On Jewish Women in Antiquity and Today. Different times, different tactics

Many women regardless of their life or career choices experience challenges that are unique to their gender. To be sure, men have their own unique challenges, but over the history of mankind women’s challenges were largely overlooked, or at least were not detailed in stories or historic accounts just because the majority of learned and…

Thoughts about Purim this Year – The Origins of Love and Hate

When we talk about the villain of the Purim story, Haman, we most often go to the origins of his ancestor, Amalek, noting how he (his nation) waged war on those of the children of Israel that were week and lingering at the end of the procession on their way out of Egypt: וַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק…

Making Teiglach with my Mom

This Sunday, my mother turned 90! NINETY! Can you imagine? It’s hard for me to imagine since my mom is still the strongest person I know. I am so grateful for her continuous presence in my life. We actually have become closer to each other during the last 10 years than ever before, and it…

What is THE SHUK?

It seems that I have no time for anything these days – back to school and work. How did I do it outside the house before, I have no idea! So happy that at least I don’t have to go on the train every day – saves so much time and most importantly – energy…

Rosh haShana Yearning for PEACE

This erev Rosh haShana as every year I find myself in the kitchen listening to Selichot at the Kotel making my babushka’s Lekach (honey cake) thinking about her life hoping to become one day as good a cook as she was.My grandmother’s life was not easy at all. She had to run from pogroms from…

A Bunch of Ottolenghi’s – Controversial Love

I have a few books in my collection where I am not in sync with the author at all. I guess it is an old question, and we’ve actually learned about this in the Talmud class this year – can you learn/teach Torah from a sage that has gone astray? Think about the arguably most…

Sababa?

I am not sure if these bits of my writing about cookbooks help anyone else to choose what to get, what to use, what to read, but for me this project has proven to be enlightening. I have so many books that I, of course, have no time to read, and writing these notes allowed…

More from Gil Marks z’l

Time is precious, but I decided to do my best and persevere in my writing about my favorite cookbooks at least through the summer. Would love to know which kosher cookbooks you are reading! This time I am bringing you another masterpiece from Gil Marks. – Olive Trees and Honey, a totally vegetarian book speaking,…

A New First – Cookbook Reviews

As usual, it’s been really a long time since I’ve written here. Life has been crazy. Crasily great that is! Thank Gd! For the first time in a very long time, I have been happy day after day! It is my sincere thanks that I address to HaShem, Gd Almighty for all the blessings He…

Miracle of Miracles

The older I become the more I think about the meaning of life. Not an original thought, I know. How do we treat life in the course of it? I know I am guilty of mistreating it. Long ago time meant forever, every day was long, many of those to be forgotten or remembered in…

Cilantro

It’s been sometime since I’ve shared articles here, but this one I simply could not pass by. Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs. I use it all the time, and can only pity those that cannot stand it. I know these people, one of the girls I knew a few years back could not…

Kasha Varnishkes & Joan Nathan

I just had to share this! Of course, the moment I saw the title of this article ” The Enduring Delights of Kasha Varnishkes”, I just had to say something. I am so happy tablet started this series with Joan Nathan. I love watching the short videos even if sometimes my version of the Jewish…