NEW YORK CITY
SIMHAT BAT
MARCH 3, 2002

Cake

Carol and I came in on the 7:30 AM bus on Sunday morning. What an ungodly way to travel! She does this every week. Admittedly, the seats are comfortable, and if you are a skilled frequent busser, as Carol is, you know which seats has the extra legroom. There is a movie (bring your own headphones and save $2), which was Woody Allen's "Curse of the Jade Scorpion," and wasn't bad. I was able to sleep through half of it and still enjoy it. We read the Sunday paper with cissel bread and coffee, which we had bought at Barney's. We arrived on the nose at Marjorie and Jonathan's apartment. Who was there? The Mufson and Lewis families: Betsy Lewis (Jonathan's mother) and Jordan; Bert Lewis (Jordan's brother) and Ruth; Harold Mufson, Papa Joe Mufson's brother; Roger Mufson, Harold's son; Roger's wife, Carolyn, and their son, Sam, 2; Alexandra Mufson, Harold's daughter; Ellen Wilner (Jonathan's sister), and her husband, Jonathan.

Mufson-Lewis familyCarolyn Mufson, Alexandra Mufson, Ellen Wilner, Harold Mufson, Betsy Lewis, Jordan Lewis

Harold MufsonHarold Mufson

And the Spinat-Hirschtritt-Certilman family: Gilda & Sam, Michal (who is with child) and Adam, Yael (who is with child) and Eric, Marissa (who is teaching children).

Spinat Hirschtritt familiesEric Miller, Sam Spinat, Gilda Spinat, Adam Scheer, Joel Hirschtritt

the Naparstek's--Belleruth, Aaron & Joanne (his beloved),

and many of Marjorie and Jonathan's friends. Here I will forget names, and I will offend, which is so uncharacteristic of me.

A pageant followed, written by Marjorie, while everyone (at least I) gazed longingly at the smoked fish on the table. Jonathan and Marjorie began with words of welcome and hopes and prayers for Josie. Josephine Olive is named for Jonathan's grandfather, Papa Joe Mufson, a beloved and revered neurosurgeon, and Olla Krepon, a saintlike woman, whose place in Heaven is just below that of Mother Teresa. People shared warm reminiscences of Olla and Joe. Poor Josie, to have to follow in the footsteps of such sainted and flawless people. Don't worry, when she's old enough, her Zayde will tell her the emes.

Olla & MargieOlla Krepon (Bobie) & Margie (age 1)

Jonathan & Papa JoeJoe Mufson & Jonathan

Marjorie, Jonathan, Josie..Marjorie, Jonathan, Josie

Uncles Neal & Andy offered blessings,

Neal & Andy

as did Aunt Ellen and Uncle Jonathan Wilner,

Wilners

as did Bubbe and Zayde.

Bubbe & Zayde's blessing

I led the singing of "Al haD'vash v'al haOketz."

Guitar

Throughout it all, Josie was sweet and lovable. Who could not be charmed?

 READ THE CEREMONY

And now...the fish...mounds o' smoked fish--nova, sable, whitefish--from smoked fish heaven: Russ & Daughters, around the corner on Houston. There were also great red and yellow tomatoes, H&H Bagels, and Kossar Bialys. There was plenty of Prosecco to wash it all down, which was the perfect bubbly for the occasion. For dessert, two fabulous cakes.

Josie in stroller..Josie in stroller

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