Food plays a big part in Jewish culture and holidays. What if you’re not Jewish but want to create a wonderful festive meal for your family and friends? What if you are Jewish and you want to make the holiday more joyous, meaningful and delicious? Then come cook and chat with us!

Food alone doesn’t make a family meal or holiday complete. You have to put more into the day. Recipes and rituals come together to build memories and strenghen family bonds.

Let’s get together to make latkes & a delicious Israeli vegetarian meal and discuss the ways to use food to build relationships and memories.

Sunday, Nov. 14 at 2pm to 3:30pm
Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Rd., Los Altos
Cost: $25
For more information call Dawn at 510-845-6420 x11.

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Chanukah arrives tomorrow evening along with Shabbat.  Light your Chanukah candles FIRST and your Shabbat candles second.  Why?  Because once you light the Shabbat candles you bring in the Sabbath and are not permitted to light a flame.  I know some of you are huffing right about now.  Why worry about these details?  What is life without some mysteries?  Some magic moments?  And magic, mystery, love – they reside in the details.

 

I hope you are planning a festive week.  Remember you can look at a list of ideas about handling the holidays and gift giving on this website.  You can also find recipes for cookies and latkes.

 

 

Holiday Help

http://buildingjewishbridges.org/?p=185

 

Cookie recipe

http://buildingjewishbridges.org/?p=103

 

Latkes recipe

http://buildingjewishbridges.org/?p=97

 

Feel free to share recipes that you love with me and I’ll post them for everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

EVENTS

Shabbat Chanukah Services (San Rafael)

A deLIGHTful Chanukah Celebration (San Francisco)

Hanukah Puppet Show with Jen Miriam Kantor (Berkeley)

Chanukah Fun with Families (Walnut Creek)

Chanukah Party (Pacifica)

Celebrating the Rich Heritage of Chanukah (San Rafael)

Something’s Cooking Under the Dome   (San Francisco)

Vodkas & Latkes (Berkeley)

Chanukah Celebration (Palo Alto)

Hanukah Celebration for Young Children!  (El Cerrito)

Mizmor Shir! Shabbat (Oakland)

From Bimah to Broadway (Lafayette)

HOME SWEET HOME: Celebrating Holidays in Interfaith Families (San Francisco)

 

 

 

 

Shabbat Chanukah Services
Bring your chanukiah, candles, and matches to light up our sanctuary with the joy and warmth of Chanukah!

 

Date:    Friday, Dec. 11

Time:    6:15pm

Place:   Rodef Sholom, 170 North San Pedro Rd., San Rafael

For more information call 415.479.3441

 

 

 

A deLIGHTful Chanukah Celebration

Bring friends and family and your favorite chanukia (menorah) to celebrate Chanukah. Our congregational Chanukah dinner and party features a full dinner with lots of latkes, and music by KugelPlex with dancing led by Bruce Bierman. Don’t miss this wonderful holiday event.

 

Date:    Dec. 11

Time:    6pm

Place:   Sherith Israel, 2266 California St., San Francisco

 

Cost of Dinner:

$18 per adult

$10 per child 5 and older

$54 per family (2 adults, 2 children between 5 – 18 years; each additional child $10)

Babies on lap, free.

RSVP asap to Oleg at 415-346.1720, x27, or school@sherithisrael.org. Congregation Sherith Israel. 2266 California Street (@ Webster) San Francisco, CA 94115.

 

 

 

Hanukah Puppet Show with Jen Miriam Kantor

Laugh uproariously as Zaide attempts to make latkes, The only problem is… he/she doesn’t know how to cook very well! And he/she can’t read very well either. Various creatures try to interfere, including a mischievous and hungry fox. The show ends with a messy and hilarious conclusion! This show rates high on the laugh meter!

 

Date:    Sunday, December 13

Time:    10:30am

Place:   Chochmat HaLev, 2215 Prince St, Berkeley

Cost:    $6 members/$8 non-members

 

 

 

 

Chanukah Fun with Families

Join us for Chanukah activities.  There will be crafts, puppets, music, discussion, dreidels, lattkes and more.

9:00-9:40- T’fillah and Music and Getting to Know You Activities

9:45-10:30- Puppet Making

10:30-11:00 Puppet Show and Hanukkah Songs

11:00-11:40- Tzadakah Hanukkah Craft that will be given to Jewish patients in local hospitals

11:40-12:15- Lattkes, Activities and Games Including: Making your own family Hannukiah, colored rice Hanukkah Decorations, creating Hanukkah Greetings for Jewish Service People

 

Date:    Sunday December 13

Time:    9:00am-12:15pm

Place:   B’nai Shalom, 74 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek

FREE

Do not hesitate to contact me with any question you might have. RabbiJen@bshalom.org

 

 

 

Chanukah Party

Latkes for all! Bring your menorah & candles for a community menorah lighting. Crafts for kids. Silent auction. Judaica, jewelry, theater and museum tickets. Story telling, talent show, dreidel games. Vegetarian potluck.

 

Date:    Sunday, Dec. 13

Time:    4 – 6pm

Place:   Sanchez Concert Hall, 1220 Linda Mar Ave., Pacifica

Donations: $10 individual, $18 family for non-members

Hosted by the Coastside Jewish Community. For more information email coastsidejewishcommunity@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Celebrating the Rich Heritage of Chanukah
There is more to Chanukah than gambling for gelt and singing I Have a Little Dreydle! Join Cantor David Margules in exploring this holiday that celebrates religious freedom and the triumph of light over darkness.

 

Date:    Sunday, Dec. 13

Time:    9:30am

Place:   Marin JCC Lounge, 200 North San Pedro Rd, San Rafael

Call the JCC for more information at (415) 444-8000
Cosponsored by Rodef Sholom

New this year: Free babysitting is now available by contacting Sherry in advance at sknazan@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Something’s Cooking Under the Dome
Ongoing classes taught by guest cooks at Congregation Sherith Israel

12/13/09: Simone Joseph, Tunisian Cooking

1/24/10: Gabrielle Moskowitz, Vegetarian Cooking

2/28/10: Mojdeh Stone and her mother, Purim and Persian Cooking

3/21/10: Jacalyn Kornblatt, Passover Cooking

Time:    10am to noon

Place:   Sherith Israel, 2266 California St., San Francisco

Fee: Per class:$10 nonmembers; Series: $45 nonmembers.

For more information contact Valerie Jahan or call Sherith Israel at 415-346-1720, x30.

 

 

 

Vodkas & Latkes

Join over 100 Jewish young adults from across the East Bay as we celebrate Hanukkah with great music, dancing and fun!

 

Date:    Thursday, Dec. 17

Time:    7:30pm

Place:   JCC of the East Bay, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley

Cost:    $20 at the door. Please note that this is a 21 and older event. A portion of the proceeds will go to Children’s Hospital in Oakland.

Temple Sinai’s 20s & 30s are pleased to co-sponsor this event.

 

 

Chanukah Celebration

Bring your menorah to light and enjoy food, games and dancing.

6:00pm Tot Party, 7:00pm Service, 8:00pm Festivities.

 

Date:    Friday December 18

Time:    begins at 6pm

Place:   Etz Chayim, 4161 Alma, Palo Alto

www.etzchayim.org

 

 

 

Hanukah Celebration for Young Children!

Puppets, songs, stories, menorah lighting, and latkes!  Join other families with young children to share the holiday story and traditions. You’ll leave with ideas about how to celebrate Hanukah at home.  Open to all children age 0-5 years and those who love them . . . whether you’re Jewish or just curious. Feel free to invite friends who might be interested!

Our gathering will be led by Rabbi Bridget Wynne and beloved early childhood specialist Mimi Greisman.

 

Date:    Saturday, December 19

Time:    10:30am-12:00pm

Place:   Jewish Gateways, 409 Liberty St., El Cerrito

Info: 510-559-8140

http://www.jewishgateways.org

Free for first-time participants, RSVP required.

Space is limited. Early RSVP recommended.

 

 

 

Mizmor Shir! Shabbat
Mizmor Shir! Shabbat is an uplifting and invigorating service that features Cantor Keys and the Mizmor Shir! musicians and include piano, guitar, mandolin, woodwinds, drums and other percussive instruments. This service features congregational melodies and eclectic, contemporary music which complement the creative service booklet compiled by Rabbi Mates-Muchin specifically for this service. Click here to listen to music from this service. Mizmor Shir! Services take place on the third Friday of each month in the Sanctuary.

 

Date:    Friday, December 18

Time:    7:30pm

Place:   Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland

www.oaklandsinai.org

Or call Latrice at 510-451-3263.

 

 

 

From Bimah to Broadway

The Cantors are back for an evening of celebration and song!

Join Cantor Korn and his colleagues: Cantor Deborah Bletstein of Des Moines, IA, Cantor Shirah Sklar of Norwalk, CT, Cantor Dan Sklar of White Plains, NY., and special guest, Cantor Chanin Becker
Date:    Sunday, January 10

Time:    7:30 p.m.

Place:   Temple Isaiah, 3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette

Cost:    $36 Adults; $18 18 yrs & under

Buy your tickets early. This event is sure to sell out!
Visit http://www.temple-isaiah.org/bimahtobroadway to purchase tickets.

 

 

HOME SWEET HOME: Celebrating Holidays in Interfaith Families

Christmas and Chanukah, Easter and Passover, December and April can be challenging times for Jewish families and interfaith families. The whole country seems to be wrapped up in a holiday that Jews don’t observe. Can an interfaith family celebrate both holidays? How would that work for the kids? Why do Jews react against Christian holidays? Can the anxiety be eased? Will children raised celebrating Christmas and/or Easter feel Jewish when they grow up? Join other interfaith families from BIJ and around the Bay Area to explore these issues.

 

Date:    Sunday, January 24, 2009

Time:    10am

Place:   Beth Israel Judea, 625 Brotherhood Way, San Francisco

The event is open to all and is FREE to BIJ members; Only $7 for non-members.

Drinks and noshes provided. Bring your friends!

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We are now into December.  Whatever you’ve determined to do for Chanukah and Christmas, do it and do it with joy.  If you need to tweak it, we can talk about that in January.  In fact I’ll be having a workshop in San Francisco to talk about Jewish and Christian holidays for the interfaith family on Jan. 24 at Beth Israel Judea.  I’ll send that out next week when I nail down the time.  It will be around 10am.

 

One thing that just about everyone agrees is that massive material consumption isn’t particularly festive or fun.  So I’ll again suggest that you focus your holiday celebrations on family and time together.  Studies show that we humans are happier when we our time is spent with other people than when we spend our time with things.  So plan game nights, nights to have friends over, afternoons to make cookies.

 

Take a look at my Holiday Happiness Guidelines:

http://buildingjewishbridges.org/?p=185   

 

 

 

 

 

EVENTS

Shabbat of Light: The Musical Traditions of Hanukkah (Oakland)

Hanukkah Havdalah   (Oakland)

Sonoma Family Hanukkah Party (Rohnert Park)

2nd Annual Vodkas & Latkes!  (Berkeley)

Chanukah Celebration!  (Palo Alto)

Friday Night Spirit: Chanukah Celebration (San Francisco)

Feast of Jewish Learning (Los Altos)

 

 

 

 

 

Shabbat of Light: The Musical Traditions of Hanukkah
Join us in the Temple Sinai Sanctuary for this special Shabbat service celebrating Hanukkah featuring the Temple Sinai Adult Choir. Everyone is welcome to join us!

Friday, December 11

7:30pm

Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland

Call Gabby for more information at 510-451-3263

 

 

 

Hanukkah Havdalah

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with the Temple Sinai community! Music, donuts, art and hands-on activities for the whole family, plus lots of candles! Please RSVP to Latrell (latrell@oaklandsinai.org) in the Education Office at (510) 451-3263 by Wednesday, December 9. We are having tasty snacks but no dinner, so please strategize accordingly. This celebration will be held at Merritt Village.

 

Saturday, December 12

Time:    6pm

Place:   Temple Sinai, at Merritt College, 12500 Campus View Dr., Oakland

Call Gabby for more information at 510-451-3263

 

 

Sonoma Family Hanukkah Party

Join us for latkes, live music and Hanukkah candle lighting! Let’s eat, sing and dance our way through the third night of Hanukkah. Enjoy live music, activities for the kids, latkes hot off the grill and candle lighting (bring your menorah and candles)!2:30 pm menorah making, stain glass driedel craft and driedel tournament
3:00 pm live music and group song
3:30 pm candle lighting and blessings
4:00 pm kids music and jam session

 

 

 

Date:    Sunday, December 13

Time:    2:00 to 5pm

Place:   Sally’s Tomatoes Cafe and Bar, 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park

 

RSVP to Vivien Braly at vivienb@sfjcf.org or call 415.499.1223 x8106

Co-sponsored by The PJ Library, The Group @ the JCC and the Sonoma Jewish Connection. Free entry. Kosher snacks provided.

 

 

 

2nd Annual Vodkas & Latkes!

Are you in your 20s or 30s?  Join over 100 Jewish young adults from across the East Bay as we celebrate Hanukah, the Festival of Lights. This is one celebration you won’t forget: great music, dancing, and fun!

 

Date:    Thursday, Dec. 17

Time:    7:30pm – Doors Open
8:00pm – Menorah Lighting
10:00pm – Doors Close

Place:   JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley

You must be 21 & Over
Admission: $18 in advance at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/90095
$20 at the door
In the holiday spirit, a portion of the proceeds will be given to Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland
For more info contact Jennifer at vozz37@gmail.com
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sponsored by Temple Sinai 20s & 30s Group, 510-Jewish Programming for Grads and Young Professionals in the East Bay, Progressive Jewish Alliance, BBYO Friends & Alumni Network, JCC East Bay, Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, Temple Beth Abraham Young Adults

 

 

Chanukah Celebration!

Come join us for a wonderful time for all ages.  This year our event is on the 8th and final night of Chanukah, so the candles will be burning especially brightly. The evening will begin at 6 pm with a Tot Party, including stories, music, candle lighting — and donuts.  The celebration continues with our full congregational candle lighting ceremony at 7 pm, a sight not to be missed, followed by the Shabbat service. At 8 pm the Chanukah festivities begin. Food and games. Israeli dancing and music by our beloved Kletztets!

 

Date:    Friday December 18

Time:    Tot Party 6 pm Service 7 pm Festivities 8 pm

Place:   Congregation Etz Chayim, 4161 Alma St., Palo Alto

Info:     Call Lisa at 650-813-9094 x201

 

 

 

 

Friday Night Spirit: Chanukah Celebration

Celebrate family with Song, Food and Fun! Join Camp Tawonga’s Deborah Newbrun, Isaac Zones, Daniel Meyer-O’Keeffe and Brady Gill. Children ages 7 to 12 and their families are invited to join us as we welcome the Sabbath with some of our favorite Hebrew and English songs (and some really cool new tunes too!)  5:45 – 6:15 pm – Meet ‘n gather with snacks; 6:15 – 7:00 pm – Service; 7:00 – 7:45 pm – Dinner and Schmooze. 

Friday Night Spirit is open to the general public.  This is a great way to introduce your friends with children to a Judaism at its liveliest.

 

Date:    Friday, December 18

Time:    5:45 – 7:45pm

Place:   Sha’ar Zahav, 290 Dolores St. (At 16th), San Francisco

Free Parking on the Dolores Parkway Median, get a car placard inside the building.

Upcoming Friday Night Spirits: Jan 22, Feb 19, March 19, April 16 and May 21.

 

 

 

Feast of Jewish Learning

South Peninsula Night of Jewish Unity

Join hundreds of inquisitive minds for dozens of interactive workshops on Jewish texts, film, art, philosophy, history, spirituality, mysticism, yoga, dance, music, cooking, life and love.

From secular to orthodox, Talmud scholar to complete beginner, everyone is welcome and everything is FREE.

Date:    Saturday, January 30, 2010

Time:    7 – 10 pm

Place:   Beth Am, Los Altos Hills

FREE

For more information contact bjefeast.peninsula@gmail.com

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The big crush of Chanukah meets Christmas will begin this coming weekend when Chanukah starts on Sunday night.  With it comes the question of just how many presents do we give the kids?  How will we wrap them?  Where and when will we open them?

 

I vote for fewer presents and more memories.  Every year I give you lots of ideas for making the eight nights of Chanukah more about fun, family and friends.  I suggest you do the same for Christmas.  Create traditions.  Take a look here Holiday Happiness Guidelines.

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Every year I advocate for memories over materialism.  Be with the people you love instead of shopping for them.  I always send you a list of things you can do with loved ones.  Take each night of Chanukah, and add any nights for Christmas or other holidays you observe this month and have fun with these ideas:

 

Make cookies and decorate them

Read aloud or tell stories (kids love stories about “me when I was little”)

Bake bread

Play games

Clean all your “old” toys out of your room to give to kids with less

Drawing/painting

Write a letter or draw a picture for grandparents, aunts, uncles, beloved friends, make a frame and mail it

Do a craft – make marbled paper, beading, make something from that playdough stuff that bakes

 

 

This year I heard from Jewish Educator, Vicky Kelman, who has also tackled the Materialism Monster.  She has a publication she titled, Unplugging the Hanukkah Machine.  Below are a whole passel of ideas she sent me; they are wonderfully creative!

 

I’m giving you her contact information at the bottom (she works at the Bureau of Jewish Education) in case you want to want to check out her website or have a question for her.

Unplugging the Hanukkah Machine

A pre-Hanukkah memo to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and assorted kith and kin:

For those looking for some new traditions to slow down the materialistic monsters that the “eight nights/eight gifts” system seems to encourage, here are some alternative models:

 

Schema one:

1st night:  big gift night

2nd night:  Mommy night (kids give gifts to one parent)

3rd night: Daddy night (kids give gifts to second parent or to other relatives or special friends)

4th night; poem night (everyone brings a poem -original preferred but not required – to share)

5th night: small gift night

6th night: gift-of-self night  (anything from a hug to a promise for future help with dishwashing, homework, etc)

7th night: giving night (tzedakah; money or material possessions for those in need)

8th night: word night   everyone brings a word to share or stump

alternate:  sweets night ( a dinner made of desserts)

Parents handle nights 1 and 5, kids handle nights 2 and 3 and then everyone shares in the remaining evenings.

(these suggestions  are from New Traditions by Susan A  Lieberman, pp 58-59)

 

 

Schema two:

1st night:  Jeopardy game night: write and play a Hanukkah trivia game based on the Hanukkah story

2nd night:  Movie night:  choose a movie on a Jewish theme, rent the video, share popcorn and candy, talk about the movie together

3rd night:  book night:  gifts are new books all around;  set aside time to do some reading together

4th night:  tzedakah night:  decide as a family what to give and to whom,  go out and volunteer at a soup kitchen or make a family trip to the supermarket to buy food for the food bank

5th night: baking and ice-cream night:  make Hanukkah cookies or sufganiyot;  eat ice-cream sundaes for dinner

6th night:  craft night:  make Hanukkah decorations or cards for the local hospital, senior residence or convalescent home

7th night:  game night:  each family member chooses a game for the family to play together

8th night:  music night:  listen to Jewish music, sing together, invite some friends over and get out the rhythm instruments

 

(these ideas come from a flyer from the Central Agency for Jewish Education in Philadelphia)

 

 

More ideas:  joke night (everyone has to come to candle-lighting and/or dinner prepared to tell 3 jokes or riddles; home movies night:  view the “family history” videos;  stargazing night:  take a night hike and make up new stories Hanukkah-themed stories for the constellations;

 So – you have the idea.   If the concept appeals to you, mix and match from the above lists to create your own , come up with your own ideas and decide  what would be meaningful in your family . If the kids are old enough, this is a great topic for a family discussion and family decision-making.  Work together to create a schema that works for your family.  Just one caveat:  you can’t break the “eight nights/eight gifts” cycle in one year.  Make a three year plan — and have fun!

 

Vicky’s contact info:

Vicky Kelman
Director, the Jewish Family Education Project

Bureau of Jewish Education
639 14th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 751-6983 Ext. 105
(415) 668-1816 fax
vkelman@bjesf.org

 

Posted by admin under Chanukah, Children, Holidays
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What about Santa?

A mom on this list who is raising her child Jewish asked me what to do to help her little one keep the secret of Santa from her Christian cousins.  It’s easy now, she’s only a year and a half, but what to do when she’s four and ready to teach the world?

 Here are the questions to ask yourself:

 

Do you personally feel that your child is suffering from not believing in Santa?

If you do, your feelings will color all that you do.  If your child was fine before, she won’t be after she picks up on your sadness.  Children don’t suffer for lack of doing what everyone else is doing.  Just remember that someday you’ll be saying to the teen version of your cutie, “If everyone jumped off a cliff, would you?!”  The fact is that you are the one suffering and you do need to deal with your own feelings before you give them to your child.

 

 Do you want to conceal your child’s non-belief in Santa from other little children in order to preserve their fun?

You can certainly try, but like much of life, don’t expect it to be perfect.  First, you can hang out by the kids to see if it even comes up; it may not. 

Little ones often disagree so your child’s disbelief will not necessarily carry any weight.  If there has been a conversation and you know the other family wants to avoid the topic you can often succeed just by reminding your child that, “Joey’s mom wants him to believe in Santa so don’t talk about what we think.”

Remember too, that the entire adult world is full of non-believers who are not invested in the Santa myth, so it does not rest on you and your child to preserve the secret for anyone.

 

 Do you want to know what to say to your child so that they will be OK with not having Santa and Christmas in the midst of a culture that gets rather excessive each December?

One approach is to make much of Chanukah.  You can try this but truth be told, Chanukah remains a small holiday.  Go ahead and get sparkly decorations, blue and white lights, have a party, invite people over, give the kids a modest gift each night, but don’t try to match Christmas.  If you feel happy and content, believe me, they will.  If you want to make the holidays really special go check out my Holiday Happiness Guidelines.

 

 Are you trying to figure out what to say to your child so that they do believe in Santa but still feel Jewish?

If you’re working on this, you’re not alone.  But the best place to start is by being honest with yourself.  This approach is about balance and sharing – sharing between you and your partner.  Doing both holidays is not a child centered behavior.   Some of you are going to do it and for some children it’s fine.  For others it is not.  This is the hardest thing for me to say to you because it might hurt you.  It really is hard for some children to deal with the both-ness of Christmas observance in a Jewish home.  Be clear with yourself and your spouse that you are doing both for you the adults, not for your child.  That way you can work on separating your feelings from your child’s feelings.  This is important because your child needs your full attention sometimes.

Do this: Pay attention to the verbal and non-verbal communications from your children all year round.  Are they saying things that are about protecting you or your partner?  Are they saying things that express ambivalence about their identity or their sense of their acceptance by others?  Don’t get stuck thinking that you are good or bad.  You are just human and trying to be happy AND make your family happy.  If you feel that you want to discuss this and see where things are, just call me.  Dawn 510-845-6420 x11. 

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I got a lot of help from Eileen, bless her! She mixed up lots of frosting colors and did most of the work.

OK, folks, let’s bake!

The stirring, the taste testing of the dough, the shapes, the scent from the oven, the colored frosting, maybe sprinkles, mmm! Don’t forget to crank up your favorite songs and SING ALONG while you cook.

Sugar Cookies
I got this recipe from my mom a very long time ago. I thought she got it from The Joy of Cooking but I just looked and I can’t find it there.

Cream:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Add:
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla

Sift in:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Each salt, baking soda, nutmeg

Blend well and chill until firm (about an hour). I do it the fast way – I put a ball of dough in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Roll out the dough to whatever thickness you like. My dad loved very thick cakey cookies. Cut shapes. Put your shapes on the cookie sheet and if you aren’t going to frost them, sprinkle them with a little granulated sugar and puff of nutmeg.
Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden.

If you ARE going to frost them, let them cool on a rack while you mix some food coloring into the frosting.

If you don’t have any Jewish cookie cutters just use a butter knife to cut out triangles. Put them on the cookie sheet overlapping into a Star of David. If you think the center is too thick just press it down with your thumb and put a dab of jam in the dip. Voila! Jewish thumbprint cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies
Another good recipe for cutting out shapes. I got this from a high school friend, Paula, who knows where she got it. Thanks Paula, where ever you are.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
Cream together and add:
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
Sift in:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blend everything together and chill for 2 hours. Naturally I don’t do this, I put a ball of dough in the freezer for more like 15 minutes. Roll out the dough as thick or thin as you like it. Cut shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 plus minutes – depends on how thick you made them
These are terrific plain or frosted.

I told you about these cookies – my son and a male friend of mine cut out loads gingerbread men and proceeded to create ginger aliens – blue faces, one red eye, green hands. It became a holiday tradition. We’ll be eating aliens around the board games next week.

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(picture from my friend, Linda.)

Last night my son got home at 11pm and asked, “Why aren’t we eating latkes?” I didn’t bother to answer that question; he’s seventeen now and says such things. But let’s face it, coming home on a weekday night and whipping up latkes is not so easy. The weekend is the time to fill the house with the smell of cooking oil and fried foods! Looking for a recipe? I found this recipe in the Temple Beth Abraham bulletin, The Omer. Faith Kramer, of TBA, not only gives a nice recipe, she dispenses advise, like “wear the right clothes” oil will be splattered. Additionally, Faith says that Beth Abraham has just published a cookbook titled, Everyday to Holidays: Favorite Recipes of Temple Beth Abraham. It sells for $25 and is available at their gift shop. See the description on their website (go to www.tbaoakland.org and scroll down). I plan to go by the office and get one if only for the lunch box ideas.

Here’s Faith’s Potato Latkes recipe as a teaser.

2 ½ pounds of baking potatoes
1 large or 2 small onions
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
about 1/4 cup matzoh cake meal, or 2 – 3 Tbsps flour
vegetable oil
Peel the potatoes if you prefer. Shred or grate the potatoes with the onions. Larger shreds will produce lacier latkes with rougher edges. Fine shred or grated potatoes produce more “pancake” like latkes. Squeeze out excess moisture from the mixture. Mix in eggs, seasoning, and matzoh meal or flour. Let sit for 5 minutes to let the mixture absorb the meal or flour. Add more meal or flour if it is still too wet.
In a very large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil that is about 1/4 inch deep until it is very hot. The batter should sizzle and bubble when dropped in the oil. Spoon the latke mix into the oil or press the batter into a large serving spoon and carefully slide it off the spoon into the oil. Do not over-crowd the latkes in the pan. Fry until browned on both sides and crisp on the edges. Drain on paper towels or brown paper bags.
This recipe makes about 30 three inch potato pancakes. Serves 6 to 8.

My husband is the latke maker in our family and he likes to use the recipe in a cookbook I got as a wedding present from my mother, Love and Knishes. I’ll include that too.

Potato Latkes
2 cups grated raw potatoes (measure after draining)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 heaping tbsp. flour or matzo meal
pinch baking powder
1 small onion, grated

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Drop pancake mixture by the tablespoonful onto a hot skillet. Fry on both sides until brown. Serve piping hot with sour cream and applesauce.
(Mrs. Slobodkin, the author of Love and Knishes, apparently fried her latkes in butter! My husband uses vegetable oil. Apparently Mrs. Slobodkin keep kosher because she suggests serving her buttery latkes with pot roast. Mrs. Slobdkin’s cookbook was first published in 1956, the copy my mother gave me was in it’s tenth printing!)
The book is still available but not with the very 50s cover it used to have.
http://www.keplers.com/book/9781570900761

Remember: buy local.

Chanukah Blessing
I have also been asked for the transliteration of the Chanukah candle blessing. Here it is. You can also say the blessing in English – luckily God speaks English!

Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam. Asher kidshanu b’mitvotav vitzi vanu le-chadlich ner shel chanukah.

Blessed are you Lord our God, King of the Universe who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the light of Chanukah.

Remember that Hebrew is a gendered language, like Spanish and French. You don’t have to use masculine gender. You can change to feminine pronouns or make it neutral. Go ahead and experiment with it.

Blessed are you Spirit of the Universe who makes us holy with your commandments and commands us to kindle the candles of Chanukah.

Happy Chanukah!

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Tuesday was the first candle and tonight will be our third. The recurring question I’ve heard is “how can we cut back on the materialism?” At this point you have the season in full swing and probably many gifts purchased and/or received. It’s still not to late to give you and yours some great memories that have nothing to do with “stuff.”

TONIGHT how about lighting the chanukiah, letting the kids open one present and then break out the board games. A dear friend gave me a domino set for my birthday. I’d never played dominos before. It’s a simple game, engages your mind just enough to have fun but not so much that you can’t talk through the game. Pop some corn or make some cookies. Then clear the kitchen table and pull out some games. My grandmother used to play Solitaire with us – yes the kind with cards! I can’t see a deck of cards and not think about my Grandma Teri and see her laughing so hard that tears ran down her cheeks. Give yourself and your kids some memories. Chances are they won’t remember the gift they open tonight, but they will remember your face over the board of Monopoly or Life or four-way Solitaire!

Temple Isaiah made these suggestions to their congregants:

8 Things to do to Brighten Your Chanukah Celebration:
1. Each night, dedicate a candle to a special value: peace, patience, love, tzedakah, environmental protection, justice, study/Torah, generosity, hospitality, etc. Talk about ways to make that value come alive in your family- ways to bring light to the darkness.
2. Instead of giving gifts one night, go out and buy a gift for a child attending Winter Nights. Bring the unwrapped gift to “got Shabbat?” on Friday.
3. Make decorations or a new Chanukiayah for your home and save them from year to year.
4. In celebration of the Festival of Lights, install a compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) each night of Chanukah.
5. Choose a Chanukah Mitzvah and do it as a family: serve in a soup kitchen; collect food and/or warm clothes for the needy; write to congresspeople about Darfur, etc.
6. In addition to gifts, give “blessings” to one another: “May God bless us always with as much happiness and love as we feel at this moment…”
7. Invite over another family to make Latkas, sing songs and make up a new Chanukah story with paper bag dramatics.
8. Come to “got Shabbat? Chanukah edition” on Friday night, the latka dinners and Rick Recht Concert on Saturday. See the Temple Isaiah website for details (www.temple-isaiah.org)*

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Dear Interfaith Families and Friends,

Chanukah will be here in a mere week. The first night is December 4. Light your first candle on Tuesday night.

Chanukah in the Headlights!
Here’s an email I got from Julie on this list:
I used to have a great list of Hanukkah activities to do with the kids, and I can’t seem to find it this year. We always like to do special activities with the kids each day of Hanukkah in lieu of gifts, especially since Christmas is so centered around gifts; it makes Hanukkah special and unique.

So, here are some ideas that I’ve come up with, in no particular order: (this obviously all in addition to lighting the candles on the menorah each night!)
1. baking and decorating Hanukkah-shaped sugar cookies for our neighbors
2. delivering the cookies to our neighbors
3. going out to doughnuts for breakfast (we NEVER let the kids have them, so it’s a real treat!)
4. watching a Hanukkah movie (something on PBS, usually)
5. playing the dreidel game
6. singing Hanukkah songs (actually, making up our own)
7. art activities (Hanukkah themed coloring pages, stickers, etc.)
8. making and eating latkes
I would love to hear any other ideas you may have.

What else can you do? Let’s revisit some of suggestions from previous years.
Try some of these or make up your own and share them with us.

reading night – everyone who can read, reads aloud to the family/gathering
grandparents night – invite over someone old enough to be a grandparent and enjoy their stories
baking night – make cookies and decorate them, give some away, eat the rest
music night sing, play instruments, those who can’t sing – dance
theater night – go out to one of the many plays being performed (or ballet or concert)
crafts night – get a book on crafts or search the internet. Make paper boxes or decorations, use Femo to make ornaments or a menorah
performance night – give the kids old clothes and let them make up a play and put it on for you (as a child, our plays ran towards a western theme – cowboys and salon girls, and we cross dressed to get the role of our choice)
friends night – invite over your best friends and talk late into night
fireplace night – make a fire and toast marshmallows
games night – play all the games you know – board games, interactive games like charades
love night – everyone writes letters or cards (you can make them too) and sends them to five people they love

How about a “stuff-free holiday”?
I found an interesting website that advocted for less stuff and more pleasure. Take a look.
http://www.grist.org/article/stuff-free/

 

 

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