Our Sukkah 5774, Something New

This year even though I really had no time, I decided not to use all of the old posters we keep stored away.  Almost all of the decorations are "new."  No, I didn't do arts & crafts or shop for new decorations.  I put away the pretty Jewish Calendars that come in the mail for free from various charities and Jewish organizations.  Most of the new pictures I tacked up are from Ir David and Hebron calendars.  This year my husband managed to erect the sukkah and even get the s'chach up all by himself.

 

 

Decorating a sukkah can be done easily and inexpensively even when you don't have a young, enthusiastic staff of kids to help.

Ready for the Holidays and Safety First

I was going to post this a few weeks ago. 

One of the signs that Rami Levy was getting read for the hectic Jewish Holiday season, which in terms of shopping lasts a month, was to stock up on new shopping carts.

Here's proof that they do start with brand new ones, but being a very successful discount supermarket, the carts age.  But these were lined up near the store a few weeks before Rosh Hashannah and are already in use.  They wheel easily, too.

I noticed something that most people ignore:

Besides rescuing the kid who could have suffocated, because her head was in the plastic bag, I've told parents to mind their kids instead of leaving them playing together in a shopping cart.  Too many parents think of the shopping cart as some safety enclosure where they can just let the kids play, stand, jump etc.   Or they drag the cart behind them, full of enough supplies for a brigade, oblivious as it bangs into displays and people.

The exit of Rami Levy is a decline, and I've seen lots of miracles, when people have let go and the cart would roll, picking up speed almost running down children (even their own) or into the shoe store's glass window.

Too bad you don't need a drivers license for those carts...

Happy and safe shopping!

Lots of Jewish Books Reviewed

A few months ago I discovered on Leora's Sketching Out that there's another Jewish blog carnival. This  one is dedicated to book reviews about Jewish books.  It took me awhile, but I finally hooked up with it and am included in the latest of their monthly editions on My Machberet.

I have another book already read, ready to review (actually it's sitting right here next to the computer, hint! hint!) and a few waiting to be read for review, but with work and all the Jewish holidays, I just haven't been able to find the time.

I highly suggest checking out this book review carnival.  You'll certainly get ideas about books to read, buy for yourself or as gifts. 

Nothing beats books, real ones, with pages IMHO, because they last forever.  And you can read them on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.  I know that nowadays many people read from electric "devices," but I haven't gotten into that yet, if I ever will.  Never say never, because I may find myself getting one of those modern contraptions.  Whenever I schlepp my heavy bag, which doesn't even have all of the books I really need, to Matan for classes, I wish I had one of those handy things which will give me multiple books in a small package.

So, check out the books and share the review carnival.  Enjoy!

Never say never, for if you live long enough, chances are you will not be able to abide by its restrictions. Never is a long, undependable time, and life is too full of rich possibilities to have restrictions placed upon it. (credit)

Gloria Swanson
US actress (1899 - 1983)

"Mommie Dearest," The People I Meet at Work

"Mommie Dearest," the title of the Christina Crawford tell-all memoir about the abuse Joan Crawford's daughter suffered, has become a code word for "abusive mother." One of the difficulties working in a simple clothing store for the entire family is seeing such tableaus, unpleasant scenes.

It's lots easier to pick up the mess of clothes some customers leave on the floor of the try-on rooms than to witness scenes like I've seen recently.

A mother came to see the pajamas her daughter asked for.

"Why did you give her that color?"
"Your daughter requested it."
"That purple is ugly."  Turning to her daughter, "why don't you take cream."
"Imma, I like the purple; it's beautiful."
"No it isn't.  Cream is nicer."

A sweet-looking girl when displaying the adorable outfit she has just tried on:

"Imma, (mommy) and how do I look in this?"
"You look terrible. You know you're fat.  We're going to have a start a new food regime when we get home."

These poor kids.

We all make every effort to help people find nice, flattering clothing according to their requirements and requests.  In some situations it isn't easy, but the hardest thing is getting a bird's eye view onto the intimate dynamics of families who shop in the store.

Some of our customers are really wonderful and make a point of sincerely thinking all who had helped them find the clothes they had needed.

At least the negative experiences don't last too long in the store.  If we find it difficult to help some people, we know they will soon finish and leave.  It's not like teaching when you have to deal with a difficult student lesson after lesson for months and sometimes years. We can also ask another staff member to help out if we're afraid that our personal antagonism may be difficult to mask.

Most people are really wonderful

First Havel Havelim of the Year 5774 at Esser Agaroth

The "mystery format" is gaining in popularity for blog carnivals.  Esser Agaroth's latest Havel Havelim, the very first in this Jewish Year 5774, also just posts the titles of the blog posts.  You must click to read in order to know who has written it.

There are lots of interesting looking posts, from their titles.  I haven't yet checked them out to see which blogs they are.

Havel Havelim is one of the most veteran of all blog carnivals.  A blog carnival is a round-up, collection of blog posts.  Blog Carnival is an internet site that helps us out by keeping track of many blog carnivals.  Blog carnivals signed up with them, like the Kosher Cooking Carnival and Havel Havelim enjoy the fact that participants and hosts use them for sending and receiving links and the fantastically helpful "instacarnival," which is "ready-made."  All the host has to do is "tweak" it a bit, delete any spam or off topic links, add more posts and optional pictures.

We coordinate Havel Havelim on our facebook page, and Kosher Cooking Carnival on its facebook page.

Enjoy and share.  Have a wonderful and fruitful and joyful, healthy year, 5774.

Post-Yom Kippur, Report

The weathermen, though in Israel, we only see women giving us weather reports on TV, predicted a horrendous heat wave for Yom Kippur. That had everyone nervous, because Yom Kippur is a twenty-five hour fast.  No food, no drinks unless one has certain medical problems.  The air-conditioners were on super-high in the local shul, and the women who usually insist on opening the windows for a breeze, realized that the breeze coming in was more like a clothes dryer on its hottest temperature.  So they let the machines work, and it was comfortable where I sat.  It was a corner seat far in the back, so I was protected from the cold.

Dovening was wonderful.  I love the enthusiasm and participation.  We all sing along.  This year's Ne'ila, the closing prayer was very different from last year.  I can't say that one was better than the other; they were different styles.  Last year was a youngish neighbor with a beautiful voice.  His style wasn't operatic, professional chazzan, cantor style.  It was warm and welcoming; we all joined in.  This year was an older man, who included his extremely talented grandson for a few sections.  The singing style was more "old world" emotional, and he has a "rougher" voice than last year's Shaliach Tzibur.  The emotion works with the words of the prayers.

I managed to stand for the entire Neila, something I haven't done for years.  That's a good sign; it means I felt fine.  And yes, I did.

Another wonderful thing this year was that we weren't disturbed by young kids much.  Most of the time if children came in they were quiet.  I have problems concentrating when it gets noisy.

We broke the fast on vegetable soup.  My husband also had a roll.  And of course I drank lots of water.  I still feel dried out, but fine, B"H, thank G-d.

Washed Out Fitness Attempt Times Two

I had been seriously thinking of joining the fitness place in Sha'ar Binyamin, near I work, but then I discovered that their scheduled classes, zumba, belly-dancing, aerobics etc are all during the "wrong" time of the day for me.  I'd need classes early afternoon before night shift begins. 

So, then I tried resuming my walking in the morning, planning on using the free exercise machines in the park near my house.  That never works, because they are always wet when I get there.

Apparently the automatic sprinklers set to water the grass always ends just before I get there leaving puddles of water in all the seats. Am I giving up too easily?  I really don't like the idea of schlepping a shmatta with me for my walks.

Facebook's Wild Imagination

When I posted this picture on facebook, it asked me to tag the faces there, as if these dummies, mannequins are real people.

I kid you not.  It asked specifically about the short white guy in the background.

Facebook has an automatic "face-seeker" to try to identify and recognize any face you upload to your account, whether it's a doll, a sketch or a human being.  It automatically starts guessing and can be very spooky.

These "dolls" had been dressed up to promote clothes for the Rosh Hashannah/Yom Kippur holiday buying/selling season in the store where I work, Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin. We first had them dressed up to promote "back to school" clothes.

In the meantime, we still have summer clothes and shoes at special bargain prices.  That is until the higher ups in the chain give us the call to pack them all away.

Pay full price for the first and 1 shekel for the second.

One Pot Meal, Salmon and All The Trimmings

Bake and serve...

I prepared this in advance before Rosh Hashannah to serve me and my husband on Friday Night, Erev Shabbat.  There's a limit to the amount of meat and poultry one should eat, so I figured that a good salmon meal would be the perfect solution, and it was.

As you can see, there are a number of different vegetables, plus the salmon.  I also dribbled a bit of oil on top before baking it.  I didn't add salt.  I suggest serving with fresh salad.

Enjoy!

"Dislocation" and Insecurity During the Year of Mourning

One of the customs I've accepted for the year of mourning my mother is that I don't sit in my usual synagogue seat.

front and center, my official seat, best view in the shul

This custom isn't always observed on Shabbat according to some experts, but since I only go to shul synagogue on Shabbat, and neighbors who helped establish our congregation and instituted many of its customs moved around during their years of mourning parents, I, too, have taken it on. 

From what I read about the custom in The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning by Maurice Lamm, the custom is to sit further from the Bima and Ark.   Since my regular seat is as front and center overlooking them as one can get, that's pretty easy.  That is except for the fact that the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Gallery has pretty much all seats sold and is rather full on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.  Add to that my sensitivity to drafts and hearing plus concentration problems when there's noise, you can imagine that it can get complicated.  But I think that's part of the reason for the custom.  We must get out of our "comfort zone" during the year of mourning to remind us that life in This World is temporary and just our preparation for the Next World.

Over the past couple of months, I've found a few places to sit in the back rows.  Regulars in shul are used to seeing me there.  But on Rosh Hashanah there were guests, mothers of neighbors who have known me well for years, and they asked me why I wasn't in my usual seat.  I had to tell them that I'm in sh'nat avel, year of mourning my mother.  They would have visited or called during shiva if they had known.  So, I had abbreviated "shiva, consolation discussions" with them.  The custom is to comfort the mourner of a parent for a year, so it was the right thing.

This experience is very much like I would have had if I had managed to make a pilgrimage to Har Habayit, the Temple Mount during shloshim, the first thirty days of mourning. The custom is to walk around Har Habayit to the right, except for mourners in shloshim  who walk to the left.  People are supposed to ask them why they're in the wrong direction, and then linachem, comfort them as a response.

I really feel that this custom, this minhag,  is very fitting, at least for me.

Street Cleaning

Real life in Shiloh...

About a week ago, a strange message came on the phone requesting that people move their cars from one side of the street.  I couldn't quite figure out what the word was coming.  Whatever the word was, it wasn't based on Hebrew.  It reminded me of the most difficult word in Chapter 1 of the popular (at least in the 1960's) Hebrew textbook אלף מילים Eleph Milim, One Thousand Words.  Most people I know who studied basic Hebrew from that book got stuck on the same word, אוטובוס autobus, which means "bus."   It didn't really matter what it was, because we don't have a car.

It ended up being a street-cleaner vehicle, which I shot while walking.

Street cleaning is one of the things our local council Mateh Binyamin takes care of a few times a year, before the Jewish Holidays.

The First Kosher Cooking Carnival of 5774

The Kosher Cooking Carnival is a monthly blog carnival dedicated to all aspects of kosher cooking and kosher food.  I began it many years ago after a "recipe carnival" rejected my post, because the edition's theme was pork.  As a response, I got the message and instituted this blog carnival.  You can submit links via blog carnival, and we use our facebook page as a forum to volunteer to host and announce the posting of editions etc.  Please share this edition of the carnival and the various posts included, thanks.  If you have any questions, just contact me at shilohmuse at gmail dot com.

fruit head, 5774

And don't forget to have a wonderful, healthy, joy-filled year, 5774.

Welcome to the September 8, 2013 edition of kosher cooking carnival-kcc. Some of these posts came via blog carnival, and others I added from blogs I follow.


Reesa Stone presents reesasworld: Cookies, Elul, and G-d posted at reesasworld.

any time dishes

Jennifer's Fresh & local! Find out what...
Batya presents me-ander: Delicious, Easy and Low Carb Musakka posted at me-ander.

anything kosher!

Ruti's "only in Israel" kosher of course food story: Neve Daniel to the Rescue!

Batya presents me-ander: It Was Worth it! posted at me-ander.

My Right Word: I Have a Hot Idea posted at My Right Word.

Yosef presents Fried Green Tomatoes – Gluten Free Recipe posted at This American Bite, saying, "Bringing a little bit of the South into the kitchen!"

 

Every day meals

Batya presents me-ander: Baked Onion Omelet and the Story Of Course posted at me-ander.
Hannah's Cauliflower and Chickpea Soup

Halacha

Ben-Yehudah presents Esser Agaroth: What could happen to a Rabbi who does his job? posted at Esser Agaroth.
Reesa's Cookies, Elul, and G-d, food for thought.

Jewish Shabbat and Holiday food

Devo K presents In the middle, on the right: Rosh Hashana roses posted at In the middle, on the right.
Hadassa presents Challah Demos in Bergenfield
Lorri's Honey Cake for the New Year
Hannah's Salmon and Kiwi Verrine

Restaurant or Cookbook Reviews

Ben-Yehudah presents Top Ten Hidden Gems of Jerusalem posted at Esser Agaroth.

Batya presents me-ander: More in My Coffee Saga posted at me-ander, saying, "coffee review"


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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Rosh Hashannah Food! For A Healthy Year part 1

pre-Rosh Hashannah

post-Rosh Hashanah

As most of you may already know, we don't do the animal or fish head thing on Rosh Hashanah.  I (or one of the kids if they're around) decorate a fruit so not only will we be "a head and not a tail," we should also be healthy.  And this guy's mouth got smaller and smaller as the three day "yonitff" marathon dragged into Shabbat, so I told our Friday guests that it symbolizes lessening of lashon haraa, evil speech.  Now his mouth is barely visible, which has its problems. I didn't know that yams had so much water in them...

Here are a few of the vegetables I made for Rosh Hashannah.

This is a version of "musakka." Instead of using ground meat, I used sliced turkey breasts, usually used for making schnitzels. 

I layered the onions, eggplant, turkey, squash and pepper.  On top I put some canned crushed tomatoes and baked it all in a hot oven.  Our two guests, plus my husband and I polished the entire dish off.  In addition, I served two different raw salads, rice and cooked vegetables.  So it must have been good.

Here's this year's tsimmis, just before the water was added.

cooked tsimmis

I combined  prunes, raisins, cinnamon sticks, carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, ginger and brown sugar.  Just boil it up, simple as anything can be.

Have a Wonderful, Healthy, Enjoyable, Successful and Joyful Year 5774.

Only in Israel-

• I love the fact that Israeli public transportation, the Egged Bus Line, programs בברכת שנה טובה B'birchat Shanah Tovah, With Blessing for a Good Year on its buses, inside and out.

• Schools started the year extra early in order to give the kids lessons about the Chaggim Holidays before Rosh Hashannah.

 

I haven't yet made this year's "fruit head," but this should give you an idea of how cute they can be.  Not only do they symbolize "be a head not a tail," but they are intrinsically a blessing for good health and a strong sense of humor to all.

We must learn to make the best of what we have.  Of course we pray for prosperity, but as it is written in Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers:

Ben Zoma says:
Who is rich?
The one who is appreciates what he has…
(Talmud—Avot 4:1)

credit

Yes, we must always try to do better, but we shouldn't eat ourselves up  in frustration and anger if we don't achieve every dream. G-d gave us Free Will, but He retained Veto Power and can override all controls.

Blessings to All

Shannah  Tovah u'Mevorachat

Last Full Day of 5773, Blessings to All

About a month ago I went to the bank to make sure we had enough money available to pay for some wedding expenses.  For decades I had been pretty phobic about dealing with the bank and had let my husband handle it all, but a couple of years ago we had a change in "jobs,' and the bank became mine.  I had actually found the clerks to be very nice and helpful, pretty much like I try to be at work when helping customers.  I walked out of the bank with tears in my eyes. Not of fear nor anger, but because I was overwhelmed by the sincere blessings the middle-aged clerk and I exchanged for more wedding for our children and other singles in need of a suitable spouse etc.  It was so "only in Israel."

This time I had a long discussion with a different clerk, a bit younger, more my daughters' age.  At first she got me nervous, because she seemed annoyed at all my questions, but once she understood how my mind was working, she began to enjoy helping me through the muddle.  And when I finally got up to leave, she stood, shook my hand, told me that she enjoyed talking with me and we wished each other שנה טובה ומוצלחת Shannah Tovah u'Mutzlachat, A Good and Successful Year.  I told her that I really enjoy visiting that bank, because I leave with blessings and tears in my eyes.

This has been quite a year, especially the past few months.  In less than two months, my mother passed away and my youngest child got married.  Cousins of mine lost both parents in just over half a year, plus a first grandchild was born to one of them, just weeks after my uncle, who would have reached the status of great-grandfather passed away.  There have been some major changes in the clan as you can see.

Now we're getting to the deadline to say farewell to the Jewish Year of 5773 and to welcome 5774.  May the good overwhelm the bad.

Dry Bones

And a healthy year to one and all...

That's why I make a Holiday "fruit head."

Getting Ready for Rosh Hashannah, What Can we Make with These?

Ahhhh... pomegranates

 

 

Almonds...

Apples...

I may not feel ready for Rosh Hashannah, but the local trees are.  These pictures were all taken in Shiloh where I live.

Jewish Holidays are all on various harvest seasons, when the new fruits are ripening.  In Biblical times, the Kohen, Priestly Tribe was supported by agricultural tithes delivered in time for the Chaggim,  Festivals/Holidays by pilgrims to the Mishkan, Tabernacle in  Shiloh and later the Beit Hamikdash, Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

For decades we had the custom of waiting to eat pomegranates until the second night of Rosh Hashannah to say the Shehechiyanu blessing on it as a new fruit.  Maybe we'll do that again, since we're home alone the first night, but I don't know if our second night's hosts serve them.  Since I'm in the year of mourning for my mother, I can't say Shehechiyanu on new clothes, which was an easy way to be "covered." 

There's a problem with second day Rosh Hashanah in that it's halachikly, according to Jewish Law, like a new day/holiday, not considered a continuation of the first day.  Our local rabbi insists that you can't start heating up food for the meal until after candle lighting, so when we eat that meal at home it's our fish night, which doesn't require long heating which meat or poultry requires.

Chag Sameach and Shannah Tovah to All

Putting Your Best Foot Forward, Shoes Spotted

As I was walking down to the T'fillat Chana the other night I suddenly realized that  I was wearing may sandals, very basic, comfortable Nayot "tanachi," old fashioned סנדלים תנכיות "Biblical" sandals.  I frequently wear them to work when I have morning shift, which is what I had done earlier in the day. 

They really are very comfortable and sturdy, but I usually wear closed shoes when going for "nature walks" or to outdoor places like Tel Shiloh.  Well, compared to many of the women and girls who attended, I was in very sturdy shoes.  Take a look at some of the pictures I shot of participants' feet!

 

Yes, that little girl was barefoot!!

Have a great week everyone. 
Shannah Tovah!

Delicious, Easy and Low Carb Musakka

Very simple, just layer sliced vegetables and some ground meat or poultry.  I

used:
onion
squash
eggplant
tomatoes

Dribble on a bit of oil.  Seasoning is optional.  Bake and serve. 

Honestly, what could be easier?

Serve with a salad, and you have a meal.  Those who can eat carbohydrates can have it with bread, pasta or rice.  Or add sliced potatoes when assembling it.

A Debut Havel Havelim on "A Jewish Israel"

I've been greatly encouraged by the interest of newer Havel Havelim participants in hosting the veteran and distinguished Jewish Blog Carnival, Havel Havelim.  Yes, this week is the debut of A Jewish Israel as Havel Havelim host, thank you.  He did a wonderful job, and I'm also happy to see that there are new participants in this week's edition.  Please share and visit/share the various posts included.

Now that we're getting very heavily (maybe the wrong word, since I'd hate to think that I'll be putting on weight) let's say intensely into the three week Jewish Holiday season of Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Simchat Torah, HH won't be weekly.  I scheduled the editions a bit further apart.  It's nothing that participants need to worry about, because when you send in your link via blog carnival, it will automatically go to the next host.  Just please remember to send in links after posting, or if you're like me you'll forget and miss the deadline.  Next host is Esser Agaroth, one of the most dedicated and veteran members of our jblog community.

There are a couple of ways to keep track of what's happening with Havel Havelim.  One is to join and check up  on our facebook page, and the other is to put the  blog carnival Havel Havelim widget on your blog's sidebar.

More in My Coffee Saga

Here's this morning's facebook "update status:"

Last of my American coffee stock.  I'm not even sure where I was when I bought it, but I do remember that I was with my sister in some store and saw a whole bunch of coffee on sale.  This one is the least successful davka.  Archer Farms Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée.  It's a light roast, so not really strong enough.  When that's gone, I'll have to start perking my Elite Turkish again.

It doesn't have anything approaching the zing my homemade vanilla coffee, which is Elite Turkish well perked with a dash of good vanilla extract.  It's my fault in a way for picking a "light roast."  I should have stayed far away from it.  It has the coffee flavor of an ordinary instant coffee.  My previous Archer Farms was good coffee.

Kashrut is OU.  When I was pulling sale price coffee out of the bin in the store I can't remember*, there were many OU coffees.  I looked for the hechsher, kosher certification first and the name and strength of the coffee second. I remember being wary about the "light roast," but the vanilla in the label intrigued me.  Years ago I had bought a vanilla-flavored coffee from a different brand and loved it.  Lesson learned.

*As I was checking out more about Archer Farms I discovered that it's a house brand of Target, so I must have bought the coffee there.  My sister and I did go there to get my grandkids all sorts of arts and crafts supplies.