So, what do Jews do on Christmas day? The tradition is to go to movies and eat in a Chinese restaurant. Renee found something new for us to do: we went to a noshing tour of synagogues on the lower east side. We began at Chasam Sopher Congregation, a beautifully restored synagogue with bagels, bialys and other great nosh, like kichels, I haven’t had in years. From there we went to the Angel Orensanz Cultural Center,
formerly one of the earliest synagogues built in New York. We finished the tour at the Stanton Street Shul
with more food. Although my roots are in Chicago, this was a kind of nostalgia trip. I think every (older) Jew in America has some connection to the lower east side.