My Bubby’s Rugelach
One of the unexpected benefits of entering the campaign to be Colorado’s Attorney General is the opportunity to reflect on my own journey and what inspires me to serve.
At the core of my inspiration to serve are my grandparents’ journey and their story of survival, faith, and renewal. What your family goes through affects your heritage in many ways, and it will shape how you see and are seen, however, for some people they do not know their heritage and where they came from, luckily now we can all do an obituary search to help us reconnect with our past family and see what they did to get us to this point in time.
In April 1945, as World War II was coming to a close, my grandmother gave birth to my mom in a concentration camp in Leipzig, Germany. In July 1944, my grandparents had a moment together before my grandfather was shipped off to a different concentration camp (Terenzin). In the winter of 1945, my grandmother sent a note to my grandfather, telling him, “You have what to live for.”
The miracle of my grandmother surviving in a concentration camp while pregnant, and my mom being born healthy is matched by the miracle of their renewed dedication to their faith and their future. After the war, my grandparents looked to their future-and my mom’s future-and decided that they wanted to live in the United States of America, where they treasured our commitment to freedom and opportunity.
In 1951, my grandparents came to the U.S., not speaking the language and without a high school education. My grandfather got a job in a factory that made coats and my grandmother, or my Bubby, as I called her, was a seamstress. In making a life for themselves in the U.S., they were committed to providing an opportunity for my mom, who was the first in her family to get a college education. My dad was also the first in his family to go to college and, like my mom, lived at home, went to a local college, and received scholarship aid.
I always had a special relationship with my grandparents, respecting their fight for survival, their appreciation for our country, and their love for my brother and me. I know that pretty much everyone feels this way about their beloved grandparents. When I could, I would join them for Friday night dinner, where my Bubby’s meals always came with special desserts. When I could not be there in person, including after I moved to Colorado, I called them every Friday. I fondly remember how my Bubby got such pleasure feeding me. My favorite food was always her rugelach. When I got married, she made a special point of teaching my wife Heidi and me her recipe.
My Bubby provides an inspiring example of the power of faith. She always had faith in her future and took joy in watching me build my future-graduating college and law school, moving to Colorado, serving as a law clerk for Justices Byron White and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and working for President Barack Obama in White House. During my personal and professional journey, I adopted her positive attitude and approached life as an adventure, knowing I could weather any challenges I faced, learn from experience, and never take for granted the opportunities our country offered me.
Like my grandparents, many Coloradans are immigrants, are facing challenging times, and are holding onto their faith that they can build a better future. As I take on this campaign to be Colorado’s Attorney General, I am inspired by my grandparents’ example and my faith. In scripture, it teaches that “our job is not to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not permitted to desist from it.” For me, that means fighting for our freedoms and for opportunity for all Coloradans and leading the Attorney General’s office so that it serves as an engine for progress and represents all Coloradans effectively.
To serve our great State, I need your help on this journey. I am most appreciative of those who have invested their time and money in this campaign. Please join us. And as a token of my appreciation, I have shared my Bubby’s rugelach recipe. Please enjoy it in good health and share it with the ones you love.
My Bubby’s Rugelach Recipe
Ingredients
Zest of 1 lemon
2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk
1 cup sugar, plus extra for filling
½-pound Crisco or margarine
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup water
3 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and raspberry jam for filling
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare a baking sheet with butter, oil, or cooking spray.
Cut Crisco or margarine into flour, then add lemon zest and wet ingredients (including eggs). Stir or beat until the dough reaches a smooth consistency. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick. Cut into squares (large or small depending on your preference). Sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar and ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon onto each square. Top each square with chopped walnuts and a dab of raspberry jam. Roll up squares and place onto baking sheet one inch apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.*
*Bubby never set a timer for her rugelach. She watched the rugelach until they were perfectly browned each time.