February 2012

A Czech Twist on a Jewish Dish

Bramboracky is a classical pan-friend potato pancake that is typically washed down with a good beer. The below recipe is one that can be tweaked to your liking and is fun to make. Potato pancakes are usually associated with Yiddish cuisine with Ukrainian, German, Hungarian, Indian, Korean and Polish variations. This recipe has a prep time of 30 minutes and cook time of 30 minutes for a total of 1 hour which will yield 3 servings.

Ingredients:

·         1 pinch of dried marjoram

·         2 teaspoons of caraway seeds

·         1 tablespoon of milk

·         3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

·         2 eggs

·         3 gloves of crushed garlic

·         4 large potatoes

·         Salt and pepper

·         Oil

Torah Study for Kids

One-size Doesn't Fit All

Fascinated by Torah study, our 9-year-old son delves deeply into each story. He asks questions about how the miracles could have happened and why each particular story was included when so many others were omitted. This deep curiosity is actually what has frustrated him about religious school and has led us to decide to fully homeschool his religious education. 

 

The last time we attended services at our synagogue, we kept him with us instead of sending him with his peers to the Junior Congregation most attend. He read the entire Torah portion along with the associated Midrash, or explanatory stories, included in the text.  He was so engrossed that he refused to participate further in the services with the exception of listening to the Rabbi's drash, or sermon, about what we had just read. At the conclusion of the service, he asked us if he could stay and read the Torah every Saturday in the future instead of going with his peers.

 

Herein lies our dilemma. 

Passover Pizza for the Kids

Kids and adults love this easy recipe for pizza during Passover. It is an excellent selection for the fourth or fifth day of Passover when you begin running out of recipe ideas. The beauty of this recipe is you can add any vegetables you have on hand for a delicious meal. This recipe yields 2 servings. The nutritional information includes total fat of 9.7 grams, 28 mg of cholesterol, 714 mg of sodium, 33.9 grams of carbs and 14.7 grams of protein.

Ingredients:

·         1 pinch of garlic salt

·         1 pinch of dried oregano

·         ¼ cup of pasta sauce

·         ¼ cup of sliced black olives

·         ¾ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

·         1 sliced tomato

Directions:

Great Traditional Jewish Coffee Cake Recipe

Based on a traditional recipe using sour cream, this coffee cake is a delicious dessert that is a perfect treat after dinner or to bring to a gathering. The recipe yields 12 servings so there will be plenty to pass around. The 12 servings bears 363 calories with 21 grams of total fat, 40.2 grams of total carbohydrates, 5.4 grams of protein,69 milligrams of cholesterol and 236 milligrams of sodium.

Ingredients:

·         1 teaspoon of baking soda

·         1 teaspoon of baking powder

·         1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

·         2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

·         2 tablespoons of melted butter

·         ½ cup of butter

·         ½ cup of confectioners’ sugar

·         1 cup of white sugar

·         1 cup of sour cream

·         1 cup of chopped walnuts

·         2 cups of all-purpose flour

·         2 eggs

Directions:

Quick Recipe for Jewish Crackers

Crepes are delicious but extremely tedious to make. This recipe is a delicious alternative to crepes and is ready in only 25 minutes with 15 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cook time. The recipe yields 10 total servings which is the perfect amount to complement lunches, as finger foods or as a snack while watching television.

Ingredients:

·         ¼ cup of matzo meal

·         ¼ cup of white sugar

·         ¼ cup of vegetable oil

·         ½ teaspoon of salt

·         1 8 ounce container of cottage cheese

·         40 saltine crackers

·         2 eggs

Directions:

Navigating the Hebrew School vs. Soccer Debate

"We've learned some very interesting things together and our children have been inspired to ask some fantastic questions."

There is a hot debate being held in conservative synagogues across America right now regarding the education of our children. On the one side, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is urging synagogues to set up schools which meet minimum standards. On the other, families struggle to maintain a Jewish household amidst growing academic demands, sports and social commitments. Both sides attest to wanting to raise joyful Jewish adults who maintain close connections with their synagogue communities throughout their lives, but they don't always agree on the way to get there.