December 26, in memory of my late husband, who loved poetry and was the first to introduce me, an ordinary Soviet school girl to the names of Severyanin, Mandelshtam, Balmont, Galich, and many others, I hosted a poetry evening at my house. We were fortunate to have a reading evening with Yehoshua November, who represents quite an…
Month: December 2017
You & Me
I’ve been trying hard. Trying to bury my head in work, in good and bad things happening in the family and around us in the outer world, trying to tell myself that twenty years should be enough to stop hurting. It should be, indeed. And yet … These ten days between the two calendars, Jewish and secular,…
My Hanukah – not again!
Hag Chanukah Sameach! Why is it that Kislev is sending me into a whirlpool of tears again? There is nothing harder in life than to see your closest people suffering knowing that you can’t really help. All you can do is pray. And pray I do. This time, I really do need a miracle! I am…
Vayeishev – וישב
As usual, I am bringing you a couple of commentaries on this week’s Parshah that I like: Dr. Ackerman brings a very unusual commentary: “About that time Judah left his brothers and camped near a certain Adullamite whose name was Chira.” (Genesis 38:1) Parashat Vayeshev introduces the Joseph saga. Joseph infuriates his brothers with his arrogance…
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberry Butter
So, I have decided to put some recipes here that are really dear to me as they are easy, healthy and work really great for Shabbat. The pictures for this post are made by a talented friend of mine, Lel. Brussels sprouts are such a versatile vegetable! You can have it in a salad, in…
From Bread to Bed
This is our life. One can never definitely say what is going to happen tomorrow. Remember from Bulgakov: “для того, чтобы управлять, нужно, как-никак, иметь точный план на некоторый, хоть сколько-нибудь приличный срок. ” (in order to manage, you need, after all, to have an exact plan for some, at least some decent time.) ?…
Vayishlach וישלח
This Shabbat, again, I am bringing you two of the commentaries that I enjoy: “Jacob set up a monument over her grave; it is the monument of Rachel’s grave until today.” (Genesis 35:20) Parashat Vayishlach describes Jacob’s return home to Canaan and his encounter with his estranged brother, Esau, twenty years after their falling out. There’s…
Noshing Across the Nation 