WHITE RABBIT's Day Dream's a Dream

All photos, photographed by me

WHITE RABBIT invited the Beer Maven, Doug Greener. and the tasting crew -including yours truly, plus Jerusalem Post staff to its Tel Aviv brewery last week. We got onboard the train in Jerusalem and in no time we were in Tel Aviv. 

To be honest, I can't remember the last time I had been in Tel Aviv and hadn't a clue as to where in Tel Aviv we'd be. I trusted Doug to find the way to the brewery. And I certainly had never taken the train to Tel Aviv, though a friend and I once took it for free to Ben Gurion Airport when it was in "the running-in period." 

After leaving the train station, we needed a couple of stops on a bus, and there we were in their spic and span white and polished brewery. Just know that it wasn't in the neighborhood of fancy geometric modernistic skyscrapers. 

We were treated to some fresh salads and a variety of their beers. 

In addition we received a tour of the brewery with lots of explanations and stories from those in charge.

As you can see in the photos, White Rabbit's equipment looks very impressive. To preserve the quality of their beer they only sell to shops and pubs that promise to keep the beer cooled, rather than just cooling before serving. 

It was explained to us that their beer is a natural drink without chemicals to keep it stable and fresh-tasting. I prefer beer over wine, since wine has sulfites which aren't good for me.

The three beers we tasted were all versions of IPA, including a NEIPA, and by the time we left I couldn't really distinguish any differences. The only thing I knew for sure was that all the White Rabbit beers we tasted were delicious, Day Dream 5%, Ten Feet Tall 7% and Feed Your Head which is the NEIPA 7%.

Since we were given gift packs of their beers to take home, I decided to drink them on their own to get a better feel for the flavor. On Shabbat I drank Day Dream, which has a nice strong fruity aroma. The taste was flavorful, perfect for a summer morning, and the low-ish alcohol content was good, too.

You can order White Rabbit online, not just in bottles. There are various "dispensers." If you want to contact them  Telephone 03-6242783, or email Info@white-rabbit.co.il.

Book Review: Gilgul I: Re-dedication

Gilgul I: Re-dedication by Emily Singer is a fascinating and compelling fictional retelling of the Chanuka story written for children. With the great success of the Harry Potter series, many Jewish authors have taken themes from our history and expanded them  with magic and mysticism especially for youth.

Considering that Israel is now at war for its survival, and Jews in the Diaspora are dealing with a rise in antisemitism that had been unthinkable even a year ago, this really is the time to give your children a book of Jewish heroism and hope, like Gilgul I. 

In this interview with Singer, you can read of how she felt the need for the book, even in simpler times.

David, just fifteen 15, and his sister Leya are the heroes of this behind the scenes biblical adventure. Their father defies the Greeks by secretly teaching Torah, while producing exquisite wooden furniture with the help of his children. 

Like many biblical heroines, Leya is brave and practical, even more so than the males. Her prowess with the bow and arrow are, davka, superior to David's who prefers playing Skyros, similar to rugby but much more dangerous. His extraordinary talent has been noticed by a royal Greek player making David's life much more complicated. 

Yes, I recommend Gilgul I, which can be ordered from Amazon.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hakodesh Press (November 13, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 6202455276
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-6202455275