In 18th century Ukraine where life could be mean, Jewish women baked a bird shaped (faigel) hallah for the pre Yom Kippur meal The bird reflects the a promise in Isaiah 31:5 that just as a bird can fly lose from it’s captors so too Hashem will save the Jewish people from our foes. With Ahmadinajead … Continue reading
Here’s a little secret you’re unlikely to hear from your financial advisor. Just before Yom Kippur have a friend feed you a slice of honey cake. Two slices even. And not because the sweet carbs will help you fast better. A pre Yom Kippur gift of honey cake, also called Lekach is the secret to a … Continue reading
May you have….. Enough happiness to keep you sweet Enough trials to keep you strong Enough sorrow to keep you human Enough hope to keep you happy Enough failure to keep you humble Enough success to keep you eager Enough friends to give you comfort Enough wealth to meet your needs Enough enthusiasm to look … Continue reading
While I grew up eating honey cooked carrots every Rosh Hashana, I never realized this was holy food until I read Rabbi Dovid Meisel’s account of the every day life of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, the previous Satmar Rebbe. In case you’re unfamiliar with his story, the old Satmar Rebbe walked out of Bergen Belsen alive. … Continue reading
Doesn’t this look yummy? Interestingly, food historian Gil Marks says that that the custom of eating black eyed peas for Rosh Hashana is based on a mistake. As the Arabic word Loubiya which means black eyed peas sounds like the Aramaic word Rubiya which is actually fenugreek some confusion ensued. Out this, says Marks came … Continue reading
Until I learned about the simanim, the symbolic foods of the Rosh Hashana meal I had no idea that Jews ate black eyed peas. Like chitterlins and collard greens, I thought they belonged to the genre of African American cuisine known as soul food. Little did I know that this lovely legume feeds our neshomos too. … Continue reading
