Do you knock wood or tie a red “kinahora” bow on a baby’s crib? Did your grandparents tack on “We should live and be well” to all plans? Have you seen a birthday girl smear her name on her cake? Do you know a sports fan who has to wear the same team jersey for every game so his team will win?
Find out why belief in the ancient “evil eye” and superstition are still strong in our high tech age, when Carol Cott Gross, renowned writer and lecturer visits the Merrick Jewish Centre. Ms. Cott Gross will discuss “Knock Wood/Kinahora: Jewish Superstitions Old and New” as part of the Centre’s Adult Education Committee Lecture Series.
This fun program will trace the evolution of Jewish and multicultural lifecycle superstitions. (i.e., pregnancy, birth, childhood, engagement, wedding, moving, travel, sports and more). Using fairy tales, folk wisdom, nursery rhymes and Jewish jokes, Ms. Cott Gross will demonstrate how superstitions morph into customs and become nostalgic links with past generations. Plus, she will explore new superstitions being invented right now by today’s kids. Attendees are encouraged to bring along their own family superstitions to deconstruct and discuss.
Find out what's happening in Merrickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Carol Cott Gross is a superstitious worrier. She worries when she doesn’t worry enough. She doesn’t want to give herself a “kinahora,” but she has written about pop culture and folklore for The NY Times, Newsday, National Public Radio, The Sun Sentinel and many Jewish publications. She has also appeared on television and radio. For 35 years, she has directed the “Fly Without Fear” program at New York airports. Currently, she is working on a memoir about superstition and anxiety titled “My Fright Is Now Boarding!”
