by Guest Columnist & KosherEye Friend Ronnie Fein

Although I love lox–and–bagels as much as the next woman, my Break–the–fast isn’t the traditional smoked salmon feast. My daughter Gillian has a life–threatening allergy to fish (and walnuts) and can’t even be in the same room with it. I can tell you that over the years we’ve had trips to emergency rooms and had to leave weddings and bar mitzvahs on account of it.

It’s no problem as far as the cooking goes though. Kosher cooks have always been creative, adapting recipes to the dietary laws. It’s exactly the same when someone in your family has an allergy. You work around the limits, meet the challenge, and make something delicious to eat.

Fortunately our Break-the-fast group includes the same families every year; good friends from long ago. We’ve watched each others’ children grow, go off to college, marry and start families of their own. We comforted each other during hard times and mourned together when parents died. We all feel lucky to have each other and celebrate a new year together.