The oleh’s folly

Back in the 20th century – i.e. in the pre-NBN era - the oleh rights were structured such that it made financial sense to ship all of one’s household electrical appliances from one’s country of origin.

Typically, this usually involved a shopping trip to one of the numerous 220-volt appliance stores located on New York’s Lower East Side, where one could purchase everything one needed… and, inevitably, also an appliance or two that one didn’t.

After all, when purchasing that many big-ticket items at once, it was very easy to get carried away.

And, so, before you knew it, you found yourself buying something which you never owned before, but which you were sure you were going to use all the time in Israel.

Which explains our sewing machine, another family’s shortwave radio, and a third’s bread machine…

Which pre-aliyah purchase is currently collecting dust in your storage room, crawlspace, or attic (i.e. machsan, boidem, or aliyat-gag - for the Hebraically-oriented among you)?

While the owners of the aforementioned shortwave radio have never even pretended that they’re ever going to use it, I still maintain (to YZG’s great amusement) that someday, I’ll find the time to figure out how to work our sewing machine. {ignores YZG’s snickers in the background}

And the bread machine?

Several years ago, its owners graciously loaned it to us, and they’re always glad to hear that the Shiputzim kids enjoy using it to bake delicious loaves of bread:

Our our relatives’ machine yields two small loaves, and one can use different recipes for each one.

Bread Machine Bread

Adapted from the manual which came with our our relatives’ machine

French Bread

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp canola oil
• ¾ cup water
• 1¾ tsp dry yeast

Whole Wheat Bread

• 2½ TBSP brown sugar
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ TBSP canola oil
• 7/8 cup water
• 1 tsp dry yeast

Directions

Dump ingredients into bread machine, and then follow your bread machine’s instructions.

!בתאבון