Sixth Sense

A young couple with a rather neat idea for a new kosher food product asked me whether there was room in the kosher market for their idea. Their questions were very telling: Isn’t the market dominated by some big players with deep pockets? Are people interested in change and in new creative ideas? Do we even have a shot

The debate of whether to wear a mask or not has made its way all the way to the checkout counter of a large kosher supermarket. One elegantly dressed woman wore a colorful cloth mask while the woman directly behind her (only about 2 feet back) wore a surgical mask on her wrist despite repeated announcements in English and

Speaking to an operator of a Passover program that could not open this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he chose to focus his concern on Passover 2021 which in my mind at the moment seemed safe. Here’s how he put it: “It will take awhile for people to feel comfortable again to spend a holiday in a hotel or even to

Some people are bent on ripping out 2020 from the calendar based on the still uncertain future of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic. Major events like the New York City Marathon and even Broadway have been cancelled for the balance of 2020. The nation’s major food shows like the Fancy Food Show and Expo West have also

This was the week when restaurants in New York City could introduce sidewalk dining. Kosher restaurants rushed to buy little tables, chairs, and umbrellas to be neatly placed at curbside. Most restaurant tables I saw in Brooklyn had no more than 2-3 people. It so much reminded me of Europe. Outdoor dining is a pastime for

Jodi couldn’t contain her excitement. The Starbucks she had come to love was open once again only to learn that for the first time in her life she would not be welcome. As she entered the store, she realized that the normal 6-8 workers were down to only two. “Mam, you have to order on-line. We are open for pickup

My phone has been ringing incessantly asking for donations for various causes. Organizations seemed to have decided that despite the shut society, there was plenty of money to go around. One organization that runs an annual breakfast event is offering a gourmet breakfast for two to be delivered to the door for donors.

For many families that have been home bound for more than two months due to the Corona virus, the first cracks in the government restrictions was the opportunity to get on the road again. Many Brooklyn families whose children are home packed up their cars and headed to Orlando. Several older couples headed to Phoenix, as

Rivkah has been home for nearly six weeks. Keeping her family indoors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been tough. She has been working at home, acting as a teacher for her younger children, doing household chores whenever she has a free moment. She noticed that the kitchen has become a “hangout.” My

Deborah never imagined that she would celebrate her Seder this year with only her 54-year old husband and that her 85-year old mother would be making a Seder alone in her own home. In previous years, there were as many as 21 family members present at the Seder table. Chesky considers himself a very creative person when it