What I liked
As Moti shares five pieces of paper on which his dearly departed Hungarian Grandmother shared the horrors she endured, and never spoke about, during the Holocaust, he also takes on the characters of many others who crossing her path, sings Yiddish songs, and manages to prepare one his favorites from her many desserts. He even shares the recipe of Savta’s Chocolate Coconut Care in the program, and offers the cake he cooked during the 90-minute show to audience members afterwards. That kind of personal attention to taking care of others is exactly the most important lesson learned from his beloved Grandmother. I am sure she is kvelling in heaven.
What I didn't like
As Moti cooks the cake, some time is stretched a bit too thin with nothing else going on, other than listening to him talk about the recipe. But even those times of silence were wonderfully entertaining.
My overall impression
This deeply moving and incredibly personal family story spoke directly to me since I am also a descendant of European European Jews who fled their homes in Poland and Russia and made their way to America to be sure their children and future generations would survive and have a better life. As Moti prepared his Grandmother’s cake from ingredients in Mason jars, it reminded me of standing in my own Grandmother’s kitchen watching her cook many of the specialties I watched her prepare with nary a measuring spoon or cup in sight. Ultimately, Moti’s story honors a dark era now almost forgotten that needs to be remembered since the anti-Semitism which caused it appears to be returning once again. #NeverForget
