Translation of the Hebrew Newsletter published December 21, 2012:

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Hello,

We invite you to celebrate with us the 109th(!) birthday of Marc Lavry tomorrow, December 22.

On his birthday his wife Helena used to prepare his favorite cheesecake. We enclose the original recipe, in her own handwriting (click to enlarge), in case you want to celebrate with us. In the family’s tradition, Efrat, Lavry’s daughter and Chairman of the board of the Society, will be baking the cheesecake.

Helena Lavry’s cheesecake recipe

Crust: 8 oz margarine 1 egg 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup sugar Filling: 1 lb mascarpone 1 cup sugar 4 egg yolks 1/2 cup milk 2 tbs flour 1 tsp vanilla extract

Spread the crust dough in a round springform pan and let cool in the refrigerator. Add the filling to the cold crust and bake [at 350 degrees F] for 40 minutes. Beat remaining egg whites with 6 tbs of sugar [until stiff] and spread on top of the cake. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

“During family events like this, Dad would sit at the piano and entertain the family,” says Efrat. “Sometimes he would play songs in disguise, or different styles, and we, the children had to guess who the composer was. He often played descriptions of acquaintances and friends, and the family would have to find out who he describing. To this day I remember how he played Mr. Friedman the Hungarian neighbor, Ms. Vitelson the shopkeeper, Mr. Moshe Goraly and his rolling laughter, and “Yonchik” (Mr. Yonah) the mean teacher. He had a rare ability to make us laugh to tears and until our stomachs hurt… ”

Yom Huledet (Birthday) – a play in three scenes

In an amazing coincidence we found this week a copy of the children’s newspaper Davar Lyeladim dated January 30, 1952. The centerfold featured the play Yom Huledet (Birthday) by Jacob David Kamzon and Marc Lavry. Click here to listen to the song Ba’a Ba’a Hatizmoret (Here Comes the Orchestra) from the play.

Now you are all invited to taste the cake and sing along.

We will continue to celebrate, interest and surprise …

The Marc Lavry Heritage Society.

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