Parsha With a Twist

Golden Dreams: Parshat Vayeshev

2011-12-11T18:42:00.001-08:00

In this week's parsha, Joseph dreams his famous dreams (you know the play!) where he imagines himself as ruling over all, including his brothers. He makes the mistake of sharing these dreams with his brothers, who are anything but pleased, and then he is sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. Joseph is very far from his dreams, working as a slave, and then thrown into jail at the end of the parsha. But then, there is a little glimmer of hope at the very end of the parsha, when Joseph interprets two fellow prisoners' dreams. The hope is that the prisoner who is then let out of prison and sent back to work for Pharaoh, will remember Joseph and then help him out. We have to see what happens...or you can read ahead or see youtube clips of the play!

One lesson that I take from Joseph is to keep dreaming. Even when things get tough, even when the dreams seem impossible, to keep dreaming.

And to those of you living the dream: whether that means you are living in New York City, in Israel, joining the army (shout out to my brother Josh!), or somewhere else great that you enjoy, it's about appreciating what you have and hopefully continue dreaming.

In honour of the dreams, dreamers, and dream interpreters of this week's parsha, I present the Golden Cocktail. May all of our dreams turn golden:

Golden Dream Cocktail

3/4 oz cream
3/4 oz orange juice
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Galliano

Or, skip the cream, or replace the cream with ice cream and then blend ingredients together.

Vayeitze-A Reunion Drink

2011-12-05T19:18:00.000-08:00

Family reunions can be tough and we learn that they were tough on Jacob in this week's parsha too. Jacob takes a journey from Haran back to his hometown in the land of Israel. In anticipation of the upcoming reunion with his estranged brother, Eisav/Essau, Jacob sends messengers to check out Eisav's group. Jacob also begins to take precautions with his things and the tents that he and his family were living in. But, in the end, the reunion of the brothers is a peaceful one, it even included a brotherly embrace! They did not need the liquid courage that many of us seem to crave in anticipation of upcoming family reunions during the holiday season. But, I just discovered this drink called a reunion cocktail and I adapted it a little big for you all.

1/2 oz. Brandy, sherry
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/4 oz. Lime Juice

P.S. Just FYI, I am VERY excited for the upcoming family reunion of my own that is coming up at the end of December! And am not concerned enough to need the drink to get through it, I am just plain looking forward to it.

Parshat Toldot: Red, Red, Cocktail!

2011-11-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

Parshat Toldot: Red, Red, Cocktail

In this week's parsha, Rebecca is told that she is going to be expecting twins! These twins will be the beginnings of two new nations. When they are born, it is said that the first-born, named Eisav, is born with lots of red, red hair.

Eisav is known as the outdoorsy son, the one who hunts animals for fur and food. He had a bad reputation, for some reason, but I have recently found some positive in him. He was connected to nature and to animals, and felt fit and comfortable spending lots of time outside, which not everyone can do.

This weekend, people who live in the US are going to be giving thanks at their Thanksgiving tables. I would like to challenge you all to think about something in nature that you are grateful for, like Eisav, the red-haired twin. In honour of Thanksgiving, a fall holiday associated with fall colours, like red, I present a very red drink! Maybe it will inspire you to think of more reasons to give thanks....

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Adapted from a recipe from the food network website:

Ingredients

Ice cubes
2 ounces pomegranate juice
2 ounces gin
5 to 6 ounces club soda
1 ounce red wine
Fresh or frozen raspberries

Directions

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in the juice and the gin; stir to mix together. Lighten the drink with a generous splash of soda. Float a layer of red wine on top by pouring it over the back of a wide, flat spoon. (Don't worry if it doesn't float; it tastes great either way.) Drop a few maraschino cherries and raspberries into the glass. Drink.

Oh Baby! Parshat Vayera

2011-11-10T18:13:00.000-08:00

Baby Bellini

Babies seem to be on the brain in this week's Torah portion and also in the lives of some people who I am close to. I'll start with the Torah, while you fabulous readers try to figure out whose babies I am referring to.

In this week's parsha, Abraham and Sarah welcome three guests to their tent. They are a fine example of what hosting guests are all about: they give food, drink, and are attended to with care, even though it was a very hot day and Abraham was in a great amount of pain at the time. The guests later reveal that they are in fact angels and God's messengers. One of these messengers tells them that Sarah will have a baby!

I have always liked this story of the first hosted meal, it inspires me to continue to host meals myself, as I hope it does for you!

Mazal Tov to Pnina and Dov Nickerson on the birth of their baby boy Yair Adin! Also, mazal tov to Maggie and Adam Norris on the birth of their baby boy Teddy! So excited for you and hope to meet the babies soon!!

One of my favourite drinks to make for a big meal that I am hosting (especially brunch) are bellinis. In honour of all of the babies' arrival to the world, I will introduce a baby bellini, which is non-alcoholic. Enjoy and here's to more reasons to host celebratory meals!

Recipe for Baby Bellini

-put one tablespoon of berry applesauce inside a champagne glass

-half of the glass full of sparkling peach or blush grape juice

-half of the glass with orange juice

Global Hunger Shabbat

2011-11-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

Parshat Lech Lecha

This week instead of choosing a cocktail drink, I decided to put in a little shout-out for the American Jewish World Service Global Hunger Shabbat. Please parooz on ajws.org for readings, feel free to start here:

http://ajws.org/hunger/ghs/materials/09-11-ghs-2011-hunger-prayer_v3.pdf

Shabbat Shalom!

Rainbow Martini

2011-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Parshat Noach: A Rainbow Martini

I hope that you enjoyed the drinks from the holidays!

I just recently noticed that the colours do not always show up on my blog, so I am going to try to work on that. But in the meantime, if the colours are not showing up on your computer screen, please know that I attempted to make the blog as much of a rainbow as possible by making the first row red, second row orange, etc.

This week's parsha is Noach, with the Noah and the ark story. I always liked the ending of the story with the dove bringing an olive branch and then a rainbow. The rainbow is supposed to be a symbol of God's promise to never destroy the world again. As a teacher of young children, I tend to see rainbows in the students' drawings a lot. One time, I asked one of my students about the rainbows in her drawings and she answered simply, "When I look at rainbows, I feel happy." I think that's true for many people, young and old, that rainbows help to bring happiness, comfort, and hope.

Not too long ago, Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was held prisoner for years, was just returned home to his family in Israel. This is definitely cause for both celebration and a little bit of wariness and worry for the future: Gilad's future and Israel's future. I hope that this Shabbat can bring us what the image of the rainbow helps to provide: a little happiness, comfort and hope for the future of a better world.

Presenting a rainbow drink!!

Recipe for.....

Malibu Reggae Rainbow

Cocktail - Long drink

2 oz Malibu® coconut rum
1 oz Midori® melon liqueur
3 - 4 oz pineapple juice
1 splash cranberry juice

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour in the Malibu rum, then Midori melon liqueur (which will sink to the bottom). Gently pour in pineapple juice. Do not shake. Gently splash in a bit of cranberry juice. Do not mix. Drink will be layered, from top to bottom; green, yellow, red.

Bottom's Up! Simchat Torah is Here

2011-10-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Bottom's Up! An Upside Down cocktail

Chag Sameach (Happy Holiday) to you all! I hope that you are enjoying the holiday so far. In the spirit of the holiday season, I will keep this post short.

Introducing...

Bottom's Up!

two versions:

shot:

-one shot of triple sec or peach schnapps

-2 drops of vanilla extract

-shot of pineapple juice

-drop of grenadine

drink:

-one shot of vodka

-one shot of triple sec or peach shnapps

-2 drops of vanilla extract

-4 shots (or the rest of the glass) of pineapple juice

-drop of grenadine

Some of you may think that I chose this drink because during the upcoming holiday of Simchat Torah, that you may say the expression "Bottom's Up" a lot. However, there is another reason besides the name of the drink. If you look carefully, this drink is supposed to look the same if you look at the glass from the bottom up, or from the top down. This holiday is celebrating the end of the year of weekly readings of the Torah portions and the beginning of a new year of weekly readings of the Torah. I always thought that it was strange that we start the new Torah cycle at this time of year and not at Shavuot when we celebrate that we received the Torah. But, this is the season that we people get another chance at a new year, a fresh start. So, we are similar to the Torah in a way, still the same, but in a way different and changed for the new year.

Enjoy the next holiday and...bottom's up!

Sukkah in a Glass

2011-10-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Sukkot 5772!

I have always liked this holiday and it is a special one for my family. I know what you're thinking, that I like Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival, because it usually falls around Canadian Thanksgiving. Well, that is definitely a coincidence, and not the reason that I like the holiday. Mostly, I like the holiday because it is the one time during the year that my whole family on my mom's side squeezes together into a sukkah. Even though it is usually cold and we have to bundle up in our coats, scarves, etc., it is a special time for us to be together.

I remember learning as a child that we eat and spend a lot of time in the sukkah even though it is super cold out because it is supposed to remind us that we are strong and that we, as a Jewish people, can survive anything, even the Canadian cold fall weather. But, then during my 3rd year of university when I studied at Hebrew University, I realized that Sukkot in Israel is actually in fantastic weather for eating outside! So, there went that theory.

My cousins and I even discussed this while sitting in the Samson family sukkah in Efrat. I think it was cousin Maury who spoke about the image of the sukkah in this famous verse that is in many t'fillot:

"hapores sukkat shalom aleinu","הפורס סוכת שלום עלינו" God who protects us with a sukkah over us

He said that this image of a sukkah as a form of protection is kind of intriguing, since it is not always the most protective, stable structure. Why not a building or better yet a fortress? But, as long as God is part of the structure, protecting, then maybe it will make it safer. I think that when you think of an empty sukkah, that it seems fragile, but, maybe when the image of that structure includes people in it, together they make each other stronger and feel safer.

So, this cocktail is an attempt to create your very own sukkah in a glass, complete with brown "walls" to represent the wooden walls of many sukkot and a green and beige top to represent the green and beige schach (roof). This is also adapted from a cocktail that I helped my Sabba make in a sukkah one time when we had a dairy meal. Oh yeah, fyi, this cocktail is DAIRY, so make sure that you're aware of this when you make this cocktail.

Sukkah in a Glass

-take a cold glass and dip the rim of the glass into graham cracker bits

-add the following ingredients into the glass:

-one shot of chocolate liquor or Khalua

-1 and 1/2 shot of chocolate milk

-one shot of peppermint schnapps or creme demint

-fill the rest of the glass with chocolate or mint ice cream

-add a fresh mint leaf on the top

Sweet New Year 5772

2011-09-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashana 5772- A Sweet New Year and a Sweet New Drink

After a long time away from the blog, I have decided to try to get back into it. So, I am welcoming the new Hebrew year of 5772 with a new drink!

Many people consider Rosh Hashana to be a time for reflection on the past year. During the month right before Rosh Hashana, it is a time to ask others for forgiveness for wrongdoings of the past. There is a lot of preparation for this holiday, soul-searching, reflection on past wrong-doings, not to mention the food and drink preparation! Some of us reflect and soul search while we prepare food, so this holiday is perfect for that! There are a lot of foods that are served during Rosh Hashana to help to introduce sweetness, peace and other elements to the upcoming year. For instance, apples and honey, the typical Rosh hashana food, are meant to bring sweetness to the year. Pomegranates, my favourite fruit, is supposed to represent the many many mitzvot, or positive commandments that we are hoping to do in the new year.

Not only are there a lot of tastes to Rosh Hashana, but there are also a lot of sounds to Rosh Hashana, in particular the sound of the shofar. If the food that we eat is supposed to help with bringing a taste of the positive elements of the coming year, then the sound of the shofar is supposed to be like an alarm, reminding us all to do the work of reflection and soul-searching. It can be a bit of a piercing, sour sound to some, but still an essential part of feeling the holiday.

So, I thought that a drink that has both elements of the sweet and sour would be fitting for this holiday to help with reflection and for preparation for the new year.

Introducing...

The Tekiyah Shot

-honey (enough for a squirt on the wrist)

-slice of apple

-shot of tequila

-teaspoon of lime juice

1) pour tequila into a shot glass and leave a bit of room in the glass for the lime juice

2) add lime juice

3) for the shot...first squirt the honey on wrist, lick it!

4) drink the shot

5) eat the apple slice

And as for my reflection, I hope that you all forgive me for abandoning this blog for so long. I am excited to be a part of this again, and I would like to remind you all that if any of you would like to contribute to the blog, just let me know.

Shana Tova U'Metukah/Have a Sweet New Year!

Parshat Eikev

2010-07-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

Al Ha'aretz v'al Hamazon

In this week's parsha (Eikev, in case the title of my blog didn't show up on your computer), is the famous phrase: "V'achalta, V'Savata, U'v'rachta" (D'varim 8:10). It's famous because, among other things, it is quoted in one of the paragraphs in Birkat Hamazon:

כַּכָּתוּב, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ, וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ עַל הָאָֽרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָֽתַן לָךְ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, עַל הָאָֽרֶץ וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן.

I wanted to use the version from birkat hamazon instead of from the Torah for a few reasons:

1) so people could relate to it better

2) b/c it doesn't have annoying Torah notations/trop that messes up the font when I copy and paste it from DavkaWriter

3) to further my point about the bracha!

The bracha is about the land (aretz) and the food (mazon). I like how the rabbis put together the idea of where the food comes from in the bracha. When people understand a little bit more about where food comes from and how it got to their bodies, I think that more appreciation stems from them. This is not just useful when it comes to thinking about food, but also about other aspects of the world. It is important to try to be open to constantly learning about historical context and practicality about where our materials come from so that our appreciation and gratefulness continues to grow and develop.

I would like to urge you all to consider where you get your beer, wine, and other liquors and make the decision wisely. Is it important to you to support local beers and Israeli wines? Or is it more important to you to buy wine and beer according to season? Or perhaps organic and fairtrade products are of atmost importance? whatever it is, please continue to make it a DECISION and not just "what happens".

On that note, I am including a link to an interactive picture sequence of how bread is made:

http://www.warburtons.co.uk/our-world/seed-to-crumb/

On another note: I am leaving this coming Tuesday on a trip to Europe! I am very excited for the upcoming travels, but I regret to inform you that I will probably not have time to update my blog when I'm there. So, in honour of the upcoming travels, here is a recipe for a French martini, which I hope to have when I am in Paris:

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/4 oz Chambord® raspberry liqueur
1/4 ozfresh pineapple juice
1 twist lemon peel

Pour each of the above into a tall bar glass. Shake with ice, pour into a cocktail or martini glass, and serve.

Nachamu

2010-07-22T03:36:00.000-07:00

This Shabbat, we are all seeking comfort after Tisha B'Av. Many of us will seek for that comfort through song. I've always liked the Jewish accapella version of the song "Nachamu ami" from this week's haftarah and I will definitely be playing it for those who I teach at Ramah Nyack. Also, today is Zimriya at Ramah, so many many more will be seeking comfort from being with others in their community and singing together.

Shabbat, in general, is a comforting time. Many have told me before that they feel that it gives them comfort to know that Shabbat is coming up at the end of the week.

I am NOT recommending to seek comfort through these drinks! However, I do think that in celebration of Shabbat and of what we do currently have in our Jewish communities around the world that we should celebrate and seek comfort from each other.

p.s. I want to give a quick shout-out to two Rachels in my life who are graduating today from the YU Social Work Program!

Here is the recipe:

British Comfort recipe

Southern Comfort, gin, lemon juice and orange juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes.

Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Matot-Masei

2010-07-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

This Shabbat could be both sweet and sour. It is the last Shabbat before Rosh Hodesh Av, one of the bitter months of the year. However, it is sweet, because it is the last Shabbat before moving on to a new book of the Torah: Devarim. So, I propose a drink that is both sweet and a bit sour: margarita!

(also, a margarita is very fitting since I suggested a drink in honour of Canada Day and American Independence Day last week, so now I've covered all of North America!)

Rina Strawberry Margarita:

-2 shots of tequila

-1/2 shot (or more, it's about your taste) of lime juice

-1/2 teaspoon of salt

-4-5 ice cubes OR 4-5 frozen strawberries (preferred)

-blend in blender

-add a lime wedge!

-buy the frozen margarita mix and add as much tequila as the can tells you

-feel free to add your own frozen fruit

Pinchas

2010-06-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

So, as some of you regular readers may have noticed, I sometimes have more d'var torah parts to the blog posts and sometimes more cocktail parts to the posts. This is one of those times where I will have more cocktail recipe words than d'var Torah words. Here are the main reasons:

1) In this week's haftarah, the wife of Manoah was specifically asked not to drink "wine or other intoxicants" so that she could have a son. so, this blog kind of goes against that, therefore, not so much d'var torah this week.

2) It is Canada Day this July 1! So, I feel that a cocktail is necessary to celebrate that. Here is a link to the Canadian Heritage website to learn more about Canada Day:

http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/jfa-ha/canada-eng.cfm

3) Also, this Sunday is July 4th and since I have been living in New York City for awhile now, I feel that it is important for me to celebrate that holiday too, so I have included a red-white-blue cocktail.

Enjoy your freedom and independence!

RED cocktail recipe (sorry, but I couldn't find a red and white one...)

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7915.html

1 oz Fris® apple vodka
2 oz apple juice
1 tsp grenadine syrup

RED WHITE BLUE cocktail (I found the recipe on a British site, ironically enough...)

http://www.cocktailmaking.co.uk/displaycocktail.php/877-red-,-white-%26amp;-Blue

red , white & Blue Cocktail Ingredients

1/3 shot grenadine
1/3 shot peach schnapps
1/3 shot Blue Curacao

Instructions

pour grenadine into shot glass. Float peach scnapps on top , then float blue bols on top again. Drink should seperate into three layers like a flag
A nice shot that isn't too strong , it won't blow your head off but it looks pretty smart.

Parshat Balak

2010-06-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this story! The mah tovu story of the guy who tries to curse the People of Israel, but after many occurrences that stand in the way, he changes his mind and blesses them instead!! One of the obstacles is the donkey that talks back to him!

So, in honour of the donkey, here is an awesome cocktail recipe, which is also very appropriate for summer. Also, I cited my source and follow it to view a video of how to make the punch:

Donkey Punch

3 parts orange juice
2 parts ginger ale
1 part pineapple juice
1 part Bacardi® light rum
1/4 part grenadine syrup

Mix all ingredients in a punchbowl and float orange slices on top.

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink3228.html

Chukat-on the rocks

2010-06-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

In this week's parsha we read the famous story about Moshe hitting the rock, instead of speaking to the rock. Basically, a quick summary: The Jewish People are in the desert on their way to Israel and are complaining of thirst and have been complaining in general a lot. I don't blame them because who wants to be in a desert anyway? (Just kidding, Josh! And Jenn! And all of my Israeli people who love the desert, except that I'm kind of serious too) Anyway, so God told Moshe to speak to this one rock and then the water will come pouring out. But, out of frustration or possibly other reasons, Moshe hits the rock instead. Water comes out anyway, so it sort of works out. However, because of this and maybe other reasons, Moshe is not allowed to enter the Land of Israel.

Since this method did work, I felt inspired to introduce the idea of "on the rocks". There are 2 meanings to this:

1) simple meaning: some kind of alcohol (usually scotch or vodka) over ice

2) not-so-well-known meaning: a kind of mixed drink, usually in the form of a shot glass

So, I am giving an option of either one of these interpretations for this week's drink because both get the same result. (sound familiar???)

Choice 1) your favourite scotch over ice

Choice 2) Sea Breeze: 1 shot of vodka, 1 shot of orange juice, 1 shot of grapefruit juice (fitting since it is about water...)

Parshat Korach

2010-06-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack of a post last week. But, I was very busy with all of these weddings and sheva brachot, so I did not have enough time. I hope that you understand and that you were still able to enjoy Shabbat drinks.

This week's parsha is Korach. Cool story about a rebel in the Jewish people who got a bunch of others against Moshe and then as punishment the ground swallowed him! Read it and learn about what not to do.

This coming Shabbat, I am going to be leaving Manhattan and going to my real home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada to be with my family. We are all going to be home together for the first time in awhile. One thing about my family is that they drink a lot of beer and my brothers and my abba try to get me to try beer a lot. So, this week's drink is not only inspired by the parsha, but also by my beer-loving family.

Also, a big thank you to Megan Goldman who also gave me the idea for this drink:

Sake Bomb!!

fill a beer glass with your favourite kind of beer (I will be enjoying Canadian beer: Alexander Keiths!!!)
fill a shot glass with sake

place the shot glass in the beer glass and watch it get swallowed up (get it: just like Korach!!)
drink!!

Beha'alotcha-My Sabba's Yahrtzeit

2010-05-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

This d'var Torah is an excerpt from a d'var torah that I gave on June 13, 2009 in memory of my Sabba on his yahrtzeit. His yahrtzeit is this coming Shabbat, so I thought that it would be fitting to post it.

First, I would like you to consider the picture of the menorah from the outside of the knesset building. What images come to mind? What colours do you notice? What do you think the menorah symbolizes?

Green-reminds me of the colour of the olive oil that used to be used for the menorah.

The menorah was mentioned in Zechariya’s vision in the Haftara of this week's parsha: (Chapter 4, verses 2-3)

ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י מָ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה רֹאֶ֑ה וָיאֹמַ֡ר [וָֽאֹמַ֡ר] רָאִ֣יתִי ׀ וְהִנֵּ֣ה מְנוֹרַת֩ זָהָ֨ב כֻּלָּ֜הּ וְגֻלָּ֣הּ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֗הּ וְשִׁבְעָ֤ה נֵרֹֽתֶ֨יהָ֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ שִׁבְעָ֤ה וְשִׁבְעָה֙ מֽוּצָק֔וֹת לַנֵּר֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ: ג וּשְׁנַ֥יִם זֵיתִ֖ים עָלֶ֑יהָ אֶחָד֙ מִימִ֣ין הַגֻּלָּ֔ה וְאֶחָ֖ד עַל־שְׂמֹאלָֽהּ:

I think that it is interesting that in this image, Zechariya envisions a “menorat zahav”/a golden Menorah with 2 olive branches (shnaim zeitim) on the right and left side of it. I like this image, the contrast of the green olive trees with the bright golden light of the Menorah.

Many think that the menorah is a symbol of the unity of the Jewish people. So, with that symbol in mind, I would like to go back to the olive trees and light images. The fire reminds me of the Jews who fight the battles, like the Maccabees, or the modern day Israeli soldiers, or even those who fight for Israel advocacy on college campuses. I associate the olive branches with more serene and peaceful images such as those who study or work the land. Both types of leadership are needed in order for the Jewish people to continue.

This haftarah is also read on Shabbat Chanukah. I remember lighting Chanukah candles with my Sabba, Rabbi Israel Silverman. I remember looking in awe at Sabba and Savta’s beautiful Chanukiah while he gingerly and carefully lit each candle. But what I thought was fascinating as a girl, was that that they used oil to light the candles. I think that it was important for them to use the oil because of this classic image of the Menorah from the Beit Hamikdash and from Zechariya’s vision.

Also, Sabba gave a number of sermons about unity and unanimity. He stressed the importance of people have different approaches to life and different opinions, because that is how people learn and grow. But, he also put an emphasis on the importance of unity, and especially Jewish unity. In other words, it is good that we are all different and have different opinions, but that we should remember to maintain Jewish unity and work together to preserve the Jewish community/klal yisrael. These were not just words or ideas to Sabba, he also acted this way and served as a role model to all of us grandchildren. He would always welcome different people from different levels of observances and political views into the house for Shabbat meals. He not only spoke fondly of his JTS professors, but also other rabbis from outside the Conservative movement, including Rabbi Green and Rabbi Baskin.

I think that the lesson of unity is an important one for us to remember today. It is up to us to remember that both are important and necessary in order to make sure that we as Jews can continue to grow.

In order to make sure that we are building more families and growing as a Jewish people, some of my close friends are getting married in the next few days. Mazal Tov to Rachel and Josh and Hilary and Effi. I am excited to celebrate with you!

Here is a cocktail recipe that has a combination of yellow and green:

key lime pie martini

1) take a lime wedge and squeeze lime juice on the rim of the martini glass
2) hold the glass with the rim facing the graham cracker cookie bits and rub the rim onto the cookie bits
3) add:
1 or 2 shots of vanilla-flavoured vodka (or 1 shot of vodka and add 1-2 drops of vanilla extract)
5 drops of lime juice
1 or 2 shots of pineapple juice
4) mix together
5) add the lime wedge to the drink or place on the rim of the glass

Bamidbar-in the desert...

2010-05-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

Bamidbar: In the Desert...

Some of you already know that I do not like the desert (sorry, Josh! I know that you're building a kibbutz in the desert of Israel, but I just am not a fan...at least not yet). It's bare, it's too brown, and it's way too hot. But, because there is so much history in the desert and so much importance in the desert, I am trying to find ways to connect to it.

I just read a fantastic d'var torah by Rabbi Sacks which I am posting a link to here:

http://www.chiefrabbi.org/ReadArtical.aspx?id=537

He mentions an idea that I really like and I think that I've heard before, so I apologize if this is not a new idea for you. The letters in the Hebrew word for desert wilderness "daled, bet, resh", are the same as the Hebrew word for speaking. I was thinking about this and about how The Jewish people really became more "People of the Word" in the midbar/desert, which is exactly what Rabbi Sacks wrote! So, as we transition to a new book called bamidbar and transition to a new holiday, Shavuot where the Jewish people built their connection to the written word of the Torah, I hope that we can all continue to work on our midbar work and dibur (words) work!

Here is a desert cocktail recipe:

1 shot of a melon liquor
1 shot of vodka
-2 shots of orange juice
-1 shot of Sprite or lemon seltzer
-add a slice of either lemon or orange (or both) to the martini glass
-stir and enjoy!

Behar/Behukotai/Yom Yerushalayim

2010-05-04T17:58:00.000-07:00

From Fields of Gold to the City of Gold

I would like to share this text from myjewishlearning.com at this link:

http://www.myjewishlearning.com/culture/2/Music/Israeli_Music/Folk_Music/Naomi_Shemer.shtml

In 1967 Shemer wrote "Jerusalem of Gold" for the annual song festival. She recalled:
The idea I started with was the Talmudic legend I remembered from my school days about Rabbi Akiva, who lived in poverty, in a hayloft with his beloved wife Rahel, who had been disowned by her father. As he plucked the hay out of her hair, he promised her that one day he would become wealthy and buy her a Jerusalem of Gold [an item of jewelry]. Our teachers, Shoshana and Amminadav, taught us many similar legends. The phrase "Jerusalem of Gold" suddenly shone in my memory as if to say, "Here I am," and I realized it would be the cornerstone of my song.
It was night by the time I sat down and wrote the song. I began with my fresh, innocent memories of my visits there during summer vacation, and then I continued to "She sits alone" and "captive in her dream," and to the ancient phraseology which had just presented itself to me as if to say, Take me and do with me as you will.
The paratroopers who liberated the city sang the song on the Temple Mount and by the Western Wall. After the war, Shemer added another verse beginning "We have returned to the wells." When she sang the new version for the paratroopers and they applauded her, she told them: "Actually I should be applauding you, since it is much easier to change a song than to change a city."
I found those words to be inspiring: it is much easier to change a song than to change a city. Yes, it is easier to change your words and to tune your kinor (harp/violin-which is referred to in the Jerusalem of Gold song). However, I hope that all of us find songs, poems, books, articles, or other words which inspire us or challenge us to change our behavior. This Yom Yerushalayim, let's celebrate by singing and work towards a better world.
This Shabbat, I am not only thinking about Parshat Behar-Behukotai, where golden (and not so golden) laws are given, and Yom Yerushalayim, which celebrates the city of gold, but also of someone else who loves the colour yellow (and I think gold): my cousin Adina! Mazal Tov on your Bat Mitzvah and I can't wait to celebrate with you!
A golden cocktail:
Golden Punch:
1 shot of limoncello OR lemon-flavoured vodka
1 shot of orange juice
2 drops of grenadine (optional)
1 shot of pineapple juice
1 slice of lemon
-mix all together in a glass (make sure that it's frosted!)
-serve!

Emor/Lag Baomer

2010-04-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

Parshat Emor and Lag Ba'Omer: Walk in Fields of Gold

This coming Sunday is the joyous holiday of Lag Baomer, when we reach the 33rd day of the counting of the omer. That means that we are more than half-way towards the whole receiving of the Torah thing, however you choose to think about it. People usually celebrate on this day by having a picnic outside in open fields. Many Jewish schools take students for a field trip that day to a field! Some others choose to get a haircut that day, usually by a respectable hairdresser, not on a certain hill in Tzfat, Israel (Josh-DON'T DO IT!).

Rituals, such as counting the omer, help us to communicate with ourselves and with God. Back in the day, it used to be through sacrifices, which I am not such a fan of, as many of you know. But in this week's parshah, there was one type of sacrifice which intrigued me. It combined the fruits of the vineyard with the "fruits" of the field, such as barley or wheat. So, I felt inspired to make a special Lag Ba'omer/Emor shot recipe (don't worry: it's not 33 shots!! I would never recommend that kind of behaviour. But, if you happened to have about 10 people over and everyone had 3 shots each, and then 3 people had 3 additional ones, that would be above and beyond!)

Lag Ba'Omer: 33 shot recipe:

-shot of tequila
-3 grapes
-sprinkle of beer

procedure:

-put a sprinkle of beer on one of your wrists
-drink the shot of tequila
-eat the 3 grapes

Have a meaningful Lag Ba'Omer!

Ahrei Mot-Kedoshim

2010-04-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

First Fruits

When I was reading through this week's parsha, I came across these verses:

Lev 19:9-10 "when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger"

So, not only is it important to make the land grow, but it is also important to share the fruits with those who need it. I love that lesson!

I remember when I was in Israel visiting the Goldstein family's new place and their beautiful garden. They had a number of trees, some of which were already growing fruit! I got especially excited when I saw the pomegranate tree because I love pomegranates....we started asking them about the fruits and when they could start eating them. And, Warren Goldstein reminded us of this rule: "wait until the third year, for I am the Lord your God" from this week's parsha!

I'm not a farmer, I barely see trees! I am a city girl all the way and love it! But, I do try to appreciate the world of nature and everything, especially considering that today is Earth Day. I also think that there is something noble about settling the land, because it's about something greater than you.

So, here is a drink to help to remind us all of the land and how to make it grow stronger and stronger:

White Wine Sangria

-bottle of white wine

-slices of strawberries, blackberries, kiwi, melon, apples, and/or other fruit that is available

-1 cup of orange juice

-pitcher

-put the wine, fruit, and juice in the pitcher and let it sit for a few hours before drinking

-pour and enjoy!

Tazria-Metzora

2010-04-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

Green counteracts red

There's a lot of red in this week's double parsha: the leprosy, the scars, the sacrifices to cure the leprosy, and...lots of other red things. Many people have commented recently that a Bloody Mary drink would be very fitting this week! And, while I appreciate the enthusiasm for my blog, that is not the direction that I wanted to go this week.

This past week, there was another dark day of Yom Hashoah when we took time to remember those who perished in the Holocaust. This coming Monday is Yom Hazikaron, when we remember the Israeli soldiers who sacrificed so much for the State of Israel. And, right after Yom Hazikaron, there is Yom Ha'atzmaut, the day that we celebrate Israel becoming a country!! I remember during my third year of university, when I studied at Hebrew University, asking my Israeli cousins about this. I said that I thought it was strange that these two days were side by side and I didn't get how you could go from a state of seriousness, mourning and sadness to happiness and joy. How do you counteract the red? They answered my question with another question: how can we celebrate our achievements without first acknowledging the sacrifices and obstacles that we had to overcome to get there? It is so true. Before celebrating the great achievements of present times, we must remember the past and how we got there.

This Yom Ha'atzmaut, some of us will get a chance to read the special haftarah for the day. Isaiah beautifully contrasts images of the fire that devours the sinners of Zion (33:14) to the purity of the rivers and streams of the golden Jerusalem (33:20-21).

I wish for all of us to find a way to remember the past and then transition to celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut smoothly and in song. If you need a little help with the transition, perhaps a refreshing cocktail drink will help!

A Refreshing Drink in Celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut:

If you are fortunate enough to be in Israel, you can use this recipe:

1 part arak

1 1/2 part Eshkoliot juice drink

mix those together and add 3 sprigs of nana leaves to the pitcher. Leave the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Then serve with a lime wedge and enjoy!

If you live outside of Israel, you can use this adapted mojito recipe:

2 part rum

5 slices of lime

1 part lemonade

mix those together and add 3 sprigs of mint leaves to the pitcher. Leave the mixture in the fridge for at least hours. Then, serve with a lime wedge and enjoy!

This blog is also about green things in honoUr of my brother David who just received his Green Card! Mazal Tov, David!

Shabbat HaGadol=Kos G'dolah?

2010-03-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

Shabbat HaGadol is this week, the last Shabbat before the holiday of Pesach. I turned to the Haftarah of Shabbat Hagadol to see if the reading from the prophets could help to inspire me. I noticed that the prophet of Elijah is mentioned at the end of the haftarah. He slips in just at the end, encouraging people to change their ways for the better, just like many other prophets.

After the Jewish people are described as people who have forgotten the ways of the Torah, Elijah is mentioned:

" Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of the Lord. ²⁴ He shall reconcile parents with children and children with their parents, so that, when I come, I do not strike the whole land with utter destruction.

Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before
the coming of the awesome, fearful day of the Lord."

I think that it is fitting to be thinking about Elijah as the holiday of Pesach is coming because we are all supposed to welcome Elijah into our homes during THE night of the seder (note: I said the night, as in one night of the seder, GO ISRAEL where they only have one seder. Totally the only one needed..). Elijah has always been a mysterious prophet and one with a bit of a gentle side to him. I think that maybe because of this gentle side, in this haftarah, Elijah is comforting and dealing with parents and children. For me, this brings up a memory of sederim in my childhood when we would open the door for Elijah to come. Then, we would all watch Elijah's cup to see if the wine would go down.

I think that this custom is a wonderful one because it encourages us all to open our doors, not only to Elijah at the end of the seder, but also to those who need a place to eat and drink, like at the beginning of the seder. So, please take a message from Elijah to change and to keep your door a little more open to those who need it.

For this week's cocktail, I propose a drink that is kosher-for-Pesach-friendly, just in case you finished off your hametz-alcoholic beverages! It is also reminiscent of Elijah's cup:

Wine-Sangria-Spritzer:

-for very tasty results, prepare the drink at least 4 hours before serving

-pour one bottle of wine into a pitcher (preferably red, but white works too)

(to support my brother Josh's favourite area of Israel: try to buy wine from the Negev region, but other wine works too)

-slice half of an orange and half of an apple and put the slices in the pitcher

-add about 1 cup or more of lemon-lime flavoured seltzer right before serving

AJWS Global Hunger Shabbat

2010-03-16T18:11:00.000-07:00

This Shabbat, we are starting a whole new book, Vayikra. We are also starting to see a change in the seasons. Here in New York, from winter to spring. From what I hear from my friends and family in Israel, from winter to summer! :) This past week (actually yesterday), we moved on to a new month, Nissan. There a lot of changes that are happening, and more which are about to be happen, including a certain upcoming holiday, which will present a challenge to certain bloggers....

During this time of natural transitions, it is also a time to think about how we can help to bring about positive change for others. AJWS has organized a Global Hunger Solidarity Shabbat this coming Shabbat, which you can check out on their website.

One of their suggestions for how to commemorate global hunger shabbat is to consider having an empty plate at your Shabbat table to symbolize the empty tables around the world. I would encourage those of you who would like to embrace this custom to consider also featuring an empty glass. This custom would also work if you do not want to buy more ingredients that are not kosher for Pesach....

I read a number of personal stories mentioned on their website, including this one about Amy Diop:

http://ajws.org/hunger/ghs/global-hunger-shabbat_solidarityplate-readings.pdf

Amy Diop, a participant in GREEN Senegal’s farming program, says:

“I was born in this village and have a responsibility to contribute to its development by bringing in income and helping to break the exodus of the young people to the cities. GREEN Senegal has helped me to get some money through the sale of my products. I can now give my family at least three different foods a day.”

We stand in solidarity with communities experiencing hunger in Colombia The Sinu River in Northern Colombia has supported the lives of indigenous peoples for generations. But the construction of a huge megaproject—the Urra Dam—shattered this fragile ecosystem. The dam was built in 2000 by a consortium of foreign companies and supported by wealthy landowners. The project flooded over 7,400 hectares of indigenous-occupied land, engulfing crops, homes and sacred sites, and displacing over 2,800 people. The impact was devastating. The

local fish population, unable to swim up river to spawn, died out, eliminating the primary source of local protein. Severe flooding and drought caused by the river’s new course impeded traditional farming methods. As a result, tens of thousands of people were at risk of starvation.

In honour of this inspiring story of the work that is being done in Colombia, I thought that the Colombia cocktail would be appropriate to drink this week, unless you are going to take on the empty glass custom. This drink is supposed to resemble the Colombian flag, so try to prepare the drink according to the directions.

Ingredients:

2 parts vodka
1 part blue Curaçao
1 part grenadine
1 part lemon juice
6 parts orange juice

Preparation:

Shake the vodka and citrus juices in a mixer, then strain into the glass. Slide the grenadine down one side of the glass, where it will sink to the bottom. Slide the curacao down the other side, to lie between the vodka and grenadine, and serve before the layers have a chance to mix.

Vayakhel-Pekudei, Shabbat HaChodesh

2010-03-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of choices this week of what to discuss: double-parsha and Shabbat HaChodesh. This week, I decided to go with Parsha Pekudei. In the parsha, the building of the mishkan, the temporary and portable Temple, is further discussed. I am not such a mishkan person, as many of you already know. However, when I was reading my great-uncle Avi's book, I was reminded of the fact that there was a cloud that hovered over the mishkan.

Rabbi Avraham Kelman continues to explain: "The parasha concludes, 'the cloud was on the Mishkan'/'le'einei kol beis Yisrael', before the eyes of all the house of Israel throughout their journeys. The Shechina (Divine Presence) hovered over the Mishkan for the sake of the house of Israel."

I like the idea of a cloud hovering over the mishkan and the people of Israel. This creates a comforting image that there is a presence watching and protecting them as they travel in their journey to eretz yisrael.

So, on this cloudy and rainy day in New York, I would like to propose an idea: may we all strive to be each other's clouds and may we all find the clouds in our lives which protect us and bring us comfort.

As a start: here is a good, cloudy drink:

A Vodka 7:

2	oz.	Vodka
1/2		Lime (juice of it)
		Lemon-lime soda
		Lime wedge -first, place the martini glass in the freezer for about 2-5 minutes -pour in the vodka and then the lime juice, and then the lemon-lime seltzer -stir all together to make it cloudy looking -add a lime wedge to the glass

Welcome to Parsha with a Twist!

2010-03-12T06:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Parsha with a Twist!

I know that probably many of you are already "blogged-out" and have too many blogs to keep track of. I know that probably many of you are already "parsha hashavua-ed out" because you are on WAY too many e-mail listserves which send you an e-mail with a dvar torah every week. However, I have something different to offer, which I am honoured to share with you: a weekly Parsha HaShavua, but with a twist. The twist shall be a cocktail drink or party favour that relates to the Parsha Hashavua.

You may ask yourselves: what do cocktail drinks have to do with the weekly parsha?? Well, I will find a part of the parsha that I find speaks to me and inspires me to drink a certain drink.

Those of you who feel inspired by this idea and would also like to partake in this challenge for yourselves, are welcome to apply to be a guest writer on this blog. Also, those of you who live in the Manhattan area (or wherever I am that Shabbat or holiday) who would like to partake in the tasting of these cocktail drinks, are obviously welcome to do so.

Get inspired, keep reading, and get the martini glass frosted and ready to go!

Parsha With a Twist

Golden Dreams: Parshat Vayeshev

Vayeitze-A Reunion Drink

Parshat Toldot: Red, Red, Cocktail!

Ingredients

Directions

Oh Baby! Parshat Vayera

Global Hunger Shabbat

Rainbow Martini

Malibu Reggae Rainbow

Bottom's Up! Simchat Torah is Here

Sukkah in a Glass

Sweet New Year 5772

Parshat Eikev

Nachamu

British Comfort recipe

Southern Comfort, gin, lemon juice and orange juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes.

Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Matot-Masei

Pinchas

So, as some of you regular readers may have noticed, I sometimes have more d'var torah parts to the blog posts and sometimes more cocktail parts to the posts. This is one of those times where I will have more cocktail recipe words than d'var Torah words. Here are the main reasons:

3) Also, this Sunday is July 4th and since I have been living in New York City for awhile now, I feel that it is important for me to celebrate that holiday too, so I have included a red-white-blue cocktail.

RED cocktail recipe (sorry, but I couldn't find a red and white one...)

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7915.html

1 oz Fris® apple vodka2 oz apple juice1 tsp grenadine syrup

RED WHITE BLUE cocktail (I found the recipe on a British site, ironically enough...)

http://www.cocktailmaking.co.uk/displaycocktail.php/877-red-,-white-%26amp;-Blue

red , white & Blue Cocktail Ingredients

Instructions

Parshat Balak

Chukat-on the rocks

Parshat Korach

Beha'alotcha-My Sabba's Yahrtzeit

Bamidbar-in the desert...

Behar/Behukotai/Yom Yerushalayim

Emor/Lag Baomer

Ahrei Mot-Kedoshim

Tazria-Metzora

Shabbat HaGadol=Kos G'dolah?

AJWS Global Hunger Shabbat

Vayakhel-Pekudei, Shabbat HaChodesh

Welcome to Parsha with a Twist!

1 oz Fris® apple vodka
2 oz apple juice
1 tsp grenadine syrup