For most women, the smell of soup brings back memories of
delicious meals they didn't have to cook. For Goldy,
preparing soup brings her face to face with one of the
darkest times in Jewish History.
Once, when Goldy had asked her grandmother for the recipe
for her famous garlic soup, Bubbie had sat her down and told
her about it. Goldy was quite surprised to hear about the
war, since her grandmother had always been reticent about
talking of bad times. She always preferred to lock the
painful memories in a neat drawer somewhere in her brain,
not to be opened.
The roux had played a major part in the family's survival.
When Bubbie, then a young mother of one adorable little
girl, Goldy's mother, had heard that all Jews were to be
rounded up in the center of town, allowed only one package
of their belongings, she tried to think of food. It was
wartime and food was scarce, already. Bubbie looked around
her quite empty pantry, trying to come up with something
that she could prepare that would not weigh much yet could
be stretched as a meal for a family of three. She had a
brilliant flash of inspiration. She prepared her special
roux, a thick garlic soup, then dried it into thin cakes.
She figured that no matter where they would be, all she
would have to do is add some water and they would all have a
soup of sorts.
So Goldy stands in Eretz Yisroel over fifty years later and
mournfully prepares the roux for her own family's garlic
soup. As she adds water to the pot, she remembers that being
sad is just half the story. How her grandparents survived -
that's the beautiful part.
*
The entire town of Beled, Hungary, was to be gathered in the
market place where they were scheduled to be deported on
Shabbos to Auschwitz. No one knew exactly what was there,
but a grave sense of foreboding hung heavily in the air.
Everyone knew it was wise to obey the orders from the German
soldiers and their Hungarian gendarme accomplices and hope
for the best.
However, Zeidy Moishe told Bubbie that under no
circumstances would they travel anywhere on Shabbos. He
intended to leave the market place and hide somewhere.
Bubbie was frantic. Wouldn't this be risking greater danger?
But Zeidy was adamant. In desperation, Bubbie informed the
rest of the family what her husband was planning to do. She
begged them to convince him to abandon his crazy notion.
Brothers and sisters, cousins and in-laws, duly argued with
him that in times of danger, travel on Shabbos was
permitted. Nothing moved him. He was prepared to be shot
down, if need be, rather than board a train on Shabbos.
Zeidy Moishe, Bubbie and Baby Yocheved were the only family
that returned intact to Beled after the war. The train left
for Auschwitz that Shabbos and subsequent transports were
sent to Theresienstadt, since the former was declared full.
They were liberated on May 2. The date set for extermination
of all the inmates of Theresienstadt was May 6.
By now, Goldy was adding the nocklach, but her
mind was lingering somewhere in 1945.
Her grandparents were liberated by the Russians and sent
back to Hungary. They tried to smuggle themselves across the
border in the hope of reaching a Displaced Persons Camp in
Vienna.
Zeidy Moishe had looked around for a guide to lead them
safely across the border. A big red-faced Magyar agreed, but
he turned out to be an undercover agent who led them
directly to the police station.
His parting words: "Haaa, you filthy Jews! You think you can
leave us so easily? What's your rush? Here you'll have free
room and board, provided by our generous Hungarian
government."
Zeidy, Bubbie and baby were locked in a cell on the third
floor. Yocheved was a precocious darling of two who charmed
the prison warden. The officers took her out of the cell and
played with her while guarding her parents.
Three nights later, one of the wardens came, opened the cell
door and said to Bubbie, "I also have a cute little girl
like this at home. For her sake, I am freeing your
family."
The next time, Zeidy found a drunkard to guide them across
the border. To prevent foul play, they arranged that he
receive his pay only after they had been safely delivered to
the other side. He would collect his money in the town of
Shuprun, deposited with the Jews there.
When they reached the border, the guide pulled out a bottle
of vodka from his back pocket with his left hand, took a
generous swig, then pulled out a revolver with his right,
and aimed it at them.
"I want the money NOW!" he demanded. Seeing that logic was
useless in his state, they stripped themselves of their last
possessions and were happy to be rid of him. But the border
still lay ahead. They had to run for it, across fields and
woods, brooks, mountains and valleys. At one point, Bubbie
stumbled. Zeidy thought she had been shot. Finally they
heard a dog barking and felt relieved. Dogs meant people,
civilization.
They came upon a soldier and asked him where they were.
"Oestreich!"
Free at last.
*
Goldy's soup was finished by now. The good nourishing meal
she had prepared in the comfort of her modern day kitchen
would be appreciated a thousandfold. As she gave it a final
swish of the ladle and another dash of salt, she whispered
her usual prayer, "Hashem, please say `Enough' to Jewish
suffering!" and added her usual perek Tehillim for
good measure.
*
There's an old German saying about Cooking with Love. When
you cook the following Hungarian soup, do so with Love -
Love for Hashem! It will taste so much better...
RECIPE FOR GARLIC SOUP - 6 quart pot
Saute an entire head of garlic in oil covering bottom of
pot. After garlic is slightly browned, add 2 tablespoons
flour.
Make a roux (einbren - revicha) - white sauce,
stirring well. When flour is absorbed in oil and bubbling,
slowly add 1 1/2 qt. water, stirring constantly. Bring to a
boil. Add nockelach. Add salt and pepper to taste.
NOCKELACH
1 egg
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. garlic powder, salt, pepper
Combine well until there are no lumps.
Drop 1/4 teaspoon at a time into the boiling soup.
Don't forget a short prayer.
Enjoy.
