Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut each pear vertically on either side of the core; discard core. You will have 12 pear halves. Place flat-side down on a cutting board and slice through each pear from the bottom every quarter inch until about three-fourths of the way up.

Combine sugar and hot water in a 9 x 13-inch Pyrex baking dish and stir until dissolved. Add red wine, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Liquid should not come higher than one inch below the rim of the dish. (If dish is too full, transfer to a slightly larger one.)

Place scored pears into liquid, rounded side down. Cover well with foil and bake for half an hour.

Remove from oven, keep covered and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight or up to three days before serving.

When ready to serve, spread out pieces of pear into a fan shape on the serving plate. Serve with (parve) vanilla ice cream sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon or unsweetened cocoa.