The History of the Bagel, by David Taffet

Abraham didn't eat bagels.  Moses didn't eat bagels.  Queen Esther and King David didn't eat bagels.  Bagels originated in Poland and made it to the United States, but never seemed to make it to Israel.

According to Einstein Bros. Bagels:

Legend has it that in 1683 in Vienna, Austria, a local Jewish baker wanted to thank the King of Poland for protecting his countrymen from Turkish invaders.  He made a special hard roll in the shape of a riding stirrup -- Bugel in German -- commemorating the king's favorite pastime and giving the bagel its distinct shape.

Polish immigrants brought the bagel to America in the early 1900's.  Bagels became an established part of New York culture by 1915 when the Bagel Baker's Local #338 was established.  At the time membership was limited to 300 and apprenticeship at one of 38 bagel shops was mostly limited to sons of members.  The pay was 19 cents to bake a box of 64 bagels.

The downfall of the bagel began in the 1960's with the introduction of the frozen bagel.  At that time, a bagel-making machine was introduced that could produce 2,100 bagels an hour.  A more recent innovation is to add fruit and other disgusting things that don't belong, creating bagels with weird colors and flavors.  Locally, Mrs. Baird's Bagels proved that some people will buy any round white bread with a hole in it as long as it is labeled "bagel.

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Christmas Music Written by Jews, compiled by David Taffet

"The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (1945) Mel Torme and Bob Wells

"White Christmas" Irving Berlin

"Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow" (1945) by Sammy Cahn and Julie Styne

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Johnny Marks

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" Johnny Marks

"Holly Jolly Christmas" Johnny Marks

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" George Wyle (born Bernard Weissman)

"Silver Bells" Jay Livingston (music) and Ray Evans (lyrics)

"We need a Little Christmas" Jerry Herman

Half-Jewish (one member of the writing team was Jewish):

"Winter Wonderland" Felix Bernard (co-composer)

"There's no Place Like Home for the Holidays" Al Stillman (lyrics)

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" J. Fred Coots (co-composer)

"I'll be Home for Christmas" Walter Kent (music) (born Walter Maurice Kaufman)

Sort of Jews (Jewish Ancestry)

"Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" Felix Mendelssohn