Israel! The Land That I Love!

My day started with a Yom HaZikaron ceremony with my students at the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater. Tears rolled down my face as the fifth graders read the English translation of a song narrating the battle at "Givat HaTachmoshet" - "Ammunition Hill" in Jerusalem. So many young lives lost in the battles to protect our beautiful, holy,  land.

I have been to Givat HaTachmoshet twice.  The first time was the summer after 10th grade when I was lucky enough to spend 6 weeks touring Israel. The second time was just 7 weeks ago on my recent trip to Israel. Levi and I headed to Israel with excitement - with no firm plans in place.

Our second day turned out to be exhilarating from beginning to end. We had the honor to join my brother Levi in greeting his close friend Mendy as he and his unit finished their 26 mile, overnight, march to Ammunition Hill. I'm not sure I can even describe the moment - but I will try. Suddenly,  coming up from the valley we saw soldiers and more soldiers. Some carrying flags, some with painted faces. All their faces glistening with hard earned sweat on the beautiful, brisk Jerusalem day. There were songs, there was chanting. While just a visitor, I was immediately sucked into the emotion of it all. People were on the sides of the roads clapping and cheering. Suddenly people in their cars starting honking a celebratory tune. One person even proclaimed from a speaker in his car "ein kamocha ba'olam" - there is no one like you (the IDF) in the world. Eventually my brother found his friend and they embraced. What a moment. We marched up the hill a bit more with the unit and eventually went back to our car to finish the drive to Givat HaTachmoshet. Once at Ammunition Hill we clapped and cheered some more as the soldiers' march finally came to an end. We stayed for a bit as the soldiers spent time with their families.

We bid farewell to Levi's friend Mendy and headed back to my brother's neighborhood to grab a bite for lunch (more on that later!) and then it was time to go back to Ammunition Hill for Mendy's "beret ceremony". Music was blasting when we arrived. Song after song about brave soldiers, prayers and more - all upbeat and setting a festive mood. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the ceremony. Looking into these young soldiers' faces. Listening as their commanders charged them with their incredible task. Knowing that in the next few days, after a short break with their families, they would all be returning to duty. Watching as each paratrooper traded in their green beret for their red beret left me teary eyed. I was in absolute awe knowing that these brave individuals were ready to put their lives on the line, ready to give everything they have, ready to protect our land and our people. We showed up as friends of a friend - but left feeling like family to each and every person in attendance.

Tears welled up in my eyes as my heart filled with a certain kind of pride that I can't even explain. 

A pride in my people. Knowing that we are still here, strong as ever. Proud to say Am Yisrael Chai!

A special thanks to my brother Levi, and my sister in law Aidel, for shlepping us along to experience an experience unlike any other. May it be the will of Hashem that Mendy, his comrades, and the entire IDF be blessed by Hashem with safety and security - as they keep our precious land secure and safe for all. 

Now back to lunch. I decided that day that I must experience a "hummusiya" - essentially a hummus restaurant. Levi (my brother) knew just the place! We found ourselves at a tiny little eatery and ordered the house hummus and the mushroom hummus. It was love at first bite! While I have yet to figure out the magical flavors in the house hummus, I was able to do some sort of recreating of the mushroom-onion hummus once we got back home. Each time I eat it, I am transported right back to our incredible journey!

 

Mushroom -Onion Hummus

Chickpeas ( I cheat and use canned)

Olive oil

Garlic powder

Lemon juice

Sesame oil (instead of techina) 

Cumin

Salt

Mushrooms 

Onions

Hawaijj spice if you have 

In a food processor, grind up the chickpeas. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients and blend to the desired consistency. You can add water if needed. Unfortunately I don't have any real measurements for the hummus - but I play around with it each time, tasting it and adding more lemon and garlic as needed.

Slice mushrooms and onions and sautee in olive oil. Sprinkle with some salt and a pinch of hawaijj for added mediterranean flavor. Warm hummus and mushroom onion mixture before serving. When ready to serve, place hummus in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and then top with the mushroom onion mixture. Delicious!! 

Churros Waffles

As is tradition, my family, and members of the community, gathered at the Chabad House about two hours before Pesach ended to take part in the "Moshiach Seudah". Each year we drink four more cups of wine (really!!), eat our last bits of Matzah, enjoy some more food, sing moving Chassidic tunes and share words of inspiration - just as Pesach is getting ready to end. I sat there enjoying the time with my family and then suddenly Pesach came to an end. The room came turned to hustle and bustle as everyone gathered their children, their strollers, their jackets and more. As everyone turned to leave I got a bit sad as a I realized that the next day my family would all be returning to their respective homes. As I started to say goodbye to one of my sisters in law, I suddenly blurted out, "I have an idea! How about I make chametz breakfast for everyone tomorrow morning?" She loved the idea, as did everyone else standing around.

I went home thrilled with my plan to host everyone in the morning before they would leave to their respective homes. I did a quick calculation and realized I had invited 30 people to come join me for breakfast :) I set into motion, making a menu and running to the grocery store to stock up for the clan! The next morning I got up bright and early and worked on scrambled eggs, shakshuka, salad, and toast and best of all churros waffles topped with whip cream and strawberries! 

I used 3 giant frying pans and 2 large electric skillets, more than 75 eggs, and lots and lots of other kitchen tools to make the magic happen - but it was worth it. The REAL magic was in the hosting. Observing everyone eating and enjoying each other's company before heading out was truly magical. I also was overcome with an incredible feeling of gratitude for the many blessings Hashem has bestowed upon my family. As I looked at the long row of chairs and tables filling my dining room and living room, marveled at the ability to easily pull off a meal for a crowd and at the amount of food I was able to share with my family I felt an extra measure of thanks to G-d. 

As the gathering ended we wished each other farewell and voiced our hopes to be able to gather once again for happy occasions in the near future! 

Now for the recipe....I made Churros Waffles from the Real Life Kosher Cooking cookbook by Miriam Pascal. This cookbook has quickly become a favorite in my kitchen. These waffles were incredible and everyone really loved them! 

Churros Waffles 

2 cups flour 

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water (cookbook calls for soymilk) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 eggs

3/4 cup oil

Cinnamon-Sugar mixture

Whip and berries for topping

Mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add water, vanilla, eggs and oil. Mix well. Prepare waffles per directions for your waffle iron. 

When ready, remove waffles and place on a tray. Spray waffles with cooking spray and then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Flip waffles over and repeat. I put my mountain of waffles in the oven on 175 to keep warm until it was time to serve them. Delicious! Enjoy! 

A Matzah Lesson

I wrote this to go with our Matzah deliveries...but loved the message and decided to share here as well!

In just a few hours we will sit with our family and friends drinking four cups of wine, retelling the miraculous story of our freedom from slavery, enjoying a delicious holiday meal and crunching on our flat and brittle Matzah. Eating Matzah is a main part of the Seder and teaches us an important life lesson at the same time!

Matzah is known as the “bread of faith”. When our nation was still enslaved in Egypt, G-d commanded them to eat Matzah to celebrate their freedom each year. The Jewish people needed to take a leap of faith and observe the eating of the Matzah - even before their freedom arrived. They needed to realize that their future - and freedom - was in the hands of G-d. They needed to relinquish control, let go and accept that Hashem had their best interests in mind.

Each Pesach when we eat our Matzah, we can reflect on our lives, our hopes, our aspirations and work to strengthen our faith in G-d. We can resolve to do our best but at the same time realize that the key to our success is in the hands of Hashem - and recognize the beauty in allowing G-d to help us reach our goals and rise to meet our challenges.

May it be the will of Hashem that we merit to eat our Matzah together with our Jewish brothers and sisters in the holy city of Jerusalem with the coming of Moshiach.

With wishes for a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And now for a recipe :)

My favorite salad dressing is this avocado dressing. While we won't be serving it at the Seders, it will certainly make an appearance at a later point during Pesach. The regular version uses vinegar - which I have swapped out for lemon juice for Pesach. (Credit to my cousin Rashi Marcus for sharing this recipe with me. )

Avocado Dressing

1 avocado

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sugar 

3 cloves garlic 

Enjoy!

The Lesson Of The Matzah

Pesach is almost here! After all the preparation it is finally time to celebrate our freedom!

I wrote this up to be delivered with some Matzah deliveries...and thought I would share!

In just a few hours we will sit with our family and friends drinking four cups of wine, retelling the miraculous story of our freedom from slavery, enjoying a delicious holiday meal and crunching on our flat and brittle Matzah. Eating Matzah is a main part of the Seder and teaches us an important life lesson at the same time!

Matzah is known as the “bread of faith”. When our nation was still enslaved in Egypt, G-d commanded them to eat Matzah to celebrate their freedom each year. The Jewish people needed to take a leap of faith and observe the eating of the Matzah - even before their freedom arrived. They needed to realize that their future - and freedom - was in the hands of G-d. They needed to relinquish control, let go and accept that Hashem had their best interests in mind.

Each Pesach when we eat our Matzah, we can reflect on our lives, our hopes, our aspirations and work to strengthen our faith in G-d. We can resolve to do our best but at the same time realize that the key to our success is in the hands of Hashem - and recognize the beauty in allowing G-d to help us reach our goals and rise to meet our challenges.

May it be the will of Hashem that we merit to eat our Matzah together with our Jewish brothers and sisters in the holy city of Jerusalem with the coming of Moshiach.

And now for a recipe...

My favorite salad dressing is this avocado dressing.  While we won't be making it for the Seders, it will make an appearance later on in the holiday! (Credit to my cousin Rashi Marcus who shared this recipe with me.)

Avocado Dressing (adapted for Pesach)

1 avocado

1.5 tsp salt

1/4cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sugar 

3 cloves garlic 

Blend together in a food processor. Cover tightly in the fridge to keep from turning brown. Enjoy!

L'Chaim! To Life!

 38 years ago, on the 27th day of Cheshvan, my parents became parents, at the very moment I was born. I was named for my maternal grandmother, Rasha Gansbourg, of blessed memory. My mother was just 10 years old when her mother passed away at the young age of 37. As I grew up I was pleased to learn that I had multiple cousins sharing my name! I was not the first "Rashi cousin", that honor was given to my cousin Rashi Minkowicz of blessed memory. My cousin too passed away at the young age of 37.

One year ago today, I turned 37 - and with that came a year of uncharted territory. I suddenly found myself in a place I had never been before, and I wasn't quite sure how to navigate it. My mind was on overload and thinking all sorts of things I hadn't quite thought about in the past - but have now changed my life forever while I moved towards the elusive 38.

During the past year, while it was a rocky ride, I did have some moments of insight. While I prayed for the year to go quickly, and to hit number 38 in good health and happiness, I also learned a few things about life itself. As Jews, we begin each day by reciting the "Modeh Ani" prayer. We thank Hashem for giving us a new day. As my year progressed, so did the meaning attached to this prayer. Sure, I had been saying Modeh Ani my whole life, but now it really resonated with me. With each Modeh Ani I became more and more aware of the true gift that life is, thanking  Hashem for the gift of another day - and every moment of each new day. It occurred to me that when  Hashem allows me to open my eyes and greet a new day, then I know I still have a mission, a purpose, something more that Hashem wants me to accomplish.

As the days went by I became keenly aware of the importance of savoring the moments we have with our loved ones. I became more mindful of that fact that only G-d really knows how much time anyone has - and suddenly each good morning, good night, and I love you became more meaningful to me.

In the interest of being perfectly honest, this past year was not all flowers and roses and moments of inspiration. I shed quite a few tears during the year, for the loss of my grandmother whom I never met, for the loss of my cousin whom I loved dearly and tears for my personal prayer to make it through the year in peace. I admit that I was truly overcome with a wide variety of emotions the minute the stars came out last night, making it the 27th of Cheshvan, and bringing me to say that I am 38 years old. I am so grateful to continue to be blessed with the gift of life and to continue doing my part to make this world a better place.

And with that I conclude with "L'Chaim!" - To Life!! May we all realize the gift we have in life, and use our opportunities to the best of our abilities.

Seems you are still reading...good job!! So I will share a recipe from my birthday Torah and Tea celebation. This recipe was given to me by my cousin Rashi who lives in California - and it is a always a hit!

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

2 containers Rich's Whip

5 eggs separated

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

Beat the Rich's Whip until thick. Add in the egg yolks, lemon juice and 1/2 a cup of sugar. Beat a little more until well mixed. Spread the whip and egg mixture in a 9 x 13 pan, cover and put in the freezer. 

After the ice cream part has frozen, beat the 5 egg whites with the remaining 1/2 a cup of sugar. Beat until peaks form. 

Remove tray of ice cream from the freezer. Spread the meringue mixture over the ice cream. Put the ice cream tray in the oven on broil for 30 seconds, until the meringue is nicely browned. (Another option is to use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue) Enjoy! It is delicious!

Pure Joy For Yom Kippur

While sitting on the couch last night and reading Shaya a book, we suddenly heard the garage door open. I said to Shaya, "Mushky's home!" and he went running for the door! After his mad dash to the door, Shaya opened the door to the garage and found Mushky walking up the stairs with my father right behind her! (Thanks to the Dad for driving to Richmond and back to pick her up!!) When Shaya saw Mushky, what I saw was absolute, pure joy. He started saying "Mushky's home! Mushky's home!" and the look on his face was worth a million dollars! My father watched the scene and shared that the drive was worth it just to see the joy on Shaya's face. We are of course all thrilled to have Mushky home - our family went right back to feeling whole the minute she walked in the door! 

Heart feeling complete once again, with my kids dancing to music in the kitchen, I got back to work on cleaning the kitchen. While emptying the dishwasher I did some thinking. 

With Yom Kippur approaching it occurred to me that I could learn a thing or two from Shaya's joyful happy dance at Mushky's arrival at home. Like most things in life, we can approach Yom Kippur from any angle we choose. We can go into this most special day of the year with fear and anxiety. We can worry about the what ifs, we can wonder if we have truly repented - or we can go into Yom Kippur with a joyful heart and mind. We can enter these 26 hours that we spend together with Hashem in a joyous way. We can look at Hashem through the eyes of a preschooler and talk to Hashem with joy and confidence. We can choose not to worry, we can choose to dance with joy as we ask Hashem, our Father, to bless us with a year filled with goodness that is sweet and not hidden behind challenges. We can greet this holy day with the simple and pure joy that I witnessed in my home last night. 

May Hashem bless each and every one of us with a year filled only with revealed blessings! May each of us be sealed for health, wealth, happiness, peace of mind and of course the coming of Moshiach! 

With that I share a recipe for a salad we will enjoy at our first pre Yom Kippur meal today! 

Beet Salad

Spring mix (check for bugs accordingly) 

Sliced beets (I buy the precooked ones) 

Fried sliced mushrooms

Diced red onion

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Garlic

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! 

Apple Crisp and Rosh Hashanah

With Rosh Hashanah almost here, it has been quite the busy day - make that a busy week so far! RSVP lists, menus, shopping, setting up guest bedrooms (thanks for visiting Yossi and Zlata - makes our celebration so much more fun!!), cooking, baking and who knows what else! 

With all of the hustle and bustle, it is still not lost on me that one year is ending, and another, brand new year is about to begin. As I drove myself to work this morning I had some quiet time to contemplate the year that is coming to a close. As I made my way through my memories of the year I enjoyed looking back and seeing the many wonderful blessings Hashem has bestowed upon me and my family. Good health, the necessary money to cover our needs, pride in my children, success in the things I have done and the list goes on and on. It occurs to me that sometimes our lives become chaotic - and then we can find ourselves focusing on our stresses and things that don't appear so sweet. 

In the last couple of weeks I have started a new daily ritual with Mushky. A friend had made a suggestion, and it  turned out to be a lovely addition to my daily life. Adjusting to a new school and to life in a dorm can be a daunting task - and I set out to help my daughter, and myself, focus on our daily blessings and highlights. 

We now have this great tradition. Each night we message each other and start by sharing a victory. We share something that we have accomplished, but that was hard or challenging for us. I have loved picking out something each day that makes me feel super accomplished and hearing what Mushky has to say has been a great way to watch her grow. 

Next we share three things we are grateful for. Even on a rough day, we can always find things to be grateful for. I have really enjoyed seeing what my daughter is grateful for each day. 

Then we share a highlight for the day - this is great - it forces us to truly reflect on our day and pick the one thing that "made our day"!

After a couple of days of doing this, Mushky suggested that we begin adding a daily goal. I LOVED this idea...I now go to sleep each night with a solid goal, that I have shared with my daughter - which makes it real! 

As Rosh Hashanah rolls in, I have taken some time to think about my victories, highlights and what I am grateful for in this past year - this activity between me and Hashem - and then I came up with some goals to work on in this coming year. 

May each and every one of you be blessed with a sweet year filled only with openly revealed blessings and may we celebrate the ultimate celebration, the coming of Moshiach, very speedily. 

-Rashi

Here is a recipe for the apple crisp we will be eating for dessert tonight:

Apple Crisp

8 apples (gala or pink lady)

Orange juice

Cinnamon

Oats

Sugar

Flour

Oil

Peel 8 apples and slice thinly. Place in a 9x13 pan. Mix apples with some orange juice and cinnamon. In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups each of oats, sugar and flour. Pour oil into the mixture and mix until you have a crumb mixture. Sprinkle crumbs on top of apples. Sprinkle some cinnamon. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours on 350. Enjoy!