"When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with glad song." Psalm 126
I’ve taken a break from all the bad news lately. It seems never-ending. We’ve opted to focus on Chanukah. To light the lights in resolve and rededication to shine forth brightly as the world seems to be getting darker.
This past week, John and I decided to spend an evening in Jerusalem. I’d always wanted to see the Chanukah decorations and lights and experience streets and windows bathed by the glow of Hanukkiyahs (menorahs). The spelling always looks wrong on that one. But we did get to Jerusalem by sunset and it did not disappoint. We first drove around to see some of the decorations, and the walls of the Old City were lit up with special light projections.
And yes, there were all sorts of individual Chanukah oil lamps in glass boxes along the streets. Many people in Israel put their lights out at street level so passers by can enjoy the flames. Most are lit with pure olive oil.
As is our tradition, coming from Souther California where Mexican street food is prevalent, we stopped at one of the three authentic Mexican restaurants in Israel. Two weeks ago, we visited HaTaco in the Shuk haCarmel, Tel Aviv. The tacos were really tasty, but the margarita was bland and for street food, we wound up paying almost $60 for 3 beef tacos and 2 drinks.
In Jerusalem, we go to Tacos Luis, an amazing Kosher restaurant that has authentic Mexican food and lines out the door. We usually wait 30-45 minutes just to place our order, but it is more than worth it. The food is fantastic. The margaritas strong, served with Tajin and a lime on the salt-rimmed glass. Corn or flour tortillas and rice bowls with vegetarian options as well as beef and fish. They had tamales, both chicken and beef, but had run out. Luis is always behind the counter serving up smiles and conversations in Spanish, English and Hebrew. Plus you can now buy jars of salsa verde, salsa roja, mango salsa and pico de gallo. The prices are more than reasonable. And the beef taco had cubes of steak that were tender and juicy. A must try in Ylem. Our 3 tacos, 2 margaritas, and 2 jars of salsa verde cost about $35.
I’d bought tickets to Winter Dreams at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens weeks ago. This light show spanning over a mile has visited London, Paris, Berlin and Vienna. All I can say is “Wow! Am so glad we went!” It’s a bit hard to explain, but the entire botanical garden was awash in light sculptures, walkways, interactive displays. All themed to different music. It was spectacular!
The night in Yerushalayim get really chilly in winter, so there were stands with hot sangria, sachlav, a Middle Eastern favorite drink. It’s rich and hot and made from orchid tubers, creamy with coconut, pistachios and cinnamon sprinkled on top. Pure heaven. Hot roasted chestnuts, hot cider and hot chocolate… and of course jelly filled doughnuts, called sufganiot.
There were so many families. Lots of small children. Older people. Religious Jews. Secular folk. Arabic women in their hijabs. Groups of priests. It was wonderful to see the diversity. Israel is such a mix of cultures and when everyone can be peaceable, it’s perfection.
Afterwards we stopped by the First Station for some shopping and doughnuts. Dreidels (the Ashkenaz Yiddish word) or in Hebrew, Sevivonim are spinning tops. Traditionally in Hebrew, the four sides are marked with Hebrew letters which stand for the words ‘A Great Miracle Happened Here.’ There are games that center around the children playing with the tops and collecting prizes of candy and coins. One shop had hand made, carved and painted sevivonim, the likes of which I had never seen. The prices were more than reasonable, so I bought one for each of my grandchildren. They are nothing short of magnificent!
And the sufganiot!! Many have little plastic syringes filled with flavored jellies and creams that you inject into the puffy fried doughnut. All were very fancy. I don’t think you can find them anywhere except in Israel at Chanukah!
We left J-town around 11pm, exhausted, but happy and with sugar highs. There’s really nothing like celebrating Chanukah in the city.
For any of you who know me, you know that although usually organized and scheduled, when the opportunity presents itself, I’m up for an adventure.
I signed up to take Hebrew lessons again. This time from Citizen Cafe Tel Aviv. Totally different approach, this time it’s just conversation. No books. No conjugations and inflections. Just street talk on Zoom classes with unlimited cafe time (chat room in Hebrew). And fun. Bimonthly they offer interesting talks in English on random subjects like cooking (fermentation anyone?), music, recent film reviews, livestream urban tours, technological developments in Israel, agricultural innovations and geology.
I took a class last Thursday night on the Ramon Makhtesh, a hugely expansive erosion crater out in the middle of the Negev Desert. So so interesting. Only 8 in the world, all in Israel, they are not impact craters (from meteors), but erosion craters.
Along the Syrio-African rift that runs along the length of Israel are tectonic plates. Millennia ago, they shifted. The present desert was flooded with water, grinding down the rock. Eventually leaving behind various strata of sandstone, limestone, marine fossils. There are tar mountains of basalt, deep red iron ore and yellow sulfur deposits as well as white chalk. In other words: gorgeousness!
I got this wild hair…. I turned and yelled at John in the next room,”Honey, can you Google when the Leonides Meteor Shower is?” They usually come around Thanksgiving. “They peak Monday night,” was the response. Mitzpe Ramon, the town at the very edge of the crater is a world-designated dark spot for astronomical observation.
Monday morning we packed our blankets and lawn chairs, thermos, and dog into the car and we were off on an adventure! BeerSheva, where our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sojourned. I wonder what they’d think of the place now?
Past the Bedouin encampments:
And into the heart of the barren, windswept desert!
The Desert of Zin! Tsin! Sin!!! In the Bible
We had to get there by sunset… it’s all of 3 1/2 hours, but we kept stopping along the way-
The windswept mountainsBeautiful patterns by wind erosion Deep wadis (canyons)Nabatean city of Avdat on the Spice RouteLooks like pyramids Not in Egypt…
We made a big stop at Sde Boker, the kibbutz founded by first Israeli president, David Ben Gurion. Ben Gurion and his wife, Paula, lived the desert and thought it was the safe spot and key to future Israeli development. He foresaw the day when the Jewish people would learn to irrigate and farm the desert and make it bloom. He wasn’t wrong.
Today his home is a national landmark, open to the public. When we visited, there were only about a million school kids on tour. I was surprised that his home was so modest!!!! And tiny!!!! Like a summer camp bunkhouse. it had a living/reception room, his personal study, teeny tiny rudimentary kitchen and two sparse and small bedrooms- one for BG and one for Paula. He only slept 2-4 hours a night: was always up working, listening to radio news, studying – so Paula had her own quarters so she could get some shut eye. When there was a visiting dignitary, she’d go to a friend’s cabin and the important guest would take her room.
He loved Lincoln the Great EmancipatorBen Gurion desk in his personal library/officeThe tiny bedroom of the President Paula’s bedroom was a little nicer
Hurry!!! We need to check in to our hostel!
We found a really remote spot on the edge of the crater. It was much darker than anywhere else (when we first moved to Israel the sky above our home was pitch black and filled with stars. Now, with all the new construction and light pollution, we see very little). John and I – and Haggis, our yappy little long-haired dachshund, sat and waited. We looked up for over 4 hours. The sky was beautiful and the stars many. We named the constellations. We waited. It grew colder. John saw 2 shooting stars. Another hour. I saw 1. So much for the Leonides, although it was a fun adventure.
The next morning we got up early to actually see the Makhtesh. Spectacular!!!!
Spectacular lookoutsMoses & Co were hereThe vastness of the desertNow building multi million dollar homes near the edge of the craterIt’s a long way down Yes. Ibex roam freely throughout the desert. They are very used to people.Isrotel has crater front villas with private pools- coulda stargazed from here.Have I told you how much this man scares me?
From Mitzpe Ramon, we made our way back to Beersheva. We kept seeing this bright flaming tower/beam in the distance – both coming and going. So we decided to check it out-
What IS that thing miles away?
How cool!!! The Eye of Sauron overlooking the wasteland of Mordor from Lord of the Rings!!!! We found it!!!!! In Israel!!! Actually it turned out to be the Ashalim Power Station. Decades ago, Elon Musk that you could take 10 square kilometers in the desert, put in solar plates and generate most of the electricity in Israel.
Ranking as one of the world’s premiere and few thermal solar stations, Ashalim is composed of 55,000 heliostats or solar panels that reflect the sun onto a huge mirror-like “Eye of Sauron” at the top of the tower which absorbs the heat and turns it into electric power.
Huge swaths of solar panelsIt went on for acresIt’s very bright!!!!Surrounded by acres of heliostats, the beam is so bright you can’t look at it directly for long-
The Ashalim Power Station used to be the tallest solar plant in the world standing at 240 meters (about 790 feet), the size of a skyscraper. However, it was surpassed by Dubai’s Noor Energy 1, with a height of 260 meters (circa 850 ft). There is another (Israeli built) solar power farm in the California Mojave Desert. The reflector on the tower generates concentrated heat which reaches up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit (over 500 °C) to spin turbines and generate electricity in high quantity. It generates enough power to keep 120,000 homes (5% of all Israeli homes) for a year fully lit. It’s green, renewable and sustainable. I hope to do a more detailed post on this and other amazing Israeli innovations shortly. All in all, it was an illuminating trip!
Now onto a completely different subject!!! Each year, when the Jewish people read the Torah story of Jacob and Esau, I get creative. Esau, a big burly, hairy, red-headed hunter and the favorite son of his father, Isaac, sells his entire inheritance to his younger brother. Jacob has cooked this amazingly tasty and great smelling lentil stew. Esau comes into the desert tent, after a long day of hunting (ibex???). He tells his brother “I’m dying. Just pour some of that red stuff down my throat!!!” Seriously. It’s what he said. I love it!!!!! Anyhoo- Esau winds up giving away the birthright to Jacob for a bowl full. It must have been delicious!!!
So, last week I worked out my own version: I wanted it MiddleEastern in flavor. With Israeli products. It had to have lentils. It had to be red. And it had to be prepared in a crockpot so I could keep it warm/hot through Shabbat. It turned out AMAZING!!!!!!! So here’s this year’s Red Stuff-
In a large skillet cook the sausages, removing outer casing if necessary. Reserve to plate to cool. In same pan, sauté the cubes of onions and peeled carrots – cubed to bite sized chunks. Chop the sausage into 1” thick coins. Add to crock pot. Chop bell peppers into small cubes. Put into crockpot. Peel and remove seeds from squash. Cut into bite sized cubes. Place in crockpot. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Into the crockpot. Rinse the lentils well, removing any stones or “dry stalks” and dump in crockpot. Pour in the veg stock (can use all natural bullion cubes) and dump in can to tomatoes with juice. Stir well with a big spoon. Remove the pits from the dates and chop coarsely. Scatter around crockpot. Add the spices and tomato paste. Add the Silan or honey. Stir well. Chop about 1/2 cup fresh fennel and add to crockpot last. Mix well and cover. Set the power to low and let cook for hours (overnight). Can add more water if needed. Freezes beautifully.
Our continued heat wave broke last night. Temporarily. It finally feels like autumn, at least for the time being. The thermometer is supposed to climb back up later this week, which is such a metaphor for life here. Despite talks of peace, rockets are still being fired from Gaza into Israel; Hamas is completely refusing to disarm; a giant U.S. military base is being built here on Israeli soil just outside the Gaza Envelope; Hizbulla will not disarm, but seems to be doubling down in its attempt to stage a Northern October 7; and Iran is planning to send over 2000 missiles in its next attack. The heat never seems to abate.
Things are always on simmer at best here. And in my own kitchen, I’m always cooking something. Trying to use the freshest seasonal produce here, I think I’ve developed a California-Israeli fusion. So what was being prepared over the past week here?
Cucumber Radish Citrus Salad serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large English cucumber
6 large radishes
1 Cara Cara (or Valencia) Orange
1 tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Wash, trim ends off and slice the radishes and the cucumber. Peel and segment the orange, trying to avoid the pith or seeds. Squeeze as much orange juice onto the salad. Add the olive oil and chopped mint. Mix and serve cold as an appetizer or side, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Mediterranean Torta serves 6. Dairy
A friend of mine just came home from the hospital this week, so I made her (and myself) this fantastic dish that can be served hot or cold for any meal. It’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredients :
1 pre-made pie crust dough
1 large zucchini
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper (can use from a jar)
1/2 cup sun dried tomato pieces in oil
1 can artichoke hearts
1 cup fresh mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup cream (9-15%)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning: oregano, rosemary, parsley, basil, chile flakes(optional)
Trader Joe’s Pizza Season blend (optional)
Heat oven to 350*/170*. Place pie crust dough into a greased, deep dish pie dish. Bake crust until golden brown, about 16-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice zucchini and mushrooms into thin slices. Drain can of artichoke hearts and slice the artichokes fairly thin. Arrange a layer of zucchini in concentric circles on the bottom of the pie crust. Next add strips of roasted red pepper. Now sprinkle the mushrooms across the top. Dot with chunks of sun-dried tomato in olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian herbs (dried) over the top of this layer. Now layer the artichokes on top. And sprinkle the spinach evenly over the top of the pie. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and cream until thoroughly incorporated. Pour over the pie. Sprinkle with more Italian herbs and last, the grated mozzarella. Sprinkle liberally with the Trader Joe’s pizza seasoning, if you have access to this fantastic product. Bake in 350*/170* oven for 45-55 minutes, or until fragrant and golden brown on top. Test with a toothpick or cake tester to see if inside comes out clean.
Swiss Chard in Bechamel Sauce. serves 6. Dairy
We visited my daughter in the UK and she made this for us. It was so delicious, that I had to go home and try it. It gets better after a day or two, so reheats well. This is just so tasty! True comfort food and that kick of Stilton just puts it way over the creamy top!
This was the photo I snapped just before it went into the oven….
Ingredients:
2 large bunches/ 6 packed cups Swiss Chard (mangold)
1 white onion
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup flour (50 grams)
1 cup milk
1/3 cup Stilton (or blue) cheese
Salt, pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
Fried onions (Durkee, IKEA, etc.)
Preheat oven to 350*/170*. Wash and chop the chard or mangold and set aside to drain. Rough chop the onion. In a large skillet melt the butter and sauté the onion until soft. Add the flour and stir until thickened. Pour in the milk, stirring continually. Mix in salt and pepper to taste. In a greased casserole dish, place the chopped chard. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top. Mix together with crumbled Stilton or Blue Cheese. Grate fresh nutmeg very liberally over the top of the casserole and bake for about 30-40 minutes, until nice and bubbly on top. Remove from oven and sprinkle fried onions over the top.
Corn and Romano Bean Salad. serves 4. Pareve (vegetarian)
So I had end of the season sweet corn and fresh Romano beans (the really flat, wide, buttery green beans) from our local produce delivery. Along with so many other tasty veg…. That I had to use it all up before it went off. So…..this salad is out of this world amazing! One of the best recipes to date! John and I could just east this by the bowls full all day long, it’s that great. If you try no other recipe, do this one. You won’t regret it.
Ingredients:
2 ears of super sweet white corn, fresh
3 cups fresh cut up Roman beans
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, pepper
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Using a sharp knife, strip the raw corn off of the cob and reserve to a bowl. On a foil-lined baking sheet, lay flat the washed and trimmed Romano beans, cut into 2 inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle about 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar over top. Roast in oven about 5 minutes, then shake the pan or stir the beans and roast again another 5-10 minutes keeping an eye on them so they do not burn. Remove from oven and let cool. Drain the can of white beans and add to the bowl with the corn. Toss in the cooled Romano beans. Dress with the vinaigrette -recipe below – mix well to incorporate and serve cold.
Vinaigrette ingredients:
1 egg yolk
2 TBSP strong Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup avocado (or seed/canola) oil
Pinch sea salt, pepper
With an immersion blender, blend together all the above ingredients until smooth. If it seems too thick, add 1/4 cup water to thin out a bit. It should be the consistency of regular salad dressing.
I’ve ruminated about this post all day. Shabbat, the Sabbath, is supposed to be a holy, peaceful day of complete rest from all the world’s madness. Today was most fittingly Day 666 in the war, for any inclined to be superstitious or prophetic. The war rages on – not only for the civilians of Gaza, for the hostages and their families, or the soldiers fighting an evil enemy, but the war rages on for the minds of the spectators of the world.
Just before Shabbat began (with a very real bang from the interception of a Houthi missile over Yerushalayim), Hamas released two videos of captive Israeli men taken from the Nova Music festival on 7 October, 2023. But I will come back to that….
In the past week, three very professional photographs were circulated throughout the world. They were supposed to be stark reminders of the cost of war and the effects of the Israelis who were starving the children of Gaza. Two pictures featured mothers (not starving) holding emaciated children. These photos truly tugged at the heartstrings of the world. No one wants to see starving, suffering babies. It is nothing short of horrific. The other photo showed a young girl screaming through iron bars, begging for food.
All three photographs, while incredibly moving and evoking both pity and horror, were not telling the truth. The two emaciated children had pre-existing genetic conditions – cerebral palsy and spinal bifida. The one boy, featured on the Sunday edition front page New York Times as well as the UK Daily Mail, le Monde and other newspapers and media outlets, had been flown by Israel to a pediatric hospital in Italy. He was not even in Gaza. The photo of the beautiful screaming girl was a picture dredged up from 2014. She was a Yazidi girl being taken away as a sex slave by ISIS in northern Iraq.
Hamas is playing sick games with propaganda at this point in the war. There is a true Hunger Games occurring for many innocent civilians not associated with any of the terror groups in Gaza. While tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian aid sit undistributed in the sun within Gaza’s borders, the world is made to think there is a huge Israeli inflicted famine. On the other hand, videos of gangs of armed Hamas hijacking the few trucks of food that did make it in to Gaza are ignored and go uncirculated. The press refuses to pick up that narrative.
The world is being fed the diet that innocent Palestinians are risking their lives to paddle into the sea for airdropped aid. Which is it? The media only shows one side. So, I did my own sleuthing, working on a hunch. Unbelievably, I got an advert for a restaurant in Gaza that is open and serving food. Lots of food. Fresh food. They were even offering 20% discounts to those who paid digitally. I went on Yelp, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram actively seeking out restaurants and cafes in Gaza. I checked the dates of their last postings. They had to be within the past three months to be considered. I found scores. More than 60. I will share just a few with you.
This clip features all the cafes and restaurants and grocers still open for business in Gaza
There is a great deception taking place. These are the true Hunger Games. Because the truth has been hidden, people are falling for the lies. It is no conspiracy. And the lies are having their intended effect. Because no one wants to see starvation.
Last week, after a series of PR wins, Hamas cut off all further negotiations and contact with international mediators. This comes after President Macron of France, followed by Kier Starmer of the UK, Prime Minister Carney in Canada, Bolsinaro in Brazil, Australia, Spain…. all stated they would recognize an official Palestinian state. In addition, at the UN in New York, the Vatican called for a two state solution and recognition of a sovereign Palestine. It comes just after Israel made significant concessions allowing for humanitarian aid to be distributed. The vast majority of Israelis today understand that the ridiculous notion of “land for peace” is dead.
Hamas now feels there is absolutely nothing further to gain from hostage deals or ceasefire agreements because they are winning the war on the global stage. They are being validated by the international community. Recognition of a Palestinian state rewards Hamas for its October 7 attack on Israel. It is now incentivized to not agree to a ceasefire.
This mass international pressure on Israel has emboldened the terrorist regime who started the war. It neither brings anyone closer to peace nor does it bring the hostages home. To quote Winston Churchill, “ An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last.” Former hostage, a dual British/Israeli citizen, Emily Damari, who survived Hamas captivity for 471 days states, “I am deeply saddened. This move does not advance peace. It risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message that violence earns legitimacy. By legitimizing a state entity while Hamas still controls Gaza and continues its campaign of terror, you are not promoting a solution: you are prolonging the conflict. Recognition under these conditions emboldens extremists and undermines any hope for genuine peace. Shame on you.”
Recognizing Palestine as a sovereign state in hopes that it will bring peace is like saying ‘let’s give more heroin and free needles to junkies in hopes that it will get them off drugs or at least keep them safe from hepatitis and AIDS.’ This movement is demonically addicted to lies, propaganda and violence. In 2005 the Gaza Strip (once part of Israel) was emptied of all its Jewish population and given over to the Palestinians. The offering of land in hopes for peace gave way to violence and jihad and acts of infiltration into Israel. This, in turn, led to years of thousands of missiles launched into Israel – two decades of kidnappings and murder and the taking of global dollars to build an underground network of terror tunnels. While the world turns a blind eye.
Please watch this important explanatory video aired on Fox News earlier today- (it’s 14 minutes long, but by watching even a few minutes you can get the general idea…) Brian Kilmeade interviewed Ambassador Huckabee after he had just returned from being on the ground in Gaza.
Thanks to these weak spineless global governments, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terror organizations have grown even more emboldened and powerful. Just two days ago, after the recognition of a sovereign Palestine was announced, two more hostage videos were released. These are the real Hunger Games. Yet the photos are not to be found on the world’s leading newspapers.
The first video, released on Friday morning by the PIJ, shows 22 year old Ron Braslavski, kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival, tortured and starved for 666 days. He is visibly broken both physically and mentally. His family is shaken by the images. Ron was one of the heroes of October 7, a hired security personnel. He had stayed behind to help those injured, before being taken hostage himself.
Just one comment: in the video of Ron Braslavski below it is said he is an IDF soldier. He is being made to read propaganda by Hamas. Ron had finished his service and contracted out as a security guard when he was kidnapped from the festival.
You can see the poor man is in agony. If you can watch this footage and still call it justified resistance against an occupier, then you have buried your humanity long ago. Free Palestine is not a liberation movement, it is a murderous death cult. Built in underground tunnels, UNWRA schools and hospitals that hid missiles and weapons, they spew propaganda like Goebbels spewed Nazi propaganda…but today’s Islamonazis are much much worse, because they do not hide what they do…they take pride in their performance of evil and the world is silent.
Also, on Friday, Hamas released a new video of hostages Eviatar David. He is unable to see well without his glasses. His legs and hands had been shackled. He is being held in the dark with little food or clean water. He is only allowed to shower with a bucket of sea water once a month. We know this from previously released hostages who had shared a cell next to him.
Eviatar was seen for the first time since October 7 in another Hamas propaganda video released this past February. He is seated in a heavily guarded truck alongside Hamas-held hostage, Guy Gilboa Daniel. They were being forced to watch a group of hostages being released. This was an act of psychological torture.
In the video yesterday, we see Eviatar keeping a chart of what he was given to eat. Twice a week lentils. Beans once every two weeks. Many days there is no food for him at all. He is videotaped being forced to dig his own grave. This is reminiscent of the Nazis and of Stalin. Of the horrors of Babi Yar in Russia.
There is real hunger in the world. And real starvation: a hunger for the truth; a starvation for moral clarity. One side feeds and moves innocent civilians from harm’s way. The other side holds captives in conditions worse than animals. One side proclaims liberation and freedom. The other side fights evil terror regimes. One side treats the wounded. The other side starves, chains, mutilates, rapes and burns. The headlines scream “famine,” but not for the true victims whose cries go ignored. It’s not just a war of missiles and grenades, it’s a war of distortion and propaganda. Of appeasement dressed as diplomacy. Where suffering is justified. There is a true Hunger Games being played out right now. There is a famine right now – of integrity. Of courage. Of truth. The devil is in the details. Refuse to look away. Speak up. Share this post with as many people as you can.
In Israel, many people who are elderly, infirm or recovering from severe illness or surgery have a live-in mittapellet, a care giver. Trained and certified caregivers come here from India and the Philippines. These lovely, self-sacrificing women leave behind families for a period of 1 to 5 years for gainful employment here. Most of them have very small children back home.
Here, they take care of their patient, do housekeeping and shopping and learn to cook in a kosher home. Many learn to speak Hebrew as well. All of the ladies were fluent in English. It is so interesting, and they are all the most amazing women. They are vetted, hired and placed through an agency. All that I’ve met are very loyal to the family they care for. They get paid well and all room and board is included. They have days off and also get a two-week leave to visit family back in India.
On October, 2023, many communities along the Northern border were evacuated due to the threat of Hizbulla invasion. And the fact hat Hizbulla were making sniper shots and RPG attacks made these kibbutzim and border towns completely unsafe for habitation. So they moved with their patients or host families, kit and kaboodle, to safer communities. They stayed in hotels and other kibbutzim that took them in. And that is where I got to meet a charming group of Indian women and we became fast friends.
Janesha, Sumita, Steffi, me and Mary
Last April, as some of them were preparing to leave, we decided to get together in their dining hall and have an Indian feast. It was amazing as authentic and delicious Indian food is hard to find here. And feast it was!!!! I’ve been preparing daal (yellow split peas) and aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower), curries, chutney and many other dishes. But now I got to watch as naan and biryani and other amazing foods were prepared. Just as I bring ethnic foods (corn tortillas, salsa verde, flavored coffees and cans of mandarins and albacore) with me to Israel, these ladies brought lovely containers of Indian spice with them.
The kitchen was kosher and because meat and dairy products don’t mix, the chicken was bathed in coconut milk and exotic spices. We listened to and danced to Indian music. It was basically Bollywood on the kibbutz.
John has a friend, too, Rathin, who was here on his residency/internship. Rathin and Steffi both live in Tamilnadu province in the very southern tip of India. John, who always admired Rathin’s clothes, was gifted two gorgeous silk shirts. And I received the most beautiful sari. In turn, the Indians do lots of shopping for religious and holy objects, dates and dried fruit, techineh and MiddleEastern spices and trinkets to take back home with them.
In India, there is much hatred and persecution between the Hindus and the Christians. We’ve heard some incredible stories of the pogroms that happen to the Christian communities. But here in Israel, something magical happens, and everyone seems to get along splendidly.
In the previous generation, it was not uncommon for women to have five and six children. That is now frowned upon by the Indian government/health authority. Two of the women were forcibly sterilized after the birth of their second child. It’s just the way things are there. And there is so much poverty that they come to Israel and send the money back to their families. Thank goodness for modern technology, that we all share something in common – longing for our families (children and grandchildren) and the ability to reach them frequently by FaceTime and WhatsApp.
I asked the ladies what their favorite thing that they’ve seen or done here was. Resoundingly, the Catholic ladies all chimed in that to be living in the Holy Land and getting to see the many Biblical sites enriched their faith. All thought it excellent that so many people here do yoga and meditation. India is a popular spot for Israeli tourists and for kids to go after their army service. It seems there is quite the lively exchange.
John and I love the diversity here…being able to learn about and share in the different cultures. We have both been invited on a trip to India next year. It’s a huge country, so besides Kerala/ Tamil we hope to go to Bangalore and Mumbai. I don’t know if we can even get to the Taj Mahal, but at least we can experience the country authentically and first hand. I am so hoping this trip will come to fruition. Until then, I shall enjoy a few new “pen-pals.”
A short, but uplifting post as I must now prepare for the Shabbat. May the coming week bring peace and joy to all-
The religious Jewish people count the days between Passover and Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks. It’s a Biblical mandate in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Seven weeks of seven days of the Children of Israel traveling from Egyptian liberation under Pharaoh until the entire entourage arrived at the foot of Mt. Sinai. There, on Day Fifty, Moses received the Ten Commandments from G-d.
Every evening after sunset the count is called out. A blessing is said. Each day there is a meditation on a virtue like kindness or patience or wisdom. During the time of the counting of the Omer (a measurement of barley), there are no marriages. It is a time of seriousness, like the Christian Lenten season, in a way. No parties. No haircuts. No frivolity.
In Israel, for Shavuot, the more Orthodox visit the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A visit to the tomb of King David is part of the tradition. People stay up all night (Jewish people all over the world) studying Scripture. The reading of the book of Ruth is a custom as it takes place during the barley harvest. And in synagogue, the Ten Commandments are read. Oh, and people gorgeous themselves on dairy products.
Yes. Dairy. For the observant Jews, the Bible or the Torah is compared with dairy or milk which nourishes infants. Also Israel is the Land of Milk and Honey. For the more secular, Shavuot is the beginning of summer. The farm animals have had their baby lambs and kids and calves and the milk is literally flowing. And the harvest has just come in. Barley. Fruits. Vegetables. In Biblical times, Shavuot was a mandatory pilgrimage holiday when all the people were required to bring in their tithes to the Temple in Jerusalem. This is a huge agricultural festival, the First Fruits, or Bikkurim.
I am currently studying Scripture each week through Partners in Torah. Can’t speak highly enough about this organization. My partner, Shari, and I meet weekly by FaceTime. She’s in New York City, and I like her so so much. She challenges me often. And I rose to her Shavuot challenge. I’d always wanted to spend Shavuot at an agricultural kibbutz. It’s one of the most incredible truly Israeli experiences, or so we had heard. So I did something quite presumptuous.
Sunday morning, I called up a friend from Kibbutz Ginosar (Genesseret) on Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and asked her what she was doing; the kibbutz activities; and swiftly inserted myself into the middle of her family. In other words, I invited myself and John at the very last minute. Complete Chutzpah for this reserved American. “Evelyn, I’ll even bring a huge dairy savory cheesecake with vegetables. Anything.”
We drove down to the lake Sunday afternoon. It was absolutely gorgeous and very peaceful, as usual. Ginosar is one of the older kibbutzim, celebrating 88 years this year. It’s moderately sized, mostly agricultural, but they also run a large resort hotel on the side. The families are all very close and everyone knows everybody else.
Evelyn greeted us at the entry gate. Her father-in-law knew we were coming and made me this gorgeous harvest bouquet of barley and wheat stalks, figs, pomegranates and lavender- all grown on the kibbutz. It was the most welcoming introduction. As is traditional, everyone wears white, and as it is a harvest festival, it is customary for people – young, old, male, female – to wear a lovely floral wreath on their head.
We arrived shortly before the festivities. Many of the kibbutz folk, mostly the older people, gathered on the main square to watch the tractor parade. Tractors pulling carts filled with hay bales and families.
And the celebration began, first with the presentation of all the babies that were born on the kibbutz in the past year, 38 in all, a new record! So cute to see all the families. It is such a healthy thing to see a vibrant, happy, growing population. This was followed by a dance put on by some of the moms with babies on their front packs (or twins on front and back). It was adorable. The song, in Hebrew, was about how the mom can get no more sleep as the baby keeps her up all night and all day.
Notice the mom in the green shorts with twins!
The little children of three age groups all put on song and dance routines and little skits. The all the three year old boys were brought up for their first haircuts. It’s a very big, and very fun, deal here. There was a lot of remembrance of the war, those lost in battle, friends still in captivity. It was an incredibly hard year for all the kibbutzim. Many of the men between 18-50 have been doing military service. Pensioners took up the slack and planted and harvested all the crops.
Kibbutz Ginosar is a tremendously large and productive agricultural kibbutz. They own hundreds of acres along the Kinneret. The number of dunams (acreage) of each crop, and tonnage brought in was read aloud. I was stunned. Mangoes, bananas, pomegranates, wheat, barley, dates, apricots, peaches, avocados, almonds. Phenomenal.
I was even more surprised to see the teen involvement. They worked as ushers, MCs, and organizers. And several groups of teens put on choral and folk dance numbers. Did I mention wholesome yet???? This was followed by folk dancing, first by the women, the couples and finally, the plastic chairs were taken away and the entire field turned into one big folk dance fest as the sun began to set.
Rows and rows of tables and chairs had been set out for the communal kibbutz Shavuot dinner. Candles lit. Blessings set. There was a booth for Israeli wine and tables groaning under the weight of food. Quiches, salads of all kinds, vegetable dishes beyond belief. Hummus and techineh, and every kind of cheese and dairy one could imagine. It was super abundant and glorious! Folk dancing lasted until late in the evening. And there were small groups of instrumentalists. The wine flowed freely.
Evelyn, originally from Argentina, met her husband when he traveled to South America after his army service. She followed him back to Israel where they married. Yoav’s grandparents were some of the original residents of Ginosar, and her father-in-law was the one to find the famed sunken “Jesus boat,” a 2000 year old fishing boat. Evelyn is an ElAl flight attendant and Yoav is a farmer. They’ve lived at Ginosar for 19 years.
I tell you all this because Evelyn and her family took us in like we were one of the family. After living ‘in the city’ for ten years, I’d totally forgotten and missed that amazing aspect of Israeli life. Everyone is “mishpocha.” We met the brothers, the in-laws, the kids, and cousins. Young couples had driven up from Tel Aviv and central Israel to be with their family. And somehow there was room for all.
It was not extremely religious. In the morning some of the older folk went to the community synagogue. Children, with bathing suits on since 8am were eager to swim in the Kinneret. Others went sailing and jet skiing. The morning breakfast on the kibbutz dining room offered myriad dairy from cheese-filled bourekas and blintzes to fish. Fish is very typical for breakfast in Israel. There were fruit salads and vegetable salads over the top and freshly baked breads, homemade jams and freshly squeezed juices.
I must say, last year e spent Shavuot praying in Jerusalem. Most years, we spent at home very low key. Not particularly Israeli. This year, the Zionistic and patriotic spirit, albeit a bit subdued from what I was told (due to the fact we are still at war), was one of the most incredible experiences John and I have had here. Thank you, Evelyn!!! We had a blast!
If anyone were to tell me there was a holiday featuring cheesecake- and all dairy products, I’d swiftly sign up. Well, the Jewish holiday of Shavuot is not QUITE that, but it makes for a great excuse to go off one’s diet for a day.
Shavuot was the fairly forgotten Jewish holiday in the States, for the most part. It came right at the end of the school year with exams and graduations; summer vacations were just beginning; there was Memorial Day weekend; Mothers’ and Fathers’ Days; weddings and birthdays… and Shavuot for us was very minor indeed. My mother served blintzes and cheesecake, but that was about it for us.
Not so in Israel. For one thing, it is one of the three major pilgrimage holidays in the Torah (the first five books of Scripture). Everyone was commanded to go up to Jerusalem to the Temple where they would bring their offerings. It was a celebration of the first fruits or bikkurim. Today in Israel it is a complete holiday, day of rest, national day where all public transportation, government offices, clinics, schools, stores are closed. It is a true holiday.
After counting 49 days from Passover, the 50th day (the root of the Christian Pentecost) marked the anniversary of the giving of the 10 Commandments on Mt. Sinai. The Children of Israel had been liberated from slavery under Pharoah in Egypt and had just begun their desert wanderings. On Day 50, they had purified themselves and were gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The entire mountain started quaking. There was thunder and lightning and wind and the people could hear the blast of heavenly shofar (trumpets). Fire came down out of the clouds, and in that dramatic movie cut, the finger of G-d wrote the commandments on two tablets for Moses to give the people. They were set to receive the Law.
O.K. All that is great but cheesecake???? In some of the more poetic passages of Scripture, the words of Torah (and the Bible) are often compared to milk. As food for growing infants, Words of Scripture nourish our souls. Also, Israel, the Promised Land, is known as the Land of Milk and Honey. Some Jewish people say we eat dairy because it was before the kosher laws came into existence and dairy is acceptable (this doesn’t really make sense to me, but whatever-). In any case, it’s a dairy fest.
Also, Shavuot marks the first great summer produce and barley harvest. In the agricultural kibbutzim, the day is marked not only with the reading of the 10 Commandments, but with agricultural parades and county-fair like vibes. The produce is abundant. Big, beautiful and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and grains are coming into market. Another family day, people dress in white and many wear floral wreaths on their heads. There is much singing and dancing and it is a time where the little three year old boys get their haircuts for the first time (upsherin). The schoolchildren put on skits and songs for their families. And there are communal picnics everywhere.
Shavuot festivities on the kibbutz
This year, I will start off the annual Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) recipe blogpost with a couple of my own. The first is a super easy, light and healthy Roasted Beet Salad. You can use crumples of feta or blue cheese for that creamy, slightly pungent burst of flavor. I use yellow and white beets (from my garden) as they have a marvelously sweet and nutty flavor, especially after roasting.
RoastedBeet Salad
Serves 4. Halavi/Dairy/Milkhig
Ingredients:
4 -6 medium yellow or white beets (can use red also), peeled and topped
2 TBSP olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
1/4 cup candied pecans
1/4 cup pickled onions (recipe follows)
1/4 cup Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette (I bring back from US, but available from iHerb)
Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Cut peeled beets into quarters or bite sized wedges. Coat in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I add a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of sage). Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and roast for about 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When room temperature, place beets in serving dish and top with remaining ingredients. Serve cold as a side dish.
Pickled Onions
Easy to make. I always have these on hand to add to salads and sandwiches.
In a small covered jar, slice a red/purple onion quite thinly. Cover with white wine vinegar. Add either dry herbs or pickling spice (1 tsp). I prefer the pickling spice- Can also add a slice of orange or lemon rind to boost the flavor.
Because all of the stone fruits are just coming into season and the weather is getting warmer, I usually make a big pot of fruit soup which I chill and serve ice cold as an appetizer, especially for Shavuot and Shabbat. It’s refreshing, popping with sweet flavor and loaded with antioxidants.
Chilled Fruit Soup with Vanilla Yogurt
Serves 6-8. Vegan/vegetarian/parve or dairy
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted
4 red plums, pitted and halved
4 peaches, pitted and quartered
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup (coconut)sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave syrup
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves.
3 cups water.
Optional 1/2 cup sparkling white wine
1 TBSP orange peel
Combine the orange juice, water and sweetener in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the fruits. Let cook for 20 minutes on medium flame, but do not boil. When fruits have softened, taste and adjust for sweetness. You can add more sweetener if you like. Remove from heat and let cool, about 15 minutes. Add in the mint leaves. Using an immersion blender, purée the fruit mixture until it is all blended together and velvety smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold with a large dollop of vanilla yogurt to mix in at table. Garnish with mint leaves and orange peel. I add about 1/2 cup sparkling sweet white wine just to juj it up even more. After all, it’s a celebration!
My rooftop garden is beginning to produce now. Large quantities of squash, Swiss chard, radishes, carrots, green beans and heirloom tomatoes. This year I’m growing 4 varieties of cherry tomatoes and 5 different heirloom tomatoes. The herbs in my baby bathtub are going bonkers. I’m ready to cook!
🍅 Tomato Ricotta Pie 🍅
Serves 4-8. Dairy/Vegetarian
Ingredients:
3-4 large beefsteak type meaty tomatoes
1 pre-made pie crust dough sheet
Olive oil
500 grams (2 cups ricotta cheese)
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 egg
4 large cloves garlic
2 TBSP dried oregano
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350*F/170*C. Spray a large quiche dish with olive oil. Fit the pie crust sheet inside, press down, trim edges. prick the shell with fork tines. Place some dried beans inside as a weight. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, egg, salt, pepper, crushed garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and dried oregano. Mix well. Add to cooled pie crust. Top the cheese layer with fresh basil leaves. Slice the tomatoes about 1/2 inch thick. Cover the cheese/basil layer with tomato slices in concentric circles. Sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper. Bake in oven about 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and tomatoes are juicy/soft. Remove from oven and let set for about 30 minutes. Can be served hot or cold.
The next recipe is a type of Israeli “cheesecake” which is way different than the typical American version. It’s from the family of Shlomo Mantzur. Shlomo in the late 1940s, was a survivor of the Iraqi equivalent of the Holocaust, the Farhud. He made his way to Israel. As a young man, he helped found Kibbutz Kissufim on the Gaza border. He was known by all on the kibbutz as grandpa and planned social activities for the community. As the kibbutz carpenter, he taught shop at the local elementary school. They say the smile never left his face. Children loved him and his open arms invited everyone right into his heart. He always had a pocketful of pistachios or halva to spoil the children with. Always there to lend a hand with his hammer or screwdriver, Shlomo was ready to fix anything. He loved watching the old American Western cowboy movies.
At 86, Shlomo was the oldest hostage taken by Hamas into Gaza. He was brutally killed and his body was held by the terrorist group for 509 days before being returned to Israel. His wife Mazal used to make this delicious old school crumb cheesecake. It was his favorite dessert-
Shlomo Mantzur’s Favorite Crumb Cheesecake
Ingredients for the dough:
7 oz (200 grams) soft butter. 1 cup
4.25 oz (120 grams) sugar – little over 1/2 cup
2 medium eggs
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
1.75 oz (50 grams) ground almonds – 1/4 cup
For the cream:
500 grams (2 cups) sweet cream
1 package (80 grams) instant vanilla pudding
120 grams (little over 1/2 cup) sugar
500 grams ( 2 cups) sour cream
Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350*/170* on convection/turbo. In the medium bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat until integrated. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until a uniform dough. Be careful not to overmix.
Spread a third of the dough on a small parchment paper lined sheet pan. Spread the remaining two-thirds uniformly and evenly in a parchment paper lined springform cake pan. Bake the sheet pan and cake pan for about 20 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool completely.
In another bowl whip the sweet cream with the sugar and instant pudding mix until almost firm. Fold in the sour cream, cardamom and lemon zest until completely combined. Pour evenly over the baked cheesecake. Crumble the third that you baked separately. Sprinkle it over the cream and put in fridge for four hours or overnight. At hour before serving, out in the freezer. This makes the cheesecake easier to slice and hold together.
The next dessert is one that John loves. I don’t make it terribly often, but it’s great for Shavuot. He likes to mix lemon curd in with his cottage cheese in the morning which gave me great inspiration for this simple pie.
🍋 Lemony Cheesecake Pie 🍋
Ingredients:
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 cups lemon curd
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup toasted almonds, sliced
In a large bowl, gently fold together the cottage cheese, and lemon curd. Pour into pie crust. Leave about 1/4 inch at top. Smooth out. Place in freezer 1-2 hours.
Remove from freezer. Spread a thin layer of remaining lemon curd over top. In a medium bowl, whip the sweet cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie or spoon in dollops around edge. Scatter toasted almond pieces over the top before serving. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. Can refreeze for about a half hour prior to slicing for ease in cutting and removing to plates.
Have I told you yet how much I absolutely love this country? Its customs and traditions? Today is New Year’s Day! For 🌳 🌲🌴🌵🌳! Yes. TREES!!!! How cool is this? It’s the Hebrew month of Shvat – also amazing because who else has a month Shvaaaahht??? Even saying the word makes me laugh. And the 15th of the month, during the full moon, we celebrate nature. It’s the original Earth Day without all the political hype. And of course…. We eat and drink. But more about that later.
So to quote my friend, Arky Staiman, we have this holiday where we celebrate the blossoming of the trees. They are just beginning to sprout forth right now. Here in Israel. Now listen, for those Ashkenaz Jews in the US (hello, Chicago, NewYork, DC, St Louis and Seattle), in Canada (you out there freezing your tuchuses off inMontreal and Toronto), in France, Germany, England….this holiday makes little sense. For those in the extreme South (yes, you in Tasmania! In Argentina and Brazil, even in India) you are in the throes of summer. But here in Israel, the rains have come and everything is green and the buds are shooting forth from the ground and the bushes and trees. Judaism only makes sense here in Israel.
No where else does this make sense. The trees know it’s time to blossom their beautiful flowers and it’s all connected to one place, right here, in the Land of Israel, where Judaism is connected and the holidays are connected to the Land and Nature and the People. It’s the time when people go out and the earth is soft and fruit trees (and other trees) can be planted. The early settlers in the 1800s and early 1900s took this opportunity to restore the ecology and verdure of the land by planting forests and groves.
Groups of schoolchildren were out today planting bulbs and trees in the neighborhood park. Whole congregations go out together and plant – avocados are becoming increasingly popular. A friend lives on Kibbutz Ginosar (Gennesaret) where they are planting dunams/acres of bananas this week.
Did you know fruits can be really really Kosher? That Jewish trees in Israel are circumcised??? That’s another weird one. Let me explain. A fruit tree is planted about now…15 Shvat. It is cared for and grows. The first year comes and fruit pops out. Leave it alone! Do not touch the fruit! It is not ready yet. Why? Leviticus 19:23 states
When you enter the land and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten.
In the fourth year of fruit bearing, the farmer would bring the fruit from those trees to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem as an offering…on Tu b’Shvat. Then the tree is circumcised, holy, set apart for eating, Kosher. Who knew? From year five onwards, the nuts, the fruits, the seeds are all good to go. Pretty wild, eh? Many farmers still abide by these Biblical laws today here in Israel – except they offer the fruits and nuts to the poor because there is no longer a Temple.
In the 1500s and 1600s, the Jewish mystics of the city of Tsfat (only 20 minutes from here) created a Tu b’Shvat Seder which has come into real popularity in Israel today. It was modeled after the Passover Seder, where different foods are eaten in a certain order, blessings said, and everything has a symbolic, deeply spiritual meaning. We have our own lovely Seder. Here’s what I do:
The table is set with a lovely bunch of fresh flowers I just picked from the neighborhood park. There is no requirement to light candles, but as this is a festive celebration I light the two candles and say the holiday blessing. We have four small glasses of wine set out – white wine, a light rosé, a darker rosé and a red. We take turns reading just like at Passover. I fill a large pitcher with rose scented or lavender scented water. There is a basin. Each person recites the prayer for handwashing and washes his hands individually.
The First Cup of Wine
This glass of white wine symbolizes winter. For a mystical twist this is the energy G-d used in creation to create the trees and flowering, seed bearing plants. We read Deuteronomy 8:7-10 and then lift our glass, say the blessing and drink the wine.
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam borei peri ha-gafen.
Blessed are you, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Reader: For Adonai your God is bringing you into a good land. A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths springing forth in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land wherein you shall eat without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you may dig brass. And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless God for the good land, which is being given unto you (Deuteronomy 8:7-10).
The First Fruits
Did you know a nut is also considered a fruit? At this point we eat a fruit that is hard and inedible on the outside but with a softer flesh on the inside, like coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds. The hard shell is strong like our covering and protection by G-d when we walk in His ways. We become strong spiritually, but in the inside we are still tender and yielding. Today as a first course, I serve walnuts in the shell, almonds (indigenous to Israel. Aaron’s staff had budding almond flowers) and also some feta cheese.
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-etz.
Blessed are You, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the tree.
The Second Cup of Wine
The second glass of wine is a light pink rosé. It stands for springtime. It is also a mystical symbol of mercy (the white wine) mingled with a little bit of justice (the red grape juice or wine), two attributes of the Creator. We read Deuteronomy 28, the blessings and the curses for obedience and disobedience to G-d’s commandments. Then the blessing over the wine, and drink the second cup.
Reader: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall you be in the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, and the fruit of your cattle, and the young of your flock. Blessed shall you be in your basket and your kneading trough. Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out (Deuteronomy 28:36).
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen.
Blessed are You, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
The Second Fruit
The second fruit(s) we enjoy are soft on the outside with a seed or pit in the center. I use olives, as they are one of the seven Biblical species indigenous to the Land. They grow everywhere throughout the Galil. It has become a sign of home. You can also use any stone fruit like cherries, apricots, peaches. I also use dates, because they grow here around Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and in Hebrew, the date palm is Tamar. These fruits remind us of the spiritual and emotional strength within us.
We read Psalm 1. We say the blessing over the fruit again. Now eat the olives or dates.
The Third Cup of Wine
The cup of late spring early summer. The wine is a deep pink rosé. It is more judgment than mercy. It is a season of growth and development. Life is always changing, but G-d remains the same.
The Third Fruit
This fruit symbolizes the first harvest. We eat fruits that can be eaten whole without peeling. What you see is what you get. It also stands for G-d’s omnipresence. Blueberries. Tomatoes. Apples and pears. Grapes. I use grapes as that is also one of the seven species. We read Genesis 1:29-31, say the blessing and consume the fruits.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
The Fourth Cup of Wine
The last glass is red wine. We are judged for our actions. As the fall comes and winter sets in, it is time to plow under the soil. The land rests. We become introspective and make things right between ourselves as people and with G-d. This glass, all red, also stands for fire, burning, purging, but not consumed like the burning bush, or the fire of the Divine Spark within us. We read the story of the burning bush in Exodus 3, say the blessing and sip the wine.
The Fourth Fruit
The fourth fruit has a touch, protective skin on the outside, but sweet, soft flesh within like avocado, citrus fruits, mangos or bananas. It symbolizes the mysteries of the world and the hidden mysteries in Scripture. We are constantly seeking to uncover deep truths and are nourished by her fruits.
This is just a tiny bit of our Seder. We sing songs and eat lots of great vegetarian (and I serve dairy) foods between each part of the fun ceremony. There’s a lot of deep spirituality that goes with each part and, as a result, lots of discussion.
I know it’s a bit late for you this year, but here are some recipes that we will be enjoying.
Tu b’Shvat Israeli Salad
Ingredients and Directions: Chop a variety of fresh vegetables into small diced chunks… Tomato, Cucumber, Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Carrot. Add crumbled Feta Cheese. Dress with juice from 1/2 fresh lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently stir in roasted, salted sunflower seeds.
Tamar’s Sweet Israeli Tabbouleh
Serves 6-8 as a side dish 4 as a lunch entrée. Vegan. (Pareve)
Ingredients:
1 cup bulgur
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup pickled red onion (onion pieces swimming in vinegar with pickling spice)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped very fine
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped very fine
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
2 persimmons, chopped into small cubes
1/4 cup yellow raisins
1/4 cup chopped dates
Dressing ingredients:
1/2 cup extra Virgin olive oil
Zested rind and juice of 1 large naval orange
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons pomegranate syrup/molasses or carob syrup, if available
2 tsp sumac
I tried to use all things indigenous to the land and/or part of the seven species in this cold salad. Wheat, dates grapes (raisins) pomegranates and honey for the Land of Milk &Honey. It’s so healthy, light and addictive! Very Israeli with a twist. I really do hope you make and enjoy this one!
In the meantime, plant some bulbs or a fruit tree. If you desire to bless Israel, go to https://shop.jnf.org>collections>plant-trees and plant a tree in the Land of Israel for only $18. You’ll get a gorgeous frame able certificate and can plant the tree in memory of someone who has passed away or honor someone having a special event like a birthday, anniversary, wedding or Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
A brief news recap for those who don’t get accurate coverage. Then Some more uplifting stories for Chanukah.
Last Friday it began with a Houthi missile striking and demolishing an elementary school in the center of Israel. Thank G-d it was around 4am and there was no one present. No injuries. For the past seven nights the Houthis have been firing missiles and launching explosive laden drones into the “Merkaz” – the fairly densely packed area between Beersheva to the south and Herzliya/Netanya to the north. It’s the name for the area all around Tel Aviv. 2:38am; 4:21 am; 3:18am; 2:02am; 1:37am millions of people running to bomb shelters, stairwells, safe rooms in fear of a direct hit or falling shrapnel. Thus far, there has been damage to buildings and 37 people injured, 1 critically. The IDF (with some US air support) have been fiercely striking back at Yemeni military targets, their port, their airport, and missile storage facilities. Two American fighter jets were downed by US friendly fire, but the pilots ejected over the Red Sea.
We are now celebrating the holiday of Chanukah, which commemorates the victory of the Maccabees (true Israeli Jewish freedom fighters) against the Seleucid (Greco-Syrian) army. Despite the Temple Mount being thoroughly trashed, the Jews rededicated it, and the last cruze of oil for the menorah supposed to last one day, burned for eight days until fresh oil could be brought in from the Galilee. Soldiers in Gaza, in Lebanon, on the top of Mount Hermon are lighting their chanukiyyas (lamps) and celebrating the Festival. Of Lights. Their spirits are high.
A soldier lights in GazaThe chanukiyyah atop Mt. HermonSoldiers in rehab kindle the first light An Iron Dome battery lights candle oneSoldiers in Lebanon celebrate the first light
In other IDF news, my American-Israeli friend, Noy Leyb, who is back here serving his fourth tour in Gaza, recently interviewed Shemesh B. Shemesh is a 66 year old reservist in the IDF currently fighting with his unit in Gaza. He has been in 5 wars and is still going strong. His main wish is to be able to defend his country in any way possible. Shemesh is a well-known national hero. His energy is unbounded as he is in for his third term in this war alone. Shemesh is an absolute inspiration to all the troops, decades younger than he. His message and prayer for Israel and the world: ”Am Yisrael Chai,” the People of Israel Live… and happiness peace and light for the whole world.” As an aside, Shemesh in Hebrew means sun, and he truly embodies this for his entire battalion.
Noy and Shemesh
Agam Berger, a 20 year old IDF soldier, was serving on the Nahal Oz base right on the border with Gaza. She was shown in that horrible video of the girls being selected for kidnapping and taken into captivity. They are all bloodied and bruised and still wearing their pajamas. Agam, from an Orthodox family, is an accomplished violinist, who, before her service had won many competitions. She desired to study music and become a concert violist before being taken hostage on 7 October. Agam has a twin sister, who was also in the army. After her sister was kidnapped, she was given the option to leave her service with an honorable discharge but chose to stay. This past week, she became a commanding officer. Kol ha Kavod, way to go! The entire family is praying for her return.
Four of our young IDF heroes who were critically wounded in battle against the Hamas terrorists had to fight to live. Amital, Roee, Ariel and Ari lost both their legs. Ari also lost his right hand and several fingers from his left hand. They have been in rehab together, and have become fast friends. Their spirit is indomitable. All have been fit with prosthetic legs. They enjoy boxing and plan to become paraolympians. Roee is engaged to be married this March.
Tamir Hershkovitz lost both his parents in the massacre at KibbutzBe’eri. The family home was destroyed, a total loss. Sifting through the piles of rubble, only one item remained – the menorah. Two nights ago Tamir returned to his home to light the family menorah in their memory for the first night of Chanukah. Am Yisrael chai.
There was a huge miracle at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem on the first day of. Hanukah. exactly one month before, policewoman Hodaya (Hebrew for giving thanks) Halperin, 26, was shot in the head while on duty in Jerusalem. Part of a rescue team made up of firemen, a SWAT team, and suicide prevention specialists, they were responding to reports of an armed suicidal man who had barricaded himself behind his door. Immediately before responding by breaking the man’s door down, she told her colleague, “You’re getting married in a month, I’ll go upstairs.” Hodaya underwent several head and brain surgeries over the past month. Seconds later, she was down. She remained unconscious and in critical condition until yesterday when she woke up, fully conscious. She is communicating with medical staff and family. The hospital is describing her recovery as nothing short of a miracle.
I just got this next story from Shai Davidai, the Columbia University professor, recently fired for his outspokenness about the pro-Gaza protests on campus. He is here with his family in Israel for Chanukah. Shai shared with us the recipe for a maple cake that was a favorite sweet Hadar Rosenfeld Berdichevski made for her family.Hadar and her husband, Itai, both 30 and new parents of 10 month old twins, were trapped inside their home on Kibbutz Nahal Oz when Hamas invaded on 7 October, 2023. She made the brave decision to hide the babies in their bomb shelter and go out with her husband to fight off the terrorists who had entered their home. Both were killed, and 18 hours later the IDF found the boys. The twins, now 14 months old, are being raised by Hadar’s sister sand brother-in-law, who also have 3 small children of their own.
This Chanukah, in their memory, make Hadar’s recipe. As Shai suggested, make it with your family, with your kids in celebration of everyday heroism. Let’s remember those everyday heroes that have been lost and that are with us today. Let us celebrate this holiday season with light and life. Let us not forget to remember the miracles and give thanks- Shabbat Shalom
Hadar Berdichevski’s Maple Cake
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup self rising flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
200 g sour cream (4/5 cup)
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Maple syrup for pouring over cake
Optional: chocolate chips or chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. Mix all the ingredients except syrup together in a large bowl. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove pan from oven when cake tester comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Pour maple syrup all over and around warm cake.
It’s hard to believe that just last week we were running to find safe spots to get out of the range of falling missiles and shrapnel several times a day/night. Last night I slept for 9 hours straight, a record for the past year. Not complaining, but the traffic here is absolutely unbelievable Who’da thought our small highways would ever resemble Southern California’s gridlocked freeways?
It seems that everyone, absolutely everyone, is out and about. I had not realized how much this war has affected people. It reminds me of the days immediately following the lockdowns of 2020/2021. Schools are fully in session in person for the first time this school year. The stores are packed. The movie theatres, restaurants and cafes are full. Hiking trails? Oh my goodness, don’t even think about being alone in nature at this time!
Our friend Romi, an engineer in the northern border town of Shlomi, last week went to work in his office for the first time in almost one year. It had suffered from indirect hits and shrapnel. Windows were shattered, walls spattered with holes. His 3D printer was majorly damaged…. Many people are going to the little towns and villages just to see the damage incurred. Some are viewing homes and communities for the first time, and from what my neighbor told us, security guards must let you through (proof of living/working there required). A few communities right up against the border are still occupied and guarded by the IDF because it’s still technically a dangerous war zone.
In the first four days of the ceasefire, there have been mortars and grenades hurled at Israeli soldiers from Har Dov on the Lebanese side. Hizbulla operatives were seen in a no-go zone on the first day. They had returned to regroup, but were immediately arrested. A drone from Lebanon that entered Israeli territory was shot down by Iron Dome. There have been other major infractions, but the IDF has immediately responded by firing on the perpetrators from the air. And so it goes. Obladee obladah.
Now that things are a little more quiet, I can share with you the recipes so many of you have said you missed. For starters, it has become a tradition that every year when the Jewish people read the part in the Bible where the story of Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup/stews, I share a new lentil recipe. This year, it’s amazing!!
I was first introduced to this bowl of deliciousness by our friend, Marc. It’s called SHALVATO (shall VAH’ toe). It is a staple and comfort food throughout the Middle East. Every culture and person seems to have their own version of this dish. It’s basically a grain and tomato recipe, very simple. The Druze add zucchini. The Lebanese use barley. Some Jewish people from Syria and Yemen now add chunks of fatty meat. It’s similar to the Sephardic/Mizrachi Shabbat Hamim, or the Ashkenaz Cholent, but way better, and vegan. Shalvato can be eaten as a side dish or just enjoyed by the bowlful. It’s so easy to make, and is becoming a favorite in this house. This recipe is from Rami Kahan, but I’ve made a few changes…. Try it this winter. Get ready to fall in love-
SHALVATO
serves 6. Vegan
Ingredients:
1/2 cup barley
1 can small red lentils (or 3/4 cup dried red lentils)
2 cups boiling water (more if using dried lentils)
2 large meaty tomatoes chopped (Roma are good)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 large TBSP (22BX) tomato paste
1 15 oz. can (I use a small bottle of Muti polpa) tomatoes, chunks
Olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp baharat/Rambam spice (see recipe below)
Salt, pepper
Baharat recipe: (makes about 1/4 cup) This is a highly aromatic, warm spice blend popular throughout the MidEast. Great addition to meats, soups and stews as well as veggies…. Mix it all well and store in an airtight jar.
2 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP coriander
1 tsp cardamom
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4+ tsp ground nutmeg (I always put a bit more)
In a large bowl pour boiling water over barley and let sit for an hour or more until til all liquid is absorbed. In the meantime, in a large skillet, heat oil until shimmery. Add in onions, garlic and mushrooms. Sauté over medium- high heat until transparent. Stir in the Baharat spice blend and stir about 1 minute until fragrance is released. Pour in the tomato chunks with liquid as well as your chopped fresh tomato. Mix together over medium-high heat about 2-3 minutes. Add in the canned lentils (if using dried lentils, they must be rehydrated and softened in boiling water like the barley). Mix well. Add in the barley. Mix well. Stir in salt and pepper and additional cumin to taste. Lower heat to simmer, and cover. Let flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Serve hot. This can also be made in a crockpot on low for Shabbat. Seriously good enough to trade your birthright for….almost.
This is the basic. I play around and add in what I have on hand
CHOPPED AUTUMN SALAD
Serves 4. Vegetarian (dairyor meat, ifdesired)
With all the heavy winter meals and for some of us who just finished Thanksgiving and are looking to lighten up before the next round of holidays, this is a great meal. Nutritious, filling, easy, versatile and seasonal. You can add the cheese (or not), or add in grilled chicken of steak slices (or not). Adjust to suit your palate and pantry. Another staple in our house-
Ingredients:
Choice of lettuces (try some arugula and leafy reds and dark greens)
2-3 beets, roasted, peeled, cubed
1 sweet potato or pumpkin, peeled, cut into cubes, roasted until tender
1/2 cup cooked, cooled quinoa or bulgur
1 red apple
1 green apple
1 small red onion, sliced
1 large stalk celery, cut up
1/3 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, toasted)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup blue cheese (optional)
1-2 roasted chicken breasts, sliced (optional)
Leftover steak, sliced (optional)
Vinaigrette:
1 TBSP sherry vinegar
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
So, when we were in Venice for 2 1/2 days, we were smart and economical. Instead of spending a couple hours at an expensive sit-down restaurant, we ate like the locals. I’d heard about this, and the experience was so amazing and so absolutely delicious, we ate at cichetti bars (chick EH tee) lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, late night snack and second breakfast. All were incredibly out-of this world gourmet fantabulous…..and incredibly cheap. They are eaten to go. Pick your plate and take out your food to eat at an outdoor table Each cichetto ran 1-2€ a piece, so the whole meal would be about €15 for the two of us.
I had a list of several places I’d wanted to try, so after a museum, we’d find a cichetti bar. They are literally little bars the locals frequent. You can get a glass of very good red or white wine for 2-3€. Go up to the glass vitrina or counter and pick out your cichetti, or little bites. Often open faced sandwiches (baccala/creamed cod, pumpkin and Gorgonzola, herbed creamed cheese with pickled radish, fired rice balls, savor/sardines in a flavorful onion, raisin, pine nut sauce, fried artichoke hearts, tapenades and sun dried tomato pastes and pestos with cheeses on baguettes) the combinations were endless! Some of my favorites were the fig and Gorgonzola on a thick toasted cracker; the roasted beet slice with a dollop of buratta/mozzarella ball and a splash of balsamic on baguette; the toast with a sautéed mushroom and onion reduction; the baccala (now I understand Rosemary Clooney’s “Hey Mambo!”); and give me ANYTHING pumpkin!!
The world of Venetian fast food to-go: an epicurean delight!
We’ve been eating my own version of these tapas like bites since we came home. It’s a great way to be creative with the leftovers. One of my staples is the “pickled” shallots, which can be served as a base for chopped cucumber and tomato drizzled with olive oil, or a slice of cold cut, or a piece of hard cheese. Easy and delicious!
“PICKLED” ONIONS
I found out everyone in Venice used Cippolini onions. They are sweet and mild, but I can’t find them anywhere in Israel, so I use shallots. It works just as well.
Ingredients:
1 cup thinly sliced cippolini onions or shallots
2 TBSP sea salt or 1 1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp oregano
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
Mix all together in a bowl. Refrigerate and use within 4-5 days. Serve on sandwiches or as a base for the little bites.
Israel Dreams 