The rabbi is busy

This week is Passover. For the Jewish people it is a celebration of their liberation from slavery and for many the holiday is spent by gathering with one’s friends and family to eat a special meal. There is beauty in the tradition and meaning in each ingredient on the table. The Seder plate, the extra glass of wine, the matzah all symbolize something important. Faith and culture can be a powerful thing. During times of great struggle and strife one’s faith can be a comfort and a guiding light. There is a sense of community and belonging that can help carry us through our darkest times. But for some, when the world is crumbling all around us it can cause us to question the beliefs we hold dear. Why me? What have I done to deserve this? Why do bad things happen to good people?

“A Serious Man” is the story of Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) a Jewish college professor living in Bloomington, Minnesota. Despite his best efforts Larry’s life begins to fall apart. His wife confronts him with the news that she wants a divorce, or a gett in the Jewish faith, so that she can be with her new lover Sy Ableman. In addition to this Larry’s troubled brother is sleeping on their couch, his son is smoking copious amounts of pot rather than preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, and his tenure is under deliberation. As Larry loses more and more control over his life he tries to find the answers in his faith. What has he done to deserve this? He is a man of logic and reason, a professor of physics, and he understands the principle of causation. He knows there must be some reason for his suffering, that there must be something God is trying to tell him.

“Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you.” -Rashi

The Coen brothers are the masters of dark comedy. Growing up as Jews in Minnesota themselves, this story is a personal one and a representation of the struggle and cultural conflict of a Jew in Midwest America. “A Serious Man” is as heartbreaking as it is hilarious. As Larry searches for the answers, meets with rabbis, and tries to hold it all together, things just continue to spiral. And as the final scenes unfold (semi-spoilers ahead) we understand that while Larry cannot hold God accountable for his misfortunes, he is still held accountable to God. A just God exists in an unjust world.

For our Passover cocktail we chose something we think Larry could use, a good stiff drink. The Gopnik Gett is a riff off the Jewish Mother’s Ruin. For our base spirit we chose Hendricks gin for its refreshing and floral flavor. We made our own lemon and cinnamon syrup, and use freshly squeezed lemon juice for acidity. Lastly, we top with club soda and garnish with a slice of lemon.

Like Larry, we too have no control over many of the events in our lives. A tornado can rip through your house next week if the weather was right. But what we do have control over is how we react, adapt, and move forward. Whether you are religious or not, there is a moral to Larry’s story. Life can be cruel and the universe is indifferent. Some things just happen, and as much as we wish there were a reason for it, life isn’t going to give you one. We can get lost in the search for meaning and try to find the reason why. Or we can simply embrace what comes our way and accept the mystery.

Gopnik Gett

Ingredients:

2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin

.5 oz. Lemon Cinnamon Syrup

.25 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz. Club Soda

Lemon-Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

Peel of 1 lemon

4 cinnamon sticks

Instructions:

1. For the syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat add all ingredients. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes then turn off the heat. Let cool completely before straining into a sealed bottle. Keep stored in the fridge.

2. For the cocktail: combine all ingredients minus the club soda into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass and top with club soda. Add a slice of lemon for garnish.

3. Chag Pesach Sameach!