Table for Two, Passover, 2020, Pesach 5780 מה נשתנה הלילה הזה?

?מה נשתנה הלילה הזה

Here are two views of our Passover Seder Table, which for the very first time in history was set and ready before I lit the holiday candles. I'm not sure exactly how many of the forty-nine, yes 49 s'darim we've had as a married couple we hosted. It's most probably just over half or two-thirds.



But one thing for sure; I never had the table fully set before lighting candles before. So we have no old photos of the table all set up.

In addition, from the time our daughters were old enough, they took charge of setting the table, so I probably haven't done it alone for well over forty years.

I had too many matzah covers to choose from. I gave my husband his traditional one, which had been given to us by my parents. And I used mine, which I had embroidered from a kit over forty years ago. Others we must have inherited from my parents' stock of Judaica.

On the table there are lots of memories plus the mosaic hotplate I made in our local senior citizen group. The Seder Plate and other hotplate were gifts from friends. The two-handled washing cup was from (one of) our children. I'm pretty sure that the glass wine goblets date back to a rather large seder we hosted in our small Jerusalem apartment over forty years ago.

Another first time in well over forty years, my husband did the entire seder on his own. All I contributed was the ?מה נשתנה הלילה הזה Mah nishtanah...? Why is this night...? aka the Four Questions. And of course I planned and cooked, while he followed his tradition of preparing the charoset (chopped apples and nuts) and chrain, horseradish paste.

Now I must prepare for Shabbat. No time to rest/goof off.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Pesach Kasher V'Sameach

Matzah Breakfast on "Second Chance Passover," Pesach Sheni, פסח שני

For years I've been missing the boat, forgetting to celebrate "Second Chance Passover," Pesach Sheni, פסח שני.

Passover, Pesach is one of the holidays we are commanded to celebrate, as written in the Torah, Bible, the first five Books. These texts are thousands of years old, and we Jews still read and follow the Mitzvot/Commandments. When you think about it, it's quite amazing. For thousands of years we Jews have followed the calendar, the same holidays according to ancient texts.

When we were a small people all living in the Holy Land, making it to the Beit Hamikdash for holidays was doable. And since Passover was so important Gd gave us a second chance, because sometimes people found it impossible for very legitimate reasons.

The Torah mentions two official excuses for “missing” Pesach Rishon (on 14 Nissan) and being commanded to bring the KP on 14 Iyar – TAMEI, ritually defiled because of contact with a dead body or other source of TUM’A and DERECH R’CHOKA, “far” away from the Mikdash.

So today, even though I celebrated a large family seder with my family a month ago, I ate matzah. Did you?

Family Passover/Pesach Seder, 5779, 2019

Of course, being that we strictly follow Jewish Law, we have no pictures from our actual Passover/Pesach Seder. The memories will stay for generations, Gd willing.

My grandfather, who was otherwise a strictly shomer Shabbat, a Sabbath observer, apparently allowed my Uncle Donny to take the photo just below. I guess it was a combination of not fully comprehending the halachic aspects of photography and not being able to resist the cleverly worded requests of my Uncle Donny.

Shankman-Vishnevsky family Seder, Brooklyn, NY, most probably 5709, 1949

I'm not in this Seder picture, since if I've dated it correctly, it was just over a month before I was born. Yes, now you know how old I am.  I recognize everyone in the picture. Not only my maternal grandparents, but my parents, aunts, uncle and even two of my cousins here have already passed away. I'm pretty sure it's 1949, because Uncle Izzy is sitting there next to my grandfather holding Cousin Butchy. Passover 1948, just a couple of weeks before Israel's Declaration of Independence, he was most probably in the Holy Land, or staffing one of the boatloads of illegal immigrants as a high ranking volunteer in the Palyam.

The photo below was taken after Shabbat/first day Passover, when it's permitted to photograph. Outside of Israel where people celebrate two Passover Seders and have two days of "restrictions," instead of playing piano, they'd be doing Seder #2. One of my older granddaughters was practicing that complicated piano piece  and then was joined by a couple of younger ones. Let that group photo, which shows no faces or identifying features suffice as family Pesach photo.

Multi-hand piano "concert," Passover, 5779, 2019

This year our daughter hosted the Family Passover/Pesach Seder. All our descendants, except one, attended. It was a great thrill to see all of our grandchildren interacting, from the teens to the infants.

Food was  a combination of strictly Ashkenaz and Tunisian traditions. The customs and tunes were also a harmonized combination. Only the very last songs in the Haggadah were loudly sung by in very Ashkenaz tunes. Nobody else could outlast us.

We celebrated Passover and family togetherness. Just a month before the entire clan came to us in Shiloh for the Purim Seuda/Feast. Thank Gd we make efforts to get together whenever possible. I feel very blessed.

Chag Kasher VeSameach to All of You

Ancient Beauty, Glass and More in The Israel Museum

One of my all-time favorite exhibitions in the Israel Museum is Glass through the Ages. During my recent visit, besides getting a last view of the Israeli Fashion exhibition, which has now closed, I entered the Archeology section to see the Glass exhibit and the giant Shiloh jug. For me visiting the jug is like paying proper respect to ancient ancestors.

Shiloh was the first Religious and Administrative Capital for the Jewish People, after the Return Home from slavery in Egypt. It was in Shiloh, and archeologists and Bible/Tanach scholars agree that my village Shiloh is that very Shiloh where Joshua had the Mishkan, Tabernacle erected to serve as a place for central Jewish prayer. The Tabernacle remained standing in Shiloh for 369 years.

This ancient jug/jar is much larger than others found in archeological sites, because Shiloh was a place of pilgrimage and had to be prepared to welcome large numbers of people to pray at the Tabernacle.

Following the capture of the Holy Ark and the death of Eli, the Head Priest, leadership was transferred to Samuel the Prophet who anointed the first two Jewish kings, Saul and David. King David decided to make the more central Jerusalem as Capital (main city,) the location of Mount Moriah, the "place," מקום Makom of miracles including Akeidat Yitzchak, The Binding of Isaac.

And now for some photos of the Ancient Glass. I truly find it ironic that something as fragile and delicate as glass could have survived thousands of years. We can liken glass to the Jewish People and Judaism. No other Ancient People/Religion has survived thousands of years the way we Jews have. We still celebrate the Holidays commanded to us thousands of years ago. We read the Torah and Gd's words. And we live in the same Land from which long dead nations had banished us. Please remember this on Seder night. Passover holiday is so soon.

Retired From Seder Making

I was suprised at the enthusuam this statement got on facebook.

I must admit that I am happy I'm not making the seder this year. Honestly, I hope that I never will have to again. I paid my dues.

And I was even more surprised that my husband said:

"Next year let's go away."

It's not in our budget, and I really do prefer my cooking and most other home cooking to hotels and restaurants. Hotel coffee is probably better than what I serve myself. My Passover perked coffee, made with Turkish isn't that awful. It's better than most instant coffee. And this year we got Tasters Choice for a nice discounted price.

In years past, when I was much younger and the kids very little, I'd do all of the cleaning before Passover. And I'd generally pull an all-nighter to switch our kitchen from regular aka chametz to Pesach mode.

To switch the dishes from upper to lower of the upper cabinets, I'd stand on the counters. Then when all was moved, I'd cover them with hard-to-remove Contac paper. Just to think about it today, a short few weeks since suffering terrible hip pains... And then I'd cook everything for the Seder and following day and days after...

My husband just had three jobs, other than a lot of the shopping. He would make the charoset, grind the chrain, horseradish in the coffee-grinder attachment that came with our Passover blender and cover the diningroom table.

When our daughters got older, they helped a lot with the cleaning. And when our sons got bigger, they not only cleaned, but they helped me move the dishes, pans, etc. That's when I discovered that not only did tall boys not need to stand on the counters, but their strong, large hands could hold more dishes than mine ever could. They did the "switching" in record time. After the army grabbed them, I hired teenage boys from the neighborhood, which was money well spent. And then when my husband's job switched him to part-time, I insisted that he learn my routine and help.

But covering counters is still my job. Now I use reusable "oilcloth," heavy plastic, cut to size. The hardest part is trying to remember how to fit it all.

Now, at my age, and with a very empty nest, after all this work, the last thing I have the interest or energy to do is to cook food for a Passover Seder. Every two years one of our daughters (plus her family) hosts us and the rest of the clan. On alternative years, we joyfully accept invitations. May all of our generous hosts be blessed with good health, gifts from GD and children willing and able to take on the role when they, too, are ready to retire from Seder making.

From The Days When We Hosted Humongous S'darim (Seders)

These two shelves are full of Passover Haggadot, the books read from during the Pesach Seder. (And there are lots more Haggadot in other parts of the house, too.) There were years of double tables, and I just don't know how I pulled it off. With five kids, we were seven people without guests, but we always had guests. We were one of the families that always said "yes," when asked if we could take neighbors and strangers in need. And my in-laws came quite a number of times.

The Haggadot are Hebrew only and Hebrew-English. I think we also have some Hebrew-Russian ones from the days we hosted new immigrants olim chadashim from the FSU-Former Soviet Union.

Those were the days...
להבדיל.... lihavdil... not the same, but...

Jewish Kosher Food Bloggers, Foodies etc: Announcement

I'm planning a pre-Passover Kosher Cooking Carnival here on this blog and want links to your favorite Passover food posts, or your recipes, tips etc. which I'll post giving you credit (as per your requested way of identifying yourself, including nom de plume of your choice.) Please email me to shilohmuse@gmail.com with KCC as subject, thanks.

Recipes can have short stories/background pieces about the foods and experiences. So, let's get started before we're too busy cooking, and our kitchens look like this!

Please share this request around, thanks.

The Medad Version of The Modern Inclusive Completely Kosher Passover Seder

Photo by my husband.

Not all of the Medad clan attended the official family seder, which was at our daughter's home. My three youngest children, plus daughter-in-law and baby granddaughter were in the states for the Holiday with other family members. We do have lots more out there.

First of all, the meal's menu, though you have to go through at least half the Hagaddah before having anything other than some green leaves and wine (or grape juice.)

Yes, that's me doing nothing.  No one else
wants the publicity of a photo which was taken
during set up.
Photo by my husband.

To summarize the meal, you should know that there were both kneidelach and rice. There was a very easy way to know who ate what. All those born Tunisian ate rice and refused the kneidelach. I have no problem seeing rice on the seder table or watching family member eat it. To be perfectly honest, I didn't touch the potatoes either.

We also sang a variety of tunes, and between pretty much all of us, every word in the Hagaddah was read or sung or both. Even I read some of the Hebrew, which may have surprised my grandchildren.

None of the post-Bar Mitzvah aged males made it awake to the end. The only male to stay awake the entire Seder has just over half a decade to go until his Bar Mitzvah. There was lots of singing and dancing by me, my daughters and granddaughters. Could there be something in the genes?

The food was delicious, and we didn't let the lack of alert men stop us from finishing to the very last word, thanks to my daughter. I don't know how she got the energy for it.

In terms of ritual, everything that was required was done and with enthusiasm. The kids came prepared with stories, quizzes and more. We all had a great time, and somehow I was up as usual at 6:30am.

A New Passover Hagaddah!!

First of all, I must admit, that although Darkness to Destiny: The Haggadah Experience by Immanuel Bernstein, Mosaica Press, Feldheim, is my new Hagaddah, it came out about a year ago. I didn't get it until after last Passover, because of a mailing snafu. It has been sitting, all wrapped and sealed, and waiting for me to take a serious look for about ten months.

To summarize, it was well worth the wait!

Darkness to Destiny is just the Hagaddah I need. For the past, who knows how long already, the CARLEBACH HAGGADAH: Seder Night With Reb Shlomo has been my Pesach Seder companion. And I needed something new to read to myself.

Once a year, it is a mitzvah for us to tell a story... The recounting of the Exodus from Egypt forms the centerpiece of the Seder. This story has a unique aspect to it, for it needs to be told as if we are experiencing it in the present. Thus we are told in the Haggadah: In each and every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he came out of Egypt. Why is it so important to tell the story as if it is happening to us now? After all,we left Egypt long, long ago! In this remarkable, easy-to-read, and thought-provoking commentary on the Passover Haggadah, Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein brings a wealth of sources, a lucidity of thought, and tremendous originality in order to help understand what the goal of the Seder really us, and how we can best experience this powerful evening. Amazon

Rabbi Bernstein's Hagaddah is a serious book, without the cute illustrations that many others have. The large, easy to read fonts in Hebrew and English make it a pleasure, no doubt especially after a couple of cups of wine. Another good thing about this Hagaddah is that the language in the commentary is clear and not highfalutin academic. You don't have to be an expert in Jewish Law and Lore to enjoy what he has to say.

This new Hagaddah is going into my Passover closet for the upcoming holiday, and I strongly suggest that you add it to your Seder collection either for yourself or as a gift to host or guests.

Where's The Sun?

OK, in terms of philosophy, science etc, I know that the sun is up there in the sky, where it's supposed to be whether the weather's bright and shining or stormy cloud-filled rain. But it's just a couple of days before the Passover holiday, and I'm cleaning and laundering and I have a heavy wash in the machine. It won't dry in the house. To clarify, yes, it will dry but it will take a few days, or I need to turn a heater on or use the drier, which takes hours of electricity.

This time of the year, we need for the sun to shine and not be hidden by a yellow-grey mask.

A couple of hours ago, when I was working on a very different type of post for Shiloh Musings, in a corner of my mind I planned on writing a post here asking how people clean for Pesach without a merpeset, a terrace of balcony. Even when we lived in a Jerusalem apartment, we had a nice-sized merpeset on which we could not only bring things out for cleaning, drying and airing, but the kids could play on it for hours, and we could also eat there so as not to get more forbidden chametz in the house.

I don't remember how I managed during our two years of shlichut, when we were in a small attic apartment on Golders Green Road, London. That first Pesach, I was in my 9th month with daughter #3, so I guess I wasn't all that ambitious. I hadn't planned on doing the seder at home, but yes that magic and unexpected "but," suddenly, without any warning, our eldest broke out in a rash, the very morning of the seder. We took her to the doctor and discovered Chicken Pox. So I quickly had to buy and prepare for a seder.

Good health to all.

רפואה שלימה

Refuah Shleimah

Dieting On Passover, No Problem

It just occurred to me the other day, that I shouldn't have any problem with my diet on Pesach, besides seder night.

I've been on a combination of Start Fresh kosher weight loss diet and the Blood Type Diet for a few months now and I've lost seventeen (17) pounds, close to eight kilo, already.

Since I'm Type O, I avoid grains and carbohydrates. That leaves me with protein and all sorts of vegetables, even those like carrots and onions which are considered sugary. I no longer eat my life-long favorite food, noodles. All the pasta in the pantry has been ignored. No bread, no sandwiches, no bulgar and no rice. If I have lentils, they're in a soup. I also eat fruit and bio yogurts.

Yes, I eat and I eat plenty of food. I try never to allow myself to get hungry. That's one of the key things. When I travel, I take a yogurt, fruit and salad. When I eat out, I don't eat any starch.

My "test" for whether a food is bad for me is very simple:
Does eating it satisfy me, satiate my appetite, or do I just want to eat more and more of it?

If it stimulates my appetite it's bad for me. I feel hungrier after a slice of bread or a "portion" of noodles. That's why they're out, eliminated from my diet.

Cooked vegetables are best. I start the cooking with a bit of oil, and then I cover the pot or pan. With a good pot, you don't need to add water. The vitamins, minerals and flavor stay in.

OK, the Seder has its required foods matzah and wine or juice, but after that I shouldn't have any problem sticking to my diet to lose weight.

Food, Family and...

Yes, I'm back blogging. The sinks, both meat and dairy, are over-flowing with dishes, pots etc. My son is, G-d willing, on his way back to Jerusalem and work. My daughter's trying to pack, and hers are a bissel over-tired.

Last night's Passover Seder went well; I think.

I was in charge of the food and I didn't hear any complaints. They wouldn't dare complain after all the work I did!

I made lots of chicken soup with "kneidelach," and after serving it at the seder and again today for lunch, it's almost gone. I made it in stages.

• First I boiled up the chicken in a large pot.
• Then I took out the chicken and cooled both separately in the fridge.
• The next day I took out the soup, skimmed off the fat, which had hardened.
• Then I added lots of vegetables, such as: onions, carrots, parsley roots and leaves and celery leaves.
• Since I was afraid that there wouldn't be enough room in the pot, I cooked up the kneidlach separately.
• I added just a drop of salt and pepper.

While we're talking food and family, meander to Carnival of the Recipes and Carnival of Family Life.

Enjoy!

When to switch?

As you may have guessed, I'm referring to switching the kitchen to Pesach mode. This year has the hardest schedule, with the seder on Monday night.

IMHO, the very easiest is when the seder is on Friday night, next is the Saturday night, after Shabbat. I know that for many it's terribly confusing, but personally, I like it that way, especially since the last day of Pesach is a Shabbat, and there's a whole uninterrupted week to enjoy. OK, for people not in Israel, who have to keep two days of "yom tov," it means lots of preparation, but that's one of the "prices of living in chutz l'Aretz."

We only have the "three day marathon" with Rosh Hashannah.

Another reason I like the Saturday night seder is that I come to it rested after a very simple Shabbat, after preparing EVERYTHING in advance.

Last night my husband suggested that we switch before Shabbat, even if it means bringing ready-made food in. Considering that we're an "empty nest," maybe I'll take him up on it.

I already have the upper shelf in the freezer full of KP food ready to cook. There's just too much tempting carbohydrates still in the closet. I guess I'll be eating so much noodles this week, that living without for a week plus, will be a relief.

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