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Yidishe Maykholim

[Jewish Foods]

By Samson Kemelmakher

See lectures: "Ashkenazi Food"; "Shavuot"
 

Varnishkes mit kez un mit puter  Varnishkes with cheese and with butter
Af shvuestog hot gegebn mir mayn muter,  My mother gave me on Shavuot,
A milkhikn zup mit milkhike beygelekh,  A milkhik soup with milkhik bagels,
Geven bay undz a fule shtub mit yingelekh un meydelekh.  We had a house full of little boys and girls.
   
       Refren:        Refrain:
       Yidishe maykholim,
       Jewish foods,
       ir zent in mayn zikorn,            you are in my memory,
       Di mame hot gekokht mir un gebakt,        Mother used to cook and bake for me,
       Kh'vil keyn mol nisht fargesn -        I will never forget
       Geshmak geven dos esn,        How tasty the food was,
       Gefilte fish mit knishes un kabak!        Gefilte fish with knishes and squash.
   
Mit lokshelekh, a yoykh, mit pastromi,  With noodles, chicken soup and pastrami,
A frish neshome gegebn mir di mame,  My mother refreshed my soul,
Ale ir maykholim un gefilte fish,  For all her foods and gefilte fish
Far dem hob ikh ir shtark gelibt, gegebn ir a kush!  I loved her very much, and for that gave her a kiss!
   
       Yidishe maykholim ...        Jewish foods ...
   
Af yomkiper m'hot fargosn mit a glezl,  On Yom Kippur we poured out a little glass,
Un m'hot farbisn a kishke mit a heldzl,  And ate kishke and heldzl,
Ayln tsu kol nidre, tsu hern in der shul,  Hurrying to hear Kol Nidre in the synagogue,
Gefirt hot mir der tate, umetum geven ikh ful.  My father took me everywhere, and I was full.
   
       Yidishe maykholim ...        Jewish foods ...
   
Di fir kashes gefregt bay dem futer,  I asked my father the four questions,
Af peysekh hot gekokht, gebakt mayn muter,  On Pesach, my mother cooked and baked,
Geven dos lebn zis amol, est fun kol guts  Life was sweet then, we ate of the best,
Af purim un af peysekh, rosheshone un af shvues.  On Purim and on Pesach, on Rosh Hashanah and on Shavuot.
   
       Yidishe maykholim ...        Jewish foods ...
   
       Af yidishe yontoyvim,
       On Jewish holidays
       es bakt zikh inem oyvn,        there is baking in the oven,
       Di mentshn lakhn un me lebt zikh gut,        The folks laugh, and we live well.
       Me pravet zey dem seyder        We observe the Seder,
       Di kinder geyn in kheyder,        The children go to Cheder
       Mit gelt a sakh af khanike bashit.        On Chanuka, loaded with Chanuka money.

Source: Wolf Krakowski, Gilgul - Transmigrations: Song lyrics