many families left Belfast so that their children could meet and marry Jewish partners—still a requirement for strict Orthodox Jews.

It is encouraging now to see the development of a new trend of young Jewish people coming to Belfast, largely to work or study. The new arrivals tend to live ‘outside’ rather than ‘within’ the community, but nevertheless share the religion, culture, and roots. It is hoped that this new trend will somehow help to augment the now failing community.

Recently, my family has discovered a branch of our family hitherto unknown to us. It seems that one of my greatgreat-grandfathers had a brother whose descendants now largely live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has been wonderful to ‘meet’ on Zoom, learn about this new strand of the family, and

Image on the left: Northern Ireland, UK hear more about the history of those emigrating to Europe (and obviously also to the USA) from Eastern Europe. We have the internet to thank for making genealogy more accessible than ever.

Today, I am the only one of my siblings left living in Belfast. Two of my own children have also left to live in England. It seems that there are attractions in living further afield.

“Unfortunately, history has shown that once a community such as ours slips deeply into decline, the pattern is difficult to reverse.”

>> Cooking Playlist

‘Hatikva’ is the national anthem of Israel. It means ‘The Hope’, i.e., the hope of returning to Israel, which is a wish dear to the hearts of many Jewish people. Although it is the Israeli anthem, Jewish people all over the world sing this. ‘Yerushalayim Shel Zahav’ also describes the wish (held by many) to return to Israel. ‘Hava Nagila’ is sung at joyous celebrations such as weddings. People dance the hora and elevate the bride and groom on chairs. Great fun! ‘Echad Mi Yodea’ is one of the songs we sing at the celebratory meal, known as a Seder, which commemorates the Jews being freed from slavery in Egypt. ‘Sunrise Sunset’ is a song from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, which is set in 1905 in Anatevka, a small Russian town. Tevye, a Jewish milkman, is trying hard to hold on to all his familiar Jewish traditions despite the difficult times in which they live.

• ‘Hatikva’

‘Yerushalayim Shel Zahav’ sung by female cantors of various nationalities

‘Hava Nagila’

‘Echad Mi Yodea ‘ • ‘Sunrise Sunset’ from the musical Fiddler on the Roof