me-ander

International KCC at This American Bite!

2012-01-27T08:09:00.000+02:00

Just in time for Shabbat, the latest Kosher Cooking Carnival is at This American Bite, but it's an international affair of kosher food for all. Click and check it out and visit all the blogs included this month and then share them far and wide. Actually it has been "live," online since yesterday my time, but I didn't have time to announce it.

Next month, Adar, late February, the Kosher Cooking Carnival will be hosted by Cooking Outside the Box, and we're looking for a volunteer for Nissan, around March 25, and other months. Please contact me or join our facebook group. You can send in your links for the Adar KCC nonrecipe@gmail.com with KCC as subject or via facebook or blog carnival, which doesn't work as well as it used to, but I still send the instacarnivals to the hosts.

Shabbat Shalom and Enjoy!

Only in Israel, From The Blog Across The Street and Other Local Blogs

2012-01-26T06:15:00.001+02:00

I'm not the only blogger in the neighborhood. Of course, as you must know, my husband blogs, too. And besides him, directly across the street is Ester who posts in honor of Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month. For Shvat she posted one of those "only in Israel" stories which you'll certainly enjoy.

The following Dry Bones suits Ester's post:

A bit further east after Ester's house there's another blogger, Yael of Shvut Rachel. She blogs in Hebrew and recently posted a how-to recipe for easy chicken on youtube. Most of it is clear from the action. I'll just let you know that she makes the bread crumbs out of cornflakes and the "creamy-looking stuff" is mayonnaise.

Enjoy them all!

Delicious, Colorful, Healthy and Easy to Make Vegetables

2012-01-25T05:44:00.001+02:00

When I saw that nice big red cabbage at Rami Levi I just had to buy it. I cooked it with:

onion
carrot
fresh ginger
small apple
bit of oil to saute it all
of course the cabbage
freshly squeezed orange juice

Add the cabbage and juice last, when the carrots start getting soft. Cook in a large covered frying pan or good, heavy covered pot. Exact quantities don't exist. This isn't a chemistry formula.

Enjoy!!

The Most Frightening "Tremping" Experience

2012-01-24T05:42:00.000+02:00

OK, except for the times I've wondered if I'm going to be stuck forever waiting for a ride, in the cold, rain, sun or late at night, the following story is really the most frightening I can remember after just over thirty years "in the business" of waiting for rides aka tremping...

It happened last night.
After got out of my friend's car at the Ofra Junction, she gave me her blessing, which has always worked, nudging G-d to give me a "speedy and safe ride home." Within in less than a minute I was crowded into the backseat, next to a baby in her/his safety seat, with my three bags securing me well. I was relieved that I had gotten my right foot in with rest of me.

The young mother driving left me off at the Shiloh Junction, but before I managed to cross the street to where I had to wait, I realized that I wasn't alone. A "teenage" white dog was there, too, sniffing at my one of my bags, the thermal bag with the chickens inside. Fresh, whole, kosher chickens are among the products Rami Levi purposely keeps selling at low prices, so I've been buying them there for the past few months. I've saved us a lot of money by doing that.

Well, the dog kept sniffing, and I was trying to cross the street without showing panic or exciting the dog. I even called out a bit, hoping that there were soldiers hiding, which is sometimes the case. I wanted someone to shoot the dog.

The street had never seemed so wide, nor had never taken so long to cross. I still had a long way to go, especially at the "relaxed--don't frighten the dog" pace I was going, when a pick-up truck turned into the road to Shiloh from the south. I wanted to get into that truck ASAP. At first it stopped, then it began moving, stopped again and even backed up a bit. Thank G-d he waited for me!

After I got in, the driver said that he had noticed me and realized that I was in trouble, so he waited. And thank G-d and this unknown person going to Shvut Rachel, I made it home safe and sound.

Frosty Dawn

2012-01-23T07:34:00.001+02:00

I took this shot a cold, frosty Wednesday morning last week. Frosty was all I could think of. I was waiting for a ride to Jerusalem. Usually the early morning sky here is Shiloh is gorgeous, and to be perfectly honest, just to the right of the frost, there was some color.

Yes, I must be honest and not leave you with the impression that G-d had given us a colorless sky.

And I never got a "ride;" I had to take the bus after waiting a half hour in the freezing cold. I shouldn't complain, because the bus did get me in to Jerusalem safe and sound. There are times, like when I finish work at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin late at night when there is no bus option and I really, desperately need those "tremps." So, if G-d is limiting the miracle rides (aka tremps,) let me have them when I really have no other option.

Risa's New Banner and Havel Havelim

2012-01-22T06:10:00.001+02:00

I was just about to blog about this great new vegetable dish I invented on Friday, when I figured that it would be a good idea to see what my friends had blogged. And there, right on top, was Isramom aka Risa's blog announcing the latest Havel Havelim and new blog banner.

So, just click on over to Isramom and check out all the posts from blogs far and wide. For instructions on how to contribute to the next edition check out our facebook Havel Havelim page. HH comes out every Sunday on a different blog. Next week's Havel Havelim will be Beneath the Wings. If you don't have facebook, you can still contribute a link by using the old blog carnival form or send it to me and I'll pass it on to the hostess.

So the vegetable recipes will have to wait until I blog again, G-d willing.... In the meantime you can feast your eyes on Risa's Havel Havelim. Please read, visit, comment and share.

And have a wonderful week one and all!

"Lively Discussion," Does That Mean It Was a Good Shiur/Class?

2012-01-21T19:32:00.002+02:00

Since I began pretty serious, for me, Bible studies* in Matan last year, I've volunteered to give classes to my neighborhood women's "study group," the weekly Shabbat שיעור נשים Shiur Nashim, Women's Torah Class. You can still count the times on one hand, but the number is growing. I gave a class today.

I don't consider myself very knowledgeable. Even though I've taken classes for years, until recently it wasn't very systematic, and I didn't have enough knowledge to "connect the dots." I don't lecture. One reason is that I don't know enough, and enough is that it can too easily get boring. I hate to admit it, but I've fallen asleep at too many classes. So, my method is involving everyone in discussion.

I do throw out facts and read texts, or make my friends read in better Hebrew, but I don't insist that only my answer is the right one. The class wasn't too long. One of the women even expressed disappointment that it was over too soon.

I guess that means that I passed, Baruch Hashem, thank G-d!

*three courses, one morning a week

Rami Levi Stores, Not Just Cheap Chicken and Cabbage

2012-01-20T07:40:00.001+02:00

This is cross-posted on Shiloh Musings

As you know, I work in Yafiz, which is the chain of clothing stores owned by the Rami Levi discount supermarket chain. My store is located in Sha'ar Binyamin, the shopping center (like those built in the USA suburbs during the 1950's) just northeast of Jerusalem, in the Mateh Binyamin, Benjamin Regional Council.

Yesterday just before signing out from work and going into the supermarket for a few items, the buzz was that Pnina Rosenblum, Israel's rags to riches cosmetics industrialist and politician was expected in the supermarket.

My husband would tell you that I rarely admit I'm wrong (maybe because I'm usually right) but when it comes to Rosenblum, I must admit that I was wrong. When I first began seeing pictures of her at all sorts of events, I'd call her the bimbo. In the end she has proven to be anything but. She's a blond, but bimbo she isn't.

I had never noticed, but apparently the Pnina Rosenblum cosmetics, soaps etc are marketed in the Rami Levi store.

I could hear her complimenting the managers on the display. Now, our branch of Rami Levi, like most discount supermarkets, isn't a fancy place. It also doesn't sell high end items. Rosenblum's products and general philosophy match Rami Levi's. When she decided to go into politics, she didn't choose an elitist Leftist ideology and party. Today she's an active member of the Likud and even served as a Likud MK for a short time.

Rosenblum didn't enter the supermarket with an entourage of aides and photographers. That impressed me. I took these pictures from "discrete" distances using the zoom.

Seconds after putting away my camera, she came right up to me, as if offering a good shot, but I didn't take it.

The most humorous part of this visit was overhearing the other customers talking about her. Many hadn't a clue as to who she is and why she was there. One person explained to another that she's a Likud politician and was flabbergasted when told that she's a cosmetics industrialist.

As I've mentioned frequently, "timing is in the Hand (Power) of G-d, Siyata D'Shmaya. Yesterday was certainly an example. Why else would I have ended up working that day, and shopping at exactly that time? And the icing on the cake was that just as I got on line to pay, I saw my next door neighbor on the next line, and yes, he took me home. Thank G-d, G-d is Great!

Shabbat Shalom to Everyone

Three "Bad Things," Kappora!

2012-01-19T06:04:00.002+02:00

There's a "legend" of sorts that bad news comes in three's. Something in my mind connects this with the post I wrote last night about my husband's visit to the emergency ward.

It's rare for me to break things, but yesterday three relatively minor things broke:

my thermos, which I fill with hot delicious (less expensive and much better than buying ready-made) coffee
a pen which I found leaking in my bag, dirtying my yoman, pocket diary/schedule
the metal tab for pulling the zipper on my good backpack

About the thermos, it had been one of those amazing free give-aways with instant coffee one Pesach time. I knew that I had another one (from the same sort of source) in a closet, found it immediately and quickly made another pot of coffee. Yes, of course it broke when it was full of steaming vanilla flavored (from good vanilla extract, not the fake flavored junk) percolated Turkish coffee with milk and sugar.

Kappora! There's a Jewish concept that something material like the things that broke can be atonement, instead of human lives and illnesses. I used to be the most hysterical person about anything breaking. Not long ago I mentioned to one of my kids that we're probably rare in that we have the same drinking glasses for close to forty years, and she said that's because everyone always lived in terror of breaking anything, because I'd get so angry. Now, I see it all differently. Priorities, let the material things go and keep us all safe, sound and healthy! Kappora!

May this be a refuah shleimah for Natalie (Nechamah?) bat Chaya Rasia

Some Things Get Better

2012-01-18T21:35:00.000+02:00

My husband blogged about his recent visit to the emergency ward. When I got there this morning, (trekker son was with him when he was admitted last night) I came with all the food I'd need for myself for the day. OK, I must admit that the food had been prepared to take to Matan for my morning of Bible study. I even had a full thermos of coffee.

My husband had spent the night at Sha'are Tzekek, a hospital I had once known very well.

My youngest was in the hospital for a very long six weeks when he was a tiny baby. I lost a lot of weight during that time, because I didn't have a way of getting food most of the time. The visitors snack bar shut down early afternoon, and even though my son as a patient could have gotten formula, I the ~~cow~~ nursing mother got nothing to keep up my strength and milk supply.

A few years ago, when my parents were here for their last visit together, my father needed a check-up in the Emergency Room. I was amazed that some charity fund kept passing out sandwiches and pastries. This was for people just spending a few hours in the hospital. What an improvement over that time all those years ago when I barely ate for six weeks, and I was producing milk for my baby.

And this morning, someone made the rounds with food for the patients and visitors. Things really have changed. Yes, they have gotten better.

PS for years I've heard about the amazing Shabbat meals in Israeli hospitals offered to those staying with patients. Nothing like that was available way back then. I had to get food from friends or eat almost nothing. And in case you're wondering, no, I'd rather not have the need to ever sample any of that wonderful food.

Refuah Shleimah, A Complete Healing to all in need.

The Real Me

2012-01-17T22:40:00.001+02:00

When my blogs suddenly show a large surge in readers, it's usually because Rafi, Life in Israel has included a post in his "Interesting Posts series. Rafi reads a lot of blogs and gives a good variety of posts for those of us who are less friendly or ambitious.

Tonight I looked at his latest selection, #348 and began reading Modern Uberdox, Secret identities and blogging.

As you must know, I blog under my real name and even use pictures of myself. Those of the family are more discrete except for those in public life, like my husband, who also blogs as part of his identity, not hiding much.

Here's my comment to the post:

When I started me-ander.blogspot.com, I had also planned to hide my identity, but I just couldn't write what I wouldn't say under my real name. So shilohmusings.blogspot.com is more political and me-ander less so. They are different sides of the same me. Rarely I write something that could go on either blog.

Many of the bloggers I follow also blog under their own identities, although a large percentage of those who comment don't reveal their identities. What do you think?

Another Advantage of Always Having My Camera on Me, Caption This!

2012-01-17T06:10:00.000+02:00

I should have taken two shots of this scene, since the part I left out was even stranger than the picture I'm showing you.

My Canon A620, a bit of an antique by today's standards, is too large to be discrete. It's smaller than those big impressive professional cameras, but it's not a simple pocket camera either. I was afraid of disturbing that guy in the window.

So, nu, how would you caption it? Tell me in the comments, please, thanks.

Havel Havelim and My Coffee

2012-01-16T07:03:00.000+02:00

Good morning! Usually I post about Havel Havelim some time on Sunday, but due to my attending an Al HaPerek lecture on Elisha and Eliyahu at Matan last night and the major time difference between Denver and Shiloh, Israel, I just saw Chaviva's Havel Havelim as my coffee percked. So, I'm sipping and reading and blogging her very inclusive and attractive HH right now.

It's never too late to read and share Havel Havelim and all the great posts included in it. Next week it'll be hosted by Risa at Isramom. You can contribute links by mailing them to her. News updates about HH can be found on our facebook page.

Talking in Shul...

2012-01-15T07:24:00.001+02:00

Chaviva, who is probably working on the latest Havel Havelim as I type this on my keyboard-- so please keep checking her blog so you'll be the first to see it-- wrote about one of her pet peeves, talking in shul (synagogue services.)

We are supposed to "talk" in shul, but we're only supposed to "talk" to G-d. That's what prayer is. If you ask a rabbi the straight question of whether it's important to understand the prayers or mumble gibberish, you'll be told that you should understand what you're saying. So if you take that question one step further and ask if you should pray from translation in order to understand the prayers, and have an easier time staying focused on them, most rabbis will tell you to use a bilingual siddur, prayerbook.

Just like the children who disturb in class and are discovered to have some learning problem that makes it hard to follow the teacher, many people who talk non-stop in shul just can't relate to the prayers. Honestly, it's better to bring a good translation and come for a shorter time.

Prayers time isn't "social" time, and if you talk, you make it harder for others to concentrate. If you're bringing young children, make sure they have quiet toys with them, not something that will disturb others. And when the kids get bored, go out.

Our neighborhood Shiloh shul started Junior Congregation and has had a special Children's Kiddush for years already. There is also a playground behind the shul near the ramp to the "extra" women's section for wheelchairs and baby carriages.

There's nothing educational in taking a young kid to shul where he screams:
"I wanna go home!"

Small spiritual doses are better than tiring the patience of all. If you want a more social experience, join the crew who sets up the kiddush while the rest of us pray. I did that when my kids were young. Now I'm the nasty old lady who shushes.

Most Winter Days, I'd Like to Just Hibernate

2012-01-14T21:11:00.001+02:00

I can really relate to the animals that spend the winter warmly hibernating, hiding from the cold and hiding from the food they would have to use to try to heat themselves up. This winter is cold! Don't let that blue sky fool you!

Thursday, dry and sunny

You can tell by the green that it's winter, but you'll have trust me about the temperature. OK, maybe not everyone suffers from the cold as much as I do, but I do suffer. My feet are numb. I can't take walks most days, because the ground is so cold. And I eat more, because I'm cold and hungry and cold and cold and freezing and keep hoping the food will warm me up.

For a few hours of the day, the sun does heat the house a bit.

We've had some sun showers recently. Can you see the glistening rain? I hope so.

Friday rain

I walked out during the drizzle to take that shot. And do you know what frequently accompanies sun showers?

Rainbow, Friday afternoon before Shabbat

Yes, rainbows. Rainbows are pretty, but you shouldn't think of them as "love letters" from G-d. They are more like warnings that we should remember G-d's power to punish us.

The meteorologists had predicted rain from Wednesday until Shabbat. It did start raining on Wed, but then on Thursday after the Bibi-Barak team sent in their troops to Mitzpe Avichai to throw people out of their homes and destroy the property, the sun dried up all the rain clouds to punish us all. We're one people, for good and for bad.

That Friday rainbow was a warning.

Now, how did I get politics onto this blog? Sometimes the posts write themselves. All I had planned was a rant/kvetch about the cold. I'm still cold!

G-d is Good!

2012-01-13T09:39:00.002+02:00

I should make a series on this topic...

People frequently ask me how I get back home to Shiloh from work in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, when I have night shift. Sha'ar Binyamin is a "shopping center" off of the "highway" that connects Jerusalem, Maale Adumim, Jericho, Jordan Valley and the Benjamin and Samaria districts. Its location is very central, as I hear from the various Jewish and Arab customers, but I can't wait for a ride home on the main road, and by the time I finish working buses don't enter.

The store closes at 9:30pm, and then we straighten up for an average of twenty-thirty minutes before we're allowed to sign out and go home.

That means that I can't start looking for a ride among the Rami Levi customers until close to 10pm, when the store is emptying out. The supermarket staff is very cooperative in helping us find rides to Shiloh, Ofra, Beit El, Kochav Yaakov, Adam etc. But it can be stressful not knowing how or when we'll get home. Some places have more of a chance for rides, because more neighbors shop in Rami Levi. Davka, Shiloh is the most difficult, because fewer neighbors make a point of shopping there at night or making a special trip, since we're the furthest away.

There's a Jewish concept of Siyata d'Shmaya, the Hand of G-d, and I describe my transportation system as that. Twice in recent weeks, I saw the same neighbor checking out when I signed out after finishing my shift. He even lives in my neighborhood, so he doesn't have to go out of his way to help me. I don't just trust such Siyata d'Shmaya. I usually send out an email to the Shiloh list asking that if anyone will be there or passing on the way home after 9:30pm that they give me a call. A few times, that has helped.

Yesterday when I was already working I suddenly realized that I hadn't sent out the email request, and I had no way of doing it from work. I called my husband who luckily was still in his office, so he sent it out.

Just after we closed the store and started straightening up I got a call from an unfamiliar number. They were neighbors who had just passed the Chizme checkpoint and wanted to know if they could pick me up. I received permission to leave, grabbed my stuff, not even putting on my jacket, signed out and reached the security at the entrance to Shaar Binyamin just as they pulled in.

Yes, G-d is good, and He gave me wonderful neighbors!!

"Life in Israel," The View From Here

2012-01-12T07:57:00.000+02:00

Bat Aliyah, a much more recent olah immigrant than myself, just posted a long list of the things she finds most special about living here in Israel, Eretz Yisrael, the HolyLand. We're different generations and made aliyah decades apart. The America I left is nothing like it is today or a decade ago. My husband and I got married in June, 1970, and docked at Haifa Port as olim chadashim, new immigrants early September, 1970, before Rosh Hashanah.

I had to google to find this picture of myself in Maon Betar, Old City Jerusalem, 1970

That was over forty-one years ago, which is ancient history for many. At that time, pre-internet, cell phones, fax etc, there was an enormous difference between daily life in Israel and most of the "Western world." When we went on shlichut to do youth work in London, we discovered that some things in London were even more primitive than in Israel. Living there (London) would have had been much harder straight from NY. Hot and cold water came out of separate faucets, and refrigerators were the size of washing machines for example. The Golders Green furnished apartment didn't even have a washing machine. A couple of times a week I'd schlepp all of the clothes to a laundromat, and that included the diapers after our third daughter was born.

Back to Israel...
I can't imagine living any place else. I don't feel "at home" in the states.

Some of my favorite things about living here:

being able to ask a salesperson in a housewares store instructions about what get "tovelled," (mikvah-dipped)
the public/school/work holidays are Jewish ones
Hebrew idioms are Biblical or based on Jewish Law
there's an inescapable feeling of solidarity
streets names, from the Bible, Jewish History, Land of Israel, Modern Jewish heroes and most exciting... people I've actually known.
unshaven men on TV, in important public positions etc because it's sefira or the "3 Weeks" or they're in shloshim (first 30 days of mourning a close relative)
men and women working in all types of jobs wearing religious hair-coverings
knowing that the rain is a blessing from G-d

And what are yours?

Me, A Feminist?

2012-01-11T05:01:00.002+02:00

My good friend and peer, what's a few weeks after all these decades, Risa of Isramom, is tweaking her blog a bit. She promises a new banner and changed the description.

In the post announcing this, she wrote about the first word in that description, "feminist" and titled the post "Feminism."

I've always had this thing, negative about feminism. I guess that's because the feminists of my youth tried to be faux men, OK, not quite in the "dykish" sense, but in their goals in life. For as long as I can remember, I just wanted to get married and have children. I never even thought about the next stage, being a grandmother.

When I first heard about feminism, I got the impression that they thought it a waste of time, energy, talents. That's a large reason for the fact that the birthrate is so low for the 1970's in America. There should have been another baby boom when us boomers hit our twenties, but it never happened. Many postponed maternity until it just couldn't physically happen, or they were lucky to have only one child. And then they joined the "supermom, we can do it all" club. In the 1970's I became a young mother and was in Israel, where having babies has always been pretty popular.

Despite my original plans, I ended up working, too. And I ended up at times sounding like a "feminist."

Has "Feminism" has changed or have I or both?

Risa's description of Feminism fits what I consider women's rights as human beings. Does that make me a feminist?

When I'm Walking...

2012-01-10T07:23:00.001+02:00

Since I can't afford to join a fitness club, I must find the best and cheapest possible way to keep my muscles at least as tight as they are. I must admit that I've lost my swim-season look. The best deal when it comes to exercise is walking, so I walk.

Our neighborhood is pretty flat for the top of a mountain, and the general circuit is over a kilometer, about a mile. That's how I end up taking all sorts of pictures like my "caption this" series. I also take pictures of the building going on here in Shiloh as I walk around.

Recently I've begun listening to shiurim, Torah/Bible classes on my new toy, the Q3 my husband was given by some Korean diplomat. Matan has all sorts of classes online for free, which I enjoy.

Some neighbors have very professional, well-planned and cared-for gardens. Few have horrendous overgrown messes, like mine. And some people have... well, how would you caption this?

What Can You Do With One of Those Mini-Pumpkins, aka Butternut Squash?

2012-01-09T07:16:00.000+02:00

Too bad I didn't photograph it before cutting this "mini-pumpkin" in half. But I think you can easily imagine what it looked like. Like all pumpkins and related vegetables, uncut they last for months. I honestly don't remember when I bought it, but it had to have been many months ago.

In Hebrew it's called a דלורית and the Hebrew wikipedea gives its latin name as Cucurbita moschata. It's also known as a butternut squash.

Recently my husband noticed it and was afraid it would spoil before I'd get around to feeling "inspired." Inspired I was last Friday when cooking for Shabbat.

As you can see from the picture, I split it in half and took out the seeds. Then I chopped up some cabbage, onion and tomato.

I added the chopped vegetables, plus some oil to the "indentations" in the squash. Then I covered and baked it all until it seemed ready.

It's easy to make and very impressive, colorful, healthy etc. You can stuff it with chopped meat or top with grated cheese. There are innumerable ways of preparing the squash or similar vegetables.

Squeezing Myself Back Into HH Hosting

2012-01-08T10:44:00.002+02:00

According to Ya'aqov, this must be #342 of Havel Havelim. Just doing a quick calculation; it seems like this veteran weekly blog carnival must be about ten years old by now. It was started by Soccer Dad who hung up his blogging mitts a few years ago. He passed the buck, the baton, the torch whatever on to Jack who has been lost in his random thoughts of late.

Next week's Havel Havelim will be hosted by Chaviva. To send her a link click here.

So the bottom line is that HH is rather rudderless at present, but you can't hold a good blog carnival down...

Here's the spiel:

Havel Havelim is the most veteran of the jblogger carnivals and probably one of the longest running blog carnivals there is. Blog carnivals are like "floating" internet magazines. They float from blog to blog, like "floating crap games," l'havdil.

Havel Havelim, the international jblog carnival, was established by Soccer Dad, and is now run by Jack. The term “Havel Havelim” is from Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, which was written by King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other “excesses” and finally realized that it was nothing but norishkeit, “havel” or in English “vanities.” I think that King Solomon and his father King David were the original "bloggers." The books they wrote, when you take them chapter by chapter, can easily be described as blog posts. The stones they used to write on made them last, so that we can read them now. I doubt if today's technology will preserve our words for so long.

There are two other jblogger carnivals, the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX which showcase everything about kosher food and picture posts with Jewish themes. If you're interested in hosting a KCC, please contact me, for JPIX Leora and for HH Jack.

Blog carnival has been limping along, and now for months. It hasn't been sending out the links to the hosts, but carnival owners can still access the instacarnival, so I still recommend sending them your posts and to be double safe also join the facebook page and find out who's the next host, and then message or email the host. And who's the next host? Good question. But don't let that stop you from sending us links. Just put hh in the "subject." I'll post a PS when I get more more news.

And now on with the show!

Let's start with the good news! A מזל טוב mazal tov to Heshy Frum Satire Fried, who just got engaged!

LadyLight reviews Rabbi Trugman's (of Ohr Chadash) new commentary on the Torah, Orchard of Delights and really enjoyed it.
Shari blogs about her feelings living here in Israel, truth behind the headlines.
Sharon shows us security walls. Some are even pretty!
Shoshanah complains about difficulties for handicapped olim. If anyone can help, contact her in the comments. She also helps needy kallot; read all about it.
Ricki's mom gives us a very important reminder. Highly recommended
Read about Miriam's winter gardening.
Susan gives good advice re: antibiotics and the importance of consulting with a pharmacist.
Here's something serious from Jenifer about kids growing up.
West Bank Mama predicts war in Gaza.
It's summer time in Baleboostehland.

Miriyummy blogs about knitting not cooking this time.
Rafi G. lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, so if you want to know what's happening from a first person perspective, check out his Life in Israel.

Here's a little halacha lesson from Leora and her new Mayor, Gary Minkoff.
I've been trying to make sense out of the new Jerusalem bus routes which aim to get force travelers to take the lightrail.

Seraphic Secret and I both blogged about turbans. I prefer them, wrapped scarves and kerchiefs, to other hair-covering options.
Love of the Land is a good source for pro-Land of Israel articles. Here's one by Naftali Bennett.
Elder of Ziyon tells the truth about the fake refugees of 1948.
Ruti hits the perfect note in her article about kol isha, the sound of women's voices.

How's this for a tongue twister? "Risa's red mailbox in Rechovot"
Ima 2 Seven writes of the problem in Nachlaot.
doc writes about a serious problem, choosing a guardian for her child.
Frume Sarah writes about an organization that gives a break to families who have a special needs child, Refua V’Chayim.
Paula writes about Shabbat. I can't imagine a life without it, even though I wasn't raised with it at all.

The multi-lingual Ilana-Davita gives advice about learning a language.
Shelly's goal is Ahavat Chinan.
Our Shiputzim blogged food while fasting.
Read Pesky's history lesson.
I blogged about how healthy laughter is and the Rebbetzin's Husband wrote about the importance of 8 hugs a day.
My husband criticizes Daniel Kurtzer's policy towards Israel. He also sees improvement in American policy.
Hadassa's kids are growing up, but she still posted about babyproofing. Is that a hint?
The bima ima seems too busy reading to blog.
Shirat Devorah bakes challah in memory of her sister.

And let the show go on. Please share this far and wide and visit all the blogs and comment etc. Thanks to all of you.

Trying to Make Sense of the New Jerusalem Bus Routes

2012-01-07T19:12:00.000+02:00

From what I've been led to understand, part of the deal (spelled OLMERT?) cooked up for the Jerusalem Lightrail was the elimination of any "competing" bus routes. That means that if bus and train go on the same road, like we now have on Sderot Herzl (Blvd.) between Mt. Herzl and Kiryat Moshe-Jaffa Street Junction, the buses will be eliminated. In a short-sighted way, it may make sense. Why have two modes of public transportation on the very same road?

Now, for those of you who aren't familiar with Jerusalem, you should know that the entire distance isn't more than about a mile, kilometer plus. I've walked it many times; it doesn't take long. It's the middle of the trip to many places for many people. That means that if you get on the train from a "feeder bus" you're going to have to get off the train and then take another bus, if not more, to your destination.

The more vehicles one must take to get to one's destination the more difficult, physically and emotionally etc the trip becomes. Why else are people very willing to pay extra money for non-stop flights? Think about it! For the elderly, those schlepping babies and young kids, packages etc, this new set-up is a nightmare.

Besides all those points I mentioned, there's the challenge of figuring out new and better ways to get places bypassing the train altogether. I couldn't make much sense out of the ads in In Jerusalem, so I waited for the new Jerusalem bus route maps to be published on the internet. That's right; click here, and try to figure it out and then remember the changes.

I promised an elderly friend I'd help her with this. Wish us luck!

Jerusalem Scene, Caption This

2012-01-06T06:44:00.000+02:00

As I was walking through Jerusalem, downtown, "center" I just couldn't resist shooting this. How would you caption it?

Shabbat Shalom everybody...

Simple, Healthy, Low Calorie, Low Carbohydrate Vegetable Soup

2012-01-05T20:33:00.000+02:00

Today, like on many Jewish fast days, I cooked soup. I find vegetable soup to be the best way of breaking a fast. Many of you know that I have a popular vegetable soup I've been making for ages. But today, I felt like making something else.

Since the least expensive vegetables in Rami Levi discount supermarks are carrots and white cabbage, they were the main ingredients.

Following are the ingredients. Sorry, but I don't give exact quantities.

a handful, plus of white beans
an onion
garlic
4 cut carrots
half cabbage, cut in small pieces
a couple of ripe tomatoes, cut in small pieces or use tomato paste or even catsup.
some oil and lots of water
I seasoned with coarse pepper and sweet paprika, salt optional

First you have to start cooking the beans. If you have a long time, then just leave them soaking in boiling water for a few hours; cover the pot. If you're in a rush, boil them on the stove for ten minutes, and then cover the pot with a heavy towel for at least an hour, preferably two. Next pour out the water from the beans and add fresh boiling water.

Start cooking the beans again.
add the oinion, garlic and carrots
add a couple of spoons of oil
when the carrots are getting soft, add the cabbage and tomato
season
cook covered another half hour

That's it. I love it! I've been eating bowl after bowl all night.

I Had Dreamt That...

2012-01-05T09:04:00.000+02:00

I decided to go back to sleep after the alarm went off. Well, it's fast day today, 10th of Tevet, which means that there's no coffee, water, food etc to help me wake up. The past couple of days I had done a lot of walking. Yesterday I walked form Shmuel Hanavi to Matan on Rashbag, via town. And the day before I walked to the Israel Museum, also from Shmuel Hanavi after doing some errands in "Jerusalem Center."

I had planned to take advantage of today's predicted winter sun and do laundry. I knew I must get up and put in a wash. I dreamt that I had done it, twice actually, but when I finally forced myself up and 8am the sun was shining and the washing machine empty.

Yes, the first thing I did was... turn on the computer, and then I gathered lots of dirty laundry and started wash #1. And now...

So now I ought to take a break from this norishkeit and get on with my day!

You Don't Need a Hat Box...

2012-01-04T20:41:00.000+02:00

I cover my hair for religious reasons. According to Jewish Law, a married woman is supposed to have her hair covered. There are all sorts of ways to do it and rabbinic opinions as to how. And like with many of our Laws and customs, there are those who are convinced that it's a Law to be ignored. In this picture I'm wearing a very simple flowered scarf. I've had that scarf for twenty years. It's rare for a hat to stay "stylish" and wearable for so many years.

The purple scarf on the dummy in the upper picture can be wrapped like this white one.

Simple soft hats can also be dressy and easy to pack. I really like the mitzvah of covering my hair. It definitely is in the running to be my favorite of all mitzvot, G-d given commandments.

With a simple change in hair-covering, we can totally change our looks. It's a lot healthier than hair dye.

Here I am with my friend Sharon Katz, after one of her performances.

For those who'd like to try scarves but "doesn't know how," there are some great instructionals on youtube. Some are for Jewish Women, some for Muslim women and others for women who have lost their hair due to illness and chemo treatments.

No doubt that there's nothing more exotic or glamorous that a turban, and you don't even have to be Jewish.

Low-Carb Latkes, Veggie Burgers

2012-01-04T05:08:00.000+02:00

These "Low-Carb Latkes, Veggie Burgers" don't have to be reserved for Chanukah. They can be served any time at all, even Passover or no special occasion.

*I used the food processor shredder on:

carrots
oinions
celeriac
squash
and one little potato

Then I mixed it with a couple of eggs, added salt and pepper and then a bit of matzah meal.

I shaped them into "patties" as you can see, dribbled a bit of oil on each, and then baked them in a medium oven until ready, cooked on both sides and inside, too.

Those at the Chanukah Party who are trying to keep their weight down were very happy with them.

*There's no such thing as exact measurements, sorry. Choose the veggies you want, and you can add others, plus cooked/soft beans or lentils, and you need enough eggs to mix it and enough matzah meal to shape them.

How Far Did I Walk?

2012-01-03T19:18:00.000+02:00

Today I walked a lot, an awful lot. Since I didn't have any shifts, and I'm angry with Egged, Jerusalem, I am reducing my bus expenses whenever possible. Today I visited my daughter in the Israel Museum. If you haven't been there recently, you're missing a great treat.

But before I write more about the museum, this is the route I walked:

Shmuel Hanavi to Strauss,
down Strauss to Yaffo
Yaffo to the Erroca eye glass place on Ben Yehuda
Ben Yehuda to Mordechai Ben Hillel
Ben Hillel to King George
a few stores up King George to the "Ullman-Emanuel Opticians," which has a new sign on top
from that optician to the WC in the Horse Garden
Horse Garden/Park to Betzalel and all the way up over the bridge past the Supreme Court
Supreme Court past all the old Government Office Buildings
to the Israel Museum

Then, no surprise, I walked around the museum. There are all sorts of films and benches, so I did sit a bit. The Design Wing has nice stuff. If you haven't been there recently, there is so much to see.

And then I walked to the Central Bus Station.

Did I walk enough today? How far did I walk?

Too Bad I Don't Write Fiction...

2012-01-03T07:24:00.000+02:00

Sometimes I think that it would be better for me as a "writer" if I could write fiction. There's a bigger market; I think. Nobody wants to pay me for my opinions, but if I could spin a tale...

Walking around the neighborhood, I spied this, shot it and thought that it would make a nice "caption this" photo.

But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I should be forcing myself to invent a past to the scene. As an English Teacher I've given assignments like that. "Make up a story" about one of these pictures. I never make up stories.

What do you think?

I Want Those Hats!

2012-01-02T18:56:00.000+02:00

Age shouldn't be a factor when choosing clothes, except I'd say for little kids being dressed Lolita-like.

One of my close friends sent me this film. She has a great sense of style. Recently I've had to assemble outfits out of clothes I've "received," since I don't have the money to buy new clothes. It's a challenge. I love the way some of the women in the film dress, most especially their hats!

Practicing Before Getting Back into the HH Saddle

2012-01-02T07:56:00.000+02:00

It has been almost two years since I've hosted a Havel Havelim, so I'm just warming up, practicing.

Havel Havelim is the Jewish Blog Carnival. What's a "blog carnival?" I like to describe it like a floating internet magazine. HH is one of the oldest blog carnivals still traveling the international internet. It was established/started by Soccer Dad who no longer blogs. Then Jack took it over, and now it's sort of floundering, so Esser Agaroth's Ya'aqov and I are trying to get it back on track. That's why he started a Havel Havelim facebook page, which you can join. Our big question will be how to submit your links so they'll be included in Havel Havelim. I hope we'll get control of the blog carnival account, so the weekly host can receive the list from them. So, in the interim, I'm requesting that you send your link to bc and fb message or email the upcoming week's host. The info will be on the previous HH and on the fb page. Since I'm coming out of "retirement" for next week, please email me.

So, enough with all the prelude, on with the show! And don't forget to visit, comment etc all the blog posts included and share this post far and wide. Thanks!

I'm dreading fouling up all sorts of sign-ins because I just got used to 2011 and now it's 2012, but Chavi's happy that she's starting a new year. The Baleboosteh, the mother of all those gems is raising wonderful children.

Read about Risa's lovely Friday in Rechovot. I sympathize with Ricki; I can't imagine having to sleep with that thing on my head.

Israel has no peace, not even a cease-fire with its neighbors. Subscribe to QassamCount.

The Elder of Ziyon takes on Ilan Grapel.

Leora's Shepherd's Pie is very different from the one my trekker son and I used to make. I guess I hadn't blogged about it, but we made one with chopped meat and potatoes and other veggies.

Pesky brings up a good point about the negative side of Jews only coming to Israel when dead, especially when there's no family here. What's the point?

More on the Bet Shemesh and RBS situation by Rafi, who actually lives there. I wrote about mixed seating on me-ander and what I think of those who are fixated with little girls on Shiloh Musings.

NO, this isn't a Havel Havelim. It's just a practice to get ready for next week. Please visit the blogs included and share this around, thanks.

Gender Separate Seating, Really?

2012-01-01T22:33:00.001+02:00

As I wrote on Shiloh Musings, and you must have read in other places, or Hillary Clinton's psak opinion, gender separate seating is big news here. There are some Jews who look to embellish Jewish Law and have declared it an awful sin for men and women to sit together in a bus. To prevent temptation, there has been a trend in recent years for some bus lines to have men in the front and women in the back. Married couples and other mixed sex travel companions are also "forbidden" to sit together. It is outrageous and not Jewish Law.

Today I stopped in a Kupat Cholim (sick fund clinic) located in a chareidi neighborhood on my way to catch my bus. I needed to pick up some vitamins from its pharmacy. There were a few seats. Almost all were occupied by men. When I walked in, I was the only woman waiting my turn. There were two empty seats next to each other, between the window and an elderly man, dressed in the standard chareidi way with a full beard, too. I took the seat by the window. I like sitting by the window. A few minutes later, a young chareidi mother with twin toddlers came in. She parked herself in the seat between me and the chareidi man.

NOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED NEXT?!

Almost everyone in the pharmacy was chareidi; I was an exception. Well, do you think the man got up? According to all the articles in the paper and internet, that's the Law. Men and women aren't supposed to sit next to each other. Nobody spoke. Obviously, we were all strangers, including the woman and man who were sitting next to each other.

So, what do you think happened? I'll tell you. Nothing. That's right. Nothing happened. We all politely waited our turns. The man had the number before mine. He told me, after I had gotten up, before it was my turn. I had gotten up, because the room was getting very crowded, and I didn't need to sit anymore.

And today when I caught the bus to Ofra from Jerusalem, it was almost full. The only empty seat I could find was next to a man. I sat there. Did you expect me to stand? He didn't have on a kippah, but he made a point of sitting as far away as he could.

Real life isn't like those headlines. Real life's much more boring and tolerant.

"Weird Names?" By Whose Definition?

2012-01-01T06:15:00.000+02:00

No doubt I'm not the only blogger who's going to blog this one!

NRP aka Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home)'s MK Zvulun Orlev has proposed a bill to restrict parents' rights to choose names for their children, to prevent "weird" names. Maybe "weird" isn't the right word, since I did check the A7 Hebrew article, too. What he wants to prevent is negative names, those that could "damage." them in some way, open them to mockery, for instance.

In Hebrew, unlike English, every combination of letters seems to mean something. Picking a name (or a word) because you like the sounds can be very risky in Hebrew. Also, we're a country of immigrants, and an ordinary acceptable "name" from one language may be an extremely negative or foul word in another.

For a short time I subbed in the Ofra Girls High School, Ulpanat Ofra. I taught a class of Ethiopean immigrants. Actually, some or most were probably born here in Israel, but they needed remedial help. Not a single one of the girls had a Hebrew name. I have enough problems remembering names and faces, but in that class it was impossible. For my ears their names were jumbles of sounds. We'd spend the longest time each lesson just trying to take attendence, as they tried to teach me how to pronounce their names. I complained to the person in charge of their program that keeping those names would hold back their full absorption in Israeli society. If they would apply for a job, the lack of a familiar/pronounceable name would put them on the bottom of the pile.

We gave our children names from the Bible, mostly pretty obscure ones. Their feelings about their names are rather mixed. The one child who got totally conventional names had her nickname added officially to her identity. I made that nickname up. She doesn't mind having a unique name. I love the names I gave my kids. There's a lot of special meaning to their names.

After our second daughter was born, someone told my husband that her name was weird and would make life tough for her. We didn't agree. Having that name gives her a special connection to the Bible and to a street in Jerusalem. I study Bible in Matan, and whenever one of the teachers (who actually knows her) mentions her name, she gives me a special smile.

There's one downside for me about my children's names. I can't be discreet about adding the names of the singles/still unmarried to any lists to pray for. Nobody else has these names, especially combined with the "middle-name" and mine as "mother of."

If this law becomes law, no doubt people will sue if stopped from registering their children's names. In Israel most children are named in religious ceremonies, and only later are the names registered. Boys get their names at their Brit Milah and girls are named in synagogue when the father, or some other relative/friend, is called to the Torah. In the end, even if the parents and authorities don't agree, the parents will use the name they wish, and the child will add or change her/his name when applying for an identity card.

"Look at That Old Lady," The Kid Was Referring to Me!

2011-12-31T18:27:00.000+02:00

Today, as I was taking a walk around the neighborhood, a rather ordinary Shabbat activity, I passed a neighbor who was with some visiting kids. And then I heard a little boy say:

"Look at That Old Lady."

He was referring to me! My friend cracked up. I smiled and said:

"That's how I get seats in the bus."

It's true. If I looked much younger I wouldn't have people offering me their seats. I like being offered seats. I really do appreciate it. I work pretty hard, stay busy. And sometimes I do need to sit down. Standing is hard.

It's a "dog's life." Isn't it?

That looks comfy...

We Won! *And Some More "Day in the Life of... Me"

2011-12-30T08:14:00.000+02:00

It's Friday morning, and I have a lot to do, (so I won't blog the post in my head about how crazy yesterday* was. At least that's what I had thought. Read on! That post refused to stay put. It's "writing itself!" It was a very long, full day with surprises, good and bad. One of the unpleasant surprises, learning that I had paid for the wrong thing on my RavKav got me very upset. I'm going to have to make a special trip to Jerusalem to attempt to have the money credited to "bus rides." And my Jerusalem kids were too busy to hang out with me before the game, IFL Jerusalem Big Blue Lions vs Sabres.

So I wandered around Center1 and the "mall" next to it for a while. (For those in the "need" with time, the WC there is free, unlike the bus station.) And for one of those G-D is GOOD, siyata d'Shmaya stories, I ended up meeting a friend who had been waiting hours for her daughter. When her daughter finally called telling her where to meet, she needed my help to carry her things there. G-d put me there just to help her, no doubt in my mind.

After I left my friend with her daughter, I took a very long, round about route to Kraft Stadium for the football game. It's a five minute walk, but I had over two hours to waste. And all this was after a full shift at work.

Instead of just going straight to Kraft, how long can one sit on those cement bleachers--the games take two and a half hours-- I walked down Jaffa Street, sitting down at one point to eat the dinner I had packed for myself the day before, turned on King George and then went in circles around Nachlaot, finally arriving at Kraft in time to see the completion of a different game which had been stopped seconds before it had ended. The Sabres beat the Rebels, so they had quite a warm-up before confronting the Jerusalem Big Blue Lions.

In between "games," I managed to get my husband to pose with the father of Big Blue's, top player Binyamin Schultz. At half-time I spoke to Binyamin's mother. This is no "little league," so there aren't all that many parents in the bleachers watching. I sat with another mother who gave me a ride right afterwards, so I could catch the 10:30 bus.

The atmosphere at the games is getting more carnival-like. The other team brought some "cheerleaders" who weren't dressed for Jerusalem and didn't have a chance when trying to out-shout us. The Lions had a lion!

IFL Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions won 56 vs 22!

It really was a good, well-played game. Refuah shleimah to the injured.

And now, back to my Friday chores...

Slow Progress, A Walker's Jerusalem

2011-12-29T06:27:00.000+02:00

Since I now study once a week in Matan, I've gotten to know the trendy German Colony, Emek Refaim neighborhood of Jerusalem. That part of Jerusalem, from Talpiyot, Bakaa, to Rechaviya, Sha'are Chesed and Talbiya, to town, Nachla'ot, and further are made for walking. There are all these paths connecting streets etc. When we made aliyah, in 1970, very few people had cars. Buses were frequent; stops were close to each other and people walked.

When the old trains stopped running, the tracks became a walking path.

They were rocky and weed-filled, a nice adventure or short-cut. Last year a section was "gussied up" and made into a park/bicycle path of sorts.

It has been taking a long time to fix up the next section, the one which may cut a minute off of my walk.

It's not that I mind the minute's walk, I just like the idea of getting to know more ways of getting to Matan. Rashbag Street is in between the tracks and the street I've been taking. It's nice to have some variety. Bli neder, I'll keep you posted on the progress.

The "Sorry It's Late" Tevet Kosher Cooking Carnival

2011-12-28T07:45:00.000+02:00

According to Israeli time, I'm already a day late to present this Chanukah, Rosh Chodesh Tevet edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival, but for some of you it's still evening of the "right day."

The Kosher Cooking Carnival is a monthly blog carnival I began quite a few years ago already after a recipe blog carnival rejected my post, because the edition's theme had been ham/pork. I don't think that carnival still exists, but we're doing fine, B"H. It's a real Chanukah story. The weak against the strong. The Jewish People are thriving with an independent country and those Ancient Greeks are just Ancient History. Next month's edition, Rosh Chodesh Shvat, January 25, will be hosted by This American Bite. You can submit your post about any aspect of Kosher Food and Kosher Cooking via blog carnival, and if you'd like to host an edition or have a question to ask, please just contact me. There is also a facebook page, which you can join if you "do" facebook.

Now for the show!

anything kosher!

Lisa Rose presents How to Stock a Healthy Kosher Pantry (and Kitchen) posted at Real Food Digest.

Emily Segal presents African Peanut Soup posted at Triumph Wellness, saying, "A luscious Peanutty Twist on standard Orange Soup! Soup is parve so good for Shabbat too."

Emily Segal presents Non-dairy Baked Nut Cheese posted at Triumph Wellness, saying, "Finally a sliceable "cheese" for the lactose-intolerant and for meaty-meals! This beauty is made with 4 simple ingredients, no soy, nothing artificial, all yum."

desserts

Yosefa Huber presents Israeli Treats: Crembo, Sufganiot, and lots of chocolate posted at Cooking Outside the Box, saying, "A look at three of Israel's seasonal goodies."

Ben-Yehudah presents Carnival Of Krembos #1 posted at Esser Agaroth.

diet food

Batya presents "Potted Vegetables," Always a Hit and Diet Friendly, Too posted at me-ander, saying, "and good for everyone, not just dieters"

Kris presents How Many Calories in an Apple? posted at Kris Health Blog, saying, "How many calories in an apple? Almost all the calories in apples come from carbohydrates, mainly the simple sugars glucose and fructose."

Every day meals

Jay3fer presents (Ancient) Egyptian Feast! posted at Adventures in Mama-Land, saying, "The quickest way to a homeschooler's heart is through his or her stomach... and it also happens to be the most delicious way to learn history!"

rutimizrachi presents Breakfast at Chez Mizrachi posted at Ki Yachol Nuchal!, saying, "Kale, kale, the gang's all here! (If you can't be punny once in a while, you're not grandparent material.)"

This American Bite presents Gluten Free Corn Bread posted at This American Bite.

Batya presents Frying Pan "Lentil Stew" posted at me-ander.

Yosef presents Smokey Chipotle 15 Bean Veggie Burgers posted at This American Bite, saying, "Even though the nine-days are far from upon us, this is a dish I am going to be sure to repeat over and over again! If you're looking for a filling, meat-free dish for dinner, these smokey chipotle 15-bean burgers are the solution."

Ilana-Davita presents My Latest Favorite | Ilana-Davita posted at Ilana-Davita.

Halacha

Batya presents Coffee Out KOSHER, Keep it Simple and Don't Get Comfortable posted at me-ander.

Jewish Shabbat and Holiday food

Batya presents Baking Challah, Really Easy, So Simple. Anyone Can Do It posted at me-ander.

Mirjam Weiss presents Chanuka, oh Hannukkah posted at Miriyummy.

danielle presents Gingerbread Dreidels posted at Baleboosteh - A Day In The Life.....

Leora Wenger presents Create Salad Dressing with Olive Oil - Chanukah in Highland Park posted at Here in HP, saying, "Happy Chanukah! Have an oily, delicious, healthful salad"

Tali Simon presents Vanilla-glazed cinnamon spice donuts posted at More Quiche, Please, saying, "These donuts are deliciously accented with fall spices, making them the perfect throwback to autumn before we head full-force into winter. Perfect for Chanukah...or any day you need a donut!"

danielle presents A Simple and Delicious Latke Recipe posted at Baleboosteh - A Day In The Life.....

Restaurant or Cookbook Reviews

Batya presents "Hayo, Haya," Those Were The Days posted at me-ander.

PS Yes, I'm included in third person, because I've used the BC instacarnival, just spicing it up with some pictures. It's that easy to host an edition of KCC, so don't be scared to volunteer. I'll coach you through it.
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
kosher cooking carnival-kcc using our carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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kosher cooking carnival-kcc, blog carnival.

Wintery Chanukah, 5772

2011-12-27T06:46:00.000+02:00

This year's Chanukah is definitely winter. It has been cold and rainy, along with some warmish/dry days. Today I'll be going down the hill to Tel Shiloh for Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers. I hope to blog about that tomorrow or some time in the future. I have so much planned for the next few days, and I must post the latest Kosher Cooking Carnival. OK, it'll probably be delayed a day. Please forgive me.

In the meantime...

The weather hasn't stopped tourists from coming to Shiloh. Look at United Tours rumbling down the street.

New housing in the horizon.

Winter sky, B"H, thank G-d for the rain!

10 Agaroth's Mesirat Nefesh Havel Havelim Plus

2011-12-26T07:09:00.001+02:00

It's one thing to commit, promise to produce an edition of Havel Havelim, or any other internet project when you have a computer plus internet in the comfort of your home, but Ya'aqov of Esser Agaroth doesn't have that luxury. To produce his latest Havel Havelim, he had to hire a friendly computer in the CBS Egged's Jerusalem Central Bus Station's Internet Cafe. This really was a true act of Mesirat Nefesh, self-sacrifice for the international jblog Jewish Blogging Community. Please thank him by visiting and commenting and sharing his hard work. And, even better, if you'll offer to host an edition of Havel Havelim.

Chanukah is the holiday of Mesirat Nefesh, isn't it?

It seems that many jbloggers have forgotten about Havel Havelim or don't know about it, so I'm going to take this opportunity to add a few posts from blogs on my sidebar. Please visit them, too. And please participate in HH by offering to host, sending your links, joining the facebook page, reading and publicizing it. Thanks

Read about Hashgacha Pratit in the blog across the street. Life in the married lane shops with kids and survives. Read her tactics. Bat Aliyah thanks Hashem. Ilana-Davita reviews Jewish Ethics and Social Justice. And finally, some of my thoughts about Chaunkah, the price of freedom and independence. And I hope you read Ya'aqov's Carnival of Krembos #1.

Not Doing My Share

2011-12-25T08:46:00.000+02:00

For illustration, neighbors'
mother, no relation to me.

Ever since my mother decided that she'd rather be near my sister in Arizona, the total burden of taking care of my parents is now my sister's. As some of you may remember, my father did live with us for almost a year, in our house. That was a very different experience.

There really isn't much I can do half-way around the world. Yes, it is about half-way, because there's a ten hour time difference.

When I discuss the situation with friends, I keep hearing that no matter how close everyone lives, the responsibilities, burden always fall unevenly between siblings. It's not fair of course, but that's what happens. And when there are thousands of miles in between and legal and cultural differences it's even more difficult to share.

Yes, life isn't fair.

Chanukah, Passed the Half-Way Mark

2011-12-24T19:13:00.000+02:00

The eight days of the Chanukah always seem to speed by after day three. The first couple of days start slowly, and then, suddenly we've lit five candles already. How could it be?

That means that tomorrow night's the sixth, leaving us only two more days after that.

We do have lots more planned. A couple of parties to keep us lively, another night at work and then the Begin Prize Ceremony. And after that I must figure out how to get my weight down.

I can dance to this Chanukah song by Avraham Rosenblum, formerly of the Diaspora Yeshiva Band.

It's new to youtube. When I watched, I wondered how Rosenblum still looked so young. Then I read his note about it. It's from a 1996 TV show as part of a multicultural holiday program he had appeared in.

Public Lighting, Chanukah, Sha'ar Binyamin, Israel

2011-12-23T08:42:00.000+02:00

Last night I worked night shift at Yafiz, Rami Levi, Sha'ar Binyamin. Considering that there's a synagogue in Rami Levi, discount supermarket, and they frequently announce that Mincha or Ma'ariv (Arvit), afternoon or night prayers, I was hoping/expecting a very nice public Chanukah Candle Lighting.

I generally light candles (actually tiny oil pots) myself at home. Many, many years ago I learned that women are also obligated to light the Chanukah "lights," so we've always had a wide variety and great number of Chanukiyot, Chanukah menorahs. My husband prefers candles, and I light olive oil.

By the entrance to the Rami Levi-Yafiz area of Sha'ar Binyamin, there's now a large Chanukiyah. Since I was stationed working in the outer part of Yafiz, I noticed a worker starting to light it. There was no announcement. Maybe they're afraid that the Jewish employees would desert their stations en masse. I whipped out my camera when running over and managed to film most of it.

Here's the Chanukiyah lit for night #3.

Many of my fellow workers were disappointed to have missed it. Later on I was called to see the Chabad lighting just outside of the security gate to Rami Levi.

Even though I saw/heard the lights lit twice, I still felt I had to light at home. If I hadn't been sleeping in my own home, I would have felt it sufficient to have heard the public lightings/brachot.

True Gift of Chanukah, Dry Bones is Right, Again

2011-12-22T06:51:00.000+02:00

We live fifteen minutes from the grandkids. It makes it easy to see them for short visits. That's nothing like what my children and parents and in-laws experienced. First night of Chanukah we had nothing to do, so we treated ourselves and visited.

I helped the grandkids make Sufganiyot. We all lit the chanukiyah (menora) together. B"H, that's what life should be.

Not The Dreidel Song, Celebrating Chanukah Singing

2011-12-21T04:43:00.000+02:00

Here are a couple of Chanukah songs for today. Not a dreidel in sight. Neither are new, but they're classics just the same. I can't imagine my grandkids ever knowing songs like these. Sing along just the same.

It's ironic that the Greeks may have been in control here thousands of years ago, but today those Ancient Greeks are gone from the world, but we're still around. And today we Jews rule!

Celebrating Chanukah By Visiting Some Blog Friends

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000+02:00

I really wish I could easily beam myself, or have everyone beam themselves to a Chanukah party here in Shiloh, to all the people I know both in real life and just through their blog persona. Tonight we light the first Chanukah Candle of the year. Most of you are probably busy with your friends and families; at least I hope so.

Last night at work at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binymain one of my fellow workers gave out some sufganiyot, those Israeli jelly doughnuts, the traditional Chanukah food here. Because everyone kept claiming they were surprisingly good, I tried a bite, and they weren't worth it. But one bite was all I needed. Actually, I had been hungry, and after that I wasn't.

So, let's start with food at Real Food Holidays Blog Carnival – Hanukkah 2011. And here's some food for thought from Tzvee's Talmudic Blog.

As usual Dry Bones pictures it just right. This golden oldie cartoon gives the message of Chanukah.

The Baleboosteh is back to blogging with a vengeance. There's a post everyday recently. Read about her Hanukkah preparations.

Leora's dreidels are perfect to illustrate this post. Don't you agree? I'm sure that many of my friends in Efrat did their gift shopping at the fair that Sharon blogged about.

Hadassa posted this video on making potato latkes. I must admit that I don't do it that way. I don't soak the potatoes, and I can't remember the last time I had them "hand-grated." Also to cut down on carbohydrates, use celeriac, the root of the strong celery.

Rafi's Life in Israel posted about the "Kotel" in New York. The Maccabees must be rolling in their graves.

Here are some menu ideas from Jennifer in MamaLand. Shirat Devorah wishes us all a Chanukah Sameach, as does Seraphic Secrets.

On a completely different note, Mother in Israel blogged about how all this modern technology has made shiva, mourning and comforting the mourner different.

Chag Urim Sameach

May You Have an Enlightened Chanukah

The Best Type of Shopping

2011-12-19T07:04:00.000+02:00

I call it shopping with "fake" money or buying things for "free."

Sounds good, doesn't it? How could anyone imagine anything better? Free shopping. That's better than collecting coupons form the newspapers or magazines.

During my high school teaching days I became a member of the "Irgun Morim," Teacher's Union, and we get a special "charge card" filled with a bit of money to be used only in certain stores (chains to be found all over the country.) Also, my husband gets a type of "gift certificate" for holidays and his birthday, also good in certain stores.

Especially now, with money rather "tight" I use them to buy gifts and other items. Of course, if I used them for food they'd be gone immediately.

Not all chains accept them and the list changes from year to year. Hamashbir, Israel's big department store accepts them, which is convenient, especially for wedding gifts. I'm sure I had bought things with them in Office Depot, so I went to the one in Malcha Mall yesterday. My friend helped me pick out all sorts of things I needed. We really spent a lot of time on it. At the cash register, I was surprised when they refused the Irgun Morim one, so I pulled out the second type. That, too, was refused. So I dumped everything and left. I'm sure it wasn't pleasant for the staff, but I had no choice.

My friend and I checked the hard to read list on the coupons and double-checked that Home Center was listed. We went right next door to Home Center and found some of the exact same products for less money. That's right, less. And then we found some other things I had needed. Within a very short time I bought almost everything on my list at very reasonable prices. All I couldn't find were colored pens. They let me pay with the Irgun Morim card and I managed to fit it all in my backpack. Then I found some simple colored pens in Graphos. They wouldn't take my "fake money," but considering that it would only cost me ns10, I paid cash.

I hope to remember not to bother even walking into Office Depot. That's right, even if they're on next year's lists.

Back From The "Dead"

2011-12-18T07:10:00.000+02:00

I'm so excited! I just discovered that one of my all-time favorite jbloggers has blogged again! I have been in touch with her on facebook, so I know what's new with the family and all. She and her husband had been extremely involved in the Jewish blog scene when we were all starting to establish ourselves as a special niche in the great world of blogging.

I'm referring to the one and only Baleboosteh. Here's her post (click) in which she tells us all what's new with the family and some thoughts about blogging.

Bagel Blogger's artwork

Hakarat HaTov, giving recognition for the good someone has done...
It was the Baleboosteh and her husband who took my "hint" about the need for a picture blog carnival to showcase the fantastic pictures some jbloggers had been submitting to Havel Havelim. They established JPIX. Now it's run by Leora. They were also very supportive of the Kosher Cooking Carnival.

Welcome back, Baleboosteh, we've missed you!

"Potted Vegetables," Always a Hit and Diet Friendly, Too

2011-12-17T21:15:00.001+02:00

I don't think I've ever blogged my simple, basic vegetable recipe that gets cooked on a stove top. It's really easy to make. The key to its success is a good pot, preferably stainless steel and heavy, and of course with a cover. It doesn't pay to get a light, cheap pot. The food won't cook as well.

I'm going to just write what I brought to neighbors we were invited to on Erev Shabbat, Friday Night. You can add many more vegetables. Quantities are also very flexible. This isn't a chemistry experiment. It's only food.

onion
garlic
carrots (smaller pieces than the squash/zuchini)
squash/zuchini
fresh pumpkin
oil
coarse pepper

Cut up the vegetables and put them in pot in the order listed; cover. There's a reason for this.

The onion and garlic should cook first to impart the special flavor to all the vegetables.
It takes longer for carrots to cook than squash, so they should be closer to the flames/heat.

Keep the flame/heat low. And don't add water. The vegetables have a large percentage of water, and if you cook them properly, that water will be released.

When the vegetables are starting to get soft, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a heavy towel. Leave for at least ten minutes, so the cooking will be completed. Stir and serve.

A Fun and Simple Chanukah Game for The Entire Family

2011-12-16T08:30:00.000+02:00

A number of years ago, I adapted a classic children's game of my youth, "pin the tail on the donkey" and made "pin the candle on the chanukiya."

We don't play it every year, but we've played it many times. It does help when you have just the right amount of people attending the Chanukah party, but since you have to make your own pinning poster, you can be creative and flexible or use teams.

To make things more fun, creative and participatory, I've had the kids decorate all of the "candles." That gives them something extra to do. There's always a time at these family (or community) get-togethers when you want to keep the kids busy.

Yes, it's time to plan your Chanukah events. We're making progress, B"H, on ours.

Matisyahu's Beard Shaving, Does The Beard Make The Jew?

2011-12-15T07:26:00.000+02:00

Before

After

Here's his first official message about his decision to shave off his beard:

NOTE FROM MATISYAHU

This morning I posted a photo of myself on Twitter.

No more Chassidic reggae superstar.

Sorry folks, all you get is me…no alias. When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process. It was my choice. My journey to discover my roots and explore Jewish spirituality—not through books but through real life. At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity…to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules—lots of them—or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission.

Get ready for an amazing year filled with music of rebirth. And for those concerned with my naked face, don’t worry…you haven’t seen the last of my facial hair.

- Matisyahu

In all honesty, one doesn't need the chassidic garb and look to be a true Torah observant Jew. I'm not one of those who considers chareidim and chassidim to be more authentic, religious and Torah observant than those of us who consider/label ourselves דתי dati religious, or Orthodox by Jewish American terminology.

Most of us are lucky; the main audience for our religious transformations and observances are just G-d and a few close friends and family. That can be problematic enough. But for a celebrity, who had davka been marketed as "Chassidic reggae superstar," there's absolutely no privacy. Matisyahu runs a very serious professional risk by changing his unique and successful image. Will his voice be enough to keep him a "superstar" without the added "gimmicks" of the full beard, flying payot and long coat?

Judaism recognizes the fact that we're never spiritually static. That's why we're supposed to be in constant teshuva, repentance and introspection.

It would be easy to be nasty, cynical and sarcastic about Matisyahu's new look, but I'd rather not be. Obviously he's a thinking person who has a lot to deal with. His dialogues with G-d are painfully public. May G-d give him and his family the strength and wisdom to cope.

Here's a video interview, post-shave. hat tip Frum Satire

Busy Family

2011-12-14T05:39:00.000+02:00

Gone are the days when all my kids lived at home and I could just decide what we were going to do and when. For the past few days, we've been trying to find one night, just one night during the eight day Chanukah holiday when we're all free and can celebrate together.

I want to see my kids (at least the Israeli ones) and all my grandkids together for a fun night.

Emails are flying fast and furious trying to figure out what to do and when.

Should we just pick any day even not Chanukah?

I My Not Be Ready For Chanukah Yet, But...

2011-12-13T06:21:00.000+02:00

Everyday there seems to be another Chanukah song/performance/video up on youtube to watch and share around. I must admit that some just seem "the same." I found the Macabeats boring, but I love the scenery in the Light Up the Night - Fountainheads Hanukkah, Ein Prat Academy, Israel.

The music may be boring, because almost all of those I've seen have an element of "electric music," which I absolutely hate. My nature is kinesthetic, former (once one always one to be exact) dancer, and my body just doesn't react well to the much too regular mechanical "beat." I don't feel the energy I feel when all of the instrumentals come from live people.

ps Am I the only one who is turned off by those sounds?

No More Free Ride!

2011-12-12T08:14:00.000+02:00

I've been blogging about the Jerusalem Trolley aka Light Rail for quite a while. My first attempt to pay was a comic disaster. But since then, very luckily, I learned how to flash my Rav-Kav card at the "paying machine," which is very lucky for me. Most of my subsequent trips included inspections.

The inspectors are usually very nice and explain how it all works to the puzzled passengers.

The next challenge will be learning new Jerusalem bus routes, most probably as of January 1, 2012.

Coffee Out KOSHER, Keep it Simple and Don't Get Comfortable

2011-12-11T06:22:00.000+02:00

As longtime readers and facebook friends know well, I love my coffee. For health "preservation" reasons, I generally restrict my coffee drinking to early morning before leaving home, but there are times when I do have to, or allow myself to, drink coffee out. Here in Israel finding a kosher place isn't a major problem, but since coffee is my antidote to jetlag when abroad, I have to think more than twice before ordering.

The OU posted a simple to follow guide to buying/drinking coffee when there isn't a kosher coffee place available. Simply put, just keep the coffee simple, not the fancy flavored ones, and don't sit down to drink. Take your disposable cup out with you.

The article is bilingual; there's a Hebrew version on the bottom.

Winter Green

2011-12-10T18:18:00.000+02:00

Growing up in New York, seasonal colors were very different from what I see here in Israel, the HolyLand. The summer was very green, decorated with flowers. Then in the fall, some leaves changed color and fell. Winter could be white and green and brown.

About twenty years ago I took a course to improve my Hebrew. We were forced to read Hebrew, poems, literature and newspaper articles. The teacher mocked the old Hebrew poems she gave us to read. She pointed out that they were based on European climate and had nothing to do with the realities in our part of the world.

I think the poem mentioned summer's green and blooming flowers. In the days that poem was written, Israelis didn't waste precious water on summer flowers and grass. It's winter when we see green covering the ground, after it rains a few times.

The grass/weeds are getting longer. Soon the bulbs will bloom. The rain is a blessing, even though it can be annoying at times...

Learning Something New, To Be a Video News Photographer

2011-12-09T08:34:00.000+02:00

I don't know if I'll really make a living from it, but our regional council announced that it was offering a "photography course," and I signed up. I had absolutely no idea what it was aiming to teach, but since it was a night I don't work, and I'm always taking pictures, and there was a neighbor who could drive me, I signed up. Oops, that's quite a convoluted sentence. Sorry

It ends up that there's a newish news agency Tatzpit that wants "raw material" from hashetach, the field, and they figured that people like me can contribute. It ends up that they want more video than stills, so we're getting a few hours of training.

I have learned some tips; so it's not a waste. There's still a session or two until the course is finished.

You're Not Going To Believe This One, Totally True and Happened to Me!

2011-12-08T07:41:00.000+02:00

The other night at work at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, a young woman came up to me:

"You look familiar."

I looked at her. She didn't look at all familiar, but recognizing people isn't one of my talents. And being my age, with a handful of kids and having worked at so many places, I've been in contact with more people than even the most brilliant could ever remember.

"Are you ---'s mother?"
"Yes, where did you know her from?"

--- is forty years old, so she, too, has lived "many lives," gone to various schools etc. She is of the first graduating class of the Beit El elementary school, so I guessed that could be their common history.

"We went to gan (nursery school) together."

Well, that daughter only went to gan in Israel one year, when she was three years old. The following year we went on shlichut to London and worked to promote the Betar Zionist Youth Organization. Do the math. Yes, that means that she saw the young, mid-twenties me, in today's senior discount me! That's something! Even if she had some visual memories of how I looked after we came back to Bayit v'Gan, Jerusalem from London, you must remember that we're in Shiloh for thirty years already.

How can anyone connect those two images? I'm fatter, and I've aged!

Getting Ready for Chanukah With Aish's "Jewish Rock of Ages"

2011-12-07T05:05:00.000+02:00

The lead singer is Chanan Elias whose performance reminds me of his unforgettable "Rocking the Boat" (Guys and Dolls) I saw close to ten years ago in Jerusalem. He was as good as or better than Stubby Kaye in the movie.

Here's another Chanuka special.

I guess it's time to make plans for Chanuka and figure out what to buy the kiddies...

Who Says Tech Stuff is Only For The Young? I Figured Out Two New Contraptions in One Week!!

2011-12-06T15:03:00.000+02:00

Since the kids no longer live with us, I'm the resident techie in the house, but I generally avoid trying something new.

Decades ago, I used to have a rule before using any new appliance, whether blender, stove etc to always thoroughly read all instructions, warnings and more. I wouldn't turn anything on until I could pass a test. In recent years, I've stopped doing it. I rarely even glance at the instruction sheets. There are three basic reasons.

One is that I no longer understand what's written in those booklets or multi-lingual, when lucky, sheets of paper.
Two is that many high-tech things have "menus" that pop up displaying what to do, or the buttons on the machines are pretty simple, simpler than the written instructions.
Three is that machines are so complicated there's no way to memorize what to do. It's best to just "guess" and get used to it. I think it's called being an "intuitive" user, using intuition, rather than actual knowledge.

I've had a collection of appliances to "plug in" and get to know. They've been sitting around collecting dust. We haven't watched a DVD for ages, ever since ours died, so we bought one in the duty free at the airport late June on our way to NY. There's also a new modem and a second-hand printer/fax/scanner. A couple of weeks ago, my husband was given one of those "media-listening devices" by someone after he led them on a tour. I claimed it as mine, since he had one which he got as a present for his 60th.

As I wrote, they were all gathering dust, that is until I began trying to figure out the Q3. I couldn't use the instructions, because they were in Korean only and couldn't find any on the internet, but I was determined. Yes, I succeeded! I can now listen to my Matan shiurim, all the free ones.

And encouraged by that success, I plugged in the DVD and must admit that it took just a few minutes.

There's more here waiting for me, but I have to go now.

Hah! Watch out kiddies! I'm not dead yet!!!

Landtsmen and Great Music

2011-12-06T07:31:00.001+02:00

There's a "game" called "Jewish Geography," in which strangers, neighbors etc. discover that they have some place in common. A couple of weeks ago, I discovered by chance (of course) that a young man who owns or runs a business that supplies to Yafiz grew up near my childhood home, Bayside, NY, though a full generation later. It has created a bond between us. Davka, also because of that neighborhood, I am also a landtsman with someone who married our son-in-law's cousin. Yes, the new landtsman knows him, too.

At the NGO Monitor's book-launching this week at the Begin Center, we were treated to some great music, because Prof. Alan Dershowitz and Bernie Marinbach are landtsmen.

Listen:

Being a Good Law-Abiding Citizen, Paying for The Jerusalem Light-Rail

2011-12-05T07:37:00.001+02:00

Last week I rode the Jerusalem Light-Rail for the last time for free. Announcements were flashed that the free ride was ending, and from December 1, 2011, we'd have to pay. Newspaper articles told that there would be assistants/guides to help us learn how to "insert" our "Rav-Kav" cards and fine those who hadn't paid the fare.

So, last night, when I got out of my ride at French Hill, Givat HaMivtar, I was all prepared to pay. With my trusty money-filled card I boarded the train.

Yes, you guessed it. It didn't fit in the slot. I tried all sorts of methods and angles and nothing worked, nothing at all. Was I going to be fined/ticketed?

Of course, this being Israel, I quickly got help.

Could it be that he hadn't paid? My unofficial helper didn't know what to do either.

Finally, at the next stop, I saw people entering and paying.

You just have to flash your card's symbol at the machine's symbol and it "clicks" as paid.

After I sat down across from a young woman, I mentioned how complicated the paying is until you're shown what to do.

"Pay? You don't have to pay. Isn't the train free?"

Call me a fri'yer, sucker, but I did pay. I wonder how many other train passengers still don't have their "Rav-Kav" cards and won't get them until they're caught... by the phantom staff that's supposed to be assisting and policing.

A Bit of Blog Visiting, Shavua Tov, Have a Great Week!

2011-12-04T07:34:00.001+02:00

No, this isn't Havel Havelim, it's just my stroll through the jblogger lane...
Please be sure to visit all the blogs and send my regards...

photo by Mason Resnick

The one and only Cosmic X blogged from Jerusalem about the ~~antisemitic~~ attacks in HP, NJ. Leora reported straight from Highland Park about it. *more in comments

ECI via Carl, don't believe Obama. His pretty speeches about helping Israel are just empty words. The truth is the opposite.

A bit of poetic justice, I'd say. Elder of Ziyon writes that Carlos Latuff is now being threatened by the Muslims.

I hope you're working up an appetite; here's what Jennifer in MamaLand planned on serving this Shabbat.

And if you like winter parties, contact Lady-Light, since she has lots of birthdays coming up.

There are other ways of keeping busy; ask the Bima Ima who not only is a mother of four, but she...

When I think "busy," I always think of my dear friend Sharon Katz who actually found some time to see me last week and give me a very impressive fantastic present, which is already hanging on my wall! Sharon blogs and also edits/produces Voices Magazine.

Not long ago, Yaakov, creator of Dry Bones, mentioned that he was going to China. Read about his new project.

Chaviva is of my youngest kids' generation, but her question about "ten years ago" or "when you were a senior in high school" is a question we can all answer, sort of. I answered it on facebook:

I became a Zionist, and here I am. I also worked hard to become more religious, ditto. And (don't forget that I'm very old) there was the 6 Days War and I decided that it was important to live in the live in the liberated Jewish Lands, and I'm in Shiloh.

Not to blow my own horn, but since not all of you read my other blog, Shiloh Musings, I'd like to link my latest article about Tel Shiloh. Many of us don't get turned on by praying at tombs and graves. Shiloh is a Holy Place and has been for thousands of years. It predates Jerusalem. The Mishkan was here for almost four hundred years; that was before The Holy Temple was built.

Not too many people can keep up with Rafi, the runner and blogger. Could one of his secrets for this energy be Shabbat?

Shavua Tov!

Have a Wonderful Week!!

Taking A Walk, Lots of Pictures

2011-12-03T20:19:00.000+02:00

I don't get to walk enough recently. I do have some mornings at home, but I'm usually too tired or too busy or both. The other day it just felt like the right day to walk, the right thing to do. But I didn't just feel like walking around the neighborhood. That gets boring. I do it a lot. I wanted to walk across the street, keep going and walk to Shvut Rachel. It's actually very close. There's a road connecting us, but it's not paved. There's a cute little caravan neighborhood with mostly small and young families there.

So, I called a friend who said she could walk with me, and we walked to Shvut Rachel and back. Here are a few pictures.

Yes, the benches are a nice touch, but I doubt if there's much to watch in the basketball court.

Some of the gardens are very impressive, especially considering that caravans are considered temporary housing. It certainly looks much nicer than my garden, and I'm not being modest.

This little street seems very well cared-for.

G-d willing with time and more rain, it will be full of wild flowers.

Always expect the "unexpected."
When we got back, we noticed that there was some gafitti in the "sports complex."

Frying Pan "Lentil Stew"

2011-12-02T07:27:00.000+02:00

Here's one of my cooking "inventions." I made a pretty quick "lentil stew" of sorts in a frying pan, a covered frying pan*. I used those light brown lentils which cook the quickest.

brown lentils
onion
carrot
cabbage and/or squash/cauliflower etc
water
vegetable oil, whichever you use
spices/salt/pepper according to taste, including a slice or two of fresh ginger

The first thing I did was check through the lentils, to make sure there weren't any "foreign objects." Then I put them in the frying pan and added boiling water, covered, cooked until they began to get soft. Then I added the vegetables, more boiling water and oil, as you see in the above picture. I covered and cooked it all until the carrots and lentils were soft. You may want to add the cabbage only later on in the cooking so it won't get over-cooked.

It really was delicious, filling and an economical and easy to make meal!

You can be very flexible and creative with the vegetables. I add onions and carrots to absolutely everything, but you don't have to if you don't like them or are forbidden to eat them. You can also use cooked/left-over vegetables, but it you do, just add them once the lentils are just about finished. Personally, I don't like over-cooked vegetables.

ps Serve with salad

*A covered frying pan is one of my absolute necessities when setting up a kitchen. You can use them for everything!

"Hayo, Haya," Those Were The Days

2011-12-01T06:25:00.000+02:00

היו היה "Hayo, Haya," Those Were The Days is the name of a bistro, a nice dairy restautrant in the back of the Clal Building, Agrippas Street, Jerusalem. I had a late (for me) night snack there a few weeks ago with a couple of my kids. It's adjacent to the shuq, the Machane Yehuda open market and a short walk from the center of town.

I had already had dinner at home, so I just ordered some אדום adome "red*" vegetable soup, and my kids shared a techina salad and a large foccacia, which is like a tomato-less pizza.

We were all very happy with our orders. The food was delicious.

*It's called an "orange" soup in most restaurants and cookbooks.

Overcoming Fears

2011-11-30T04:58:00.000+02:00

I'm not sure if it has been forever, but for as long as I can remember I've had fears of heights. It has gotten worse in recent decades; that's for sure. When I was a teenager, I could jump off of a diving-board, meaning that I could fearlessly walk along a plank of wood. But by my thirties or a bit later, I had developed terror of such a thing. Even as a young child I found walking down a rocky, woody path had me screaming from fear, but I don't remember any fears of the amusement parks of fifty, or sixty years ago. Yes, I'm that old!

So, I'm really awfully proud of myself for climbing the high ladder at work to put clothes on high shelves. That's part of the job working in a large store like Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin. But this week I really surprised myself when I climbed to the very top of the highest ladder to change the scarves on the dummies/mannequins. I kept encouraging myself.

It's important to conquer fears. Of course that doesn't mean that you should talk yourself into doing something risky or dangerous. I rationally knew that the ladder was steady and that the platform on top could hold me. It was kind of tricky to get one scarf off and the other on each of the dummies while perched up there, but I succeeded safely, Baruch Hashem, Thank G-d!

And, yes, I was very pleased with the results of my work.

Baking Challah, Really Easy, So Simple. Anyone Can Do It

2011-11-29T07:37:00.000+02:00

fermenting yeast dough before
adding more flour

The first time I ever baked challah, I was a young mother and had never before in my life seen how it's done. I had no idea how the fermenting dough was supposed to look, nor did I know how yeast dough was supposed to feel. In those days, about forty years ago, the only yeast I could buy was the fresh yeast. Unfortunately, I discovered that I was allergic to handling it. I suffered swelling around my fingernails, but I found a solution. I worked in light, white cotton gloves. Nowadays I only use dehydrated yeast. It keeps for years if kept in a dry place, like the pantry in a clean, dry glass jar. I've never had an allergic reaction to it. Another advantage of the dehydrated yeast is that you can be spontaneous about baking challah or any other yeast recipe.

If I had a large freezer, I'd be able to keep home-made challah in it, which had been baked whenever I have time to do it. I just don't have enough time before Shabbat most weeks. I always heat the challah on top of a tray baked vegetables, so even long-time frozen or the store-bought challah taste fresh from the oven.

Following is my basic challah recipe. You can adjust* size, amounts, sweetness etc. The exact amount of flour depends on the size of the eggs and type of flour used. I bake with whole-wheat and brown sugar. You can use white or a combination. I do find that baked products made of whole-wheat flour taste best with brown sugar.

a kilo (just over 2lbs) of flour, more or less, whole wheat and brown sugar
start with about a 1/2 cup sugar and 3T dehydrated yeast
mix in large bowl
add about 1/4 kilo flour then a pinch of coarse salt
mix
add 1 1/2 cups warm water 6oz soy oil and 3 eggs
mix well and cover
let sit until fermenting
Then gradually add/mix the rest of the flour
until the batter no longer sticks to your hands
then knead for 10 minutes
cover and let rise until double
challah dough after being punched down
punch down and rise again
(take "challah")
shaped, painted and divided

after 2nd rising, bake

then shape, paint with raw egg, let rise, then bake
start with hotter than cake temperature, and when it starts to "brown" lower until less than cake temperature
until bottom "hardens" and if you tap the bottom it sounds "dry"

freshly baked and out of the oven

*If you "google" or check challah recipes in a cookbook, you'll discover that they're all different. That should give you the confidence to "play" with the recipe and know that almost nothing is "wrong." I knead by hand, and I don't have strong hands, but the challah still comes out nice and soft.

Just Like Soup or Stew, Some Work Days are Better Than Others

2011-11-28T08:25:00.000+02:00

One of the best things about my job is Yafiz is that each shift has a different mix of workers. It's a lot like the way I cook. I never make anything exactly the same twice. Each shift I work is slightly different. When you add that the weather, day, season etc. are always different, then you can see that it really is very much like the way I cook.

I don't work exactly the same shifts every week. Very few people do. Some have been hired only to work night shifts, but they sometimes get a night off. I was hired to be flexible, and I am. My boss is flexible about which shifts she assigns, also. All of these factors give a great dynamic to work. It's never the same and never boring.

Last night was one of those great stews. We all got along together working hard and sharing the loads. Thank G-d!

Kislev KCC to Warm You Up, Or Cool You Down

2011-11-27T06:59:00.001+02:00

Yes, although I've always been in the Northern Hemisphere, I know that some of you readers live south of the equator. Kislev is the month in which we feel whatever strong/extreme season has begun. Here in Israel, we've already had winter (only) rains and have turned on our heaters. There's enough variety in this Kislev, the Kosher Cooking Carnival comes out monthly, according to the Jewish Calendar, Kosher Cooking Carnival to suit the needs of all, no matter where you are.

KCC is a round-up of blog posts about kosher food, kosher cooking, kosher cookbook and restaurant reviews, Halachik Jewish Law posts about kosher food etc. You can submit your articles/posts via blog carnival. It's also possible to host one of the monthly editions; contact me for details. Please be sure to visit the various links and share them around. The success of KCC is up to you. Thanks for participating.

Abeach Cottage presents Beach Cottage Too Easy Banana Bread Recipe posted at A Beach Cottage. *Yes, I noticed her mention of Christmas, but the recipe is kosher and a good way to use up soft bananas.

Ilana-Davita presents Root Parsley Recipes posted at Ilana-Davita.

anything kosher!

Chaviva presents Fall Food: Sweet and Savory posted at Just call me Chaviva, saying, "A sweet and savory fall soup!"

Sarah presents [sweet or savory?] pesto pizza posted at sarah's view, saying, "Easy, TASTY and healthy pizza recipe with a meat or dairy variation!"

Jay3fer presents It’s the Great… posted at Adventures in Mama-Land, saying, "I don't know where pumpkins got their "goyish" reputation (okay, maybe the scary faces carved on them around here in October!), but there is nothing more frugal or wholesome to have tucked away in the freezer all winter long..."

Yosef presents Solving the Leftover Turkey Dilema: Dairy-Free Turkey & Leek Pie, inspired by Jamie Oliver posted at This American Bite.

Leora Wenger presents Mock Chopped Liver with Lentils, Walnuts, Onions, Cumin, Coriander posted at Here in HP, saying, "Once again I find a spread that works well on challah."

Yosef presents Turkey Mushroom Soup posted at This American Bite.

desserts

Mrs. S. presents Freshly Baked Friday: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bars Edition posted at Our Shiputzim: A Work In Progress, saying, "Thanks for all your hard work, and Shabbat Shalom!"

Batya (yes, me,) presents Coffee Chocolate Chip Cake, Rated "Better Than The One We Bought You" posted at me-ander. That was said by teenage boys, so that's proof that the cake was great!

diet food

Yosef presents Two Bean Soup with Kale (Thank You to Ann) posted at This American Bite.

economical use of left-overs

Emily Segal presents Salad in Winter: Jumbo Croutons Balsamic Vinaigrette posted at Triumph Wellness. *Here, too, I've decided to include the soup, which is kosher, although the blog has a different agenda.

Halacha

Mordechai Torczyner presents Still think you can trust the fish counter? posted at The Rebbetzin's Husband.

Jay3fer presents Cranky Complaints-Lady Cooks Kosher-Style posted at Adventures in Mama-Land, saying, "where halacha and Canadian law intersect..."

Jewish Shabbat and Holiday food

Tali Simon presents Upside-Down Vegetable Tower posted at More Quiche, Please, saying, "Thanks for considering me for inclusion in the next Kosher Cooking Carnival. This dish is great for Shabbos but could be used during the week, as well."

Lady-Light presents Yummy Recipe for Sukkot from the Leaders of Ohr Chadash posted at Tikkun Olam, saying, "This recipe sounds delicious, but we were unable to make it where we live in GALUT, because you just can't get raw kosher turkey pieces here! All my kids in Israel who ate it (3 outa 5) said it was great, though!"

Jay3fer presents On Baking Challah posted at Adventures in BreadLand, saying, "Why do YOU bake challah? A little more philosophical than my usual for the bread blog..."

Restaurant or Cookbook Reviews

Ilana-Davita presents Kosher Revolution ? a Book Review posted at Ilana-Davita.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of kosher cooking carnival-kcc using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. FYI, even though receipts haven't been arriving from BC to those who submit posts, the "instacarnival" includes them all from what I can see. Yes, I've "cheated" and just edited the "instacarnival." You can do the same to make hosting easy. So, I'm repeating:

It's also possible to host one of the monthly editions; contact me for details.

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kosher cooking carnival-kcc, blog carnival.

Joking About "Reconstructive Surgery"

2011-11-26T19:01:00.000+02:00

This post may not be "ladies only," but males may feel rather "uncomfortable" reading it.

Breast cancer is getting more and more common. Thank G-d, I'm not in the club, but when statistics claim that one out of eight women 1/8 will be diagnosed with breast cancer at least once in her life-time, I have to consider that possibility. So, of course, considering the numbers, I do have many friends who have had it. Most are still alive, even those who have had two mastectomies years apart.

It's easy for me to say that I'd prefer a radical mastectomy over chemo and radiation and that I wouldn't risk undergoing further surgery for reconstruction, because I've never had to make the choice.

Some of my friends complain bitterly over the unbearable discomfort of the special prosthesis ("You have no right to call them 'falsies.'") bras and go without. Yes, they prefer being flat to the pain, discomfort and summer heat. One finally said that she just can't take it, wants to look "like a woman" and is going to have reconstructive surgery.

She tried explaining to me what the surgeon was going to do. We ended up laughing hysterically, especially after she said that they'd be inserting some sort of magnet. I asked about all those metal-detecting security checks we go through. I have bracelets that set the alarms screaming. What is she going to answer/explain?

"They're my boobs and you can't have them?"

I frequently offer to show the guards my dental work, but breast implants are something else; not that anyone has ever agreed to check my teeth.

Experts say that laughing is good for your health, so if you have any other jokes or funny stories, please send them. Thanks

Unwinding, I Wish

2011-11-25T06:55:00.000+02:00

The downside of working nightshift at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, is that no matter how tired I am by the end of the shift, I can't fall asleep. I keep trying all sorts of things to unwind when I get home. Nothing works. Even when my mind is blank, like last night, I can't fall asleep for the longest time.

At work, like performing in the theater, I enter a special energy zone, and it's hard to remove it. Selling, like teaching, is a performance art.

For me, nightshift ends up being about eight hours. Because we don't have frequent or hourly bus service I get to work an hour earlier than needed. I do a drop of shopping in Rami Levi discount supermarket and then I sign in to work. After Yafiz closes at 9:30 we straighten up for about a half hour. And then I must find a ride home. Last night, a girl from Ofra who works in Rami Levi found us a ride. It ended up going to Shvut Rachel and the driver took me into Shiloh, all the way up the hill. The walk home was barely three minutes. Then I washed dishes, put some groceries away, other chores, ate a drop of pea soup, checked emails and still couldn't fall asleep after getting into bed. Eventually, I did, but it took well over half an hour, and it was very late.

This unwinding problem must be physical. I wish I knew some "pressure points" to press to relax me. I only drink coffee early in the morning, so it's not from caffeine.

Thanksgiving? Don't We Thank G-d Every Day?

2011-11-24T08:42:00.000+02:00

I try to remind myself that every breath is a miracle. Every morning when we wake up, we're supposed to thank G-d that He returned our soul. Accidents happen, even fatal tragic ones, for "no logical reason." I really do try to remember that G-d controls these "little things."

The United States has a holiday, Thanksgiving, when it's traditional to gather with family and friends for a large meal, to thank G-d for the survival of the pilgrims, colonizers, invaders.

As I remember learning, the early pilgrims were grateful to have survived the bitter conditions in the "new world" and established the holiday. There's a myth that they feasted with local indians. I don't know what's taught today in American schools, since there's more sensitivity to the fact that the European pilgrims, settlers were racist colonizers. Don't choke on the turkey bones, but that's the truth.

Here in Shiloh, I feel totally at home, having returned to my, as a Jew, historic homeland. Honestly, I find it rather offensive to celebrate that immoral/racist American holiday in the Jewish Holy Land.

Sorry, this isn't the post I had planned on writing. The keys on the keyboard just kept pulling my fingers, and this is what came out.

Caption This! Our "Youngest"

2011-11-23T20:44:00.000+02:00

I'm curious as to what you'll come up with this time! Please add your "caption" to the comments. share if you can

Last Night's Local Shiloh Elections

2011-11-23T05:14:00.000+02:00

I live in Shiloh, a small Israeli town, in the same location as the Biblical Shiloh where the Mishkan, Tablenacle stood as the central place for Jewish prayer 369 years, Chana prayed and the Kohanim and later Samuel the Prophet ruled and guided the Jewish People according to G-d's words and instructions.

Today's modern Shiloh is ruled by Israeli Law and local democracy. And for some reason, my neighbors keep nominating me for the local election board. We organize the voting for our local council. Every year half the council members are replaced with new ones; it's a two year term. For over twenty-five years, there has hardly been more than one election without me.

I agree to serve, because I love the oppoortunity to meet my neighbors. It's a great social event for me.

My husband and I have lived in Shiloh for thirty years. We've been part of the growth. Today, many of the young families are second generation. Children of the alumni of our local attend it today, and last night we had two generations voting in many cases. As a frequent trempistit, hitchhiker, I relished the chance to thank some neighbors whom I had never met outside of their cars.

I hope you enjoy the pictures from the elections. All were taken by me except for the one I'm in which was taken by my husband.

"If You Want, You Can Pay 75 Shekels For The Hanger"

2011-11-22T06:06:00.001+02:00

Yes, I know, you're not supposed to give the "punchline" before the joke, but this is a real story.

I generally keep my cool no matter how stupid or rude or chuzpadik or outrageous our Yafiz customers, real or faux--including Arab or Jew, get. I don't even get nasty to those, obviously missing some basic familiarity with stores, who ask if the meaning of the "2-8" sign means two shirts or sweat-suits for the price of NS8. But last night I just couldn't control myself.

There were two men, potential customers of course, who came up to me with a jacket that sported a NS120 price tag. One of them pointed to a small sticker on the hanger:

"So, this jacket it seventy-five shekels?"
"No, the tag on the jacket says one-hundred-twenty shekels."
"But this sticker says only seventy-five shekels."
"The important one is the one on the jacket, but if you want to pay seventy-five shekels for the hanger, you can."

Women Can Now Pray in The Egged Jerusalem Synagogue!

2011-11-21T06:49:00.000+02:00

When the new Jerusalem Central Bus Station aka CBS opened a few years ago, it touted the fact that there's a synagogue. For many men, this was great news, since that way they could doven pray with a minyan proper quorum of ten or just pray in a place designated for prayers, where they won't be bothered or jostled. As a woman who also prays (ok two out of the three daily prayers) I was disappointed, because there wasn't an Ezrat Nashim women's section. I'd still have to find some wall or corner or just wait until I got into the bus to pray.

Especially since the lightrail, (trolley) began rolling, I have only very rarely made it to the bus station. I usually walk to the Shmuel Hanavi stop at the beginning of Sderot Eshkol or take the train too Ammunition Hill to catch my bus, either to home or work. Last week, I got to the CBS with enough time to use the WC (which is right next to the synagogue) and noticed this sign:

There's now an עזרת נשים Ezrat Nashim, Ladies Section in the synagogue. I was pressed for time, so I didn't investigate/photograph any further. G-d willing, in the future I will...

Crembos or Krembos, Just Havel, Havel Havelim

2011-11-20T23:12:00.000+02:00

Yaaqov is sure plugging crembos, ok, krembos this winter. Even his Havel Havelim is named after them. Yes, when the weekly jblog carnival needs someone to ~~save~~ host it, we have Yaaqov to the rescue. Thanks Yaaqov!

Nu, have you checked out the latest Havel Havelim? Visit and share, the blog carnival and all the posts. And send yours in if you're a blogger.

Yaaqov mentions a serious problem. Blog Carnival, the free service that sends blog post (article) links to the hosts, has been giving trouble for the past week and a half. Simply put, the links aren't getting to the hosts. It's a bit tricky. It seems to work when you send in a link, but you don't get a receipt and the host doesn't get the link. I don't know if the instacarnival is accessible.

I'll find out soon enough, since I'm due to host the next Kosher Cooking Carnival next week. G-d willing, by then things will be back to normal, but what if it isn't? And even if it is, there's no guarantee that it won't snafu again. Since I know Yaaqov's address, email that is, I just mailed him a few links for HH. So, I suggest that for the Kosher Cooking Carnival, send via Blog Carnival and to be safe send here, too, with KCC as subject.

Coffee Chocolate Chip Cake, Rated "Better Than The One We Bought You"

2011-11-20T08:02:00.000+02:00

Last Wednesday afternoon-evening, I ended up with "nothing much to do," so I baked cake and challah* and put them straight into the freezer. We had been expecting guests for Shabbat, three teenage boys including my husband's nephew, so I wanted to treat them to the best we could offer.

I based my cake recipe on my classic, super simple, very easy to make one-bowl "plain" cake.

Here's the basic recipe. Multiply as much as you need. It freezes well.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 t baking powder
1/6 cup oil (I use soy)
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1 t vanilla

mix dry ingredients
add oil and water
mix
add eggs
mix
pour in pan
bake medium heat, every oven is different, until pops up when center of cake is gently pressed
If it seems done on top and loose inside, then lower the heat a bit.

You can ice, sugar or serve plain.

Cake baking is easy! This time I used the leftover coffee from the percolator as liquid, and I added about a cup of chocolate chips to the recipe tripled, x3. The flour was 100% whole-wheat and I used dark brown sugar. It did not "taste healthy." The cake was absolutely delicious. You can't fool teenage boys. They had brought a store-bought cake as a "house gift" and preferred mine, whole-wheat flour and all. After Shabbat I froze the store-bought one and will donate it to a shul kiddush.

*Bli neder, I'll blog about the challah baking later.

Torah Art on Fingernails?

2011-11-19T19:15:00.000+02:00

It's no secret that I favor rather "unconventional" or "surprising" nail polish colors, like aquamarine and apple green.

A very special friend sent me a link about someone who does a lot more with her nails, Midrash Manicures.

Maybe it's my age. I need reading glasses for such details. My "visual talents" aren't what they used to be. It seems like a lot of effort and expense for something that will last such a short period of time. I have enough trouble keeping "in the lines" when applying my simple one color nail polish. I also have trouble keeping my nails "nice" until I have time to redo them. Yes, I "do" my own manicures. I also cut my own hair, but that's another story...

Before Shabbat, Visiting Some Blogs and Dealing With The Unexpected

2011-11-18T07:38:00.001+02:00

~~Sometimes~~ Most of the time we must "go with the flow." We make our plans, and then... things change. When I was a teenager, actually it was the year of that first big New York blackout, I studied Modern Dance Choreography with Laura Forman. My mother had gotten Laura's permission to enroll my much younger sister in the same class, even though we're six years apart. One very important lesson for life I learned from Laura was that if you fall while performing, get up gracefully making it look like it was planned as part of the dance. There's never any guarantee that things will go as planned, so you must make the best of it.

Yesterday was once of those days. Actually, things had been going well. I cooked for Shabbat, got the rooms ready for guests, went to the cemetery for the 20th yartzeit of my friend Rachella Druk and got to Jerusalem on schedule for the opening game of the Jerusalem Lions American Football in Israel season. Since it was scheduled as the second game of the night and I had plenty of time, I was keeping warm in Center 1. Then I got a call that for various reasons, the game was cancelled/postponed. Now, I don't go to these games because I'm a football fan. I go to watch my youngest play and see my other Jerusalem kids. So, instead of the game, I met them for a snack and then took the bus home. It was nice seeing them in a warm restaurant rather than sitting on those cold, icy cold and sometimes wet bleachers in Kraft Stadium. What we don't do for our kids....

Now, for the visits!

The Rebbetzin's Husband asks about the concept of worship, especially Jewish compared to Christian. They worship their G-d while we respect/fear ours.

Rickismom also spells crembo with a "c." See what she says about them.

Jennifer posted about the ALYN bike ride. My elder son spent too weeks there over twenty years ago...

If I ever make it to LA, I'd like Sarah to take me to these gorgeous places.

Hadassa's kids are among the minority of their generation with a parent who cares and enforces proper grammar.

"Hadassa, I hate to break it to you, but things will only get worse, once these kids are the teachers and don't know proper English."

Sadly, I must say that Dry Bones is right, again. Not sad that he's right, but his message is depressing.

Lady-Light is disappointed in US Presidential candidate Cain for many reasons. His disdain for reading and degree in Math show he's probably dyslexic, uneven school talents. The world's salvation won't come from politicians or businessmen.

Have a wonderful Shabbat and please visit the blogs I've posted here and send them my regards...

"Reflecting" on Jerusalem's Lightrail System, Fear of the Future Changes

2011-11-17T07:17:00.000+02:00

For many of us who travel in Jerusalem, residents, commuters, visitors etc., we've pretty much gotten used to riding in the Jerusalem trolley. It's pretty easy, because it's free. Yes, there are a few difficulties, like finding a seat at times, holding on when standing--because the poles are dangerously high and there aren't any straps to grab.

Since it's still free, a ride on the train is now part of the tour.

All those red caps are from a group of tourists.

There is great mystery concerning the upcoming bus route changes. Pundits remind us that the Olmert promise to the company running the trolley was that no bus route would compete with the trains. Simply put, that means that all the routes from Pisgat Ze'ev and Beit Chanina-Shuafat* to the Old City and Jerusalem Municipality, center of town, Machane Yehuda Market, Egged Bus Station (CBS,) and up Herzl Boulevard to Shaare Zedek Hospital and Mount Herzl must be cancelled.

A close friend of mine who lives in a senior-independent living home in Bayit V'Gan, near Mt. Herzl and Shaare Zedek, is very worried. Now she can take one bus from just outside her door, which takes her downtown or all the way to Emek Refaim and even Talpiyot. If she has to switch from bus to train to bus, she just won't be able to get out. It's too much. She's not the only one who would find such route cancellations life-changing in a very bad way.

Another even more serious problem is that there just won't be enough room on the trains for all the passengers. At present, even as the train is free and buses-still full of passengers- cost money, the trains are packed. There's no room for the bus passengers to join. Also, it would add much too much time to the trip to get on and off buses and trains and back again.

I wonder how many of the planners are dependent on public transportation. Before they make changes, they and their families should spend a month only traveling on buses and the lightrail. And the job should be restricted to those who live, work and/or shop in Jerusalem.

*Would this really effect the Arab bus lines, or are they exempt?

Another Israeli Classic, By Popular Demand

2011-11-16T05:18:00.000+02:00

There was a time when you didn't have much choice in Israeli shoes, and that includes sandals. Every company made a version of this very sandal, the Sandal Tanachi, Biblical Sandal. One strap across the ankle and another just over the toes to keep them on your feet wherever you went. They were 100% leather, plus metal buckle. All shoes were leather. Even when we made aliyah in 1970, besides fabric na'alei Yom Kippur, Yom Kippur shoes or bedroom slippers, you couldn't find anything else.

Keds sneakers, and the cheaper versions, were on many "bring me lists." My daughters had sturdy tie shoes in the winter and sandals in the summer, just like everyone else. Kids hiked, played and partied in their seasonal footwear. Baby's first walkers were white. After that children's shoes came in three colors, red, blue and brown.

One summer we went to the states and put the girls, then six and eight, in a local day camp of the Great Neck School District. The first day there they were sent back with instructions to get sneakers. It was against regulations to play sports in sandals!

Today, Israeli shoes, of all sizes, are a big export business. You can buy Nayot all over the world. One of my favorite, most comfortable pairs is... a modern version of that Sandal Tanachi.

Krembos or Crembos, The Taste of "Old Israel"

2011-11-15T06:50:00.000+02:00

Yaaqov has called us to a "Krembo Challenge." He, of the scientific transliteration, spells them with a "K," but I've always pictured them spelled with a "C." Just look at that "crembo," it looks like a "c word." It's not lanky and graceful enough to even be associated with the leggy "K."

Crembos were the traditional winter ice cream treat here in Israel. They satisfied the need for something sweet and soft to serve for dessert. In the early days here in Israel, you couldn't find ice cream during the winter months. It was a "seasonal sweet."

For an almost tropical country, Israel was rather late to get proper electric refrigerators. Ice for iceboxes were still being delivered into the 1960's when many Israelis got their own first modern electric refrigerators. Refrigerated trucks were only introduced thirty-plus years ago. I really get a kick out of the Israeli "cottage cheese" demonstrations this summer, claiming that cottage cheese is an Israeli staple, not a luxury. When we made aliyah in 1970, it was a luxury, and it spoiled in a couple of days. The standard soft cheese was a white cheese that tasted spoiled, even when fresh, so it suited the primitive refrigeration of the time here. Israeli dairy products used to be very natural without all of the chemicals which keep them "fresh" for well over a week. When you had a small refrigerator at best, you shopped daily, so it didn't matter that the food only kept a couple of days.

Back to crembos...
I can't remember the last time I ate a crembo. It was probably decades ago. We were never great crembo fans. They didn't tempt me after that first taste. They're overly sweet, unless the flavors have been adjusted. My kids, at least the eldest, absolutely hated them and never asked for them. I also didn't have to make winter birthday parties, until my youngest was born, and by then there were other treat options.

When we came back from our two years shlichut youth work in England, our eldest was in the First Grade. One day she came back home from school miserable and coated with a sticky mess. There had been a party, and crembos were served. She couldn't get herself to eat it and (paper napkins were rare luxury items) couldn't neatly dispose of the nauseating mess.

I don't know if this is the type of post Yaaqov was hoping for, but not everyone likes crembos.

Winter, Is It You?

2011-11-14T07:35:00.000+02:00

Walking around here in Shiloh, I've noticed a few signs that it must be winter already. That's besides the colder weather. I still haven't wheeled the portable radiator into the livingroom. We've been relying on our south and east-facing windows and insulated double walls for "passive solar heating." I dread the thought of the increased electricity bills that we'll get after turning on the heaters.

Many yards have that green "baby fuzz" of ~~grass~~ weeds growing. Here and there I've seen a few crocus blooming, the light purple winter flowers that begin showing after the first rains.

G-d willing, we'll have a blessed year with the right amount of rain. There has been a drought in Israel for many years.

So please remember that a nice day is a rainy day and a bad day is dry and sunny.

HH #337 Kissing the Mezuzah

2011-11-13T20:56:00.001+02:00

To Kiss a Mezuzah is doing another of her great jobs as Havel Havelim host, or can I say "hostess." I strongly suggest that you pay her a visit, read the posts and share the riches.

Havel Havelim is one of the most veteran blog carnivals there is. Try your hand at hosting or at least send in links. And visit and share the carnivals and posts.

HH isn't the only Jewish Blog Carnival. There are two others, the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX. Click their names for details on how to submit posts and host a carnival.

Remembering Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, So Different From Matisyahu

2011-11-13T07:24:00.000+02:00

Thanks to Life in Israel for the Matisyahu video.

Last night some young neighbors declared an "open house" singalong memorial for the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

I got a real kick out of wondering how Reb Shlomo would have reacted to a separate seating event in his memory. I wonder if the youngsters there had ever met him or been to any of his concerts or events. Reb Shlomo certainly didn't relegate females to another part of the room. His hugs and kisses went to all he could reach without gender discrimination.

I first heard Shlomo Carlebach in the mid-1960's in the Great Neck Synagogue; he came a couple of times. After the formal performance, a few dozen of us were invited to someone's house for more songs and stories. I don't remember any details, just the general feeling. I was hooked. Singing along with this rabbi is one of my favorite memories from that time. It is a pleasant postscript to the singing and dancing I did during NCSY events. OK, I'd sing and dance along to almost anything; that's me.

Carlebach became even bigger after moving to Israel about the same time we (1970) did. This picture is of Reb Shlomo and Ruby Harris, who was part of the legendary Diaspora Yeshiva Band.

Last night I wasn't the only old-timer at the "Carlebach Kumzitz." My friend and I exchanged stories. She mentioned his classic "The Blind Chazan," and wouldn't you know it, but when I got back home, someone had posted it on facebook. Reb Shlomo, thanks, you must have arranged that!

I remember reading an interview with him in which he said that he was glad that he had an ordinary voice, because it made people feel comfortable singing along. In contrast, today there's Matisyahu who is the total opposite of Reb Shloimo Carlebach. Matisyahu is an inaccessible "rock star" with a beard and payot.

Reb Shloimi's body was his weakness. Now that he's dead and his body is no more, his pure soul, his sweet melodies, are heard throughout the world. May we continue to enjoy them.

Olive Picking Season

2011-11-12T19:06:00.000+02:00

Olives alternate good and bad years. This is a good year for our olive tree. I can't take credit. It was planted by the yishuv, Shiloh, before we chose to build here. There were three trees. One didn't survive the building, being that it was where the front stoop is now. The most impressive and valuable is the olive tree.

Every once in a while people ask if they can pick olives. My husband and I have been saying yes. Sometimes we ask them to give us a sample of whatever they make with our olives. The person pictured here picking was a guest of one of our neighbors. I don't even know who he is.

G-d gave these olives to be used for food.

The Joys of Looking and Being Older

2011-11-11T07:23:00.002+02:00

Yesterday on my way to work, I experienced one of those joys of looking and being older. In my mind, I planned a blog post about it. But by this morning, I had totally forgotten and was wracking my mind for ideas of what to blog about.

Then I checked out a new blog-friend, Miriam, and read how she celebrated her 65th Birthday. There aren't too many bloggers older than I am!

I'm old enough to travel half-price on Israeli buses. Here in Israel, those "senior citizen" tickets are called vattik, "veteran tickets." Actually, that's a nicer euphemism than the American term, at least in my opinion.

This post isn't about the financial aspect of traveling, since our bus fares in Judea and Samaria are subsidized for security reasons. Everyone pays half-price to get people on the bullet-proof buses, which was begun when Ehud Barak was Prime Minister and Arab terrorism was deadly frequent. Shooting vehicles was their method of choice. Traveling was dangerous and stressful.

But the point of my story isn't terrorism either.

Yesterday when I got on the bus it was packed, standing room only. I was just glad that the driver was letting us on. Sometimes they don't, because it's against regulations for them to drive with standing passengers. Within a minute or two a young soldier caught my eye to indicate that he was giving me his seat! If I had been a decade or so younger, the chances were that I would have stood the entire trip to work. I certainly didn't mind looking old when it gave me a seat in the bus! And as I walked back to that seat, a young mother offered to hold her two kids in her lap so I could join her.

And not to leave you thinking that I really look decrepit, at work a couple of friendly young Arab women guessed my age at a decade younger. I thank G-d for my good genes!

"This Would Make A Great Picture"

2011-11-10T06:51:00.000+02:00

"This Would Make A Great Picture"
"So, here's my camera and shoot!"

The other day, when I was busy at work, a friend came by and said:

"This Would Make A Great Picture"

She was pretty surprised when I actually handed her my camera. I had to show her how to use it, but as you can see, she took a good picture. I was busy unpacking new sweaters.

Yes, I was even sitting down, ok, on a crate, the type used for deliveries from Rami Levi. By sitting, not only did I rest my legs, I was the exact right height to efficiently do what I needed to do. Bending isn't good, especially repetitive bending.

Many, many years ago, a friend, who's an Occupational Therapist, and I developed a program, workshop, presentation about how to work/live without overstressing the back. Many injuries can be prevented by doing what I did, sitting at the right height for working. That's how I manage at my age to do such difficult physical work. Sadly, we only gave that workshop once. Marketing myself isn't my strong point.

I'm a natural teacher and can still teach people the principles and give a great workshop. Is anyone interested?

Internet Search, Never Too Young

2011-11-09T20:25:00.000+02:00

After their New York aunt brought them these great "dancing accessories," the girls were taken on an internet search to see more ways to use them.

Let's Visit a Few Blog Friends

2011-11-09T05:25:00.000+02:00

I'm really tired and afraid that I may start kvetching, so as not to bore you, let's visit a few and varied blog friends. I have been trying to find some new blogs to visit and am very disappointed to see how few bloggers show blogrolls nowadays, even when they have two sidebars.

I'll start with Heshy who usually "teases us" about the less serious side of frum life, but today he has made a good point. A Beit Din that withholds conversion certification is no different from a husband withholding a Gett. I agree.

You're Not Crazy is smart to be working on her Hebrew.

Raising a teen can be difficult enough, but when the teen is a strong-willed girl with Downs Syndrome... read how rickismom is trying to help her daughter keep to a diet.

Mystical Paths is no usually associated with motorcycles, but they're the theme of this interesting post.

Dry Bones was inspired by Zorba the Greek!

Jameel wonders how pc we must be. Is it immoral to "boycott" those who support Arab terrorists?

Mother in Israel brings up a good point about flexible maternity leave here in Israel, but more research would have made it a better post.

Sarah designed my blog banners and is also a great photographer.

I haven't blogged about the geography problem the US State Department has about Jerusalem being in Israel or some stateless status. Eric did.

Please visit and send my regards, thanks.

B"H, Thank G-d, Great People!

2011-11-08T07:07:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, I kvetched a bit about my trip home late Sunday night. I got home so totally exhausted, wiped out that I was still tired when I got to work at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin in the afternoon.

Work really stimulates me. It's performing for a usually enthusiastic audience. They like my spiel better than the students did the last couple of years I had been teaching.

But when the curtain goes down, my energy goes with it. I must take a picture of how the store looks when closing. There actually is a very heavy "curtain" closing part of the store. By the time I signed out, my energy was long gone. The Rami Levi workers at the exit were very concerned about how I'd get home. Monday may have a few more customers than Sunday, but nobody could find anyone from my area to give me a ride. That's right. The Rami Levi people made it their job to ask the Jewish customers where they were going. I couldn't move from the seat they insisted I rest in. So, finally, I agreed that, like the night before, I must take a ride to the bus stop at Ma'avar Michmas, the road to Psagot, Kochav Ya'akov/Tel Zion. It was all arranged for me. The supermarket was no longer allowing customers in, so there was no chance of a better ride. I was psyching myself up to have to stand there again until the bus came. I knew there was a better chance for a tremp, because a neighbor had told me that there was a parents meeting at the girls high school in Kochav Ya'akov. But I'd still have to wait, standing in the cold outside.

Just as I was about to get into the car, another pulled up. The driver got out and was told that the supermarket had already closed and wasn't accepting customers. As he went to check, I asked where he lived, "Ofra." So, I asked if I could ride back with him, whenever. "Yes," was the answer, so I told the other people that I didn't need the ride.

In a minute he was back. We talked on the way and it ended up that he knows my daughter, and my grandson is a friend of his son. A minute after getting off at Ofra, I got a ride to the Shiloh Junction. The driver took me in to the security gate, and two minutes after that neighbors from my neighborhood stopped and gave me a ride. They had, davka, been at that high school parents meeting.

G-d is good! That's for sure.

Mixed Day, Very Good and Very ... "Rantable*"

2011-11-07T12:28:00.000+02:00

Rant is the modern or WASPy word for vetch. And even though I had a totally gevaldik day at work in some ways, the return home was difficult. OK, at least I wasn't drenched in rain. And Baruch Hashem, thank The Good Lord, I made it home.

I don't have time to write the full story, so let's start with the good.

One of the great things about working in Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, is that I get to see lots of people. Some are of my past and all sorts of various parts of my past. Last night, two young mothers, neighbors, former students of mine from the temporary 13 year job as gym teacher. One of them is a good friend of my daughter who had been visiting Israel and had just a couple of hours before boarding her airplane. I knew that my daughter had tried to reach her, so I called my daughter and gave the woman the phone. That was good.

Later, while they were still in the store, another neighbor called who needed a very urgent favor. Again, I passed the phone to the same woman who was able to help her out. I considered the evening/night as going very well.

Well... the end was OK. I did make it home, but it was a long, exhausting trip. It ended with being forced to walk that last kilometer up hill, all the way home. But, yes, I shouldn't complain. Thank G-d I'm safe and healthy. And thank G-d for giving me the physical stamina at my age to do all that I do.

OK, *rantable may not be the best word, but I do feel like kvetching. I hope you don't mind.

A "Velveteeny" Havel Havelim

2011-11-07T08:24:00.000+02:00

The Velveteen Rabbi is this week's Havel Havelim Hostess with the mostest. She included lots of posts, so you're bound to find some very interesting reading.

Visit, enjoy and share!

JPIX at Leora's

2011-11-06T12:02:00.000+02:00

Leora has posted the latest JPIX blog carnival.
It's a beauty, so visit and share. Details about participating and hosting from Leora.

Talking about Jewish Blog Pictures, I suggest you look at my latest "caption this" which has a sort of riddle about Jewish versus "other" values. I finally solved the riddle in the comments. Check it out if you're curious.

More Than "Caption This"

2011-11-06T06:08:00.000+02:00

In comments, I'd like more than a simple "caption" for this picture. I think is symbolizes something very important about Judaism.

Clowning Around and A לך לך Lech Lecha Lesson

2011-11-05T19:14:00.001+02:00

Clowning is big in Israel. Medical Clowning is a recognized profession. One of the special enrichment courses my granddaughter is learning in her Gifted Students Program is "Clowning."

The other night at work, before the downpour, some non-customers bounced into Yafiz.

Earlier in the week, I had spied this guy in the Mamilla Mall.

As I've said many times, living here in Israel is nothing like one would imagine from all that the media shows.

This week's Torah Portion of the Week is לך לך Lech Lecha Go, For Your Own Sake! From my earliest Jewish studies, I've been attracted to this week's reading. It's so clear that we're supposed to be living here in the Land G-d showed Abraham. The Torah tells us that the early days were difficult for Abraham, his wife Sarah and their followers. When we first came to Israel, in 1970, Israel seemed difficult and "backwards" compared to New York. In the past forty-one years, the Israeli standard of living has jumped enormously. Israel is not the same country it was then, for good and for bad. But Israel is our country on OUR LAND! It's the only place I'd ever want to be, no joke.

"Emergency" at Work!

2011-11-04T06:34:00.000+02:00

Suddenly I heard a fellow worker call:

"Don't you hear the rain?"

In all honesty, I didn't. The music and announcments coming out of the loudspeaker from Rami Levi sort of deafen me, and I was concentrating on the customers and guarding against shoplifters. Within seconds our strong male staff members were going into "bring it all in" mode, like before closing but more complicated.

It was Thursday night, the busiest night of the week. Customers who had just checked out stayed under the roof near where I was working. They were waiting for a break in the rain to go to their cars or bus stop.

Children who had just bought umbrellas were overjoyed to be able to open and stand under them.

As you can see in the pictures, both Jews and Arabs waited together in a good mood. We all know how important the rain is.

Some Pre-Shabbat "Visits"

2011-11-03T07:27:00.000+02:00

With winter hours, we have such a short pre-Shabbat Friday for preparation and Shabbat afternoon is almost over before it starts. So before I start my Thursday morning Shabbat cooking, I'd like to visit some friendly blogs and hope you visit them, too.

The blog across the street has been wearing a cast since just after Rosh Hashannah. Her attitude and reaction to her injury has been great.

הכל לטובה Hakol litovah. It's all for the best.

That's what's written on the cast. Read the story, please.

Another blogger making the best of an unpleasant situation, getting a good laugh is the one and only Chaviva.

And bad for shidduchim also sees the best, realizing that she's a real person.

Adventures in Mama-Land wonders whether or not to answer every call. Homeschooling is serious business, but she doesn't have a secretary.

The Rebbetzin's Husband asks how to improve ~~our~~ the yeshiva day school system. What concerns him is the Jewish learning content. I have a very simple answer. Make sure every student is totally fluent in comprehending and communicating (reading, writing and orally) in Hebrew. It's the only way. Ban all the translations. Have all of the preschool programs in Hebrew, at least half the day. And then the Jewish Studies curriculum must be in Hebrew.

Is speaking Hebrew the secret behind Israel's "swat team" victory? Jameel tells us all about it.

Rafi posted a pic of a poster banning the public wearing of "robes," which are a cross between bathrobes and old-fashioned house-dresses. To me they don't belong in public. The comments are interesting. Women of other life-styles wear denim, which can handle dirt well, but the "robe women" follow a ban on denim. I used to live in aprons and fabrics that showed dirt easily. Only in recent ~~years~~ decades can I treat myself to white and other more delicate clothes.

A Soldier's Mother salutes life in Israel, for good and for bad.

The Bima Ima gives us an update on her four adorable kids.

Isramom is also an "Isragran" and blogs too infrequently for my taste. Here's her latest about true life here.

And more on true life, there's lots more awareness and facilities for the handicapped here in Israel. A recent visitor was so happy that the stairs on the path from our house to synagogue have railings, and there are also ramps to make it easier and safer.

That's it for today. Please visit all of the links and tell them that I sent you, of course.

Training for Bored Congregants

2011-11-02T17:27:00.001+02:00

I got this from the one and only DovBear.

Is this the latest in Jewish outreach?

Enjoy!