Archive for 'Uncategorized'
Israeli Poet – Tuvya Ruebner Posted by Sean Young on Mar 25, 2013
Tuvya Ruebner (טוביה ריבנר) was born in 1924 in Bratislava, Slovakia. He was 17 years old in 1941 when he fled Slovakia to Mandate Palestine and joined a kibbutz. His parents, sisters and grandparents were sent to Poland and were killed in the Holocaust. Following the Israel War of Independence, he became a member of…
Passover Preparations – The Seder Plate Posted by Sean Young on Mar 23, 2013
Preparing the Seder plate is not just putting the required foods on the plate. It takes advanced preparation and cooking. In order to prepare all the seder foods on time, you’ll need other members of the household to help out. Every item on the Seder plate abounds in meaning and allusion. So I’m going to…
Passover Preparations – Choosing the Seder Wine Posted by Sean Young on Mar 19, 2013
Question: What’s the difference between kosher wine and kosher for Passover wine? Answer: As with anything to be considered kosher, it must be created under a rabbi’s supervision, and only Sabbath-observant Jewish males are allowed to handle the grapes through the entire process. Because chametz is forbidden at any time during Passover, this also applies…
Passover Preparations – Baking Matzah Posted by Sean Young on Mar 17, 2013
This article is about the traditional, kosher preparation of baking matzah for Passover. I have attached a PDF at the end if you want to make them in a non-kosher way. Matzah and Passover כָּשֵׁר – kosher מַצָּה – matzah חָמֵץ – chametz (leaven) סֵדֶר – seder פֶּסַח – Passover תְּסִיסָה – fermentation As we…
The Dead Sea Posted by Sean Young on Mar 12, 2013
The Dead Sea (יָם הַמֶּלַח) is a large body of hypersaline water bordering Jordan, Israel and the West Bank. Its surface and shores are 423 metres (1,388 ft) below sea level making it the lowest elevation on earth. The Dead Sea is 377 m (1,237 ft) deep, 55 kilometres (34 mi) long and 18 kilometres…
Hava Nagila Posted by Sean Young on Feb 20, 2013
Since Purim is here, why not take a break from our lessons and sing, dance and rejoice! This song is popular, well known even outside the Jewish communities. Purim is just as good a time to have fun – so listen and sing along. (English translation is at the end of this post) Hah-vah nah-gee-lah…
Dinner With Friends Posted by Sean Young on Jan 31, 2013
Having dinner is a great way to meet people. They last a few hours, so you’ll have time to eat, talk and make friends. The atmoshpere is informal and friendly. DO assume that your hosts keep kosher (unless they tell you otherwise). Keeping kosher means that pork and shellfish are completely off limits, and…