Elegant Impressions Sivan 5772 June 2012
Volume I, Issue VI 1
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What’s Inside Spotlight On: Yeshivat Mekor Haim Entertaining
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True Colors Tablescape Event 8 Blue Table 10 Purple Table 12 Green Table 14 Red Table 16 Pink Table 18 Yellow Table 20 Enhance Your Shabbat: Flowers & Fruit 22 Makeup & Tabletop 23
Food & Dessert
One Rope Challah Braid 24 Kale Salad with a Tropical Twist 25 Garlic Salmon Tomato-Basil Relish 26 Roasted Potatoes, Lemon Asparagus 27 Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers 28 Bourbon Chicken 29 Grilled Skirt Steak & Cilantro Chimichurri 30 Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Salad 32 Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies 33 Chocolate Babka 34
Features
Custom Patterned Vase 36 Care & Maintenance of Fine Jewelry 37 Patio Design 38 GPS! Navigation for Your Soul 42 You Are What You Eat 46 Summer Safety 48
Read the magazine online at ElegantImpressions.com Contact info@elegantimpressions.com 917-830-4262 Editor In Chief Amy Oren Editor Jacob Mograby Contributing Writers Leah Benguigui Rabbi Chaim Buxbaum Michele Cohen Rivka Dayan Rina Fine Avi Fishoff Bonnie & Michele Hakim Marlene Mamiye Estreya Mograby Dr. Jack Sadacka Rabbi Yaakov Shain Natalie Suede Creative Design Amy Oren Photography Vicki Ades Ad Sales Barbra Panigel Steven SorscherOne Stop Marketing Group Judith Tobal Betesh Published By Elegant Impressions All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written consent from the publisher is prohibited. Elegant Impressions Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements in the magazine. Elegant Impressions is not responsible for typographical errors. Readers should always verify kashrut status independently.
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Spotlight On:
Yeshivat Mekor Haim
How Happy Was Your Child Today? By Rabbi Chaim Buxbaum “How was your day in school today?” is a question heard in thousands of homes as children arrive home each day, which is as it should be. At Yeshivat Mekor Haim that question is the underlying principle of our entire mission. Our community is very fortunate that with Hashem’s help, we have been blessed with many wonderful educational institutions, Mosdot Chinuch, for boys and girls of all ages. Every Yeshiva develops its own “personality”, a blend of characteristics, goals and an educational philosophy which is unique to that school, and which is designed to best serve its student body. The composition of the parent body, teaching methodology and general atmosphere are major components of what makes each school different and unique. Yeshivat Mekor Haim, under the leadership of Rabbi Yosef Ozeirey, Shlit”a has evolved in a relatively short time, into a Yeshiva which is fulfilling its mission of devoting itself to really getting to know each child individually and guiding each child to use their natural instincts and individual strengths and abilities as tools for learning and a vehicle on the path of growth and success. Under the expert experienced guidance of the Menahel, Rabbi David Zafrani, Shlit”a, each Rebbe tailors his lesson plans and teaching methodology to best serve his students by engaging their interest, generating excitement and encouraging classroom participation. All prominent educators are in agreement, that a successful education in our confusing and challenging times, both in school and at home, requires an environment where the child is happy during the learning process and is reinforced by a feeling of success in his progress and accomplishments. Of course, no one, child or adult will have a “good” day every day. Yeshivat
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Mekor Haim’s goal is to create an atmosphere where our children- as well as their parents- feel secure and understood, fostering the ideal learning environment. Our dedication to educating the child, not teaching a subject is carried through the General Studies portion of the day, skillfully administered by our General Studies coordinator, Rabbi Eli Levy, Shlit”a, who brings great energy and enthusiasm to our General Studies department. He has plans for new and innovative programs for the next school year. Finally, the welcoming warmth and coziness of our Preschool department is truly exemplary. Mrs. Rochelle Bijou, our Pre-school Director, brings with her years of experience as a teacher and administrator. Her well organized projects and special events are enjoyed by the children as well as the Mommies. New mothers are always comfortable upon experiencing the welcoming warmth of our preschool classes. These early years provide the foundation on which all of a child’s future school years are based. The devotion of our Morot to the happiness and development of their young charges is immediately evident. We recently conducted a beautiful and very successful Chinese auction at the home of Leon and Orlit Chaaya. We want to thank Orlit Chaaya and Paige Azoulay for their months of hard work and dedication. We also want to express our gratitude to Amy Oren and Elegant Impressions Magazine for their expertise and guidance in arranging the display of Shabbat Tablescapes that were such a beautiful attraction at the auction event.
For more information about Yeshivat Mekor Chaim, please call 718-627-0687.
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True Colors Tablescape Event
Nothing can compare to the feeling that permeates the home when the Shabbat table is beautifully set on Erev Shabbat. Everyone sees that something special is happening soon, the Shabbat queen is approaching. The Shabbat table is more than just a dinner table; it’s a physical enhancement of our Shabbat experience. It elevates our meal to a banquet. Setting the Shabbat table is wonderful opportunity to get the children involved in the preparations for Shabbat. There’s a special pride that children feel in doing their part in setting the Shabbat table; it’s a labor of love. In all of its beauty and dignity, the carefully set table speaks to us of the greatness and holiness of the Shabbat. We recently collaborated with Yeshivat Mekor Haim to bring you the True Colors Shabbat tablescape event. Six designers showed us how using a little creativity can transform a “set table” into a “dressed up table”. Our Shabbat tables should be as unique as we are, reflecting our personal styles and flavors. A beautiful custom practiced by many women is to set the table early for Shabbat, some even set it on Thursday, to usher the Shabbat atmosphere into their homes. There is a special group of women who are part of the Chatzos Group support network. They have taken it upon themselves to try to be ready for Shabbat by chatzot (Friday mid-day), as it is a time when the Kedusha of Shabbat already begins to descend upon us. In doing so, they are able to welcome the Shabbat with calmness, composure, and shalom.
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Azriela Jaffe began this movement with 4 women, and now has over 450 women from all over the world who join together to support each other in this great endeavor. In Azriela’s words, “Reorganizing my life, and my week, so that it is possible to be completely ready for Shabbos by Chatzos was so life-changing, and brought so much kavod Shabbos into our home, I wrote an article about it for the Mishpacha magazine, touching a chord in women around the world who also crave greater serenity on erev Shabbos, and/ or are looking for a new practice to bring zechus in trying times. It is our hope that we can share the joys and satisfaction of Chatzos with any woman who is looking to elevate the atmosphere of her home, and to create an intense experience of anticipation and kedusha as Shabbos nears.” The general plan is to finish all cooking, shopping, cleaning, laundry by midday on Friday and to have the table ready early for Shabbos. In most families, people come home on Friday after Chatzos, therefore there is a certain amount of bathing, changing, serving food and cleaning up from it that will take place later in the day. In families with small children (and big ones) there are inevitably last minute messes and emergencies. But if the bulk of the work is done, they can be handled calmly. For more information about this group, visit www.chatzos.com or email chatzoslady@gmail.com. We want to thank all the designers who contributed to the True Colors event, the women who presented special demonstrations, and all the mothers of Yeshiva Mekor Haim who worked tirelessly to make this a beautiful and inspiring event.
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Photography by Vicki Ades
Table Design Rivka Dayan 10
Rivka Dayan Party Planner Table & Swanee Designer 718-645-9783 347-372-7343
Setting my Shabbat table is a passion of mine. I love to play around with the décor, keeping it fresh and exciting for my family. When I design a table, I like to fuse modern lines with elegant and luxurious touches. For this blue Shabbat table, I used two strips of 10 “ wide suede fabric as runners under the dishes, and the same suede fabric as napkin rings. A hair clip adorns the napkin rings and is secured through slits in the suede. Square mirror charger plates, square dishes, and Lucite vase give the table a modern yet elegant look. When designing a table, don’t go cheap on the materials. Find good quality items on sale and you will see it in the results. Your table will look rich, without costing a fortune. For example, I like to buy beautiful fabric when I find it on sale, and use it as napkin rings and trimmings. Avoid cluttering your table with extra knickknacks, keep it clean and sleek. Group items together instead of spreading them out. When designing a swanee table, a good tip is to group boxes of various sizes together, keeping the gift wrap the same so that they will coordinate, but use different ribbons and textures to embellish. 11
Table Design
Michele & Bonnie Hakim Table Toppers 12
The best places to shop for an item is where you know that the owners themselves utilize the items in their own homes. At Table Toppers, we specialize in all types of tablecloths, napkin rings and accessories. It’s not just the merchandise that is sold herewe want to make sure that your shopping experience is a big hit. We’re Bonnie and Michelle Hakim, sister in laws, and we understand the importance of the Shabbat and holiday spirit, since dining is at the center of our Jewish traditions. A beautiful centerpiece table, covered in elegant and classy tabletoppers and accessories enhances the experience and is appreciated by friends and family. We started our business in our homes before opening our shop located off Avenue P and East 4th Street. Using our passion and expertise, we created a space to beautify Jewish homes from all communities. Custom cut and special orders are done regularlywhatever your request, we make it work! It’s not just the product that we sell, it’s the rewarding feeling of a happy customer calling to thank us after a successful dinner party or affair.
Michele & Bonnie Hakim Table Toppers 1704 East 4th St. Off Ave P 718-627-1395
Photography by Vicki Ades
Tablecloth, glasses, flatware, placemats, napkins, napkin rings, salt & pepper shakers all from Table Toppers. Challah Cover made to order at Table Toppers. Flowers by Josh and Co. Sterling Silver Candlesticks and Wine Cup from Raymond Sasson.
Table Design Michele Cohen Michele Cohen Call or Text (718)687-0504 H996pk@aol.com 14
Photography by Vicki Ades
Table setting is one of the many things I enjoy doing. Since I was young I loved putting things together to create something beautiful. It’s something that has come natural to me and I’ve also used my creativity to set swanee tables, auction tables, and I’ve even helped people with interior design. My belief is that you can use items you already own and by just changing a little something, you can achieve a whole different look each time you set your table. For example, on the green table, I used bud vase glass napkin rings with a single orchid at each place setting, for the blue table, I took simple glass vases and filled them with water and blue food coloring. With my orange table I put oranges on the cups to bring out beauty with things that are naturally bright and gorgeous. Beauty has nothing to do with expense and these are very simple ways to make your table fun and different. You don’t need to be committed to one way of setting your table, let each time be refreshing and exciting so you feel happy to look at what you’ve done. Plus, you want to always keep people guessing so they don’t know what’s coming next. The way you do that is put colors together that you wouldn’t normally think match, find inspiration in the beauty around you, change one or two things, have fun and of course... NEVER play it safe!
Pictures on this page taken by Rachel Mizrahi, call or text at (347)885-9677.
Table Design
Marlene Mamiye
TheJewishHostess.com 16
When I was asked if I would use red as my tablescape color, I immediately accepted, even though the color red was not yet my top choice of color for a table setting theme. I was up for the challenge! I pulled out five crystal candlesticks, and some antique scarlet red fruit compotes that I had bought when I was first married. I also plucked some crystal goblets out of the cabinet that my mom had given to me. Eyeing my little assembly, it was starting to look a little cozy and romantic to me, so I decided that we would have a rectangular shaped Shabbat table for two. I ran down to my basement where I had stored some white plexi squares that I had made for my daughter’s birthday party last year…borrowed two stunning white beaded placemats and looped linen napkins… used matching Kim Seybert beaded napkin rings as votives…. ran into Parci Parla on Kings Highway in Brooklyn, and of course Sherri was willing to lend me the entire store… the Judaica store, Tehillat Yitzchak, was very gracious in lending me a white leather challah cover and red siddurim….I laid it down on the dining room table, added the red siddurim and a bottle of red wine… I started to envision red rose petals along the vertical edges of my lucite table “runner”, so I called Shirley Barnathan who advised me that rose petals peel off the stem much more easily when they are a couple of days old. So I ran to the corner and bought three dozen deeply colored red roses, enjoyed them for Shabbat, and on the Tuesday morning of the event, I really enjoyed peeling and displaying them along the edge of the table. Of course you can integrate this rose petal theme into so many tablescapes using a multitude of rose petal hues in the floral market. I played around with some napkin folding ideas and decided on arranging an x underneath the dinner plate.
Photography by Vicki Ades
I’ve learned SO much from all of the Jewish hostesses that share photos of their gorgeous party, holiday and Shabbat tables on my site, TheJewishHostess.com. Each table setting is a fantastic reflection of each Jewish woman’s flair, imagination, and creativity, as we are all unique in our personality and inspirations.
Remember that the secret to a fabulous table is to layer, layer, and layer! Start with a simple cloth and keep on going! Chargers, linen napkins, dishes, and napkin rings don’t have to cost a fortune to be elegant. The extra splashes color and texture always add the WOW factor to any table. Begin planning and decide- do I want my table to be fun? Elegant? Colorful? Let your imagination run free and watch your family members’ faces light up as they enter the room! Some wonderful vendors contributed to making this table fabulous: •Lucite box and Jonathan Adler red frame from Parci Parla •Printing of “TheJewishHostess” label and frame by Bonnie Adjmi •Siddurim and Leather Challah cover from Tehillat Yitzchak Judaica •Red and black Hermes dishes, crystal place card holders, and lucite flatware by “Aimee” •Long stemmed strawberries (by Ilan from Ouri’s Fruit on Avenue U) •Swirly candles from Surrey Lane •Calligraphy for place cards by Teri Sutton Marlene@thejewishhostess.com
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Photography by Vicki Ades
Table Design
This table is a great way to bring the outdoors in- any time of the year. It’s a great idea for a Succot table, or for an outdoor luncheon. If the thought of covering the entire table with moss is daunting, visit your local craft store for rolls of faux moss. You can use them to make runners or cut them into place mats or even small strips for napkin holders with a flower glued to the top.
Swenees by Natalie Swenee Display, open or wrapped Chinese Auction Design 917-337-6447 Nssuede@gmail.com
Even a simple glass plate becomes decorative with a tropical leaf placed between it and a silver charger. I used silver floral mirror decals tied to a ribbon as a napkin holder for a bit of sparkle.
Natalie Suede
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Thanks to Julies Flowers for providing all of the greenery.
I have been designing swenees for over 13 years and I love it more with every job that I do! It gives me a great feeling when a bride walks into her swenee and is thrilled with the final result. When I setup a swenee, I plan it several weeks in advance so that I can find the right fabrics and decorative accents. Fabric color is key- it should coordinate with the gifts and enhance them, not overpower them. I also like the tables to have balance and color coordination, so I make sure that the props and stands underneath the fabric are at the right height. This can mean the difference between just placing things on a table, and actually designing it. For the Torah dedication, I was asked to design the Sefer for viewing in the house. Since this was to take place on Shavuot, I wanted to give the feeling of the Torah on the mountain by using floral foam and moss, and added flowers and foliage “growing out of the mountain�. I always look to nature to complete any design, it brings the table to life. For this swenee, I arranged the gifts before wrapping so no 2 boxes were wrapped alike,but I stayed consistent by keeping the 3 different wrapping papers in neutral tones. My touch of nature came in the form of sky blue raffia ribbon for a pop of color and gold spray painted berries and leaves from my garden for subtle sparkle.
Photography by Vicki Ades
Table Design Amy Oren Flowers by Petals in Bloom
(Bridal Flower Gamach) 718-258-6236
Flatware from Nina Mezrahi, Tea Spoons 917-757-9963
Custom Napkin Rings by Margalit Romano 917-207-7649
Create your own custom charger plates in whatever your color scheme by spraying inexpensive charger plates with a strong spray adhesive and cover them with a leather fabric.
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Enhance Your Shabbat Special Demonstrations from the True Colors Event
Shirley Barnathan
shared some of her expert advice on how to care for our flowers so that they look fresh and vibrant for as long as possible. •Always clean extra leaves off bottom of flowers- when submerged in water these leaves create bacteria and cause the water to give off a bad odor. •Change water often and give your flowers a fresh cut to keep them alive longer. Use a sharp un-serrated knife and plunge the stems directly into water. To boost water intake in hydrangeas, cut a slit vertically up the stem. •Use leaves or waterproof tape as a grid at the top of your vase to keep your flowers in place. If your’e not the creative kind, use interesting vases with small openings where you can drop in one flower and still get a beautiful effect! Shirley enjoys designing floral arrangements for parties and Shabbat and can be reached at 917-535-8387.
Esther Zafrani,
personal chef and professional cake decorating instructor, is also an expert at creating exotic fruit and vegetable platters. She showed us how to put together a vegetable platter that would truly enhance a Shabbat lunch, Seuda Shelishit, or even a playdate! Kids will definitely want to try these fun shaped veggies, like curly beets, sushi cucumber and carrots, and flower shaped radishes. Esther Zafrani gives classes and is available to design cakes and platters for your simcha. She can be reached at 917-803-6051.
Cami Esses,
professional makeup artist, demonstrated proven techniques to apply makeup for long lasting coverage. She shared these great tips for getting your makeup to last through Shabbat or any occasion: •Start with a clean, dry face. If you need to apply moisturizer, use it earlier in the day. Same for lips. •All your cosmetics should be oil free so that they won’t get absorbed into the skin. •Apply a liquid powder foundation, followed by a powder. •Apply a cream wear blush, followed by a powder blush or bronzer. •Cover the eyelid with shadow magnet eyeshadow primer, and then apply eyeshadow. •Use a gel eyeliner for the top eyelid, gel pencil for the bottom eyelid, and waterproof mascara. •Using a lip pencil in a darker shade then your lipstick, outline your lips and then fill in the entire lip area. Apply lipstick over the liner. Finish with liplock. Cami sells and applies professional brand cosmetics. She can give you the look you want, from smoky, to natural, dramatic to fresh. Girls who are just starting to wear makeup go to Cami to get matched up with the colors that are right for them, and she teaches them the proper techniques of applying their makeup. You can reach Cami at 347-229-2444 or 718-339-2089.
Margalit Romano
demonstrated how to create beautiful and affordable tabletop decor. To make a yarn charger plate, tape down one end of spool of yarn to the center of the back of the charger plate, then wrap the yarn around the plate, and glue end of strand to the back. To make a floral napkin ring, tightly wrap a ribbon around a simple shower curtain ring
and finish with pretty silk flower embellishments. Margalit Romano is an artist whose talents range from wall murals to custom beaded napkin rings. She is driven by the exciting use of new materials and techniques in her work. Margalit gives art classes and packages craft kits designed to make art at home easy and exciting for both children and moms alike. You may contact her at 917-207-7649.
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Recipes
One Rope Challah Braid By Estreya Mograby Photography Sofia Saka Step 1: Roll out one long rope of dough and form a loop on the right end. Step 2: Take the left end of the rope and tuck it through the loop, pulling it to the right as tightly as you can. Step 3: Twist the bottom half of the challah to the right. Step 4: Tuck the remaining strand into the bottom loop, pressing to seal. To order delicious and beautiful challot for Shabbat or special occasions, call Estreya 917-838-5109. Many styles and shapes available!
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Kale Salad with a Tropical Twist Recipe & Photography Sonia! The Healthy Foodie Ingredients: ½ ripe mango, diced 2 large strawberries, sliced 1 ripe avocado, diced 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut shavings 50g pecan, coarsely chopped 10-12 sweet basil leaves, shredded 4 cups fresh kale leaves, shredded
For the dressing: Juice of 2 oranges Juice of 1 lime ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated ¼ cup fresh pineapple, chopped (or canned, unsweetened) 2 tbsp coconut cream 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp white wine vinegar ¼ tsp each salt and pepper ½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Instructions: In a small food processor or blender, mix all the ingredients of the dressing and process until smooth and well combined. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients of the salad, pour in dressing and mix until all is very well incorporated. Divide between 2 serving plates and garnish with a fresh strawberry and a pinch of coconut shavings, if desired. Although it’s preferable to eat this salad right away, it will still keep somewhat well in the refrigerator until the next day. Yield: Serves 2
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Recipes
Garlic-Crusted Salmon Topped with Fresh Tomato-Basil Relish Serves 4 4 skinless, thicker-cut salmon fillets 2 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press ½ teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon fresh pepper ½ teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges for garnish
Recipe Ingrid Beer, Michael Helm The Cozy Apron Photography Creativehelm
Preheat oven to 400°, and line two baking sheets with parchment or foil. In a small dish, combine the garlic, sea salt, pepper, paprika, lemon zest and juice and olive oil, and whisk with a fork to combine. Place the salmon fillets onto one of the lined baking sheets, and rub the garlic-oil mixture evenly onto each fillet. Set aside to marinate for 35 minutes (while relish, potatoes and asparagus are prepared), then broil for 8-9 minutes until moist and flaky inside with golden-brown crust.
Fresh Tomato-Basil Relish ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt Pinch fresh pepper ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil
In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve with the salmon.
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Roasted Teeny-Tiny Potatoes 1 pound teeny-tiny, baby or fingerling potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use ½ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon fresh pepper
In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the salt and pepper; drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the other lined baking sheet, and turn the potatoes out onto the sheet; place into the oven and allow to roast for about 30-35 minutes, or until golden an tender. (Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus.)
Lemon Asparagus 12 ounce bundle/package of fresh, medium-thick asparagus 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon sea salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Pinch of fresh pepper ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice Trim the asparagus by bending the bottom of the stalks to see where they naturally want to ‘snap off’, and discard that hard portion. In a medium bowl, toss the asparagus with the remaining ingredients, then roast on the baking sheet next to the potatoes for the last remaining 10 minutes of the potatoes’ roasting process. Remove from oven and keep warm. (At this time, you can broil the salmon.) To serve: Place a broiled, garlic-crusted salmon fillet on each plate, and equally divide the potatoes and the asparagus among the plates. Top each salmon fillet with a generous spoonful of the fresh tomato-basil relish, and garnish plate with a wedge of lemon.
Recipe & Photography Meredith Steele of InSockMonkeySlippers.com
Recipes
For the slaw 2 cups snow peas 3 carrots 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed (1 orange) 1 Tbs + 1tsp white wine vinegar 1 Tbs sesame oil 1 tsp honey 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated pinch salt and pepper For the burgers 1 cup water 1/2 cup quinoa 1 sweet potato (to equal 1 1/2 cups shredded) 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/4 tsp kosher salt pinch pepper 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray
Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers with Snow Pea Slaw Rinse the quinoa. I like to use 1/4 cup black quinoa and 1/4 cup white just to make it interesting. You can use whatever color you wish. Bring water to boil in a pot. Once the water is at a boil, add rinsed quinoa and cover. Lower heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until all the water gone and quinoa is cooked. Allow to cool. While the quinoa is cooking, chiffonade (thinly slice) the snow peas. Set aside. Peel and shred the carrots and set aside with the snow peas. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, and salt and pepper. Whisk until combined. Set aside until the burgers are finished and you are ready to serve. Peel and shred the sweet potato. You should have about 1 1/2 cups shredded. Place the shredded sweet potatoes on a towel, paper or fabric, and squeeze out the excess water that the sweet potato holds. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa and sweet potato. Add the beaten egg and stir. Add bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and mix well. With your hands, form “burger patties.� These will be about 1/2 cup of the quinoa mixture each. In a griddle or large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the burgers on and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the burgers are golden brown on both sides. Place the snow peas and carrots into the dressing and toss to coat. Serve the quinoa sweet potato burger on a bun or alone topped with the snow pea slaw. Serves 4
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Bourbon Chicken Marinade: 1/2 cup Bourbon 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup water 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp ground ginger 2 tbsp white wine 1 tsp sesame oil Bourbon Chicken: 4 chicken breasts, cubed 2 tbsp olive oil
Recipe & Photography Jo Cooks Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl thoroughly. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl, toss them around, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium to high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add half the marinade to the chicken and continue cooking until the marinade turns into a thicker sauce and the chicken is fully cooked. Serve with rice.
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Recipes
Recipe & Photography Grilled Skirt Steak with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce Emily Jacobs
For the Marinade: 1 pound skirt steak 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Zest of 1 lemon 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 pinch red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Chimichurri Sauce: 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 1/2 onion, finely minced Juice of 1 lemon 1 bunch cilantro, leaves removed from stems, about 1 cup packed leaves 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Season skirt steak with salt and pepper and place in a large resealable plastic bag. Add in the lemon zest, garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Seal the plastic bag and massage ingredients into skirt steak to incorporate evenly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Remove skirt steak from refrigerator, take meat out of the plastic bag and place on a plate. Remove any large chunks of garlic. Let skirt steak sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the chimichurri sauce. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the garlic, onion, lemon juice, cilantro, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Place skirt steak on a hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes until meat releases easily from the grill. Flip meat over and cook for another 5 minutes for medium rare. Place meat on a clean plate and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Slice across the grain into thin strips. To serve, spoon chimichurri sauce over meat. Serves 4
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Sweet Potato and Brown Rice Salad Recipe & Photography Emma Louise Cooke
Recipes
1/4 cup brown rice, rinsed 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces Olive oil 1/3 cup cooked or tinned drained chick peas 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon honey wholegrain mustard 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecan nuts Green part of 2 shallots, sliced thinly 2 tablespoons continental parsley, chopped
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Preheat oven to 400° F. Boil rice for 23-25 minutes until tender, then drain. Meanwhile roast sweet potato in olive oil for 25 minutes or until slightly browned and almost cooked – place nuts in roasting pan for 5-7 minutes until toasted (make sure they don’t burn!). Add brown rice, chickpeas and herbs to a bowl or plate. Whisk extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Allow to sit for 15 minutes or so while potato and nuts are cooling. Add sweet potato and nuts to brown rice and toss gently with dressing. Serves: 1
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe & Photography Kristin Rosenau
Yields about 12 cookies 1 cup peanut butter (optional: extrachunky for more texture) 2/3 cup sugar, plus extra for rolling 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg Melted chocolate, for drizzling Preheat oven to 350째 F. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter and sugar. It is much easier to do it by hand than to use a machine; just use a tough spatula. Mix in the baking powder and egg until evenly combined. Form small balls and roll cookie dough in extra sugar. Place evenly on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will be very fragile and need to harden before they can be moved. Drizzle with chocolate.
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Chocolate Babka Yield: Three 9 x 5 inch loaves
For the babka: 1 1/2 cups warm water or soymilk 1/2 ounce of active dry yeast 3/4 cup plus a pinch of sugar 2 whole eggs 2 egg yolks 6 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup margarine, cut into 1 inch pieces, plus more for greasing
Recipe Sheryl Cohen Cake & Photography What’s On My Plate
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of sugar into the water. Stir and let it sit for five minutes until foamy. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and yeast mixture. In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the 6 cups of flour and salt. Add the egg mixture and mix on low until the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Change to the dough hook. Add 1 cup of margarine and beat until incorporated and smooth, about 10 minutes. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, knead a few times until smooth. Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place to double in bulk, approximately one hour.
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For the filling and egg wash: 2 pounds semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup sugar 1 Tbs plus 1 tsp cinnamon 3/4 cup margarine 1 egg 1 Tbs water or soymilk
THE ULTIMATE FASHION ACCESSORY
In a bowl stir together the chocolate, sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender (or cake smoother) cut in the margarine until combined. In another small bowl, whisk the egg and water/soymilk and set aside.
For the streusel topping: 1 2/3 cups confectioners sugar 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour 1 1/4 cup unsalted margarine, room temperature Combine the sugar and flour in a large bowl. Cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Assembly: Generously grease three 9 by 5 by 2 3/4 inch loaf pans and line with parchment paper leaving a 1-2 inch overhang on the sides. Brush more margarine on the parchment. Punch down your dough and transfer it to clean surface and let it rest for five minutes.
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Cut the dough into three equal parts. On a floured surface, roll out one piece into a 16 inch square, about 1.8 inch thick. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash, crumble one third of the filling mixture over the dough leaving a 1 inch border. Roll up the dough into a tight log, then twist it five-six times. Brush the top of the log with egg wash and sprinkle some filling along the length. Fold the log into a horseshoe shape, then cross the right half over the left. Pinch it together to form a figure eight. Twist the whole thing again 1-2 times and fit it into the pan. Repeat with remaining dough. Preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Brush the top of each loaf with egg wash and sprinkle each with a third of the streusel topping. Loosely cover each with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place until the dough is expanded, about 40 minutes. Bake the loaves, rotating halfway through until golden, about 55 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake until the loaves are deep golden, 20 minutes more. If it is browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let them cool. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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Custom Patterned Vase
By Little Birdie Secrets
You can create beautiful custom vases to match any tabletop theme or decor. 1. Start by measuring the height of your clear, cylindrical vase with a ruler. 2. Cut your patterned paper to that height. If the width of your paper does not extend around the diameter of the vase, cut two pieces and adhere them together. 3. Roll the paper and set inside the vase. Let the paper expand to fill it. That’s it! You can also wrap a bit of ribbon or jute around the center of the vase to tie it into your color scheme. Because of the paper, you’ll want to fill your vase with dry contents like silk flowers or branches, for example. If you do want to use flowers that require water, try setting a smaller water-filled vase or glass inside.
For You to Treasure, Now and Forever
Care and Maintenance of Fine Jewelry By Leah Benguigui What should you know about cleaning and caring for your jewelry?
Tip 4: When to Avoid Wearing Jewelry
With a little special care, your fine jewelry will sparkle and give you many years of enjoyment. Listed below are some of the best ways to clean and care for your jewels.
It is a good idea to remove all jewelry before using household cleansers, exercising or playing sports. Removing jewelry before swimming is also recommended as chlorine bleach is used to keep the pools sanitary.
Tip 1: Jewelry Cleaning: Gemstones
Tip 5: Wear and Tear
Most gemstones such as diamonds, rubies, sapphires, amethyst, topaz, quartz and garnet are easily cleaned by the following method. Soak the piece of jewelry in a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of Tide detergent for a few minutes. Remove and use a soft toothbrush to gently clean your jewelry, taking extra care to clean the setting behind the stone. Rinse and buff dry with a soft cloth. The key to cleaning gems in fine jewelry setting is getting the underside of the stone clean to better reflect the light upward. Important: Do not use this method on opals, emeralds, turquoise, onyx, or pearl as they are very delicate and may be damaged by harsh chemicals and cleaners. These stones are best cleaned with plain water and gently wiped dry.
Tip 2: Jewelry Cleaning: Pearls
You can soak pearls in warm water with a drop of dish soap. When you remove the pearls from the water, take special care not to stretch the strand. Lay carefully on a soft towel to dry. Alternatively, you may gently rub each pearl individually with a cloth moistened with water and a drop of dish soap. Pearls need to be restrung periodically as the silk thread used to tie the pearls together will weaken over time.
Tip 3: Wearing Your Jewelry
Put on your jewelry after showering and applying lotion or perfume. Lotions, soaps, and perfumes can build up on jewelry causing beautiful jewelry to look dull and lifeless.
Normal wear and tear can loosen prongs and settings, so it is a good idea to have your jewelry checked periodically by a professional by a professional jeweler who can make repairs as needed.
Tip 6: Storage
Store every piece of jewelry individually, not touching other pieces. It is preferable to store it in a cloth pouch of fabriclined jewelry pouch. All jewelry can scratch, so store your precious pieces carefully. With proper attention and care, your jewelry will remain sparkling, treasured, and admired for years to come! Enjoy! __________________________________________________ After more than a decade in education, Leah Benguigui has chosen to further develop her creativity in her jewelry business, Gems by Leah Benguigui. She can be reached for appointments at 718-339-5659.
Dream Patios By Rina Fine
building a patio near a pool or along the house. A quiet retreat for you and your family might include a walkway and small patio near a garden. An outdoor barbecue area for summer cookouts would be most functional near your house, so you don’t have to walk far for cooking supplies. Do you have all the furnishings to make your patio fabulous? Here are some key elements that turn a yard into a dream patio.
Home
First and foremost, you need a piece of furniture
It’s that glorious time of year. It’s time to set up that patio and get it ready for many hours of summer entertaining, and more importantly, lounging. Great patio design, beautiful hardscaping and savvy plant choices combine to create perfect outdoor spaces just in time for the warm spring and summer months. When designing a patio, think about how you will use it. If you want a place to entertain friends, consider
to relax upon! This can be a hammock, cushioned settee, rocker, porch swing... whatever makes you comfortable. Outdoor sectional components allow you to configure
(and re-configure) your seating any way you want. Seating in neutral colors mean you can easily change your color scheme or add different accents any time you feel like it. Pillows provide a colorful backdrop and go a long way when it comes to improving comfort. Many outdoor furniture pieces are made of wood or
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metal, which tend to be less than cozy without the help of something soft. A few pillows scattered around allow each guest to get cozy while they chat and sip their lemonades. Make sure to get pillows made of a durable weatherresistant fabric- perfect for weathering the occasional rainstorm! Designate places to lounge in the shade or sun. Umbrellas, pergolas and cabanas are beautiful and protect you from direct sunlight. What’s a perfect patio without some shade? If you like to enjoy your patio after dark,
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have it wired for electricity, or simply enjoy the light from a fire pit or candles. String lights create a festive and magical ambiance.
Oversized planters are a great way to bring plants onto the patio. Planters are great for growing herbs and flowers as well. If you are starting from scratch, you can build a patio around existing trees. A rug makes any room look more finished — even one that’s outdoors. Think about climate control. Whether it’s for roasting marshmallows with the kids or grown-up entertaining, a fireplace often becomes the outdoor gathering spot for the family. A fireplace takes the chill off spring and fall evenings. Ceiling fans help dispel summer heat. Nothing says outdoors like the peaceful sound of trickling water. Consider installing a cascading fountain. Placing an outdoor dining area right outside of a kitchen and indoor dining area is the perfect way to transition your home from the indoors to the outdoors, especially if you like to dine al fresco.
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A patio should be a place where friends and family share good times and create memories to treasure, as well as a retreat where we can take a break, relax and reflect on the blessings in our lives.
By Avi Fishoff & Yaakov Shain
Chapter 4: Smokescreen
GPS! Navigation for Your Soul
Finding the light within the darkness , מתוך צרה — רווחה, מתוך רוגז — רחמים, מתוך אפילה — אורה,“מתוך כעס — רצון ”! מתוך נפילה — קימה,מתוך ריחוק — קירוב מדרש תהלים מזמור כ"ב
“Through anger — desire, through darkness — light, through fury — mercy, through suffering — salvation, through distance — bonding, through falling— rising!”
Hashem
sometimes has to punish us for our sins … and that’s the part of the job He hates the most: ... "השמרו לכם פן יפתה לבבכם וסרתם ”.... ה מטר-וחרה אף ה' בכם ועצר את השמים ולא יהי יז:דברים יא The Torah says: “Beware lest your heart shall stray and leave the right way … and Hashem will become extremely angry with you, and He will stop the rainfall, and the ground will not give produce, etc. ….” The obvious question is: Since we already proved that Hashem truly loves us regardless of our spiritual level and He responds to sin with incredible patience and compassion, how can we understand that Hashem gets “extremely angry” at us when we sin? Let’s carefully examine one of the most severe examples of harsh judgment ever decreed by Hashem: the destruction of our Holy Temple. :"מקדש ראשון מפני מה חרב? מפני שלשה דברים שהיו בו ”. ושפיכות דמים, וגלוי עריות,עבודה זרה :תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף ט
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The first Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because of idol worship, adultery, and murder. Klal Yisrael abandoned Hashem and the unfortunate result of our attitude and actions was the destruction of our beautiful home. Now think about this: How do you envision Hashem during the destruction? Many people have the vision of an angry old school principal, a bitter and cold-hearted boss, or an enraged jealous spouse. Chas v’Shalom!
Let’s get a taste of what Hashem was truly feeling during the d estruction of our Holy Temple: — אני דומה היום לאדם שהיה לו בן יחידי ועשה לו חופה..." ”!!!ומת בתוך חופתו איכה רבה פתיחה כ"ד רבי יוחנן Hashem said: “I feel like a father whose only child just died while standing under the chuppah at his wedding!” "לאיזו אומה דמיתי אתכם? לאיזה אומה גאלתי ביד חזקה והבאתי על אויביה עשר מכות? לאיזו אומה קרעתי הים והורדתי את המן ”?והגזתי את השלו והעליתי להם את הבאר 'איכה רבה פרשה ב “Which nation can I compare you to? Which nation did I redeem with a mighty hand and punish her enemies with ten plagues!? For which other nation did I split a sea, send heavenly food, special meat, and fresh water streaming from a rock!?” ?"איזו אומה הקפתי ענני כבוד וקרבתי לפני הר סיני ונתתי להם תורתי ”? מה אשוה לך ואנחמך,הבת ירושלם הבת שיראה ומשלמת לי “For which other nation did I dispatch heavenly clouds to surround and protect them, and which other nation did I bring to Har Sinai and give MY HOLY TORAH!? Only to the daughter of Yerushalayim, My dear child who MAKES ME COMPLETE! There is no comparison to you! How can I possibly comfort you!” :"באותה שעה היה הקב"ה בוכה ואומר , אוהבי היכן אתם, כהני היכן אתם, בני היכן אתם,אוי לי על ביתי ”! התריתי בכם ולא חזרתם בתשובה,מה אעשה לכם איכה רבה פתיחה כ"ד רבי יוחנן
“At that time, Hashem cried and said: Woe unto My Home, where are My children? Where are My Kohanim? Where are My BELOVED? What can I do for you now? I warned you but you did not repent!”
Now hang on a second … did Hashem really say “Beloved”? Why was Hashem still referring to us as His “beloved” even after we betrayed him and caused the destruction of His beautiful Home!? Where is the disgust and the anger, the venom and the hatred? Reading these amazing words we can perhaps begin to feel the immense pain of the ULTIMATE FATHER crying for His beloved children! A case came before Judge Markowitz. There was over whelming evidence against a young man and it was impossible to consider any leniency whatsoever. The judge had warned him many times and had given him chance after chance to stay out of trouble, but it was obvious that he needed a life change that could only come from strict punishment. The judge called for a brief recess and went alone into his private chambers. No one in the courtroom knew that this young man was none other than the judge’s own son! Alone in his chamber, he wept bitterly, knowing that he had no choice but to severely punish his own flesh and blood. Heartbroken, he walked back into the courtroom and sentenced his son. Hashem feels exactly the same way toward His precious children; even though it is our own poor choices that bring about the need for us to be punished, Hashem still cries for us: ,"אמר [הקב"ה] אם אין אתה מניח לי לבכות עכשיו ”!אכנס למקום שאין לך רשות ליכנס — ואבכה איכה רבה פתיחה כ"ד רבי יוחנן While Hashem was destroying the Bais HaMikdash, He said [to the angels]; “If you do not allow Me to cry now, I will go into a place where you have no permission to enter — and I will cry.”
Let’s delve into this topic on a deeper and more meaningful level: Mrs. Brownfeld sat her young son Chaim down for a serious discussion. She carefully and sternly explained the importance of not eating anything on the brand-new
white living room sofa that they finally bought after saving up for many years. Naturally, just a few short hours after their serious talk, cute little Chaim’l saw some chocolate bars and sat on the new white sofa and “somehow” it got over his hands and… well… When Mrs. B. saw what happened, she yelled “Chaim Yitzchok Moshe Yaakov HaKohain Brownfeld, come over here right now!” Chaim tried to run but his stubby little feet couldn’t move fast enough and his Mommy caught up with him. Now poor little Chiam’l faced Judgment Day. His mother decided that Chaim’l would have to stay home with a babysitter while the family went on the upcoming Chol Hamoed trip. Chaim would learn to listen to his parents. When Mr. Brownfeld came home that evening, he entered a very sad home. Mrs. B. was very upset and Chaim’l was in his bed crying. He asked his wife, “Why are you so upset — what happened?” Let’s take a journey into the psyche of Mrs. Brownfeld to properly understand all the reasons she was upset: First of all, she was upset because: (1) Her precious new beautiful white sofa was ruined! The sadness over the new sofa being ruined would be exactly the same had the damage come from a leaky roof or any other circumstance for which there is no one to blame. This pain has nothing to do with “who” caused the damage. But she is also upset about something else: (2) Her child did not listen to her specific instructions! It is always upsetting to parents when their child does not listen to them, but even more so when the disobedience comes at the expense of a brand-new sofa! However, beneath the surface the mother is also feeling another emotion: (3) She is upset because her beloved child is in pain! Simply put: Parents feel pain when their child is in pain — for whatever reason! Whether the child is in pain because he is sick, he fell off a bike, his feelings were hurt, and yes — even if his pain results from a well-deserved punishment from his parents! The bottom line is that parents always feel hurt when their child is in pain. Delving a little deeper, we will discover that there is yet another source of anguish lying deep inside the mother’s subconscious: (4) She’s upset at the one who caused her son to be in pain! Imagine if someone else caused her child’s pain. Wouldn’t she be upset at that “other” person for hurting her precious child? In our case it was little Chaim’l himself who caused himself to be punished because he did not listen to his mother. We can hear her thinking, “Why did he have to do such a foolish thing that caused him to be punished and lose the special treat of joining the family on the fun trip?!” So we now see that she is also upset with Chaim’l for causing her beloved child (Chaim himself ) to cry and be hurt! But there’s something still deeper: (5) She’s upset that she had to punish her own child! It is an upsetting experience for parents to punish their own flesh and blood — even if they deserve it. Had Chaim been punished in school, she would feel the pain of #1 through #4, but she would not feel this aspect of pain. But in our situation, Mrs. B is upset at being the one who punished her own beloved Chaim’l — even though she knows that she did the best thing for HIS OWN growth. But there’s something still deeper: (6) She’s upset at Chaim’l for causing her to punish her own child! Punishing someone you care about hurts you more than punishing someone you don’t care about! Who caused Mrs. B. to
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GPS! Navigation for Your Soul 44
make her beloved Chaim’l cry? Chaim! So she is also upset at Chaim’l for causing this to happen! Authentic Yiddishkeit understands that even though kids sometimes think that their parents’ ANGER and frustration toward them is a sign that they do NOT love them and care about them, the reality is that the complete opposite is true! For if the parents no longer cared about the child, they would be far LESS angry about the situation! Now we can understand the concept of Hashem becoming “angry” on a much deeper emotional level, since Hashem feels all the emotions listed in our example of Mrs. Brownfeld — and much, much more: 1. Hashem created a world of peace and tranquility. Sin destroys the world, as we have seen with Adam and Chavah (evicted from Gan Eden due to their sin), Noach’s times (when the entire world was destroyed due to corrupt actions), Sodom and Amorah (uprooted due to their sins), and the destruction of our holy Bais HaMikdash (torn down due to our sins). “בשעה שברא הקב“ה את אדם הראשון נטלו והחזירו ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחין הן:על כל אילני גן עדן ואמר לו ,וכל מה שבראתי בשבילך בראתי ”!תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי יג:קהלת רבה (וילנא) פרשה ז When Hashem created Adam, He gave him a tour of all the trees in Gan Eden, and said to him, “Look how beautiful all of this is, and everything that you see here was created for YOU — please be careful not to destroy my world!” Whenever we sin, we bring destruction to the world and so Hashem becomes upset that His “white couch,” the beautiful peaceful world that He created, is damaged. 2. As we know, Hashem called us “mipa” (His children)! Therefore, Hashem is upset that we disobey His specific instructions and stray from the proper path! 3. The outcome and consequence of our sins is our own pain — and that is precisely what hurts Hashem most: מה התאומים הללו:"א"ר ינאי ,אם חשש אחד בראשו חבירו מרגיש ”! עמו אנכי בצרה:כן אמר הקב"ה כביכול 'שמות רבה פרשה ב Just as with twins — if one has a headache, the other feels pain — so too Hashem says: “I am with you in your pain!” “My twin brother and I just turned 18. When we were 9, my brother lived with our grandmother for a few months while we remained in the city. One night I suddenly woke up and wouldn’t stop crying; I seemed to be choking but I wasn’t. I kept trying to reach over to my brothers’ cot. Then my parents called my grandmother to check on my brother. My grandmother found my brother (who has asthma) choking! He was rushed to the hospital and recovered.
My father said I stopped crying only after my grandmother said the ambulance had arrived. My brother and I have a bond so strong that nothing can break it. We know what the other is thinking and we know when the other is in trouble.” Source: twinsrealm.com 4. He’s upset at the one who caused His beloved child to suffer. If someone hurt you, Hashem would be very angry with that person for harming His precious child. So too, if you hurt yourself through unwise decisions, Hashem is now angry at YOU for causing pain and suffering to His precious child — YOU! 5. He’s upset that He must punish His own beloved child: אוי לבנים שבעונותיהם:"שמעתי בת קול שמנהמת כיונה ואומרת ”!החרבתי את ביתי ושרפתי את היכלי והגליתים לבין האומות .תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף ג Reb Yosi told Eliyahu HaNavi: “I heard a heavenly voice moaning like a dove: Woe to My children; because of their sins I destroyed My house, burned My chamber, and dispersed them among the nations.” "ואמר לי חייך וחיי ראשך לא שעה זו בלבד אומרת כך ”!אלא בכל יום ויום שלש פעמים אומרת כך .תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף ג “And Eliyahu responded: It wasn’t only said the time that you heard it — it is said three times every single day!” Did we deserve to be punished? YES! Still — three times a day — every single day — Hashem bemoans the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash and the exile of His beloved children! 6. Last but certainly not least, Hashem also is upset that we put Him in the position where, as Master of the universe, He must mete out judgment against His very own beloved child! ... "אם האדם גורם על ידי עוונותיו שמוכרח הקב"ה לענשו אז יגיע עונש גם על זה שגרם צער להקב"ה ”!שמוכרח לשלוח לו יסורים וצער באר מים חיים פרשת בא דף קי"ט There is nothing more upsetting to Hashem than having to punish His beloved children. So when a person causes Hashem to punish him, he receives an additional punishment for forcing Hashem to punish him!
Now we can understand why Hashem becomes “angry” 1. His beautiful world is being damaged! 2. His beloved child disobeyed His specific instructions! 3. His beloved child must be punished and be in pain! 4. Someone (that “someone” is the person himself!) caused His child to be in pain! 5. He had to punish His own beloved child! 6. Someone (that “someone” is the person himself!) caused Him to have to punish His own child! What comes out of this is the deep understanding that when Hashem punishes you — that is when His LOVE for you is most awakened!
Allow us to bring this out on a deeper level: There are three levels of love that a father can have for his child: :"באהבת האב לבנו יש שלוש אופנים יש האהבה כפשוטה בשעה שהבן קרוב אליו ”.ונמצא במחיצתו והאב משתעשע עמו באהבתו ספר נתיבות שלום עניני בין המצרים במדבר עמוד קצ"ו LEVEL 1: First there is the “regular” level of love that one has toward his child who lives with him and is always around him. "ויותר מזה היא האהבה כאשר הבן מצוי הרחק מאביו , שאז האב מתגעגע אליו מאד,ואינו יכול להתראות עמו ”.וככל שהוא רחוק יותר הגעגועים יותר חזקים ספר נתיבות שלום עניני בין המצרים במדבר עמוד קצ"ו LEVEL 2: Then there is a love that becomes aroused when the son is NOT near his father and they don’t see each other often. The further the son is — the MORE the father yearns to be near him once again. :"ויש עוד בחינה אהבה העולה על כולנה ,בשעה שהבן חולה אנוש וצריכים לעשות לו ניתוח קשה להציל את חייו ”!והאב הוא הרופא המנתח שצריך לחתוך בבשרו ספר נתיבות שלום עניני בין המצרים במדבר עמוד קצ"ו LEVEL 3: However, there is another level of love that is much higher than those other situations: If the child becomes extremely sick and needs to undergo a painful surgery to save his life — his father would hurt so much for his beloved child! Now imagine that the father himself is the doctor and he is the one who must cut his own child’s flesh! ,"שאמנם מצד אחד הוא יודע שעליו להציל את חיי בנו בניתוח זה אך מאידך לבו נקרע בקרבו כשהוא צריך לחתוך בבשר בנו שסובל ,בינתיים יסורים קשים ומרים ”!שבפנימיות הלב מתעוררת אז האהבה החזקה ביותר ספר נתיבות שלום עניני בין המצרים במדבר עמוד קצ"ו Even though he clearly knows that this is for his child’s benefit and this is what he must do to save his son's life — still and all — his heart will break inside knowing that he must cut his child and cause him to be in terrible pain. "וכענין זה יש באהבת הקדוש ברוך הוא לישראל שהיא אהבה עזה וגדולה ”’.' ׳אהבתי אתכם אמר ה:בלי גבול ובלי סוף כמו דכתיב ספר נתיבות שלום עניני בין המצרים במדבר עמוד קצ"ו
WOW! What an eye-opener! In order to see how much Hashem really loves each one of us, don’t just look at how Hashem treated us when we were GOOD. Rather, take a look at the way He dealt with us when we were TERRIBLE! Even when Hashem had no choice but to destroy our beautiful home, and throw us into a long bitter exile — look Who packed up and went with us!!! As they led his son away in chains, Judge Markowitz cried out “Wait!” The noisy courtroom became quiet as everyone watched the judge. He removed his robe, slowly extended his hands, and asked the bailiff to cuff him. Stunned, the people asked, “But you didn’t do anything wrong — why should you suffer in jail?” The great judge replied, “What you don’t know is that this young man is my own SON! I love him so much and I cannot bear to be without him! So I will go where he goes … even if it means giving up my glory as a successful judge and being dragged through the low and disgusting life in prison for many, many years!” "אף על פי שאנו באורך הגלות הוא אוהב אותנו אהבה שלימה ”!ואהבתו אלינו אהבה עיקרית וקדמונית דרשות ר"י אבן שועיב פרשת תולדות When Hashem destroyed our beautiful Temple, His Home on Earth, even though WE were totally to blame, Hashem did not discard us and forget about us. He did not give up on us and choose another nation to be His new Chosen People! Instead, He followed along with us into the dark, bitter, and painful exile. Why? Because the only place He wants to be … is right next to His “beloved” children! ... "חייך לא שבקית ולא אשבק ”!בין חייבין בין זכאין 'מדרש אסתר רבה פרשה ז I [Hashem] swear that I will never abandon or forsake you ... whether or not you deserve Me! So if Hashem will never leave you …
Why would YOU ever leave HIM?
Now you are BEGINNING to feel the tremendous pain that Hashem has when He must impose punishment and pain upon His beloved children!
But it goes even further: בוא וראה כמה חביבין ישראל לפני הקדוש: רבי שמעון בן יוחי אומר,"תניא ”! שבכל מקום שגלו — שכינה עמהן:ברוך הוא :זוהר חדש כרך א' פרשת אחרי מות דף עט .ותלמוד בבלי מסכת מגילה דף כט Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai says: “Come and see how beloved Yisrael is before Hashem. For every time they were sent into exile — which was only due to our excessive sins — Hashem went with them!”
To reach the authors: GPSFORYOURSOUL@gmail.com GPS! Navigation for Your Soul takes some of the brilliant concepts and themes of Nesivos Shalom and "translates" them into contemporary language and terms. You will find answers to fundamental questions like: How can I know if Hashem still loves me? Is my essence damaged from the sins that I have done? Why does Hashem make me suffer? What is the current phase of our exile all about? And many, many more!
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You Are What You Eat Kiwi
Kiwi fruits are rich in many vitamins, flavonoids and minerals. In particular, they contain a high amount of Vitamin C (more than oranges), as much potassium as bananas and a good amount of beta-carotene. Studies in Italy performed on 6-7 year old children, have demonstrated health benefits to the respiratory tract. In particular, children that were fed 5-7 portions a week of citrus and kiwi fruits had 44% less probability wheezing compared to children eating less than once a week.
Health & Nutrition
Kiwi fruits have a high fiber content which helps improve diseases such as diabetes and colon cancer, and helps reduce cholesterol levels, improving the conditions of patients with cardiovascular diseases and lowering the probability of heart attacks.
Pineapples Pineapple is low in calories (only 50 cal per 100 g), contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; but rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber like pectin. Pineapple fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that digests food by breaking down protein. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory, anticlotting and anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that consumption of pineapple regularly helps fight against arthritis, indigestion and worm infestation. An excellent source of antioxidant vitamin; vitamin C, vitamin A and betacarotene levels. In addition, this fruit is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like copper, manganese and potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Copper is helpful cofactor for red blood cell synthesis. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger.
Strawberries
Strawberries have an exceptional amount of antioxidants- only blackberries and walnuts have more in a comparable serving size. Strawberries are one of the best fruit sources of vitamin C, they provide more than twice as much vitamin C than the average fruit. Studies show to receive optimal benefits, consume strawberries at least 3 times a week. Studies show 2 days as the maximal time for strawberry storage without major loss of vitamin C and polyphenol antioxidants, Choose berries that are firm, plump, free of mold, and which have a shiny, deep red color and attached green caps. Strawberries, once picked, do not ripen further, avoid those that are dull in color or have green or yellow patches since they are likely to be sour and of inferior quality. Both underripe and overripe strawberries have been shown to have lower vitamin C content and decreased phytonutrient content in comparison to optimally ripe strawberries. Given their unique combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, it’s not surprising to see strong research support for strawberry health benefits in three major areas: 1) cardiovascular support and prevention of cardiovascular diseases 2) improved regulation of blood sugar, with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, and 3) prevention of certain cancer types including breast, cervical, colon, and esophageal cancer.
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Summer Safety By Dr. Jack Sadacka, M.D. According to the American Red Cross, nearly 10% of Americans have been involved in some kind of summer emergency.
Health & Nutrition
Stay Hydrated
Children are more prone to dehydration due to their bodies not cooling down as efficiently as adults’. In the summer months, the danger for dehydration is greater partially because fluids leave the body more quickly through sweating. Be sure to get your kids to hydrate with 12 ounces of water or sports drinks prior to physical activities and every 30 minutes during the activity. If you’re outdoors for long stretches of time, be sure to carry a water bottle. Avoid soda and juices.
Sunburns
This time of year, I see more outdoor and exercise related skin issues. I’d like people to be mindful that the sun can reach you through clouds and trees, so proper care should be taken even when not in direct sunlight. It’s best to wear light colored, loose fitting clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Brimmed hats and sunglasses that protect from UV rays are also required. If possible, limit outdoor activities to morning and evening hours as the sun is at its peak between 10 am- 4 pm midday. Sun exposure should not exceed 30 minutes. Sunscreen with 15 SPF or higher should be applied 30 minutes prior to outdoor exposure and reapplied after a dip in the pool. Remember, everyone is at risk for skin cancer, but those with light skin, hair or eyes are particularly at risk, not to mention those with a family history of skin cancer. Babies under 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight.
Sun/Heat Stroke
Sun stroke is usually a combination of prolonged sun exposure and dehydration. It mainly affects people over 50 years of age. Still, young athletes can also suffer the consequences. There are a wide variety of symptoms such as: red hot dry skin, nausea, vomiting, disorientation, confusion, throbbing headaches, muscle weakness and unconsciousness. Any delay in seeking medical help in someone who has heat stroke can be fatal. Therefore, initiate first aid while
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waiting for paramedics: fan air over patient, wet his/ her skin, apply ice packs to armpits, neck, back and other areas rich in blood vessels, and contact 911 for additional instructions.
Equipment Safety
All skateboarders, scooter riders, and bike riders should wear protective gear. You can reduce head injuries by as much as 85% with a well-fitting helmet. Be sure last year’s safety equipment isn’t damaged, worn, or ill fitting.
Water Safety
Bathtubs, pools, beaches, lakes or rivers- no matter the body of water, a competent adult who knows how to swim must supervise whenever children are in or around water. Considering the second leading cause of death between ages 1-14 is drowning related, it only takes a moment of distraction for a child to quietly sink to the bottom. There is no splash, no yell, no gasping for breath. In the time it takes to flip through a magazine or answer a phone, a child can drown, chas v’Shalom. If you own a pool, install a fence with a gate so that children cannot wander in unsupervised. For infants and toddlers, an adult should be in the water and within arm’s reach providing “touch supervision”.
Diving
No diving in a pool that is not deep enough. Serious
spinal cord injuries, permanent brain damage, and even death can occur to swimmers, regardless of age, who dive in shallow water.
Mosquitoes, Bee Stings, and Tick Bites
Longer days and warmer weather mean more time outdoors. Unfortunately, insects love the outdoors as well. So if you’re spending time in a wooded area or an area with tall grass, use insect repellent with no more than 30% DEET. Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months. Always check yourself and your loved ones before bedtime- if ticks are suspected, see your doctor immediately. According to the Center of Disease Control, there were 30,000 confirmed cases of Lyme disease nationwide in 2009. West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and though healthy people produce mild symptoms, those with compromised immune systems can develop serious illness. Both ticks and mosquitoes can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and equine encephalitis, both are rarer but dangerous diseases. Avoid scented soaps and perfumes, and wear light colored clothing to keep bees away. If stung by a bee, you can scrape the stinger away in a side to side motion with a credit card, then wash the affected area with soap and water. For any bug bite or sting, apply a cold or ice compress. Call your doctor if it doesn’t seem to get better. Be watchful for signs of an allergic reaction which typically happens within the first few hours. If there is any swelling of the lips and or tongue, tightness of the throat, or difficulty
breathing, call 911 immediately. If it is established that you or your child are allergic to bee stings, I recommend carrying an EpiPen or auto injector. If you use epinephrine, you should immediately call 911 or go directly to the emergency room.
Car Safety
On a day when the temperature outside is 86 degrees, the temperature in a car can be between 135- 150 degrees. Remember your child in the backseat! Get in the habit of putting something you need in the backseat (cell phone, pocketbook, etc.) so that you must go back there to retrieve it. Because you may not always be around when emergency happens, it is vital to teach your children how to use 911. Describe examples of emergencies such as, “someone not moving”, “someone bleeding a lot”, or fire. Teach your children to try to find and adult or a parent when an emergency occurs. Still, if no adults are visible, they should know how to dial 911 and know their address. Summer is a time for fun, relaxation and healthy activities. Do not cut corners where safety is concerned and apply common sense. I wish you all a safe summer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Jack Sadacka M.D. is a Board Certified Pediatrician in practice for 20 years. Serving the community at 813 Quentin Road.
Rabbi Yochai Oren 1st Grade Rebbe at YDE
Available for tutoring Keriah & Limudei Kodesh
All Ages Brooklyn & Deal 917-699-4866 50
See you in August!
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