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Moshav Me'or Modiim, Israel
Rabbi Avraham Arieh and Rachel Trugman have over thirty years of experience in the field of Jewish education.
Showing posts with label passover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label passover. Show all posts

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Seder Night - A Poem from Seeds and Sparks


Yes my children -
I hear your questions
I too hear footsteps in the distance.
Listen!
To the story of life
As it unfolds.

Once we were slaves,
Cried out in despair and God heard:
With an outstretched hand
Nature took another course,
Water turned to blood
And later seas turned on end
As we followed God faithfully
Into the desert of our own rebirth.

And now we have this holiday
To celebrate and remember,
To engrave once again
On our open hearts
That it was us who came out
And stood on the mountain and promised
To give over to the children
Of the future
The wonders of the past.

The collective unconscious
Running through our blood.
Look!
Upon the door post -
A reminder and a sign
To protect and pass over to generations
As yet born,
A promise delivered
But not yet fulfilled,
While between the lines
Of history and precedent
The story of our people
Defies logic
Battles conquerors
Lives on miracles and faith,
In new beginnings
Tragic endings
Sanctification and sacrifice on the alter
Of human destiny
To be free!
A light unto the nations
In a world of darkness
Where groping armies
Are still pursuing us -
Their wheels sinking in the sea.

But we light candles
And make it to the other side,
Where shining in the distance
Is the prophet of the future.
Elijah come drink!
Blow the shofar!
Herald a new beginning!
Redeem the first born!
And the last to be born
Before that fateful day
Will cry out from the weight
Of human bondage
And the misery of our self imposed doom.

But here at our Seder
The light of hope is shining bright
The bush is still burning
And is not consumed.

Friday, March 30, 2012

It's So Delish!


This is a recipe that I only make for Pesach and I don’t know why, because it’s so delish. Maybe it’s the extra steps like double boilers and egg separating that puts me off when I’m cooking for our usual Ohr Chadash hordes. However, this year I’m super motivated to make a few of these Lemon Meringue Pies because we have our first real crop of homegrown organic lemons. We’ve tried to grow them before but as we say in Yiddish “geit nisht” loosely translated – “it just doesn’t go”. The trees either got attacked by flighty aphids or persistent voles – mole cousins, or funky weather. But this year it’s a Bumper Crop! So enjoy preparing a yummy pie and be sure to come over for some tea and leftovers after the Seder. PS This recipe is greatly improved by grandchildren helping to squeeze out every drop of juice and practicing the chanting of the “Mah Nishtana” in the kitchen while it bakes.




Prepare a pie crust with 1-1/2 C ground nuts (optionally substitute ½ C matzo meal) a pinch of salt, another pinch or cinnamon, 1/3 C walnut or other oil and enough ice water to make a dough that can be pressed into a pie pan.
Slowly cook in a double boiler 7/8 C sugar with 3 whole eggs 1/3 C lemon juice 1T lemon peel grated until the mixture coats a spoon then pour into the pie crust and bake till bubbly about 30 minutes at 350
While baking prepare meringue by whipping 3 egg whites with ¼ C sugar until stiff but not dry peaks form. Heap onto baked crust and filling and bake another 10 minutes till meringue is brown on top and have a “Zissen Pesach” as my mom of blessed memory would always say in Mama Lushen, Yiddish for Mother Tongue. PS I’m the big sister in this homey picture.