The Rabbi's wife

2011-07-14T21:19:00.002+03:00

So, for any new visitors, I'm going to put up some links to my favorite posts.
Recipes:
Matza Ball soup
Challah
question series
Strings (tallit katan)
2-handled cup (Hand wash cup)
Kosher food

That's probably enough to get started with.

Almost a recipe, but not quite.

2011-05-08T21:49:00.002+03:00

One of my husband's favorite foods in the entire world is Yellow rice. I can put anything on top of it and he will gobble it all up (hes a bit of a "discerning" eater). Yellow rice is easy. dice and saute an onion in 3 tbls oil, stir in 1.5 cups of rice and toast it for a bit, then add in 2 c water, 1 tbls salt and 1/8 tsp saffron soaked in very hot water. Cook until it's done. that's not the recipe in the title, though. I decided I needed to do something with the leftover rice from Shabbat, and that saffron and soy sauce wouldn't be complimentary, as fried rice is my usual use for leftover rice. Instead, I followed my usual cooking pattern for fried rice and added ginger, coriander and cumin. It was pretty good. it still needs a sauce of some kind, and for the life of me I can't figure out what. until I do, it will remain not quite a recipe. Oh well.

my cornflakes are orange

2011-05-01T21:05:00.003+03:00

and other Passover oddities.

Passover made me crazy. Not as crazy as the lady I saw literally running through the grocery store on the day before the Seder, but crazier than normal. I procrastinated on the cleaning, and ended up pulling an old person's all-nighter (up until 4AM) to get it all done. The kids were so wound up from eating our sugar stash, it was ludicrous. as of 2 days before Passover all that remained was this: Which isn't really so much, considering I take away 90% of the candy they get given in this sugar-obsessed culture. I give it out as rewards occasionally, but we never eat even half of what we get. Some of it I just throw out because I don't want to deal with it (suckers, BB sized puffs of MSG), some I eat (the good chocolate!), and the rest gets binged on right before Passover. anything left 24 hours before bedikat chometz (the time you look for last bits of leavening in the house) hits the trash.

I'm sure you're wondering how and why my cornflakes are orange. I'm getting to that. In case you don't know anything about Passover, let me give you the skinny (or the kitzur, in Hebrew). At Passover we get rid of all food that has Chometz. Chometz is any substance derived from wheat, oats rye spelt or barley, and it hides in everything. Citric acid? From wheat. No kidding. it's in everything. not to mention the obvious forms: Bread, pasta, oatmeal, cereal, etc. anything that could even have a little speck of this stuff has got to go. So, processed foods for passover have a special kosher certification. If you are an Ashkenazi Jew (North and East European) you also have to get corn, rice and legumes out of your diet. HFCS? oh yeah. peanuts? them too. If you are Sephardi (Spanish, North African, and Middle Eastern Jew) like us, you get to keep these foods. Thus, my Passover Cornflakes. But to make certain that everyone KNOWS these are special for-passover flakes? they add Paprika extract (doesn't change the flavor) to make them orange. Sure, it's a bit unappetizing, but the passover cereals based on potato starch are so much worse, I'll eat my orange cornflakes and be grateful!

Passover is a huge subject. It would take a dozen posts to talk about it all, but if people have questions, write them in the comments and I'll do my best to answer.

trgedy into triumph!

2011-03-27T10:03:00.002+02:00

I have a confession. I love saving money. I'm a skinflint. In my defense, we don't have a lot of money, so it behooves me to save what little we have. But when presented with an amazing deal for something we usually buy, I go a little bonkers.
So, here's what happened: I burned the Challah. My favorite, yummy, wonderful challah. I put it in the oven to "proof" and then accidentally turned the oven on. The broken oven, which is either ON or OFF no temperature choice. The smell of burning plastic wrap tipped me off that not all was right. I panicked, because it was less than an hour and a half before candle lighting time. Would any bakery still be open? So I booked it off to the shuk and discovered the deal of lifetime. Bread for a shekel (about 30 cents). Huge bags of pita, rolls, bourekas, rugelach, and everything else, going at less than it cost to make (I know!). I cme home with 2 bags of 10 rolls each, 1 bag of mini panini rolls, and a huge bag of mixed rugelach ( cinnamon and chocolate) and potato bourekas. They were also selling strawberris at 3 kilos for 10 shekels, so I bought some of those s well. Not money I had planned on spending, but in the end, home made jam, chocolate bread pudding and whatever else I make from the stuff I bought will feed us cheaply for the end of the month. And, from now on, I'm planning my cooking to be done ahead so I can hit the Shuk late in the day on Friday and score more amazing deals on food treats for the fam!

Shuk pics

2011-03-10T11:20:00.004+02:00

piles of food! I love the shuk!

I was totally going to do this post last week, but everyone in the house got a terrible cold, so I was on double-duty! Oh well. These are just a few pictures of one of my favorite places: the Shuk in Jerusalem. I never go there without thinking, wow, that would be an amazing picture, but I rarely go with my camera, because I end up not doing as well when I negotiate.

bulk spicesfresh meat brought in daily

Shevy wandering free

Gramma and girls

I can't seem to find my really good shots just now, but maybe I'll take my camera out next week to try for a few more.

The Shuk

2011-02-25T13:37:00.003+02:00

Ah, shopping in he shuk, you either love it or hate it. For those who have never visited Israel, the shuk is like the loudest, most crowded crazy farmer's market you've ever been to. You can score outrageous deals on just about everything, but it can be a challenge to navigate, particularly for non-Hebrew speakers.
I both love and hate the Shuk. it depends on the day and my time. As long as I'm wise enough to stay away during peak hours (after 4 any day and pretty much all of Thursday and Friday) it's a fun experience to go and pick my lovely produce, baked treats, and whatever else you're looking for. The girls always demand treats, which are usually the nice-looking apples or bananas. Sometimes we are tempted into buying the lovely strawberries, and just this week I bought fresh peas in the pod as a fun project. I'll put up some of my favorite shuk photos next week. It's a lovely place, as long as you know when to visit.

a somtime blogger hits the big time...

2011-02-12T22:56:00.003+02:00

Well, not really, but it's big for me anyway. I'm actually writing a guest post at Mother in Israel this week. Crazy, right? The first half of the full story about David's birth is on her site, this is just the part about my c-section.

It took 2 hours to get me checked into a bed after my water had broken, and I was subsequently ignored for the next 4 hours, as I wasn't in active labor. Finally someone stopped in to check my dilation. An hour later they applied some gel to help me along and then ignored me again for 4 hours. Finally 12 hours after my water had broken, they decided to put me on pitocin. I was OK with this, having had it on both prior births. I started having gentle contractions over the next hour or so. They upped my dose to hurry things along, and the next time I was checked, the midwife got the "panic" look on her face. She felt not a head, but an elbow. not the end of the world in my mind, but she seemed to think it was VERY problematic. So, they backed off the pitocin to give the baby a chance to re-adjust. Then they (the 2 on-duty midwives) felt again and still felt what they thought was elbow, and one doctor who also said elbow but the doc they called in said it was a heel. They brought in the mobile Ultrasound (my nemesis) to look at the baby's position, and one said the baby was head down, one said he was feet down, one said she couldn't tell. They were all yelling at each other in the delivery room about what should be done and who was the most incompetent. It was a nightmare for me, having gone through so much to get to this point and being so opposed to surgery. They decided to do another ultrasound, my 3rd in less than 24 hours, and this time the one doc overrode the midwives and said I needed an emergency c-section. It was 3 AM, I'd been awake for almost 24 hours and I was worn down. So, I signed the papers and was wheeled, sobbing, into surgery. They refused to let my husband come in with me, which only made things worse. I spoke with the anesthesiologist and he told me he'd give me something to calm me down as well as for the pain. from that point on, I remember only hearing the baby cry as he was born, being told I couldn't touch him, and even if I had tried I realized my arms were strapped down to boards and spread out crucifixion-style. All I wanted to do was comfort and nurse my crying baby, who was instead being held by this stranger-doctor. I still have nightmares that the baby is crying and I can't get to him because my arms are strapped down. My only comfort at the time was that my husband would be able to hold him, which I later found out was not what happened. They let him only touch the baby for a moment before wheeling him away into the nursery and telling him he couldn't come. It would be another 14 hours until they would "let" me have the baby.
The next day I was even more upset to have one of the consulting docs tell me in a very superior way that the baby had been head down after all, so I probably could have given birth normally. The day after that, the doc who had tried to convince me to abort the baby came in while I was nursing. I didn't even want to speak to her, but I did want to show her that my boy was just fine thankyouverymuch. All she had to say to that was, "we'll see" in an ominous tone.
I am still very upset about the way things went down. I definitely want to do VBAC next time, even if I have to hire a private doctor to ensure it happens. After 3 years here and 3 births here you would think I would know how to work the system, but I still don't, and now I'm more nervous than ever about medical intervention during pregnancy and birth. My husband isn't excited about the idea of a home birth, so that's not really an option either.

Any one used to the Israeli medical system care to weigh in?

I edited this to add these links to my Husband's reactions at the time. Part one, Part two.

a post per week...maybe.

2011-02-11T13:35:00.003+02:00

My DH decided he is doing a post a day on his blog and he challenged me to write a post per week. I think I can do it. I hope I can.

This week was dominated by my second daughter's second birthday. I did some balloon decor, which I think turned out pretty well.
And I made a cake, which always turns out well because it is an awesome recipe. Thanks to Hershey's for coming up with it!
Perfectly chocolate cake:
2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Whisk these ingredients together in a large bowl
then add:
1 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla.
mix until smooth.
then add:
1 c boiling water
stir until just mixed

pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans and bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes. I also put rounds of baking paper into the bottom of each pan, as this is a very moist cake and sometimes sticks despite my best efforts at flouring.

I make a different frosting from the one in the recipe. you can use either, both are wonderful.

Winter in Israel

2011-01-31T09:09:00.004+02:00

I took some neat pictures on the way home from the Shuk (Open market) last week and thought I'd put them up here and see what you all think. (that is, if there's any "all" left after months of neglect!)
Winter here is cool and clear. It ought to rain more, but we are in the midst of a drought. Having grown up in Washington State, I miss rain, and I get so excited every year when the rain starts. But the nice sunny days when it isn't rainy are a nice change from the constantly overcast skies I was used to. And it makes for some nice pictures.

time flies

2010-11-03T00:19:00.004+02:00

Wow, time flies. I had my boy. There were some complications (too much amniotic fluid, they thought), and one Doc offered me a late-term abortion (40 weeks and 3 days!) based solely on that. Twice. We said absolutely not the first time, but she persisted. What?? it was crazy, and I cringed every time I saw her after that. the whole birth thing was traumatic, the medical staff reminiscent of the 3 stooges, ending with a c-section that was very likely unnecessary. We'll go to a different hospital next time. The baby was a bit too yellow, but we took him out in the sun a lot and were able to circumcise him on the 8th day! (as a side note, concerned people actually yelled from their car across 2 lanes of traffic that I shouldn't have him out in the sun. Thank you, complete stranger for judging me!) My DH was able to be his Mohel and we named him David Yitzhoch. We put the video of the brit on youtube and got SO MANY negative comments, we finally disabled them. Crazy. People seriously called me a child abuser for allowing my son to be circumcised, as per our religious tradition. This has been a crazy time.

But he is a wonderful, sweet baby; worth every crazy thing.

so, I'm having a boy...how strange.

2010-06-22T13:08:00.002+03:00

I've been pretty quiet since Passover, the reason mainly being that I am dealing with an amazingly tiring pregnancy. It wasn't like this with my first two. I think much of the change is because I'm finally having a boy, not a girl. I knowpeople say, well, you have two kids now, so of course you're tired, etc,but seriously, the whole experience is different. I'm carrying different, craving different things, having different difficulties (low blood pressure? what??), everything seems different this time. Honestly, the whole idea of having a boy seems a little strange.
I had always planned on having ALL boys. I love the way they interact, playing boy games, everything about boys. So, I had to really change my thoughts about my girls, although I can't imagine having anything else now. Girl clothes and toys really are quite fun. So, to go from all the pink, frilly, girly-ness to now thinking about someone growing inside me that is so fundamentally different than I am, well, it's a whole paradigm shift that I'm still working on. I've got 8 weeks left to wrap my head around it, but I figure it won't all really come into focus until the moment I hold the little guy in my arms. And remember that I have to avoid getting "sprayed" while changing diapers.

You cleaned your what?...Why?

2010-04-20T22:38:00.004+03:00

In a continuing effort to amaze my non-Jewish readers, I am going to discuss the most stressful event of the Jewish Year, Passover. Why is this holiday so stressful? you would think Yom Kippur would be the stressful one, not eating or drinking, 5 prayer services in 24 hours, your last chance to get in good with the higher power for the year...but no. It's the cleaning for Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) that nearly does in every Jewish woman, and many Jewish men, every year.
Let me explain what has to be done. Everything you own must be gone through, cleaned and/or gotten rid of if it contains Chametz (any of the 5 grains or their derivatives, like grain alchohol, citric acid, etc.). Pasta, unopened bags of flour, most medicines, and a whole host of other things must be used up or thrown out or possibly ritually "sold" to a non-Jew for the duration of the holiday. All your dishes, utensils, pots, pans, and appliances must be cleaned thouroughly and put away in sealed cupboards. every surface in your entire home must be wiped down with caustic cleanser (bleach works well) including under the beds, Under the Washer and dryer, under the refrigerator and stove, on top of the fridge, etc. All books taken from bookshelves and shelves wiped down (I found 6 cheerios and a ton of crumbs on our bookshelves this year). Strollers cleaned out, high chair completely cleaned, the list goes on and on. after everything you own is perfectly clean, you go into your kitchen and really get down to work. All counter tops have boiling water poured over them, all cabinets are wiped out, your sink gets really boiled and bleached, your stove and oven treated by torch to burn away any remaining chametz after cleaning them. If you can, you torch your pots to make them perfectly clean of chametz, although many people just have a Passover set of dishes, utensils, and pots. then you cover everything in heavy-duty foil (heaver than anything I've ever seen in a regular grocery store, like tin-pan heavy) until it feels like you're cooking in a space ship. Buy new dish drainers, sponges, and other kitchen accoutrements (if it's touched hot food during the year, it must be replaced for Passover) then you're ready to start cooking for Passover, which is it's own challenge. But that's another post...
Just so you can see, here is what a passover kitchen might look like (not my kitchen, but a good example)

Because I don't really want to abandon my blog...

2010-01-19T11:11:00.002+02:00

I really enjoy blogging. But I feel like I have so much other stuff going on that is so much more important than blogging, I just don't know what to do. So, if I post, I post, if not, tough luck.
That is all.

Living with terrorism.

2009-09-14T14:40:00.002+03:00

The anniversary of 9-11 just passed, and, not living in America, I almost missed it. And, on top of that, I don't feel bad about missing it. you see, now that I live in Israel, terrorism is a daily thought, not an annual one. I barely even notice the metal detectors and guards at malls, restaurants, and hospitals any more. Want to look in my purse? Fine, whatever. Last year there were 3 separate attacks in my city using bulldozers. there were countless other attacks also, but you tend to look for trends to keep yourself safer. I still wince at the sight of an Arab driving a bulldozer. Just like I watch to see who is on the buses I ride, are they too 'bulky' looking; do they look nervous; have a heavy package? I get off and wait for the next one.
But even with these (and many other) precautions, I don't have an overwhelming sense of fear, either. all the above is just a way of life. We're careful, but not paralyzed, and we can't commemorate each event because there are too many, but we have a word for it. Pigua (pi-goo-ah). It seems to incorporate all our tears, all our apprehensions into one word that is never said in the same tone as the rest of the sentence. We can't remember every name, every time, but we memorialize each victim with the word we invented to tell of your tragedy.

Pigua.

Wow...time flies!

2009-08-28T10:45:00.005+03:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything. In truth, getting adjusted to having 2 instead of one child has been huge! But now Devorah is 6 months and Shevy is 21 months, and I'm feeling like I've got my feet under me again. However, I'm beginning to think this whole potty training thing isn't all it's cracked up to be. Well, another adventure.
So, I'll try to write more about our crazy life and Israel and whatever else pops into my head. Meanwhile I can at least put up a few pictures...
Shevy at the Zoo
July at the park

June telling her sissy what to do

August picnic at the park
July's smile.

Devorah surprised by food!

A tribute to my dad.

2009-06-21T06:55:00.005+03:00

Father's day is tough for me. My Father in law has passed away and my own wonderful father is thousands of miles away. I think about my dad a lot lately. I watch the special relationship develop between my own daughters and their father and I know how wonderful it will be as they get older. I subtly (or not so subtly) encourage my husband to do the wonderful things I remember my dad doing with me. Being silly. Special trips out together for just the 2 of us. Making me laugh until I cry. That stuff...Stuff that emphasizes the special relationship between father and daughter and also sets the tone for all relationships with men in the future.
You see, I had a wonderful father. There were some tough times for all of us, but he always worked hard to provide for us, went without extras (like his dream car so I could have braces), and protected me as best he could. He gave me the best gift a parent can give a child--themselves. I can remember having my dad's time, undivided attention, and love from, well, forever. And he and I connected in a very real way: same kooky sense of humor, same outlook on life, same physical constitutions. And even as an adult, he has continued to be there for me, supporting my dreams and ambitions even when they carry me half way around the world from him. Following me on that path half way around the world himself, when he'd be far more comfortable in his own familiar environment.
So, on this Father's Day, even though I can't give my dad a physical present, I'd like to let him know that I'm doing my best to give him the best present a child can give to a parent. Adoring Grandkids.

I love you, Dad.

Chicken Cholent

2009-05-03T11:20:00.003+03:00

So, this will be a combo-post. it will answer a common question and give you a fantastic recipe. So, the Sabbath. Everyone wonders what we can and can't do. well, one thing you can't do is cook. So, we get all our food ready the day before, and keep it warm all the next day. This has led to the development of a special kind of dish, called cholent, that will stand up to long, low cooking. Traditional cholents are kind of like beef and bean stew, but my ear Husband and I designed one based on rice, which we never fail to get compliments on! nd it's probably the easiest recipe ever.

You will need
1-3 lb boneless chicken thighs (depending on how many you feed)
1.5 c uncooked Persian rice
1 large jar of spaghetti sauce
2 T salt
Tabasco sauce
Heat your cholent pot (heavy pot, at least 2 quarts) and toss chicken in to lightly brown for a few minues (it doesn't have to be fully cooked) Pour in rice and salt, then dump spaghetti sauce over it all. Add half a jar of water and several dashes of tabasco. put over low heat for 12 hours or more. can also be made in a crock-pot.

kitchen adventures

2009-05-01T14:36:00.003+03:00

I'm a bit of a foodie. Seriously. I love to cook, bake, create, etc. I love all cooking TV shows, food network, etc. Gordon Ramsay is my favorite Chef, despite his potty mouth (or maybe because of it...). So, I thought I'd share 3 things (one each of ingredient, tool, and technique) I'd never be in the kitchen without and a recipe that incorporates them all.

1. Salt. I've only recently come to love and understand salt, but I can't emphasize how important it is. Especially in baked goods.

2. Parchment paper. this is the secret to all beautiful baked goods, and has changed my world. Use it for everything from cookies to bread to candy, and you'll never be disappointed by stuck food ever again.

3. Mise en Place: French for everything in place (roughly) Your experiences in the kitchen will be ever so much more enjoyable if you begin with everything you nee for the recipe in front of you, just like a cooking show. It also makes things move a lot faster, and saves you from having to "improvise" when you've run out of that thing you swore you had some of but now can't locate.

I also believe in simple foods, easy prep. things taste better if you on't have too much going on. so, my crowd pleasing PB balls to the rescue!

You will need:
3 T margarine
1 c Peanut butter (not natural, the heavy kind like Jif)
about 1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp salt
150 grams of coating chocolate or 1 pkg chocolate chips and 25 grams parafin

In a bowl, mix the PB, salt and Margarine. Slowly add the powdered sugar until you have a doughy consistency, like clay. Roll into 1 inch diameter balls. Melt chocolate over low heat in a small fry pan. place a large square of parchment paper over a standard cookie sheet and place near chocolate. a few balls at a time, add to the pan with chocolate, then fish out with a spoon and arrange on the parchment paper for cooling. for quick serving, place candy in the freezer. makes 3-4 dozen.
Pareve

so...how did you two meet?

2009-03-29T23:43:00.000+03:00

A new one in the series about demystifying Orthodox Judaism...Jewish dating!

I know a lot of you wonder how these super-religious people meet and marry, what with their separate seating, schools, synagogues, events, etc. (in case you weren't aware of it, let me fill you in: men and women occupy almost completely different spheres in our world. I haven't spoken more than 2 words to most of DH's friends, nor he to mine. We went to a wedding together and I had to call his cell when it was time for us to go. I hadn't seen him since we arrived, several hours earlier.) Anyway, the answer is both simple and complicated: We date.

This blows some Christians away, as many of them have eschewed dating as an immoral, worldly practice. Not so, say we. Our dating just looks very different. How? let me list the ways:

1. You already know quite a bit about your date before you meet them. You were probably fixed up by a professional, who looked at your respective dating resumes and decided you two were a good match. You each then got to look at the other's resume (and possibly photo) and decide for yourself if you were interested. If yes, the meeting is arranged.

2. Participants do not touch. EVER. Until they're married.

3. Feelings are not discussed, but life goals, children, where you want to live, religious practice, politics are all discussed, maybe even on the first date, which is a big no-no in the secular world.

4. If you date more than 2-3 months without getting engaged, it raises eyebrows. This is a fish-or-cut-bait kind of thing.

5. It isn't unusual for a person to have multiple first dates with different people in one weekend.
especially if they've traveled to that town expressly to go on dates.

Some of you have no doubt heard that Orthodox Jews have arranged marriages. What I've outlined is how things work in 99% of Orthodoxy. Yes, there are really extreme sects that arrange things and the girl and boy only meet once or twice before the wedding, but it's really, really rare. And Jews have a less than 10% divorce rate, so we must be doing something right.

thoughts? Questions? Anyone?

East meets West, or Israel meets Italy

2009-03-29T22:15:00.004+03:00

Pizza is a new universal, you can get it anywhere, even Africa. Iraelis LOVE pizza. For Kosher reasons, we don't put meat on it (Dairy and meat don't mix), but you can get it with all kinds of other things. I've tried Falafel pizza in NY, which sat like a rock in my stomach (like all falafel does), but I've been very curious about something I've only seen here in Israel. Corn pizza. No kidding. I've seen, or rather, smelled Tuna pizza, but there's no way I will eat something that smells that foul. Corn seemed unusual but do-able. So, since my parents are here, and my dad is as silly as I am, we got half a pizza with corn on it, just to see what it was like. Here's how it looked:
Here are the pre-eating reactions to the idea of Corn Pizza.
My Husband is clearly excited. And silly.
My father is clearly proud of himself. And also silly.
After eating, the reactions were mixed. My daughter was not impressed, but ate all of hers. She likes pizza, but doesn't seem particularly drawn to the corn aspect:

My dad was confused, clearly, from this picture:
But he didn't spit it out like Gordon Ramsay on Hell's Kitchen, so that's good. My husband was also indifferent. I believe his quote was "I wouldn't avoid it at a party, but neither would I seek it out." I Felt that it did little for me, and if I'm paying extra for a topping, it's going to be more cheese or olives or onions or something. Corn just isn't a stand out on pizza, it's just extra calories. Not too odd, but not something you'd find in the average Domino's either (although it is in the Domino's here)!

new house, new kid, same old me.

2009-03-04T08:12:00.003+02:00

Yes, I know it's been ages.

Yes I have good reasons.

See, isn't she cute? And FOUR FLIPPING WEEKS early?

5 days after she was born we moved into a new apartment.

2 weeks later we're still mostly in boxes.

Oh well. At least I got my Redhead!

Edited to add: We named her Devorah.

Reflections on traveling with a toddler...

2009-01-27T17:43:00.002+02:00

So, we survived the trip! The plane was not so bad, thanks to Benadryl, but they did lose our gate checked stroller in London (how do you do that??) which we didn't get back until our way BACK through Dulles going home. sigh.
3 days in a car with my good-natured kid? piece of cake. seriously. the 4th day was pretty bad however. We arrived in Washington State at my Parent's with a trashed SUV (crackers and dried formula everywhere) Naked Child (well, she had a diaper on. I didn't have the will to dig out clean clothes from one of our 7 suitcases after her diaper exploded in Eastern Oregon), and two parents with only one nerve left after nearly being blown off the road in Wyoming and nearly being blocked from our end destination by state-wide flooding in Washington. WOW.
It was pure joy to see my parents interact with their only grandkid (for another 6 weeks at least) and be so silly and permissive and un-parent like! Sigh. and I never had to worry if I wanted to leave the baby home, because you know G-ma and G-pa WANT to keep her there!
I've many thoughts about America in general, but I'll save those for another post.

the funny-looking cup

2008-12-22T16:07:00.005+02:00

We had some non-jewish friends visit from England recently. After one came out of our bathroom, she asked, "what is the funny cup with two handles all about? We've seen them everywhere here." It was then I realized that most people have no clue how OJ's live literally according to the Bible. G-d says, the Rabbis explain, We do. Simple as that. (well, not always simple, but at least it follows, logically) So, when G-d commanded us to Wash our hands before we eat a meal and after we go to the bathroom, we believe he meant it. The question becomes HOW? I've seen many people wash their hands in public restrooms (or not...ewwww!) and everyone has a different way of handling it, that's for certain. So, we have a set way of doing it that has been around for centuries, that way, everyone is equally clean! That's what the cup is for. Just in case you've never seen one, this is what they look like:
Some are fancy:

Some are not so fancy: They all have two handles, one for each hand! This washing process is also called Netilat Yadiaim (Hebrew for washing hands). When you wash after going to the bathroom, you wash with soap first (like normal folks should) Then you hold the filled cup with the handles facing you in your left hand and pour the water on your hands alternately 3 times (3 on each hand). Then you can dry your hands off and say the blessing after leaving the bathroom. When you are getting ready to eat a meal (with bread) you fill the cup, but pour 3 times on your right, then 3 times on your left. After this you say a blessing for washing hands (Blessed are you L-rd our G-d king of the universe who has given us the commandments and commanded us to wash hands) and then silently go back to wherever you're eating and say the blessing for bread and have your meal.
What to do if there's no wash cup? Just wash your hands and put them under the running water the correct way. Or find a drinking cup or other vessel and do it that way. It's better to wash in some way than not at all.
Now you know! Feel free to ask for clarifications!

On going back to America

2008-12-16T13:55:00.002+02:00

Life as an ex-pat isn't easy. In fact, it's darn hard a lot of the time. Don't get the wrong idea, I love living in Israel, am glad we emigrated here and are raising our Kid(s) here, but sometimes you simply long for the familiar. Like Wal-mart, Target, Safeway (or any real grocery store), Starbucks, etc. And it's hard to be separated from all of your family. Most people who move here have at least some family, but we really have none, and it's been an uphill battle to build a support system here. I still don't have a good babysitter in walking distance. My best option just got engaged, so she's off in la-la land for a while.
But we are going back to the US for a visit in one week. I'm going a bit berserk thinking about traveling in my 3rd trimester with a one year old (Thank G-d the Rabbi is coming!) but I'm really excited just to be "home" with my family for a while. I know it's just a different set of difficulties in America (no kosher meat, or Jewish Milk, having to drive again, instead of walk everywhere, etc.) but at least I will be dealing with people in my native language (and hopefully theirs). And everything is so cheap there (except Jewish stuff, which is very cheap here) that we will be testing the limits of our suitcase allowance with shoes, clothes, Ziplock bags, crystal light, sponges, kitchen knives, high-threadcount sheets (220 is really high here), and anything else I can think of that is really expensive or unobtainable in Israel, but cheap in the US. In exchange I will be bringing Olives, Pomegranate products, Za'atar (Israeli spice), scarves, etc. for family and friends.
So, here's to the exchange of consumer goods, but also to the joy of having 4 generations living on the farm again (however briefly), my daughter being charming to all our friends, getting to feel my BFF's baby kick her tummy, because it will probably be a while until I get to meet him in person, hugging my other BFF because she's going through a tough time and Skype just doesn't cut it, watching my parents play with my daughter, their first grandchild, going as a family to the aquarium for the first time, and everything else. Oh, and if you believe in Prayer, think of us as we drive across the country in Early January with our one-year-old who's longest car trip to date has been 2 hours. Yeah, we're nuts.

smells like Hanukkah...

2008-12-11T08:41:00.002+02:00

So this will be my third Hanukkah in Israel. When you live in the states as a Jew, you get inundated with Christmas stuff, with only the obligatory equal-access Hanukkah decor (usually on a tree, ironically enough).
In Israel I see nary a light, santa, reindeer or hear a carol, unless I go near the Christian Quarter of the Old city, since people here are mostly Jews, Muslim, or Secular. But Hanukkah? oh yes!! 9-branched candelabras are everywhere, convenient oil/gel inserts in the proper number on every corner, and in every Makolet (corner market) there are boxes of fresh Sugnafiot (jelly donuts). And if you live close to the Shuk (like i do!) you can walk down the lanes of stalls and admire rows and rows of still-hot sweet treats, and even a few places frying up latkes. It smells like heaven! Even though I've got every excuse to fulfill my cravings, I try not to buy any until the week before the holiday, or I'll get worn out on them, even the caramel ones that I have dreams about! Last year, my DH brought them to me in the hospital after I had our daughter! But smelling all the goodness is calorie and guilt free! and sometimes I go a few blocks out of my way just to walk down the bakery row and inhale the sweet smell of Hanukkah!

More HP Magic...

2008-12-03T18:45:00.002+02:00

I believe the world can be a better place. In Judaism it's called Tikkun Olam, healing the world. We believe that by doing what G-d told us in the Torah, the world will run the way it's supposed to. No Strife.

I try to do my part. I want to raise Mentchedick kids (good human beings). I make sure not only I give charity every day, but also my daughter and husband. We have people over for meals, and put them up for the night if they need a place to be for Shabbat. I know we've had hundreds in our home for a meal in the last 3.5 years (since we were married).

But more than that, I try to be polite in a less-than-polite culture (Israelis are rude!). Sometimes it means I wait longer, get ignored, or get pushed in a crowd, but I think that's OK. I also never answer back with sarcastic remarks when we are in a non-Jewish area of the USA and I'm getting asked for the thousandth time if I'm Amish, if I have cancer (I cover my hair with a scarf), if we're Jewish, if I can speak Jewish (Hebrew or Yiddish?) to them, bless their kids, whatever. Because I know these questions are other people's way of trying to understand me and also make the world a better place. And I appreciate that.

It's Magic...you know!

2008-12-03T09:08:00.005+02:00

So, Moosh in Indy is part of the greatest thing ever. The HP magic giveaway. Wow, HP and Windows Live are giving away something like 200 computers. It's like Christmas, except Jews don't do Christmas. So, it's more like Hanukkah for me.
I can't imagine what it would be like to actually win. The truth is, my Dear Husband has an awesome laptop that he uses for work. I...do not. We bought this laptop used, on E-bay, for $150 when we were poor newlyweds and had to have something. And we were grateful for it.

Unutterably.

But as time has gone on, it has become less adequate. I could help my husband try to support our family with a nicer laptop, as he does video and photo editing work. I have lots of video editing experience, but no computer to do it on but his, which he needs most of the time. My contribution to the family income is sewing. I currently use my computer to market my clothing alteration and repair business online. So, between those two things, We'd probably keep whichever computer had the biggest hard drive, because Video eats up space like a termite on holiday. We'd also probably keep the printer so I could start making posters for the sewing on my own at home instead of outsourcing it. The fact that it prints pictures is a big bonus. We've not had a printer since moving and having our first kid. So of the hundreds of pictures I've taken of our first child, how many have I printed? None. That would change!

Times are very hard where I live in Israel. I know times are hard everywhere, but in a country where 1/3 of the children live below the national poverty line (families of 4 who make less than 4200 Shekels a month, about $1,050) hard times hit even harder. I know families who literally live on eggs, milk, and bread, because those are government subsidized and it's what they can afford. Many nights Scrambled egg sandwiches are our complete dinner as well. It's cheap protein, and nourishing, and that's all it needs to be. Clearly, we're not totally destitute (we still have internet) but it's some lean times in our house (we have stopped riding the bus anywhere we can feasibly walk).

But this isn't just about me. We've only got one kid and one on the way. Jake and Sarah have 5. One sweet newborn Yair (pronounced yah-ear). Jake has a small business working as a Schlepper, a mover. He doesn't have a big moving truck, just the family van, and most of the time he does all the carrying himself. He used to have a good sales job here in Israel for an American company, which gave them a laptop they could use, but then he was laid off. So, he sucked it up and made a business moving stuff. And when he can't get work moving stuff, he cleans houses, something usually done (in this country) by illegal immigrants and women. Different culture. But he does it because he's got 5 kids and a wife at home who think he's the world's greatest dad. And he's in the top 10 as far as I'm concerned. You should see the multi-level tree house in their yard that he built with salvaged scraps. They totally would get a laptop and a copy of Kung-fu Panda, because, HELLO, 5 kids!

Then there's Rabbi Gold. Old guy living in the Old City of Jerusalem. His vision is to have a school for Old Guys like himself to learn in. They learn Hebrew and scriptures and in general find some purpose for their lives at a time that purpose is somewhat lacking. He's struggling and needs to improve his website so people that come to learn with him for a short time can keep up after they leave. His very old computer is totally inadequate for handling large amounts of audio and video files. He's such a great teacher, he has a few young guys around that could help him with the computer stuff, but they get frustrated trying to make a computer do things it just wasn't meant to do. Computer to him as well!

I also kind of know a guy names Shmuel. I've never met him personally. He runs a charity that donates computers (that he has built from scraps) to needy families and charities. I'm not certain, but I bet he also is working with some old rigged-up computer that he built from cast-off pieces. To support his family he does computer consulting, and makes up the difference with a garden on his porch. But he still donates countless hours to building and distributing computers to those in need, because it's his vision that kids will be able to do their homework at home, disabled people will have a link to the outside world (Israel is NOT handicap accessible in most places), and charities will have the technology they need to continue their good works.

I could tell you a dozen stories like this. The irony of a country where 40% of the people wo are employed work in the Technology sector, and yet people use computers that are 5, 10, 15 years old does not escape me. If one of these folks declines a computer I could find 6 people to fill their place.

The truth is, I don't NEED a new computer. (I can and will use a new computer if I get one, but I won't die if I don't get it.) I NEED food, shelter, and clothing for myself and my family. Those things I have. For now. And I trust that G-d will continue to provide them for me through whatever means he chooses. I probably won't enter each and every one of the other contests. But it really would be a miracle for these other people to get a computer for their needs, and I've always liked the idea of being part of a miracle. And Hanukkah is about Miracles of provision when it seems like there's not enough to go around. That's kind of how things feel in Israel right now. Not enough to go around, no matter how you stretch.

It's not 8 days of burning from one days worth of oil, but in it's way just as much a sign of G-d providing for those in need.

(the last night of Hanukkah last year)

Wedding in an apartment...

2008-11-27T11:08:00.002+02:00

I finally went to the perfect wedding yesterday! The Chuppa (ceremony) was called for 2 PM, but it got going at 2:30. Nobody cared. there were exactly 10 men, including my DH the photographer, 5 women including the bride and 4 kids. It was in an apartment, and we all had a home cooked lunch after. One neighbor brought a cake. Did I mention the Kallah/Bride was the grandmother of most of the kids there (except mine)? And the Chatan/groom is about 60? no? Well, it was the sweetest wedding I've ever been to, and I hope they have many joyful years together. No muss, no fuss, just happy married people and candy throwing kids. The way a wedding should be.

2008-11-25T13:14:00.003+02:00

I can't believe how much I neglect this blog. People still read it though, so here's something new to look at.
Did you know we have a ZOO in Jerusalem? Seriously. It's built into one of the valleys outside the main city, and it's pretty darn awesome, for Israel. Shevy had her first trip there yesterday and was captivated by it all, and not scared in the petting zoo, like many of the kids are. Go my kid! do I get a mommy prize because she didn't freak when the goats nibbled her toes? OK, maybe not.
Here are the highlights:

Monkeys fail to impress her. She was more interested in the cigarette butts on the ground.

She liked the fish in the Tiger exhibit quite a bit. This means a trip to the Seattle Aquarium in January!
The goats totally cleaned all the crumbs from the stroller, and from her clothes.

We both liked the leopard. Her dad loves the big cats, so we couldn't neglect them!
But it turns out the Bears were her favorite. I thought she was going to pull herself over the fence to get at them!

Can't you just get a Rabbi to bless this?

2008-10-15T20:42:00.004+02:00

Kosher. the basic were covered by Frum Meets World really well. I, too, am amazed by the idea that most non-Jews have about what Kosher means. As someone who didn't grow up with the whole kosher food thing, it's much simpler than it looks from the outside.
The questions I hear most often vary by source. From OJ's I mostly get things like, "Does Treif (non-kosher food) taste good?" (no, it tastes awful, that's why all the Gentiles eat it, duh.) "do you miss certain foods?" (yes, like Clam Chowder and Taco Bell)
From the gentiles, it's more like "Can you eat at my house?" (not really, but thank you for asking. How about a bottle of water or a coke?) "Can't you just get a Rabbi to bless this and make it kosher?" (if only it was that easy...)
What about you? Do you have a burning question about what is or isn't kosher? No question is stupid except the one that goes unasked...

What's them strings hangin' out, Rabbi?

2008-10-04T22:30:00.004+03:00

So one of my regular reads, Casey (mooshinindy.com) wrote about Mormon undergarments, and it made me think of the number of times my DH has been asked about his "garment". So, here I am to de-mystify the underwear of the Orthodox man (at least kind of).
All OJ's wear a 4 cornered garment of some kind with strings/tassels/friendship-bracelet-looking-things attached to each corner. Here's a picture:

The main part is called a Tallit Katan, and the strings are called tzit-tzit. The cloth can be anything other than linen. My husband prefers traditional wool, but many men wear t-shirt like material or even the kind of nylon net that football jerzees are made from. The strings are made from tightly wound wool. Some people wear all white, some add in a blue string. All white is most common, the blue thing is kind of controversial, but too big of an argument to get into here. The strings are tied in a prescribed manner, which differs by community. As the garment is holy, it is not worn next to the skin, but over a t-shirt, or completely outside your regular clothes. Also, most men pull the strings to hang outside their pants if their shirt is tucked in, as having the strings (which are tied in a way that numerically represents the Holy Name) by your underwear isn't the best idea.
All that being said, the garment itself is believed to have given rise to the rumor that OJ's can't see each other in *ahem* intimate moments. The idea of trying to reproduce through a hole in a sheet is kind of funny to me, but when gentiles see this big piece of fabric with a hole in the middle (hello, it looks like a poncho!) hanging from the laundry line of their Jewish neighbors, I guess there was some speculation. Actually, the opposite is true. Nothing can be in the way, not even socks. So there you go. Mystery solved.

I'm thinking about doing a series of these, so if you've always wondered something about Jews, send me an email or leave a comment and I'll try to address it. I know you all have questions...I see the way folks in America look at us in the grocery store....

All the sickos...

2008-09-21T14:02:00.002+03:00

Who show up here after googling "wifeadv-ntures" can just go away! Ick, ick ICK! Don't google it yourself, friends, just trust me it's not nice content.

a little batty

2008-09-21T13:50:00.002+03:00

I was hanging out laundry the other night, enjoying the relatively cool summer night, when I saw something swooping in my general direction. It was a bat. Not a big one, just a lil' guy. I actually like bats. They're secretive and make the best of the least-favorable hunting times. I know, they have rabies and all that, but as long as they're not in my house, what's the harm?
So, I tilted my head back for a minute and let them swoop around me out on the laundry porch. And I felt pretty peaceful and in tune with the world around me. Just because there were bats, and I wasn't scared of them.

PS-I hang my laundry out at night to avoid it getting faded from the strong Jerusalem sun. just FYI.

Better than Bubbe's Matza Balls

2008-07-25T18:05:00.006+03:00

I've been meaning to do this post for ages, but I really wanted to do it with photos, so you all had to wait until my camera finally arrived. This is the full recipe for my famous matza ball soup. If you want to learn ONLY matza balls, skip to the end.

You will need:
Heavy stock pot
Large bowl
Sieve that fits inside bowl

Ingredients:
Soup-
1 lb chicken parts (bones, wings, necks, whatever)
2 large onions
4 medium carrots
1 small bunch celery
handful of parsley
Salt
Hawaj (soup spice, a mixture of turmeric, cumin, and black pepper)

Place the pot on med-high flame. Once warm, add chicken parts and cook until brown on all sides
While chicken is browning, roughly chop onions.Add onions to pot once chicken is lightly browned. Cook until onions are limp and bottom of pot has a nice dark brown glaze.

Chop up carrots roughly and add to pot.Add Hawaj (I use 2 Tablespoons, you may want to use less until you know how much you like the flavor) and salt (to taste, about 3 T) to pot.

Now add water to the pot, until it is nearly full (the amount will depend on your pot). Then chop parsley and Celery (including the leaves) and drop into pot.
Lower heat and let simmer for several hours, up to 10 hours. The longer it goes, the better. I average about 6 hours. Keep adding water as necessary.
Later, your soup will look like this:

Not so yummy looking, but trust me it will taste wonderful! Put the strainer inside the bowl and pour the contents of the pot into the strainer. scrape the sides of the pot to get the gunk off.Pour the broth back into the pot and bring it back up to a gentle boil. Now is the time to add any veggies, barley, rice, noodles, whatever to the soup. My husband is a purist, so no veggies for us. Oh well.

Now, get ready to make the matza balls!!!

Matza balls-
Small bowl
mixing fork
2 eggs
1 T Oil (any kind)
1/2 c matza meal
1 tsp baking powder

Crack the eggs into the bowl and add oil. beat it...just beat it...
Put the matza Meal in and the baking soda. Beat...oh wait, no, just mix it all until just combined.
Put it aside for 15 minutes. In the fridge, if you're unusually worried about salmonella, but the counter works fine for me. Now, get ready to form balls by wetting your hands. take 1 Tbl or more of the mixture (depending on the size you want them) roll it into a soft ball (no perfection needed) and slide it into the boiling broth.Repeat until you run out of batter. Never, ever boil your matza balls in water. bland city. it also works best if you are going to serve them in the next hour or so after you make them. keeps them from being too mushy.

Now, sit down and enjoy your soup. It cures many ailments and keeps kids happy.

wordless tuesday...sort of

2008-07-08T17:31:00.003+03:00

I thought I'd put up a few recent photos of Shevy. A friend was here over the weekend and took these lovely shots. soon, I'll have a camera again and won't be in a photo wasteland any longer.

Birthday Update

2008-07-07T18:53:00.002+03:00

Because it's my Birthday today, I thought I'd do 7 things you may not know about me as I was born on 7/7/78. I was going to do 30 (as that's how old I am now, ACK!) but my attention span is too short for that.
Without further ado:
1. I have worked A LOT of different jobs. In Chronological order: Thousand Trails bathroom cleaner, After school care worker, Nanny, Chef at assisted living home, Taco Bell, Subway, Sears, ASB secretary (paid position), Pea Tenderometer operator (not joking), Carrot QC, Admitting at a hospital, Nanny again, Balloon artist, Camp videographer, After/before school enrichment teacher, Summer intern for UGM at-risk program, Preschool Admin, Videographer again, Kmart Checker, then photomat operator, Children's activities coordinator, Janitor, High school teacher, Hebrew language teacher, and now, seamstress. wow, I'm tired.

2. I am the only Jew I know who grew up on a Christmas tree farm.

3. I am late a lot, but I hate being late. it stresses me out, but stuff always happens to make me late, especially now with the baby. argh.

4. Someday I'll write about it in more detail, but I had a curse. Boys who liked me fell horribly ill (6 that I know of), guys who proposed ended up dead (fortunately only 2). My DH is in perfect health, by the way.

5. I loved performing in Opera and Musical Theater. I still sing selections for my daughter, although singing for mixed company is out for Jewish Modesty reasons. I just might audition for one of the all-women for-women groups here in J'lem. when I have spare time. ha.

6. I didn't hit puberty until I was 14. then I went up 4 cup sizes in one summer. Talk about an embarrassing return to school. you should have heard the rumors fly...

7. I have a sad, sad addiction to Mt. Dew. I know it's AWFUL for me, and nearly impossible to get here, but I still manage somehow. If anyone feels like being an enabler, they can mail me some!

My thanks to all those who commented and emailed to see if I'm OK. I;m feeling better, but they still haven't figured out why I fainted so much. I've got an appointment to go over my Med history with an American Doc next week and get orders for all the tests, so I'll keep you all posted as to the results. Meanwhile I'll post my Matza ball soup recipe sometime this week, which will cure you of anything!

the one where I end up in the hospital.

2008-06-30T08:02:00.003+03:00

Health care in Israel is different than you think it is. It is universal, but not in that scary, everyone gets horrid care kind of way. We actually have excellent doctors and facilities, considering that the country is only 60 years old. Little did I know last week that I would be testing the extent of those facilities.
I went to the Beach on Tuesday. It was a women's only beach in the Tel-Aviv area a gorgeous day to swim in the Med. Shevy and I came home tired but happy. Half way through the night I got up to go to the bathroom. As I sat down to take care of things I felt nauseated and dizzy; not a feeling I am unfamiliar with, as I am prone to fainting. The next thing I know I'm flat out on the bathroom floor (ick) wondering what happened. After calling out to my DH, waking the baby, and hosing myself off in the tub, my DH decides I'm dehydrated and runs up to the 24 market to get me some gatorade. Meanwhile, I puke my guts up onto some dirty laundry piled next to my bed. (I always notice how dirty the house is when I'm sick and can't do anything about it.) Despite my mom's voice in my head warning me not to eat or drink for an hour after throwing up (mom doesn't say puke) the DH convinces me to drink some gatorade. About an hour later I throw up again, fortunately this time into a large bowl. An hour later DH is also throwing up and also having to run to the bathroom every hour, so we figure we both have some virus and decide to just let it run it's course. Then Shevy starts having leaky diapers, and being other than her normally happy self. By this time it's afternoon on Wednesday, so we decide to take her into the clinic. While there, the Doc is very concerned about the bump on my head (I'm pretty sure I hit it on the door when I passed out) While she's examining me, I lose consciousness again, and throw up again. She freaks out and orders me to be admitted to the ER. We get a taxi to the big Hospital (Haddassa Ein Kerem) which also has a mall attached--another story--and after going a little nuts they send a Medical explorer to come take my blood. He provides me with a running commentary of his incompetence (failed to insert a Heprin lock, just barely got the blood they needed after 4 sticks) and I promptly pass out again. So they admit me to the trauma unit, the Doc gives me the *worst* Hep. lock IV I've ever had (docs usually suck at basic procedures, by the way. get a nurse to do it) and they start pumping me full of unwarmed saline. I hate that feeling. So, they CT me and X-ray me and take more blood and 12 hours and 4 bags of saline later have no idea why I passed out (not surprised) but want to keep me in the Hospital for a week to run tests to find out why I faint. I have a 7-month-old at home so I say No way, which really annoys the Israeli Doc, who is used to being obeyed like a god. I know all the tests he wants to run can be done outpatient and my DH has had the baby *alone* for 12 hours and is going nuts with what to do. So I check myself out of the hospital AMA (against Medical advice) and take a taxi home, where my daughter nearly turned herself inside out with delight at seeing me after us being separated for the longest time since I gave birth to her. That's all I have the time or energy to type right now. I need a nap. maybe next time I'll write about the Drunk Ethopian in the ER or the poor lady with Fibromyalgia and 2 broken wrists.

The best bread in Israel.

2008-06-17T07:49:00.003+03:00

Or anywhere else for that matter. When We were dating, my husband made this bread, which was yards better than any Challah I'd ever made or tasted, but he refused to give me the recipe until we were married. Now I make the bread, and I can give the recipe out, and you don't even have to marry me to get it. The best part about this Challah is that it is moist and dense rather than bland and fluffy like many Challah recipes. If you try it, let me know how it turns out. If you'd rather I made it, stop by my house any Friday night.

Challah (mix it up on Thursday night!)
4 1/2 C warmish hot water
1 1/2 c sugar
7 tsp yeast
7 egg yolks
¾ c oil (olive is best, but any kind works)
4 Tb Salt
5 Lb flour
1 egg
3 Tb sesame or poppy seeds.

In a large bowl mix the water and sugar, then add the yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, oil, sugar, and salt and mix thoroughly. Slowly begin adding flour, mixing completely each time. After a while it will be impossible to stir, so turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin kneading in the rest of the flour (it all has to go in for halachic reasons. If you find the dough is too dry, add more water.) Put dough ball into LARGE (really large) oiled bowl or pot, cover with plastic wrap (spray the top of the dough ball with pam or oil to keep it from sticking) and let rise overnight in a warm place, or at least 6 hours. The longer it rises, the better the flavor, punch it down a few times if you need to. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, separate challah with a bracha, and burn the portion. Cut the dough into the desired number of loaves (I make 12 loaves, but they are small. It makes 6 large loaves nicely), then cut the loaf section into 6 pieces and braid. (If you want to learn this, it is explained in the Spice and Spirit cookbook. It takes some practice to be fast at it, but the result is worth the effort.) Place braided loaves onflat pans lined with parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and place in a warm spot for 40-60 minutes, until the loaves have approximately doubled in size (if you are pressed for time, you can put the loaves in to bake right away, but they won’t be as pretty or soft). Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375. Take the last whole egg and beat it with a little water to make an egg wash. Use a brush to coat each loaf with the egg wash, the sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds, or both. Place pans in the oven for about 35 minutes, until the tops are light brown and when you tap on the top of a loaf it is hollow sounding. If you have to use 2 racks because it is a small
oven, switch the pans from top to bottom to ensure even cooking. The secret to nice challah is to not over-cook it. Trust me. People prefer things slightly underdone, whether they realize it or not.

There's the big secret. It was worth marrying the guy just to get this fantastic recipe! If I get requests for them I'll put up some other Shabbat food. We make killer Matza Ball soup in this house.

MyPersonality.info Badge

2008-06-05T17:00:00.001+03:00

I know it's been a long time...

2008-06-01T18:07:00.005+03:00

...But I've been busy. We had to move. not out of Jerusalem, but to a different part. And then there was Passover. that took up a LOT of time. And I have a 6-month-old. In case you didn't know, they are the biggest time-suck ever. More than the internet, blogging, and wii combined! (not that I have a wii, I've just heard and I really want one. Too bad we don't have a TV) Oh, and I run 2 businesses, one sewing, and one making balloons. And I was in Ulpan (Hebrew Language school) but then I quit because I was becoming a maniac and pulling out my hair, and I decided something had to go, and it WASN'T going to be the kid (although it is tempting). But who could get rid of such a cutie, right?
So I quit Ulpan, we moved and my life has calmed down a bit. I'm even sewing for fun sometimes. Now there's a novelty!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-02-13T11:02:00.003+02:00

Because Jenn in Holland also posted a windmill. We have one in Israel, too.

procrastinating.

2008-02-11T11:49:00.000+02:00

I used to love grocery shopping.
The planning, wandering the aisles deciding what I could do with new things I saw, loading all my newest goodies into the pantry.
Now I put it off.
a lot.
Here's why: it sucks in this country. I don't have a car, so I am forced to shop at the ONE store that will deliver to my neighborhood. They often don't have what I am looking for. And if they do, it is likely more expensive than the last time I bought it. (yes, prices here are going up THAT FAST!) Then, at the checkout, I wish my groceries a fond farewell, possibly never to be seen again. When the delivery gets to my house, if I'm lucky it's before midnight, I have to check to see if its all there. if it's not, guess who has to call neighbors to see if my stuff got in with theirs? yeah, not the store, it's definitely not their fault.

Can you see why I would put this off?
But all I really have in the fridge right now is hummus and some dubious-looking carrots.
That ain't gonna make the rabbi happy.

Balloons etc.

2008-02-10T16:21:00.000+02:00

So, besides being a Rebitzin (rabbi's wife) I'm also a balloon artist. Not a very serious one, mind you, but I've been involved with the latex world for about 10 years. In America, that and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee and that's about it. Here in Israel, its a BIG deal. There are maybe 10 other people who do balloons on any kind of grand scale. (more than doggies and swords) in the WHOLE country. So, last Tuesday I bravely ventured out from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv where I met up with 2 other balloon guys and then drove to a place just outside Netanya. There ended up being 6 of us there, which was great fun. I wondered if it was going to be weird as I am the only one who was even remotely religious, but my fears were unfounded, as we could all relate on the balloon level. We all riffed on the theme of a coral reef, which was one guy's project for a photo shoot the next day. This was the result:

Cool, right? I made some of the coral and some of the bubbles. Seriously, most of the work is by a guy named Ori Livney. Google him, he's got some really cool videos and stuff available on the web, and he does amazing things with balloons. The other people who worked on this are Keren Friedman, Asi Cohen, Mishel Something-or-other, and Ori's SO Michal.

I also had a friend over last week to learn my mad bread-making skillz. She did this with minimal intervention from me:Good job, Nadine! Perfect Challot are the sign of an accomplished Jewish woman!
If you want the best Challah recipe ever, email me and I will send it your way.

Photo contest winner, that's me!

2008-02-04T23:27:00.000+02:00

So, because my daughter is a first child there are already an unholy number of pictures of her. Some of these are better than others. I have a hard time deleting bad ones. How could I possibly delete my precious baby, even when she looks stupid in a picture?

See! even in bad pictures she is adorable! you actually want me to delete this? Cretin!

Ummm, Yeah. Don't judge me.

Anyway, the upside of this plethora of pictures is that every so often you get a gem. The following is a perfect example:

Yes, I know we have a huge cat. That is an 11 pound kid next to him. He weighs more than the kid, for now. But, oh the cuteness! i can has cuddles? I know it makes your ovaries do a little jump to look at these kinds of things. Maybe I should make a LOLcat out of it and submit it to one of my fave sites, icanhascheezburger.com
Just one more dose of cute before I go:

How can you stand the cuteness? Give her whatever she wants! And what she wants is for you to please comment. We see on google analytics that you're reading, so leave me a note while you're at it.

Cheers!
The Rabbi's Wife

SHOCK and Awwwww!

2008-01-27T22:04:00.000+02:00

I realized a few days ago that I am not getting enough calories into my system. For a new mommy feeding her baby, this is a serious issue. The problem really is that I got so used to NOT eating during the pregnancy, it's hard to get back into the habit of eating. So, I drink a lot. Not THAT kind of drinking (well, it was a holiday last week, boy 4 glasses of wine for Tu' b'shevat is a LOT!) But really I drink lots of milk, yogurt, juice, etc. The real confession is that I also drink a lot of SHOCK. If you've never been to Israel, you can't appreciate that last statement at all. SHOCK is a brand of chocolate milk here, and everyone drinks it, even infants in their bottles (not my infant, but most kids). It is sooo yummy, they must put crack in it, because I literally crave it daily. And I thought cravings ended in the delivery room...
So the Awwwww part of the title is how cute my kid is, despite my poor nutritive habits. My Aunt sent money to buy her some things and I went to the mall that is near my house to my favorite baby boutique, Yaldootee (lit. Childish). There are two types of kid's clothes here. Super-cheap throw away clothes and boutique-adorable-but-too-expensive clothes. I believe firmly in the statement that "Cheap is expensive" so I shop at the nice places so the clothes will last through my child-bearing years. But this time I got lucky, because all the clothes were 50% off! woo hoo!
So I got a little bit of this:
Because it totally makes her look like the "Roaming Gnome" when she's in the carrier with the hood up

And this because it's warm and purple, which my mother declared when she first saw her was "her color" and it has been ever since.

These pants for sleeping in (BTW doesn't she totally look like Karate Kid in this Picture? I never planned that)

These pants, because, dang, I have a total soft spot for printed courderoy and I loved the color scheme
and, finally, this because every baby needs a velour track suit, right? (this one was too small. we returned it for a bigger size)

Yep, I got me one cute, photogenic kid.

I have no idea how much meat costs.

2007-12-31T16:30:00.000+02:00

Or most of my other groceries, for that matter. I just realized this. You see, in America, everything comes from a grocery store with price tags on it. In Israel, most of my stuff comes from an open air market that has very few, if any, price tags. The upside to this is if you go the same place often enough, the prices go down. This is what happened with my meat. The guys know me, noticed when I missed coming for 2 weeks (when I had the baby), and know what I want and how I want it cut and wrapped. (2 bags, please, no blood on the rest of my food, thank you very much...) I think also with my spice merchant. The spice guy never makes me purchase the minimum 50g any more, which keeps me from having to figure out what to do with, say, 40g of whole mace. (anyone have a recipe that calls for a lot of that spice, by the way?) I wish we ate enough fish that I could get the price of that to go down. 90 shekel for a fillet of salmon? you've got to be joking. I have figured out that some things consistently cost the same price. Like my favorite chocolate cake from Marzipan costs 18 shekel. Milk costs 3.5 for a 1 liter bag. A 1.5 liter of coke costs 5 and a .5 liter of coke costs 7 (figure that one out!). Israeli candy bars cost 4 and American ones 8, which is why my Reeses peanut-butter cup loving husband only gets them occasionally.
I should explain that a shekel is about the equivalent of a quarter, sometimes a little more, sometimes less, depending on exchange rates, but that is average. 2 bucks for a candy bar? Although, if I could get my hands on a can of Mt. Dew, I'd pay it gladly. Anyone want to mail me some Dew?

I'm a bad mommy

2007-12-26T20:40:00.000+02:00

So, who thinks a 5 week old kid shouldn't be able to roll off a couch? I mean, they aren't supposed to be that mobile for weeks! But danged if my kid didn't roll herself right off the couch last week.
mommies have to go to the bathroom sometime, right?
The funny thing is, even though I was totally freaked out, I was also really calm once she started screaming an there wasn't any blood or bruises. The Rabbi? Not so much. He really flipped out and didn't want to give her back to me. Finally I convinced him the only thing that would make her stop crying was to nurse her. Which worked instantly, of course, because even bad mommies know how to fix boo-boos, especially ones they caused.

in other news, have you ever wondered what Christmas is like in other countries? Here, especially in my community, it is a total non-event. Well, not totally. There are a few more Christian tourists than normal (and they all want to convert me, I swear! do they realize how obnoxious that is to someone who LIVES the Bible? Prolly not). Also, my Pharmacist was closed, but that's it. In America most Jews get take out from the local Kosher Chinese place and try to forget the day exists (good luck with that, BTW). I did notice that someone was selling these small cedar trees one day last week. I'm sure they were supposed to stand in for the more common pine or fir trees of America. But today was by far the most surreal, as I walked up the Arab Shuk (open-air market) a guy in a Kufi (muslim hat) was shouting, "Merry Christmas, come into my shop, I make you good Sale!" at anyone American-looking as they passed by. Capitalism reigns supreme.

throwing the baby into the bathwater

2007-12-17T20:18:00.000+02:00

After my mom left Jerusalem, I decided I needed a bath to console myself, so I fed the baby and began the process of getting ready to bathe. "What if she wakes up?" asked my Dear Husband. I told him to bring her in to me if she did and I would nurse her in the tub, and then she could have a bath, too. (not a super-mom approved thing, but oh well) So, I finally relax into my nice warm tub and less than 7 minutes later, I hear the DH through the door, "I'm bringing her in, she woke up." and so, he then proceeds into the bathroom and hands his wet, naked, in the tub wife a fully clothed, diapered and blanketed baby who is screaming. Um, yeah. Did it occur to him that he should take her clothes and dirty diaper off first? Um, no. At least the blanket came in handy to undress her on the bathroom floor with. But, that leads to yet another load of laundry. Ahh, parenthood!
Just a little anecdote from my day!

The first blog...

2007-12-09T11:18:00.000+02:00

So I've decided to enter the "real" blogosphere. I've blogged on and off on MySpace, but this is the real deal. So, if you somehow end up reading this randomly, let me introduce myself.
I am a Rabbi's Wife, living in Jerusalem, in the old city. I just gave birth to my first child three weeks ago, and she is a real dolly! Everyone comments how much hair she has, and it really does look like we put a wig on her. My Husband (The Rabbi, TR for short) is in Yeshiva (school for men) full time. He also teaches Russian Martial arts, and I am a balloon artist (you know, those balloon animals from long, skinny balloons). So we're a pretty unusual couple, especially for the Orthodox Jewish world. As I've become interested in blogging, I've noticed most of the people who say they're Orthodox are really Modern Orthodox, but we are what people call "ultra-Orthodox" or Charaedi. I'm sure you'll find out more about that as the blog goes on.
Now, my thoughts for the day: It's amazing to me how much of your life becomes about peeing when you're becoming a mom. You pee to find out if you're ovulating, if you're pregnant, etc. Then, once you're pregnant you pee all the time, both for the doctor and just because! Then, once you have the baby, it pees all the time, and you have to change it. Who knew my life could revolve so much around urination? Or that I would like it?
It's true, I do enjoy being a mom so far. I know, give it time, but I've always liked kids and wanted to have a big family, so I'm thinking it's not going to pall on me. Plus, I deal with kids professionally, so I've got a pretty good idea what to expect. But that's the journey you're about to join me on. So, let's see where it all goes.
Kol Tuv (have a good week)
TRW