1) Barbra Streisand, Adam Sandler, Harrison, Ford, and other Hollywood stars:It’s a great shame that neither Adam Sandler nor Harrison Ford has won an Oscar yet. However, the movies in which they’ve had leading roles have grossed almost 10 billion dollars combined.

2) Going to get Chinese food and going to a movie theater on Christmas Eve: In the age of streaming, this has become somewhat of a lost art. No longer are people waiting in line at a packed Chinese restaurant and then heading to a movie theater. Now, families can order food straight to their homes and stream a movie instead.

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3) Finding a really good mom and pop bagel shop: You know your city has made it when everyone can agree on the bagel shop. For me, in St. Louis, it’s Lefty’s Bagels. If you want another great recommendation, try Bagelsaurus in Cambridge, MA. It’s right off the Harvard campus, and their schmear is top-notch.

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4) Attending a Jewish camp at least once: I always tell people that CLTC was the best two weeks of my life, even when my bus broke down in the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania. And I’ve heard that ILTC/Kallah was even better!

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5) Brisket (my mom's specifically) Kugel, Latke, Matzah Ball Soup: Brisket is a staple in my family. My mom makes it using the simplest recipe, just brisket, soda, ketchup, and French onion soup mix. She cooks it low and slow, and it’s so good there are hardly any leftovers. If you want to try it yourself, I made a video showing how to make my mom’s brisket. Kugel is also good, but I’ve never had one that really blew me away. Latkes, on the other hand, are always a win, especially the frozen ones from Trader Joe’s. They’re perfect with applesauce.

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6) Mothers/grandmothers playing matchmaker: This one feels a bit less modern, considering we live in the age of dating apps, but it’s still modern when you look at the things mentioned at the start. Lucky, or unlucky, depending on how you see it. I’ve never experienced this myself, but from what I’ve heard, it’s rough.

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7) LACTAID: This one almost kills two birds with one stone; it’s a modern miracle worker, saving Jewish family gatherings for generations. Plus, it was founded by a fellow Jew and dairy farmer, Alan E. Kligerman, after he discovered that people weren’t able to enjoy his dairy products due to tummy issues. 

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8) Jewish comedians/TV personalities: There are some great Jewish comedians out there. Jerry Seinfeld has sold out MSG four times, Larry David co-created one of the most famous sitcoms of all time, and Jon Stewart won the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2022. An honorable mention goes to my personal favorite, Sebastian Maniscalco. While he’s not Jewish, he deserves a shoutout for a hilarious bit about Italians during Passover.

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9) Handwritten grandmother's recipe: Every family has one, whether it’s a Montreal soup recipe, a brisket recipe, or even gefilte fish. Part of the fun is trying to decode what the torn piece of notecard says; it’s never clear if it’s a tablespoon or a teaspoon.

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‍10) Playing Jewish geography: In a community where everyone knows everyone, it’s funny to discover that your best friend is actually your third cousin once removed on your mom’s brother’s side of the family.