“I mean about the kids,” Valentina explained. “You know, at the time, I didn’t think it was right what they did. Getting married without telling you. I really didn’t think it was right. And I told them that. I want you to know that I told them that. But they were really intent on getting married, and I just love having your Sarah as a part of our family—you know, I always wanted a girl, did I ever tell you that?—and so there wasn’t really anything I could do to change their minds.”
“I appreciate that, Valentina,” Sylvia said.
“I know you’re mad at Sarah, and if I were you, I would be, too. I’d beat the living daylights out of Joey if he did that to me. But I just think you’re so classy how you’re being so quiet about the whole thing. And super gracious for having us all over like this.”
“Alan and I are glad you’re here.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Dominic’s not too pleased with this whole conversion thing, but he’ll come around. He’s a good guy. I promise you that.”
“He seems like a good man,” Sylvia said. “And Joe hasn’t decided whether or not he’s converting, so you can tell Dominic, he needn’t worry. In fact, I’m not sure that he will. I think he’s enjoying learning. But nothing more.”
“You try telling him that.” Valentina laughed. “Maybe if you say it, he’ll calm down.”
“Well, if Joe does decide to convert, we can have his Bar Mitzvah party here in the backyard. I always wanted to throw a party with a tent in our backyard.” Sylvia was joking, of course, but Valentina looked confused.
“A Bar Mitzvah?” Valentina asked. “Is that the one where they cut the boys’ peenies off?”
“Um, no,” Sylvia said, trying not to laugh at Valentina. “That’s called a bris.”
“Oh, okay,” Valentina said. “That’s what they do when the boys turn thirteen?”
“No,” Sylvia said. Now she couldn’t contain her laughter. “Jews don’t circumcise their boys at age thirteen. It’s done right after birth, just like everyone else does.”
“Oh, right,” Valentina said. “I knew that.”
“Should we go eat?” Sylvia said and Valentina agreed that yes, it was time to eat.
Seventy
“Look at us: women in the kitchen, men out in the dining room, waiting to be served,” Becca said and Sarah and their mother laughed.
“Joe offered to help,” Sarah said.
“But then how could we talk about everyone if anyone else offers to help?” Sylvia said.
“How indeed,” Sarah said.
Sylvia relayed the story to the girls, in fast whispers, of how Valentina thought that she was offering to host an adult bris for Joe, when she’d really been joking about an adult Bar Mitzvah.
“So, that’s why people hate Jews,” Becca surmised. “They think we want to chop off their peenies.”
“I think Valentina understands that a bris is a circumcision, and not a castration,” Sarah said.
“When did you stop being fun?” Becca asked, throwing an oven-roasted potato at her sister. “We’re just joking around, you know.”
“I’m still fun,” Sarah said. She didn’t realize it, but she was pouting.
“May I help?” Ursella asked. Sarah couldn’t help but notice how out of place Ursella looked in a kitchen. For starters, her outfit was all wrong. She wore a cherry-red knit suit, the sort of thing that just invited drips of sauce to come and take up residence in its creases. Then, there were her shoes. She wore impossibly high heels. Sarah had no idea how she could balance herself, much less two bowls of soup, perched so high.
“If you could bring these challahs to the table, that would be wonderful,” Sylvia said.
“I’ll help you with those,” Becca said, taking one plate from Ursella.
“What can I do?” Sarah asked Sylvia.
“Just keep me company while I pour the soup into the bowls,” Sylvia said.
Sarah remembered that that was her job when she was young—to watch her mother pour while she kept her company. When she was little, Sylvia was always afraid of the hot soup spilling on one of her kids, so she never let them near the pot, or even the bowls, as she served the soup. But they were allowed to sit at the kitchen counter and watch, to keep Sylvia company.
Valentina and Ursella came in, each taking turns bringing bowls of soup out to the dining room (Becca wasn’t allowed—Sarah supposed she was still considered too young to handle hot soup), but Sarah remained. She stood by her mother’s side as Sylvia prepared the bowls. When they were done, Sylvia turned to Sarah and said, “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Sarah said. “I’m sorry.”
“I know, honey,” her mother said. “Now, let’s eat.”
* * *
Sylvia served the main course as a buffet, and her guests heaped their plates high with her home cooking. She beamed with pride when her guests, one by one, went back for seconds. And then thirds.
“If you don’t mind my saying,” Edmond said, “I think your food is far superior to Chef Michael’s. If I were you, I’d never hire a chef again.”
“Thank you, Edmond.”
“Yes,” Ursella agreed. “Everything is delicious. Thank you for having us.”
“My pleasure,” Sylvia said.
“I’d like to make a toast,” Alan said.
“You never make toasts,” Sarah said under her breath, and Joe playfully grabbed her leg. “He doesn’t,” she whispered to him.
“To family,” Alan said.
“To family,” the crowd said back.
Sarah thought about saying more, about making her own toast about family. But then she looked around the table, at her sister, happy and in love; at her husband and his parents, finally sharing a meal with her family; and her parents, looking at each other from across the table, still in love, still connected after so many years of marriage. She decided that the moment didn’t need another toast.
Sarah took a sip of wine, and then did something she would never normally do: she let go.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my amazingly talented agent, Mollie Glick, who believed in me way back when. I’m so incredibly lucky to have you on my side. And to the fabulous Joy Fowlkes, who always has time for me, an ear for me—thank you. I just adore you two.
To my wonderful editor, Brenda Copeland: you really pushed me to write the sort of book I’ve always wanted to write. How can I thank you enough? I may be a writer, but words fail me when it comes to telling you what you mean to me. And to Laura Chasen, thank you for always being there to help keep me on track!
Thank you to my incredible publicists. Katie Bassel, you know exactly what to say and how to say it. Kathleen Zrelak, the word no isn’t in your vocabulary; you take every crazy idea, every whim, and then, somehow, make it work. Katie and Kathleen, I’m so thrilled to have you two on my team—it’s been a joy working with you.
Special thanks go to my parents, Bernard and Sherry Janowitz: my cheerleaders, my support system, my rocks. And thank you to the rest of my all-star family, too: Judy Luxenberg, Jen and Lee Mattes, Stacey and Jon Faber, Stephanie and Sammy Janowitz.
My first-person essay angels: Susan Shapiro, Lynn Messina, Rachel McRady, and Anne Trubek. Thank you for reading. And reading. And reading. And giving amazing feedback. And then reading some more.
I’ve been so lucky to work with many amazing editors on my first-person essays: Tara Block, Adrienne Crezo, KJ Dell’Antonia, Rebecca Gruber, Olivia Hall, Cerentha Harris, the team at Hello Giggles, Sarah Hepola, Madeline Holler, Debbi Honorof, Amy Joyce, Brian Klems, Angelica Lai, Tyler Moss, Allison Slater Tate, and Jessica Strawser. Thank you for publishing my work—you are all responsible for so much of my joy over the past year.
Every writer needs good friends who will read countless drafts. Shawn Morris, Jennifer Moss, Danielle Schmelkin, and Tandy O�
�Donoghue: thank you.
My wonderful writer friends who have been a constant source of support, encouragement, and advice throughout the years: Jamie Brenner, Julie Buxbaum, Lynda Curnyn, Elyssa Friedland, Karin Gillespie, JP Habib, Kristin Harmel, Tracy Marx, Jason Pinter, Allison Winn Scotch, Melissa Senate, and Alex Sokoloff.
Special thanks to the incomparable Jennifer Weiner. You throw the best parties.
Endless thanks to my readers.
Finally, the biggest thank-you goes out to my husband, Douglas Luxenberg. Always the biggest and best to my husband. You are the love of my life, the father every child wants to have, and my best friend. Without you, none of this would be possible.
And to my children, Ben and Davey. I love you infinity times infinity.
Discussion Questions
1. Family holidays provide lots of dramatic fodder. Of all the holidays in a year, why do you think the author chose to set this novel around the holiday of Passover?
2. The title of the novel is The Dinner Party. What does this title mean to you? How does it work around the central premise of the book?
3. When Sarah discovers that her mother has hired a chef to cook their holiday meal, she is disappointed. What is the significance of food and Sylvia’s decision to hire a chef for the seder? What is the significance of the food she cooks herself at Rosh Hashanah?
4. When Sylvia learns that the Rothschild family will be attending her seder, she undertakes an overhaul of her house. But Sylvia is the wife of a renowned doctor and lives in a lovely home in an affluent area. What made her so eager to please the Rothschilds? Have you ever tried to change your appearance to fit in with a group of people?
5. Sylvia’s children all have biblical names. What do you think is the significance of the names Sarah and Rebecca, in terms of this story? Gideon?
6. Do you think that Sylvia truly forgave Sarah? Do you think that Sarah truly forgave Sylvia? When it comes to family, does forgiveness matter?
7. Do you think that Becca and Henry stay together? Why or why not? Do you think Joe eventually decides to convert to Judaism? Why or why not?
8. Sylvia and Valentina have a lot in common, even though they don’t realize it. Do you think that Sylvia and Valentina will become friends?
9. In chapter eight, Sylvia says: “Life is harder for a woman.” Do you think that is true? How so? Has anything changed from the time that Sylvia was young until now, when her daughters are young?
10. Valentina dotes on her only son. Did your opinion of her change when you learned that she was unable to have more children?
11. In chapter thirty-five, Sylvia talks to Gideon about the importance of Jews marrying Jews. Do you think it’s important to marry within your faith? Why or why not?
12. What do you think is the message of the book? Is there a scene or a passage that articulated the theme of the book to you?
St. Martin’s Griffin
Also by Brenda Janowitz
Scot on the Rocks
Jack with a Twist
Recipe for a Happy Life
The Lonely Hearts Club
About the Author
Brenda Janowitz is the author of five novels. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Salon. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Book One: The Seder Plate Is Assembled
The First Question
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Book Two: The Last Supper
The Second Question
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
The Third Question
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Book Three: The Clean-Up
The Fourth Question
“One Little Goat”
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Acknowledgments
Discussion Questions
Also by Brenda Janowitz
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE DINNER PARTY. Copyright © 2016 by Brenda Janowitz. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Olga Grlic
Cover photograph © Frederic Vasseur/Getty Images
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-00787-2 (trade paperback)
ISBN 978-1-250-09556-5 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781250095565
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First Edition: April 2016