Carbs, Cheese and Shavuout (Cantor Ashkenazy)
Carbohydrates and cheese- the dynamic duo of comfort foods. There’s something about their combination that always hits the spot. Any day of the year you can find me eating a bagel with cream cheese, but on Shavuot, I indulge in a special treat, blintzes. On Shavuot, we celebrate the revelation of the Torah on Mount Sinai to the Jewish people. Shavuot literally means “weeks,” and is a reference to the seven weeks the Israelites journeyed in the desert to reach Mount Sinai. Shavuot is a holiday long associated with dairy foods, and there are several reasons for the connection. The simplest explanation is that milk is a symbol of the Torah, which nourishes the Jewish people, much like milk for a baby. Textual references to Israel being the land of milk and honey (Exodus 3:8) provide one explanation, and Song of Songs 4:11 which says Torah is like “milk and honey under your tongue” provide another. A third example can be found in Numbers 28:26 where the sacrificial meal offering of Shavuot is described. The four Hebrew words spell out “mei halav,” which means “from milk.” Extrapolating upon this, sages believed this to mean that dairy food was the appropriate meal for the holiday. Even further, the gematria (numerical value) of the word “halav” (milk in Hebrew,) equals forty, the number of days that Moses spent on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments.
For all of these reasons, dairy foods are prominent on Shavuot. My favorite, blintzes, of Eastern European origin (their name is fittingly Yiddish, adopted from the Russian word for little pancakes, blinyets) are a traditional food eaten on the holiday, which I believe has to do with the mass immigration of many Eastern European Jews to America. Other popular dairy foods besides blintzes eaten on Shavuot include cheesecake, kugels and the Sephardic equivalent to blintzes, cheese bourekas. I had always been nervous to make blintzes myself, but last year I decided to take the plunge and it was well worth it!
In case you want to skip the freezer bought blintzes this year, try this recipe: To make the pancakes: Combine 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 1.5 cups of milk, 4 large eggs and 3 tablespoons of melted butter together. Using a hand mixer, blender or stand mixer, puree the mixture until it is smooth. Then let it sit at room temperature for half an hour. (At this point make your filling.) To cook the pancakes, heat a 10 inch nonstick skillet or frying pan on medium heat, lightly coat with butter and add ¼ cup of batter, swirling it to make sure it covers the bottom of the pan. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and then using a spatula, loosen the edge of the pancake. Using your fingertips, flip it over to cook the other side for 1 minute. Slide it out of the pan and continue the process until all the batter is used. You will likely need to add more butter to coat the pan between pancakes. To make the filling: Traditional blintzes use farmer’s cheese which can be difficult to locate, so I use 4 oz of softened cream cheese and 1.5 cups of ricotta cheese. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheeses and add 1 egg yolk, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and lemon zest. Stir together until smooth and well combined. (¼ teaspoon of cinnamon optional.) How to assemble: On a flat surface, lay a pancake out. About 1 inch above the bottom of the pancake, put in 2-3 tablespoons of filling. Fold the bottom edge over the filling and then take both sides and fold them in. Roll from the bottom up keeping the sides tucked in. Place the blintzes in the freezer for 10 minutes. After they firm up in the freezer, the last step is to fry the blintzes until golden brown using butter or coconut oil in a skillet. Place them in the skillet in a single layer and fry each side (usually around 4 minutes.) When ready to remove, put on a paper towel lined plate or cookie sheet to absorb the excess butter or oil. Serve your blintzes with fresh berries, powdered sugar, sour cream or fruit compote.
Mental Health Awareness Month (Rabbi Shalhevet)
May 14, 2022 by nssadmin • Blog • 0 Comments
Advertisements on television, radio, and the internet are all urging me to “lock in now, before prices go up!” or “Buy now, only a few more left in stock!” Of course, then I rush to sign onto my Amazon account to order whatever the item is only to find out that it won’t ship to me in time for whatever I need it for even though I have Amazon Prime. So then I race to the physical store – a rare occasion in these past two years for so many of us – only to find that they have no stock due to shipping delays and production delays worldwide.
Is there any surprise that our country finds itself in a mental health crisis – specifically anxiety disorders? Now, there is a difference for sure, between feeling anxious or nervous about something and actually suffering from an anxiety disorder, but the symptoms in the moment can be alarmingly similar. And if those nervous or anxious moments are forced upon anyone for enough times, the weight can become unbearable. Our country, as a whole, is suffering. And we are both the victim and the assailant.
It’s an age old method. News reporters will tell you that tragedy, drama, and blood sells. The winner of the national spelling bee, or the idea that the weather was sunny again with enough drizzle to perfectly water the daffodils, does not. And while it might be true, it doesn’t make it healthy. It doesn’t make it helpful. And it doesn’t make it right.
Now, I don’t think that this bulletin article or any changes that it may inspire anyone to make, will even begin to make a dent in our country-wide culture of preying on “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out). I cannot hope to make an impact as strong as that. But, I do hope that this can touch one person in one way or another.
What do I mean by that? What then, is my message?
My message, my plea, is simple. Be aware of the other. Tactics aimed at using and abusing someone else’s fears or insecurities, is not only unethical, but it is hurtful and unacceptable as well. Another person’s weakness is not yours to exploit for your own gain, either personal or business. On the flipside, do not feel compelled to take on anyone else’s anxiety. Now, this is much easier said than done. And for those in our community with mental health struggles, it is a daily battle that wages constantly. If you do not suffer from a disorder, but you find yourself having difficulty coping with something, please take a moment to stop and breathe. Try self-talk, meditation, or simply to close your eyes at that moment and slow things down. If you feel that you have an anxiety disorder – if your anxiety begins to interfere with your everyday life, please see a professional. My door (zoom, in person, phone, or otherwise) is always open and I am happy to listen, help if I can, and refer you when necessary, to someone who can help you. You are NOT alone.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but mental health is a lifelong commitment. Please don’t stay silent if you are suffering. Call me in the office at extension 111 or on my cell phone at 516-330-0667. I’m here for you.