The Jewish Pacifier

The Jews are responsible for so many good things.  They are great lawyers and wonderful doctors and generally very smart business people.  And they can make a mean pastrami or corned beef sandwich, or bowl of matzo ball soup.  Now we have yet one more thing to add to  the list of their greatest accomplishments.  The Jewish pacifier.The other day we happened to have lunch at a landmark deli in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, called Canter’s.  If you’ve never been there, and you like a good New York style deli, Canter’s is your place.  Anyway, as we were seated we requested a highchair from the hostess for my 1 year old granddaughter.  She quickly returned, with a high chair, a bagel, and a long piece of string.  “Here you go,” she said.  “One high chair and a Jewish pacifier too.”  She then proceeded to tie one end of the string through the whole in the bagel and then the other end to the high chair.

If you’ve ever dined out (or in, for that matter) with a 1 year old, you know full well that by the end of the meal there is as much food on the floor as there is in the 1 year old!  And often they inadvertently drop what they are eating, or when they get frustrated or tired of sitting in that high chair, they just sweep their little hands across the tray and push all their food right on the floor.  This Jewish pacifier was the solution to that problem.  Georgiana, our little “grand dollie”, had a yummy bagel to chew on and even if she dropped it, it never went on the floor.  It was quickly and easily retrieved.  About 30 minutes into the meal when she started getting a little tired of this “edible toy”, we simply smeared a little bit of jelly on it and she was happy as could be for a good while more 🙂

So give this one a try.  Take a bagel and some string with you to your next meal out with baby (or order one if it is a restaurant where they will have bagels) and enjoy your meal together.  And if you happen to have a Jewish relative or friend be sure and say “Thank you”!