Seudah Shlishit… Glidah

Note: In keeping with a longstanding Our Shiputzim tradition, the waning hours of a [very long!] fast day are dedicated to blogging about food.

During the summer months here in TRLEOOB*, seudah shlishit tends to involve homemade ice cream. (Please consider this post to be an invitation to drop by one Shabbat!)

Initially, our repertoire was limited to chocolate, vanilla, and coffee flavors, but over the years, we’ve added a few more – including:

More Homemade (Philadelphia Style) Ice Cream

Philadelphia style ice cream (as opposed to custard style ice cream) has no eggs. Like our original recipes, the next four were adapted from a combination of several different sources.

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

• 1½ cups whipping cream (i.e. shamenet metukah, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you)
• 3/5 cup whole milk (we use 3% milk)
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 TBSP cocoa
• 135 grams milk chocolate – coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

White Chocolate Ice Cream

• 1½ cups whipping cream (i.e. shamenet metukah, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you)
• 3/5 cup whole milk (we use 3% milk)
• ½ cup sugar
• 135 grams white chocolate – coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

• 1½ cups whipping cream (i.e. shamenet metukah, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you)
• ¾ cup milk (we use 3% milk)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup chocolate sandwich cookies – crushed

Mint Chip Ice Cream

• 1½ cups whipping cream (i.e. shamenet metukah, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you)
• ¾ cup milk (we use 3% milk)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup thin chocolate-covered mints – chopped

Directions

Mix all the ingredients - except the cookies and the mints, when relevant - in a small pot over medium heat until the mixture is smooth and just beginning to form tiny bubbles. Remove from heat and refrigerate for a few hours or even overnight.

Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For the cookies-and-cream and the mint chip, add the cookies/mints when the ice cream is about 75% churned, and continue churning.

Freeze overnight before serving.

.צום קל ומועיל

Have an easy and meaningful fast.

______________

*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

Counteracting the Meraglim VI

Over the years, in the days leading up to Tisha B’Av, it’s become somewhat of an Our Shiputzim tradition* to discuss a different “antidote to the meraglim (the Spies)” – i.e. yet another wonderful aspect of life in our beautiful Land.

This year, this post practically wrote itself.

Because as our Sages famously taught, the Second Beit HaMikdash was destroyed due to sinat chinam (generally translated as “gratuitous hatred”), and thus, the ultimate antidote to the meraglim is the unprecedented sense of unity that has gripped every sector of Israeli society over the past 7.5 weeks.

We are united in our belief that Tzuk Eitan is a just, necessary, and unavoidable war, and in our knowledge that the IDF is the most moral, ethical, and humane army in the entire world.

We are united in our prayers and support for the brave soldiers and officers of the IDF, who not only risk and sacrifice their own lives to save ours, but who are also – both literally and figuratively - our sons, our daughters, our husbands, our brothers, our sisters, our neighbors, and our dear friends.

We are united in our concern for our beleaguered brothers and sisters in the South, who have spent the last 14 years (!!) living under enemy fire.

We are united in our bewilderment and anger toward those – including many of our self-professed "best friends EVER” – who consistently condemn us for imaginary atrocities while turning a blind eye toward our savage enemies, who cruelly target our civilians while deliberately endangering their own (i.e. a double war crime).

We are united in our outpouring of love for our wounded; in our grief and sorrow over the loss of so many of our best and brightest; and in our condolences to the bereaved families.

And most of all - as I wrote in my previous post - we are united in our awe and gratitude to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and His countless dedicated emissaries for all the goodness that He has bestowed and continues to bestow upon us.

That long list of emissaries includes the three special families: the Yifrachs, the Sha’ars, and the Fraenkels. Their nobility and strength inspired us, and their holy sons HY”D saved us – both physically and spiritually.

In fact, they can be compared to modern-day Esthers and Mordechais. They took a nation that was “מפוזר ומפורד” (“scattered and dispersed” - Esther 3:8) and brought everyone together on the path to salvation. (Esther commands Mordechai, “לך כנוס את כל היהודים” – “Go, assemble all the Jews.” - Esther 4:16)

For instance, a chareidi acquaintance told us that in his [exclusively chareidi] community, people couldn’t stop talking about the three families and their extraordinary emunah (faith). “My neighbors used to think that they had a lock on emunah,” he observed. “But now they all say that they’ve never seen anything even approaching emunah like this!”

Interestingly, the prime minister’s wife used the same word in reference to the wounded IDF soldiers and their families. The TV cameras caught Mrs. Netanyahu in the middle of a long day of visiting different hospitals, and she said that she was amazed at the soldiers’ emunah and their desire to return to their units to finish their missions.

Consider also the following:

• MK and Minister Silvan Shalom reported that when a siren interrupted a trade fair held at Tel Aviv’s port to boost southern Israel’s small businesses, thousands of Israelis spontaneously began singing, “Am Yisrael Chai!” (“The nation of Israel lives!”)
• On one of the first few days of the ground incursion, a reporter interviewed a mother visiting her wounded son. “I am not religious at all,” she insisted. “But now it’s the period of Bein HaMetzarim [i.e. the Three Weeks], and that means that it’s time for Am Yisrael to come together and to focus on that which unites us.”
• Channel 2 recently ran a segment on women whose husbands are serving in the reserves. When asked how she copes (she hasn’t seen her husband in weeks), a very secular-looking mother of several young children replied that her belief in God gets her through the day. “I speak to Him all the time,” she explained. “I speak to Him like a daughter speaks to her Father.”

An Israeli neighbor stopped by the other day. After comparing notes about our respective soldier sons, we started talking about the incredible achdut (unity) that we have been experiencing.

“It means that the Geulah (the Redemption) is finally on the way,” she declared. “It’s so close we can almost taste it!”

And so, I turn to you, our beloved family and friends in the Diaspora.

Please join us here in Israel, and come experience this achdut for yourself. Am Yisrael needs you here in Eretz Yisrael, and you need to become part of העם היושב בציון (the Nation that dwells in Tzion).

May we indeed be soon privileged to experience the Geulah, and may our eyes behold Hashem’s return to Tzion with mercy, speedily and in our days. Amen.

יה”ר שיבנה בית המקדש במהרה בימינו, אמן.

Have an easy and meaningful fast.

_________________

* Previous “antidote to the meraglim” posts include:

1. The annual Yemei Iyun B’Tanach in Gush Etzion

2. Shabbat in an Israeli maternity ward

3. A front row seat on our nation’s history

4. A country that revolves around the Jewish calendar

5. Rubbing shoulders with the country's movers and shakers

Beep, beep

It seems that I owe you an apology.

I mean, here you are, waiting on tenterhooks for nearly a week to find out what time we finished putting up our succah on Motzai Yom Kippur, and yet I STILL haven’t said a word on the subject.

The thing is that I’ve been embarrassed.

After all, most years – thanks to the combined efforts of the amazing Shiputzim kids as well as various and sundry honorary members of the family, who graciously stick around after Yom Kippur and lend a hand – the work is done by 9:00 PM.

This year, however, our succah wasn’t up until… well, until 10:00 PM. {hangs head in shame}

But the truth is that it’s not our fault.

No, in this case, the blame goes to the country’s legislative and executive powers-that-be.

You see, not content with making both of last week’s fasts that much more difficult, these illustrious politicians also felt the need to mess with the annual “Who Can Get Their Succah Up First” competition.

Apparently, they hoped that by waiting to change the clocks until October, they would somehow burnish their cosmopolitan, citizens-of-the-world reputations.

One can easily picture the scene.

Channeling their inner Wile E. Coyote, they gleefully rub their collective hands and then gingerly open a large crate labeled:

“Acme Kit for Enacting Insufficiently-Thought-Out Laws.
Guaranteed to have unintended consequences, or your money back!”

Because not ones to let past experience get in the way of future expectations, they’re certain that THIS time they’ve finally figured out a way to nab the Road Runner and “prove” that we’re just like any other country on the planet.

“Now the world will finally love us!” they exult as they give each other high-fives. “After all, we’re going to put our clocks back on the very. same. day. AS GREECE…”

!שבת שלום ומועדים לשמחה

May you and your families have a wonderful and joyous Succot!

P.S. Have you seen our succah on wheels? If you missed it, here are some exterior and interior views.

A modest proposal

Shanah tovah!

By a show of hands, who is in favor of the following proposal:

Every one of our illustrious politicians who voted to extend daylight savings time into October – and thereby added a very unwelcome extra hour to today’s fast – should be forced to fast for an additional TWO hours this evening…

And in the meantime, in keeping with a long-standing Our Shiputzim tradition, here’s the requisite fast day food post:

As I’ve noted several times, the dessert situation tends to improve dramatically here in TRLEOOB (=the real life equivalent of our blog) during the summer months, when the talented Shiputzim bakers have some extra time on their hands.

This past summer, one of the aforementioned bakers whipped up these yummy treats:

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 TBSP honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cups oats
• 1¼ cups rice krispies
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1½ cups chocolate chips

Directions

Combine the oil and the sugars. Mix in honey, vanilla, and the egg. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add oats, rice krispies, almonds, and chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into a baking-paper-lined 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the bars are lightly browned.

Cut into bars and let cool in pan.

!צום קל ומועיל

Counteracting the Meraglim V

As we head into Tisha B’Av, here’s yet another “antidote to the meraglim (the Spies)” post – i.e. a discussion of that which makes life in our beautiful Land so incredibly special.

Previous antidote to the meraglim posts include:

1. The annual Yemei Iyun B’Tanach in Gush Etzion
2. Shabbat in an Israeli maternity ward
3. A front row seat on our nation’s history
4. A country that revolves around the Jewish calendar

Our Sages taught that the Second Beit HaMikdash was destroyed due to sinat chinam (generally translated as “gratuitous hatred”).

Thus, what better way to counteract this terrible tendency (which, sadly, continues to rear its ugly head) than by showing how tightly intertwined we all are here in Israel.

After all, Israel is such a tiny country that not only is it nearly impossible to go anywhere without bumping into at least one acquaintance, but as every well-played round of Jewish geography (a favorite national pastime) inevitably reveals, Israelis of every stripe are - at most – separated by a couple of degrees of separation.

But what’s most amazing to me – even after all these years – is how closely connected the average, run-of-the-mill Israeli (as if such a person actually exists…) is to the country’s biggest names in politics, the IDF, academia, business, law, medicine, the rabbinate, high tech, journalism, entertainment, and any other field you could possibly imagine.

I mean, between the Shiputzim family and our immediate relatives, we’re personally acquainted with at least half a dozen past and present MKs and governmental ministers.

In addition, we’re on a first name basis with any number of noted judges, CEOs of major corporations, presidents of prestigious institutions of higher learning, top military brass, famous writers, internationally-renowned doctors, important rabbis, leading scientists, etc.

The world may think of them as the country’s movers and shakers, but as far as most Israelis are concerned, they are “regular” people, who live in our communities, daven in our shuls, send their kids to the same schools as our kids, serve in the same army units as our husbands and sons, shop in the same stores as we do, and wait in the same lines at the kupat cholim (medical clinic).

The list goes on and on, but here are two quick examples:

1) Not long after the CTO started basic training, we discovered that one of the senior commanders of his entire branch of the military lives just around the corner from us, and his children go to school with some of the Shiputzim kids.

2) A few years ago, both a Shiputzim daughter and a friend got sick while at the machaneh. Fortunately, another girl from their snif (chapter) arrived that day, and her father, who brought her to the machaneh, kindly offered to drive the two sick girls home. Which wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy, of course, except that the father in question happens to be the highly-respected rosh yeshiva of one of the country’s top hesder yeshivot…

May we be privileged to remember and strengthen the ties that bind us, and may our eyes behold Hashem’s return to Tzion with mercy, speedily and in our days. Amen.

יה”ר שיבנה בית המקדש במהרה בימינו, אמן.

Have an easy and meaningful fast.

Requisite Fast Day Food Post: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars Edition

Note: In keeping with a longstanding Our Shiputzim tradition, the waning hours of a [very long!] fast day are dedicated to blogging about food.

It’s that age-old dilemma: Which homemade treats should you send back with your son the IDF soldier, when he returns to his base on Sunday morning?

At the recommendation of several Our Shiputzim readers, chocolate swirl blondies have become our default choice. (In fact, OS even had a batch with him during the weeklong Operation Pillar of Defense.)

Not only are they very easy to make, but they’re always a huge hit with OS’s fellow soldiers.

For instance, during basic training, one soldier took a bite and then - waxing lyrical – announced to the rest of the unit, “He who never tasted these cookies has never tasted delicious cookies in his life!”

But as parents of Israeli soldiers are all too aware, the vagaries of military life are such that providing one’s son with freshly-baked treats isn’t always an option.

Often, a soldier home on leave will receive a last-minute phone call from his commanding officer – to the effect that due to unforeseen circumstances, the soldier must report back to base within a few hours and won’t be home for Shabbat after all.

Last week, this exact scenario played out here in TRLEOOB*.

Fortunately, however, a quick look in the freezer revealed that one of the wonderful Shiputzim daughters had recently tried her hand at a different type of bar.

Unsurprisingly, they also proved to be extremely popular with OS and his friends:

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup canola oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 TBSP hot water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups oats (i.e. kvaker, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you)
• 1 package chocolate chips

Directions

Combine oil and sugars. Beat in eggs, water, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and oats, and mix well. Add chocolate chips, and mix through.

Place batter in a baking-paper-lined 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Let cool in pan before cutting into bars.

!צום קל ומועיל

________________

*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

An incredible Kiddush Hashem

Warning: The following post may exceed the recommended daily allowance for maternal boasting. Proceed at your own risk.

Due to various and sundry real life endeavors, I wasn’t able to write the traditional fast day food post on Sunday. Hopefully, however, THIS post will more than make up for my blogging lapse, because I think you’ll agree that it’s highly appropriate for the week of Assarah B’Tevet.

About a month after the CTO began his military service, he was traveling home from his base and found himself sitting next to another soldier from his unit.

They started talking, and during the course of their conversation, the soldier shared a wonderful story with the CTO.

As it so happens, this particular solider comes from a non-observant home and considers himself to be completely secular. (Although the unit in question was a hesder unit, there were a few secular soldiers there as well.)

Furthermore, in what can be taken as an unfortunate commentary on Israeli society, the soldier had apparently had very little direct contact with Orthodox Jews of any stripe.

Indeed, his impressions of his religious countrymen were largely gleamed from the media and basically consisted of stereotyped images of rock-throwing fanatics.

Thus, on the first day of basic training (i.e. tironut, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you), when he noticed that most of the other new recruits were not only religious but yeshiva guys (i.e. beinesh”im, for the Hebraically-oriented amongst you) to boot, he got very nervous.

Panicked, he approached the commanders and requested that they transfer him to a unit with, in his words, “fewer kippot.”

But the commanders brushed him off with a dismissive “we’ll see what we can do,” and the soldier saw that he had no choice but to deal with his predicament.

So, he settled into army life and waited for the anticipated missionizing and religious coercion to begin.

Except that nothing happened.

In fact, as he admitted to the CTO during their ride home a month after their induction, he realized that he had been very wrong about the CTO and his fellow Torah scholars/soldiers.

They never tried to shove their beliefs down his throat.
They never looked down at him.
They never acted as if they thought they were better than him.
And at no point did they try to force him to do anything.

Instead, he said, the hesdernikim proved to be a group of nice, friendly, and nonjudgmental guys.

When the CTO got home and told us this beautiful story, YZG and I were amazed and, BA”H, incredibly proud.

Sadly, different sectors of Israel’s population don’t always have a chance to meet, and as a result, we are often left with false impressions.

Therefore, IMHO, the CTO and his friends caused an incredible Kiddush Hashem (a sanctification of Hashem’s Name), because thanks to them, the soldier now equates being a ben Torah with being a mensch.

“’ואהבת את ה' אלהיך.’ - שיהא שם שמים מתאהב על ידך… מה הבריות אומרות עליו? אשרי אביו שלמדו תורה, אשרי רבו שלמדו תורה. אוי להם לבריות שלא למדו תורה. פלוני שלמדו תורה ראו כמה נאים דרכיו, כמה מתוקנים מעשיו. עליו הכתוב אומר: ‘ויאמר לי עבדי אתה ישראל אשר בך אתפאר.’”
(יומא פ”ו.)

“‘And you shall love Hashem, your God.’ (Devarim 6:5) - [You must ensure] that the Name of Heaven shall become beloved through you… What do people say about him? Fortunate is his father who taught him Torah; fortunate is his teacher who taught him Torah. Woe onto those people who did not learn Torah. Ploni – who learned Torah – see how pleasant are his ways; how refined are his deeds. Regarding him it says, ‘And He said to me, you are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I take glory.’ (Yeshaya 49:3)”
(BT Yoma 86a)

May we all be privileged to reach out with love to our Jewish brothers and sisters and to bring achdut (unity) to Am Yisrael.

The requisite fast day food post

Longtime readers are aware of my deep-held belief that the waning hours of a fast day should be spent blogging about food.

Hence, the following:

Here in TRLEOOB*, we like to break our fasts with soup.

This explains why several of the Shiputzim kids whiled away the afternoon preparing potato soup, and you’re all invited to come partake this evening. (It looks and smells delicious!)

But in the meantime, here’s another soup recipe, which I made for the first time for Shavuot:

Zucchini Soup

Adapted from my friend K.’s recipe, this soup even proved to be a hit with a certain so-called “anonymous” Our Shiputzim reader, who normally tries to stay far, far away from zucchini in any shape or form…

Ingredients

• 6-8 onions
• Olive oil
• ¾ kilo zucchini – diced
• 2 medium potatoes – peeled and diced
• 3 small cucumbers – diced (yes, cucumbers!)
• 2 heaping TBSP soup powder (we like onion soup powder)
• Water (or use vegetable stock instead of the soup powder and the water)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Croutons for garnish

Directions

Sauté the onions in the olive oil until golden brown. Add the zucchini, and cook until they start to change color. Add the potatoes and mix through. Add the soup powder, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and then let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes.

Add the cucumbers, and let it cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Use a blender stick to puree. For a thinner consistency, add more water if necessary.

Garnish with croutons, and serve either hot, room temperature, or chilled.

כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה

_________

*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

Fatigued Friday… in July

It was early Friday afternoon.

The door opened, and, well, SOMETHING stumbled into the house.

Actually, it was a pair of somethings, to be precise.

Having had much experience in this regard, I suspected that two of my favorite people were hiding somewhere beneath the heaps of dust, sweat, and grime standing before me.

And so, I immediately directed said heaps to the shower, after instructing them to throw all their clothes into the washing machine.

Several minutes later, my suspicions were confirmed.

Once all the layers of dirt had been scrubbed away, the arrivals indeed proved to be the two Shiputzim kids who had spent the previous few days wallowing in the mud in the machaneh (literally, camp).

In fact, amazed that two people could be so filthy, a Shiputzim teen – a longtime veteran of many a machaneh in his/her own right – wondered in surprise, “I didn’t used to be THAT dirty when I’d come home from the machaneh, did I?!”

In any event, I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you why I decided to label this a “Fatigued Friday” post - a moniker which is generally reserved here on Our Shiputzim for the day after we change the clocks in the spring.

Because if you’re the parent of Israeli kids, you’ll know that when it comes to exhaustion, “spring forward” has nothing on the day that one’s darling offspring return from the machaneh…

!שבוע טוב וצום קל ומועיל

_______________

P.S. Did you know that you can receive Our Shiputzim updates on Facebook? All you have to do is head on over to the Our Shiputzim Facebook page and click “Like.”

As the fast ebbs away

It’s a fast day today (there’s about twenty minutes left to go, but who’s counting…), and you know what that means.

That’s right! It means that it’s time for a food-related post – especially since I just realized that I never got around to posting the menu from the bar mitzvah.

Here, then, is the Friday night menu:

• Appetizer: Sweet and sour meatballs; couscous.
• Main course: Brisket; schnitzel; potato kugel; mushroom rice; lettuce salad; health salad; corn salad.
• Dessert: Assorted cookies, bars, and squares; taiglach*; tea and coffee.

Not really coincidentally, many of the aforementioned baked goods have appeared on the blog, such as:

Black and white cookies and cinnamon swirl cookies

 Chocolate swirl blondies (and also Torah-shaped cookies and more black and white cookies)

But there were plenty of new recipes as well. For instance:

Two tone brownies (and also chocolate chip cookies)

Two Tone Brownies

Adapted from a recipe my mother copied from a magazine (?) many years ago

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 6 TBSP cocoa
• 4 tsp canola oil (for the chocolate layer)

Directions

Beat 2/3 cup of oil and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add vanilla and flour. Mix batter, and pour half in a baking-paper-lined 9x13 pan.

Add cocoa and 4 teaspoons of oil to the remaining batter, and mix through. Pour chocolate batter over the white batter in the pan. If you like, you can use a knife to create a marble pattern.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until done.

!בתאבון

Have an easy and meaningful fast!

_________

*B”N, I  plan on writing a post about taiglach – as soon as I get the recipe… </not so subtle hint :-) >

 

Reason #7043 for making aliyah

Shavua tov and shanah tovah!

What better way to begin 5772 here on Our Shiputzim than with an aliyah-promotional post?

But, don’t worry, this isn’t going to be yet another essay extolling the joys of one day of yom tov.

(Although coming, as it does, on the heels of two days of Rosh Hashanah followed by Shabbat, such a post would certainly be, uh, in its place – if I may use the Heblish term...)

The thing is that I’ve pretty much covered the topic here, and also, I realize that it’s very difficult for those who haven’t yet had the privilege of experiencing one day of yom tov to see it as an advantage. (And, IMHO, the standard “day and a half” halachic arrangement offered to many visitors from abroad doesn’t count as “experiencing” one day of yom tov.)

Because chances are, if you’re like many Diaspora Jews – my pre-aliyah self included – you love yom tov and, in spite of all the cooking and preparations, can’t imagine willingly giving any of it up. (But check out my original post if you’re curious.)

And, so, instead, this post will focus on a different, albeit related, reason for making aliyah – namely, hot showers on yom tov.

Yes, that’s right.

Contrary to popular belief, one may, in fact, take showers on yom tov – as long as one adheres to certain conditions and restrictions. (For example, one can’t wash or immerse one’s entire body at once; one can’t shampoo one’s hair; etc. CYLOR for details.)

Of course, this is true in chu”l as well. However, outside of Israel, few – if any – people have solar water heaters, and thus (again, CYLOR), cold showers are the only option on yom tov in the Diaspora.

But here in Israel, where – except for on rainy, winter days – we heat our water with the ubiquitous dude shemesh (solar water tank/boiler), most authorities hold that one may use hot water for showers on yom tov.

In other words, my friends, if you, too, wish to enjoy a hot shower on yom tov, you have a little less than two weeks to pack your bags and join us here in Israel… before Succot and Simchat Torah (which are both three day affairs in chu”l this year).

Of course, ironically, considering that we only celebrate one day, hot showers on yom tov aren’t that essential here…

.צום קל ומועיל

Have an easy and meaningful fast.

Fashion Friday: Unintended consequences edition

Greek soldier: {reading from a scroll} His Royal Highness King Antiochus has decreed that you may not observe Shabbat; you must wear ugly shirts emblazoned with a logo; and you may not perform a brit milah.

Assembled people: {shocked} What do you mean we have to wear ugly shirts with logos?!

(From a comedic scene used to great effect by many Israeli kids in their recent Chanukah plays)

Ask any teacher or principal across the country about the newly-mandated school uniform shirts, and they’ll inevitably start gushing about what a wonderful development it is.

You’ll no doubt hear how the shirts engender school spirit and how the staff spends less time dealing with inappropriately and/or immodestly dressed students.

And in spite of the requisite grumbling (see: the aforementioned skit), most students don’t really seem to mind the uniforms that much either.

After all, the shirts generally come in a wide range of colors – giving the students some room to express their individuality.

Yet, nevertheless, school uniforms aren’t immune from the Law of Unintended Consequences.

You see, no one could’ve predicted that the modern version of uniforms waste precious time every morning.

Here’s why: (Note that these issues mainly apply to girls’ schools.)

• 1) Sartorial considerations: Since the skirts and shirts weren’t purchased together (because the uniforms don’t include skirts), the shirts don’t necessarily match every skirt in a girl’s closet. Which frequently translates into a last-minute frantic scramble to find the single skirt which matches that oddly-hued light green top…
• 2) Political and social considerations: If you’re an elementary school girl, choosing which colored shirt to wear on a given day involves numerous factors. For instance, do you want to wear the same color as your older sister? Yes? But is she willing to match you? And what about your BFF? You arranged with her that you’re both going to wear your beloved pink shirts tomorrow, but – horrors! - it turns out that your pink shirt is still in the laundry. And so on…

In other words, as the Hebraically-oriented among you would say, “zeh loh pashut…” (Literally, it’s not simple – i.e. it’s a real problem…)

Not too long ago, a mother of a teen told me that she wishes her daughter’s ulpanah had a uniform.

“It would save her so much time in the morning,” the mother said wistfully.

I had to laugh…

!צום קל ומועיל ושבת שלום ומבורך

Kaf Tet B’November

Several items of interest from around the J-Blogosphere:

1) Tomorrow is Kaf Tet B’November (literally, the 29th of November) – the anniversary of the day the UN voted in favor of the 1947 Partition Plan. Jameel shares a film about the historic vote.

2) Due to the ongoing drought, the Chief Rabbinate has called yet another fast day for tomorrow. In the meantime, those of us fortunate to be living in this incredibly beautiful yet autumn-challenged country can enjoy Leora’s stunning fall foliage shots.

3) The latest Haveil Havalim is available here. Special thanks to Homeshuling for including my negotiation post.

שבוע טוב וגשום לכולם!

May we finally be privileged to enjoy a winter filled with rains of blessing!

Tzom Gedaliah

Shavua tov and shanah tovah!

With less than an hour and a half left to go of the fast here in TRLEOOB* (but who’s counting…), now’s the perfect time to check out the latest Kosher Cooking Carnival here.

Special thanks to Batya for including my chopped liver post.

.צום קל ומועיל לכולם

Have an easy and meaningful fast.

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*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

Seeking the truth

On one hand, blogging is a great way to while away the waning hours minutes of a fast day.

But on the other hand, hunger-induced dullness doesn’t exactly lead to witty, fascinating, or even coherent posts.

Thus, now’s the perfect time for a blogging cop-out to list some of the more amusing search terms which led to this blog.

And, so, without further ado, here they are:

• goat herding problem
• things my shaliach never told me
• operation cast read
• the song that never ends
• bilingual blues
• is second to none a good thing
• "two kitchens" are necessary for Passover
• how to say work in progress in French
• how to make smoked tuna
• name of the goat in the lonely goatherd
• how to speak with an Israeli accent
• naf naf grill
• Hephzibah written beautifully in the Hebrew language
• making good mud for wallowing
• snowball games for the first day of class
• truth about aliyah
• why teenagers deliberately misspell

.צום קל ומועיל

Have an easy and meaningful fast, and may all the fast days soon be transformed into festivals and days of joy.

The end is nigh

Nothing says, “the fast is almost over,” like blogging about food.

And so, here goes.

Lately, it seems as if the whole world is cooking Beef Bourguignon. And, really, who can blame them? (If you’ve seen Julie & Julia, you’ll know what I mean.)

So for a recent family get-together, I decided to come up with my own version, and since this is Israel, I used turkey rather than beef.

If you haven’t planned your Purim seudah menu yet, you might want to consider this dish – although I should note that here in TRLEOOB*, we’re IY”H having pineapple chicken instead.

Turkey Stew

Ingredients

• 3 – 3.5 kilos of basar adom (literally, “red meat” – i.e. dark turkey meat), cubed
• Olive oil
• Onions, chopped
• Several cloves of garlic, minced
• Carrots, sliced thin
• 2-3 TBSP flour
• 2-3 cups semi dry red wine
• Parsley
• Thyme
• Brown sugar
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

Brown meat and set aside. Sauté onions in oil until golden. Add garlic and carrots, and let cook for several minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour and mix through, and then immediately add wine. Return meat to pot, and then add remaining ingredients to taste. Cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve over a bed of egg noodles.

בתאבון!

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*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

JPIX

To help pass the time until the fast ends, check out all the gorgeous pictures over at the latest JPIX.

Special thanks to Leora for including three of my posts:

• Our Succot trip to Caesarea
• A selection from our dreidel  collection
• Our Chanukah trip to Avnei Eitan

.צום קל ומועיל לכולם

Have an easy and meaningful fast.

Quick and easy crumb bars

Here in TRLEOOB*, the dessert at our seudah hamafseket (the festive meal right before Yom Kippur) always consists of something we call “Crumb Cake”.

In truth, it’s not really cake. Indeed, most people would probably call them Crumb Bars or even Jam Squares.

Either way, it’s the perfect way to start off the fast. It’s light, not overly sweet, and very easy to make.

And if you happen to have any leftovers, they work well after the fast too!

 Special thanks to my mother for giving me this recipe. (Maybe she can explain why we call it Crumb Cake? :-) )

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 2 heaping tsp baking powder (i.e. one envelope for our Israeli readers)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla or almond extract (we like vanilla)
• 1 cup oil (I use canola)
• Any flavor jelly, jam, marmalade or preserves (we prefer strawberry)
• An additional 1/2 – 3/4 c. flour for the crumbs

Directions

Combine dry ingredients. Add eggs and extract. Slowly add oil, and knead dough by hand. Spread 2/3 of dough into a baking-paper-lined (or greased) 9x13 baking pan. Spread jelly over dough in pan. Add extra flour to remaining dough to form crumbs. Cover jelly with crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove from oven. Cut into bars but leave them in the pan until they are cool.

Update:  I wrote more about these bars’ history here.

גמר חתימה טובה

May you have an easy and meaningful fast, and may we all be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a good, sweet, happy, healthy, prosperous, and peaceful new year!

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*TRLEOOB=the real life equivalent of our blog

HH 235

The latest edition of Havel Havelim is available both here and here.

Special thanks to Batya for including my most recent "kumsitz cuisine" post. (I confess that despite – or, perhaps, as a result of - my Tzom-Gedaliah-induced hunger, poikeh doesn’t sound very appealing right now…)

.צום קל ומועיל

May you have an easy and meaningful fast, and may all the fast days soon be transformed into festivals and days of joy.

Heblish Revisited

Helloooo, Our Shiputzim fans!

As you may recall, I recently posted a number of entries from the Our Shiputzim Heblish-English dictionary. (Check out the comment section there for some more great examples.)

Since then, I’ve managed to collect a few more family favorites.

However, before posting these gems, I should note that – above and beyond their entertainment value – these definitions serve two important functions. Not only do they help teach our children how to speak properly, but they serve as reminders for those of us who’ve become inured to things like the infamous “City in Growing Process” sign.

In any event, without further ado, here are a few more examples from TRLEOOB (the real life equivalent of our blog):

Switch him: Hebrew source – להחליף אותו. English definition – To substitute for him. Sample usage - “My teacher wasn’t there today, and so another teacher switched him.” (Hat tip: A Living Nadneyda, whose comment on this post reminded me of this example.)

What’s the kesher: Hebrew source – מה הקשר. English definition – What does that have to do with anything? Sample usage - “Why do I have to go to sleep now? So what if it’s after midnight? What’s the kesher?” (Hat tip: MB, for reminding me of this phrase and how much I “adore” it…)

Litapel b’it: Hebrew source – לטפל במשהו. English definition – To take care of it. Sample usage - “I told my teacher about the problem, and she said that she would litapel b’it.”

At all: Hebrew source – בכלל. English definition – Literally, at all or generally, but also used for emphasis. Sample usage - “Where is it at all?”; “It’s at all not your turn!”

And on that note, the fast is over B”H, and it’s time for me to go eat.

Tzom kal to our readers who are still fasting, and have a good evening from the entire Our Shiputzim staff.