Matzah Meal Popovers
These Passover popovers are good served warm with butter, and they're great for making kosher-for-Passover "sandwiches" with tuna, or whatever filling you like.
Matzah Candy Buttercrunch
This wildly popular Passover candy appeared on Rabbi Phyllis Sommer's popular blog Ima On and Off the Bima and can trace its origin to Canadian Jewish cooking authority Marcy Goldman.
Taking Israel's "Sandwich Police" to Task
Israelis are used to being asked to open up their bags and backpacks for inspection almost wherever they go. When entering supermarkets, malls, bus stations. You name it.
All I Need Is a Miracle
It was the winter of 1999 in Israel, and my sister had come to visit me while I lived there. We planned a trip to Masada and everyone told us that we should leave near sunrise in order to hike up at the coolest part of the day. Did we listen? No.
Outside the Camp: A Modern Midrash
This midrash, or haggadic story, takes place amid the Israelites' wandering in the desert. We read in B'haalot'cha :
When they were in Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married:"He married a Cushite woman!"
This Light’s for You
"The Holy One spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to Aaron and say to him, "When you cause the lights on the menorah to ascend . . . "'" (Numbers 8:1-2).
Sacred Leadership
This past winter saw the release of a movie version of the Exodus story, directed by Ridley Scott. I will leave it to film critics and biblical scholars to debate the merits and deficiencies of the production.
Honoring the Innocent Victims of Conflict
The drama of Parashat Bo is mostly terrifying. The mounting confrontation between the Israelites – represented by Moses and Aaron (but really God) – and the Egyptians – represented by an unnamed Pharaoh – reaches its crescendo with the last three of the ten plagues. We should strive to remember all of the innocent victims on both sides of every conflict.