Kallah Magazine Spring 2011

KallahMagazine Volume 6.2 Spring 2011

• Inspiration • Insight Information • Ideas •Shopping

In this issue: Outings Worth the Trip

The Photography Business: A Woman’s Perspective

Color by Number: Selecting the Right Sheitel Shad

Financial Planning, Expectations, and the Real Wor Great recipes that happen to be kosher l’Pesach

From Extraordinary to Ordinary: Post-Pesach Reco

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Vol. .6 no. 2 Spring 2011 /5771

Table of Contents

From the publisher:

Torah Insight

This is our second year of green publishing. The new format that was adopted with the Pesach 2010 issue. Of course, the magazine itself has been around a lot longer than that. With this issue, we enter the sixth year of publication, so we’ve come quite a long way!

The new format offers an advantage over the PDFs in that it does not require downloading and allows the links to function. When you see links in the articles that offer more information, a click will take you there. Note that you can still see the the previous issues in the new format, as well as PDFs of the print issues going back a year at http:// kallahmagazine.com

From Extraordinary to Ordinary:

Post-Pesach Recovery by Rabbi Chaim Brown

The gmach listings are now not included in individual issues, though the line to the Directory page that contains them is in the table of contents. As gmachs are subject to change, going to the site assures you that you have the most up to date information. The Directory page also lists goods and services of interest to kallahs. To keep the categories organized, apparel, makeup, sheitels, etc. are listed separately at http://kallahmagazine.com/LookingGood.htm. For the practical issues of the wedding, see the a index at http://kallahmagazine.com/WeddingAdvice.html and the articles on the meaning of the Jewish rituals at http://kallahmagazine.com/JewishWedding.html

Financial Planning, Expectations, and the Real World

byMartin Z. Schmidt 18

I wish all my readers and advertiser a chag kasher vesameach and a wonderful spring, my favorite seaason!

Ariella Brown

Special Features

4

Double Your Wedding Simcha

The Photography Business: A Woman’s Perspective 6 Color by Number: Selecting the Right Sheitel Shade 8 10

Outings Worth the Trip

Features

Kallah in the Kitchen:

Great recipes that happen to be kosher l’Pesach Gmach listings online at

http://kallahmagazine.com/serv04.htm

Stay in the loop with updates at http://www.facebook.com/KallahMagazine You can also read my posts at Kallahmagazine.blogspot.com, and http://www.examiner.com/jewish-bridal-innew-york/ariella-brown and at http://twitter.com/AriellaBrown

Kallah Magazine is published by Write Way Productions at 52 Columbia Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 For more information, email editor@kallahmagazine.com or call 516-791-3904 during business hours.

©2011 Kallah Magazine and Write Way Productions. All rights reserved.

Kallah Magazine reserves the right to print and edit submissions, including stories, articles, and letters in part or in full unless specifically requested otherwise. No articles, photographs, artwork, or other material in this publication -– both in print and web form – may be reproduced in any manner without explicit permission of the publisher. Kallah Magazine is not responsible for typographical errors or accuracy of advertisers’ claims.

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Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

Double Your Wedding Simcha There is a particular joy to hearing the “Mazel tov” wishes upon one’s child’s engagement to be married. It is an occasion of great simcha. But for some parents, the occasion also brings with it an anxiety that is greater than the concern about finding the right dress and best caterer for the celebration. They do not have the money to pay for even the most basic components of a simcha. But they do have somewhere to turn to that will grant their wish for a wedding befitting the joy of the chasson and kallah.

The Gitty Perkowski Simcha Fund of Yad Eliezer caters the weddings of these couples whose parents do not have the resources to do it on their own. Since its inception over twenty years ago, this special fund has allowed more than 15,000 couples to marry with simcha and dignity. Up to 6 weddings a night can be sponsored by Yad Eliezer, and you can take part in the celebrations. For just $1000 you can sponsor a wedding, and offer the couple great discounts on their hall and catering costs. There is also an option for a $500 joint sponsorship, a $2600 full sponsorship, which pays for the entire cost of the hall and the catering, and a $5,400 option which pays for the “Wedding Package”, a sponsorship that subsidizes some of the other costs associated with the simcha.

The generosity of these couples allows them the opportunity of dancing at two weddings, as their donation gives them an honored place at the wedding in Israel in addition to their central role at their own.

The money for the fund comes from many couples around the globe who choose to enhance the experience of their own wedding day by sponsoring one in Israel. The generosity of these couples allows them the opportunity of dancing at two weddings, as their donation gives them an honored place at the wedding in Israel in addition to their central role at their own. The sponsors receive a beautiful certificate with the date of their adopted wedding to commemorate the celebration enabled by their gift.

Now wedding sponsors can also receive beautiful chuppah cards for your wedding guest at no additional cost. These high-quality, attractive cards include a selection of prayers in English and Hebrew to be recited by guests during the chuppa ceremony. Matching benchers are also available at cost price.

As the expenses of getting married entail far more than

the wedding itself, Yad Eliezer came up with a program to address those needs. In 2004 another type of Hachnosos Kallah fund was established. Kol Kallah gives needy brides a means with which to furnish the household items through the use of special vouchers. Yad Eliezer establishes relationships with local merchants who offer the best prices for these couples to obtain their merchandise by redeeming the vouchers. This voucher program is very flexible for sponsors. You can commit any amount for the voucher.

The kallah who receives the voucher from your donation is given your Hebrew name so that she can offer tefillos at the while she is standing under the chuppah. The tefillos of a kallah whom one has personally helped through this form of tzedakah can effectively convey one’s request for a shidduch or some other form of yeshua

These programs allow every chasson and kallah to look forward to the simcha of the wedding day with a joy that is not overshadowed by the worry created by poverty. But, ultimately, the greatest benefit is for the donor. .For chassonim, the Bircas Rachel sponsorship program provides the means to purchase a suit, shoes, and other personal items. These programs allow every chasson and kallah to look forward to the simcha of the wedding day with a joy that is not overshadowed by the worry created by poverty. But, ultimately, the greatest benefit is for the donor. As R’ Yehoshua declares (Ruth Rabba 5:9): “Yoser mima shebaal abayis oses im ha’ani, ha’ani ose im baal habyis.” –The poor person does more for the one who gives him than the donor does for the poor person.

Hachnosos Kallah is one of the mitzvos specifically distinguished for reward both in this world and the next.

What better way to merit hatzlocha in finding a shidduch or in embarking on one’s own marriage than by sponsoring the wedding or needs of a kallah? The Yad Eliezer programs provide the opportunity to reap the benefits of this tremendous mitzvah.

For information on the wedding sponsorship program, the Kol Kallah fund, or the Bircas Rachel program which assist needy kallahs and chassonim, call 718-258-1580 or 718-227-0207. Email weddings@yadeliezer.org. Visit the website at http://www.yadeliezer.org

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Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

The Photography Business: A Woman’s Perspective Walking into Sparkling Video & Photography’s studio makes you feel like you’re amidst an electronic symphony. The ring tones on the phones are set to play a pleasing tone (and they ring constantly!), the fax machine adds its percussive beat, and the computers add their barely audible hums. The room is lively, upbeat, and has just enough disorder to let you know that a lot of work is happening here. The energy behind this office is owner, producer Nancy Yachnes. She, like many of us, doesn’t have much in the “free time” department, but graciously took an hour to speak to Kallah Magazine.

The conversation was an interesting look into how a woman manages in what’s essentially a “man’s world.”

software itself could be classified as technical, but I’m talking about the hardware that has to be in place to make a photography studio function: decks, monitors, disc copiers, scanners, computers, along with the regular office technology, used to overwhelm me. Operating some of these things didn’t come naturally, but I pushed myself to learn. I laughed when a 20-something sales person in a box store asked me recently if I had kids who could install my new wireless router for me. She should only know how tech-savvy I’ve become! And, yes, I installed the router.

KM: How unusual is it for a frum woman to own a photography studio?

KM: The tile and woodwork in your office suite is gorgeous! Did you design it?

NY: Most of the women photographers I know work in portraiture. I’ve never seen another frum female videographer. I can think of only one other studio in this market that is woman-owned. And in that case, the woman administers the business. She doesn’t do any shooting.

NY: Thank you. I’m so grateful to work in such beautiful space. I didn’t start out that way. In the beginning, I took over a small bedroom, then the master bedroom, then the dining room. It was a mad rush to clear all the equipment every erev Shabbos.

My husband and I found an extremely talented designer, Mordechai Kurtz, who understood that wonderfully functional office space could also be beautiful. He did a great job. I love coming to work.

KM: Why do you think the field is predominantly male?

KM: You have a quite an array of equipment. Do you use it all?

NY: It’s a funny thing. I came into this business through the back door, so to speak. As my youngest son was growing up, I developed a passion for shooting video, a passion which spilled into my office job at the time. I found that I loved the artistry of video. I enrolled in the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, and fell head over heels in love with the artistic side of photography and video. I loved learning creative new shots and interesting methods to edit them. I passed tests to become an Apple Certified Pro, and learned myriad computer programs, loving every minute.

What I didn’t count on and didn’t expect was just how “techie” the photography industry is. Yes, the editing

NY: I think photography, and in later years, video, has been a man’s domain for several reasons. First of all, the equipment is really heavy, and there is a LOT of it! I do my share of schlepping, but I hire assistants for most of the carrying and setting up. Secondly, when it comes to a simcha, the photography has to happen on a tight schedule. A wedding is a carefully orchestrated event. There are specific windows for each part of the simcha to happen, including photography. When the right “players” aren’t where they need to be, the photographer has to be forceful enough to get them in place, and sometimes loud enough to make sure they are. It’s a kind of “rough and tumble” aspect to the business that women naturally shy away from. I find that doing my homework and enlisting help allows me to avoid the need to yell. I never raise my voice at a simcha.

I have met the family ahead of time, and they have filled out a questionnaire with all the relevant details I need. In addition, I get to the hall early, and befriend the maitre d or manager, whom I find invaluable in helping to move things along smoothly.

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KM: Are there occasions where it’s uncomfortable for a woman to be behind the camera?

KM: What other kinds of projects do you do besides weddings and other simchas?

NY: Yes, and for that reason. I work with an amazing team of professional shooters, including my own husband!

One of them shoots close up at the chuppah, while I stay in back, shooting wide. I find the dual camera coverage at the chuppah deepens the perspective and makes the video much more engaging. I also shoot a second camera at “kaitzad merakdim.” I hoist my camera up on a steadying device over the mechitza. Though I stay behind the divider, the camera gets a nice view that enhances the final edit with two-camera view.

B”H, I work on the most interesting and inspiring projects!

For this month, I’m working on a multi-media presentation for a school, an international dance performance, as well as a video biography of an elderly man, the sole survivor of his family. I love doing the video biographies. I learn so much about people... everyone has a story.

If that weren’t enough, I’m also on the Executive Board of the New York Professional Videographers Association in Manhattan. I help to plan the content of the meetings and find corporate sponsorship for the group. Association work takes a few hours per month – it’s time I really don’t have to spare – but I push myself and do it anyway. I learn so much there, so I’m able to keep my shooting and editing fresh.

Ultimately, all my clients benefit.

KM: Juggling equipment is one challenge, but there is the even greater one of juggling your business with your family. How do you do it?

Probably one of the biggest reasons that women don’t open photography studios in the frum world is the night aspect of the work.

It’s impossible to make suppers, supervise homework, and be out every night (until who knows when!). For me, finding the right balance has been a very big challenge. I think I’m finally there. What I discovered is that while I LOVE to shoot weddings, it’s just not practical for me to “join the circuit” every night, as many photographers and videographers do.

I shoot between two and four weddings a month, and not more. The chosson and kallah and their families get my full attention, my personal direction, and my shooting.

KM: How do you limit the number of simchas you cover?

NY: I set limits into the calendar. Once a client books with a deposit, I don’t accept any other weddings for that week. Pre-Pesach, I shot my last job on April 3. Someone called today wanting photography and video three days before Pesach. That’s just not going to work for me. I have to know my limits because I put many, many hours into each event. I put equal care into post production. I work best with clients who appreciate the attention to detail, the attention to them, and the artistry itself.

KM: Any words of advice for prospective chassanim and kallahs regarding photography and video?

NY: Hire someone you trust. Hire someone who makes you feel comfortable and helps you bring out your best.

Remember that if a video is not shot and edited beautifully, no one, including you, is going to want to watch it! And one last tidbit: when I shoot a wedding, my lens is the connection to future generations. Although we all enjoy our own wedding videos and photo albums (if they’re done well), keep in mind that the ultimate audience is the children and grandchildren yet to be born! How I wish my own grandparents of blessed memory would have had videos!

KM: Thank you for your time and advice!

Readers should know that Nancy previously wrote two articles for Kallah Magazine available at http://www. examiner.com/jewish-bridal-in-new-york/why-go-prolights-camera-and-expertise-for-wedding-photographypart-1-of-3 and http://www.examiner.com/jewish-bridalin-new-york/wedding-photography-videography-on-abudget-part-1-of-2

Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

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Color by Number: Selecting the Right Sheitel Shade

by Ariella Brown

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I recently dropped in at a wig sale of one of my advertisers.

There was a kallah there who did end up purchasing a fall but who did not have a clue about how to find her color. Even her married sister who accompanied her was unfamiliar with the color codes despite the fact that she had purchased a number of sheitels over the years. I explained the basics of the number system, so that she realized that if she did not want a wig of shade any darker than the one marked 6, she should steer away from lower numbers. After I came home, I thought that the color codes used for sheitels should feature in an article in Kallah Magazine, so that first-time wig buyers would not walk into a sheitel shop completely clueless about what those numbers on the wigs mean.

Other wig buying topics have been addressed in earlier issues, and you can find them archived on the Reflections page of www. kallahmagazine.com.

Do note that shades do vary among manufacturers and even the same label wig may show variation on the same shade, depending on the hair used. Shades differ for the premium quality wigs, as they are supposed to be made from unprocessed hair.

Natural shades will not be as uniform in color as hair dyed to match a particular color exactly, but the colors should stay true longer. Just like your natural hair, sheitel hair is affected by the sun. Processed hair is more prone to the effect of oxidation, which results in lighter or redder hair than you started out with. This will happen in time to just about all wigs. But assuming you know how to keep your wig from becoming damaged, in general, the less processed the hair, the longer it will maintain its original color and texture.

The color codes begin with the very darkest shade. So a 1 would be a true black. However, I have never seen a sheitel labeled with the color 1 perhaps because very few people have pitch black hair. So what you can expect when shopping for brunette shades is to find the darkest shade available to be identified as a 2 on the color scale. A 4 is a very dark brown. A 6 is a medium brown, sometimes referred to as a “warm brown.”

You may notice that, like clothing sizes, the numbers advance by 2.

In fact there are odd numbers, but they often only feature in blends. Thus the next lighter brown you are likely to find in an unblended state is not a 7 but an 8, which may be called a “soft brown.”

A 10 is a light brown. Those shades of brown may appear in blends together or with shades of blond for a highlighted effect. The lighter shade appears first, and the base color last. For example, a 6/2 is a very dark brown highlighted with medium brown. The blend is lighter in an 8/2, though the base color remains very dark. A number ranging from 2 to 10 that follows a higher number denotes that the wig includes blond or red highlights.

Once you get up to number 12, you have entered the boundaries of blond, which range from dark to light as you advance through the teens and twenties. Generally, the blond shades appear in combinations. Many blonds appear in combination with a soft brown, like a 12/8, 14/8, or 16/8,

Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

each one of them progressively lighter. There are also blends of 2 or 3 shades of blond, signified by the numbers on the wig label.

The combination is more natural looking than a single shade. Some of the numbers in the twenties are assigned to a blended blond. One thing to watch out for when going for a blond wig is the green tinge that appears on some of the shades.

Some ash blonds have that effect, so if you want your blond to have a warm, golden tone, you should carefully check how it plays off your complexion in natural light.

10/4 to the closer combination of an 8/6 when both blends produce what would be characterized as a highlighted shade of warm brown. Also pay attention to the fact that your hair’s own shades vary, and if you are matching only the top or the bottom or the front, you may end up with a wig that does not really match your overall shade. This is a crucial point for those who are ordering a custom sheitel made to match the color of their hair sample.

You need to be sure the sample represents your overall color, not just the highlights or base shade.

Once you reach the number 30, you are the rarer realm of red. I say rarer because not all wigs are available in red, especially if they are meant to be made of hair that is not artificially tinted. As redheads make up less than 4% of the world’s population, none of which may be found in Asia, the major contributor to human hair wigs, a natural red would probably require a custom order.

The range of the red shades only spans from 30 to 33, though these shades will combine with blond for strawberry blond or with brown for auburn. Some wig manufacturer also turn out a shade of red that does not mimic natural color but that has suggestions of burgundy that may be seen on dark hair that is dyed red. While it does not resemble natural hair, some like the “funky” effect.

Many kallahs regret their first wig choices because they do not realize what aspects they have to attend to. I fell into the error of color myself with my first wig because I did not pay attention to the color distribution. I only noted the lighter hair at the hairline, which matched my shade, but did not observe that the rest of the wig hair was a much darker brown than my own hair. After wearing it a while, I realized that it was not a warm blond/brown combination but only a highlighted front over dark brown. In retrospect, I realize that if I had been more aware of the color codes, I may have realized that such a low number for the base shade was too dark for me. In later years, I also erred by buying sheitels that were far blonder than my own hair, and I don’t think I had any more fun as a result. It’s always good to learn from experience, especially from the experience of others, so that you are spared the expense of a making the wrong choice for your sheitel shade.

To be sure that the color shading is what you want it to be, don’t just look at the numbers, but put the wig on and look at yourself wearing it in natural light. This is also the best way to distinguish the gradations and determine if you prefer the greater contrast of highlight in a

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Outings Worth the Trip

by Ariella Brown

People usually look for places of interest to visit on Chol Hamoed and throughout the spring and summer season.

These reviews should help you decide. I’ve assigned a rating based on a five star system and only include places that merit at least three stars. I consider a place rated three stars worth seeing at least once for some key point of interest but not necessarily worth returning to. The ratings take price and experience of the place into account. The list is organized by area and progresses from free , including places that normally charge admission but offer free or “pay what you wish” times of admission, to higher priced. I omit any place that is tourist trap high priced like the ride at the Empire State Building. I also don’t cover the amusement parks.

Glenmont, among the National Parks you can see for free April 16-24.

We’ll start out with the good news that National Park Week for 2011 is April 16-24,. Go to http://www.nps.gov/npweek/ to learn about which parks are offering free admissions and special activities during that time. One is bound to be near you. Among the ones in New York State are the homes of Teddy Roosevelt described below under Historic homes.

In New Jersey, Edison’s lab and home, described below is offering free admission for that week, as well.

When it reopens for the season, the Southwest porch provides a wonderfully shaded spot in which to relax. Located near the Fountain Terrace, it serves as an outdoor lounge with wooden porch swings, rocking chairs,Adirondack chairs, as well as stools set around cocktail tables. You can order a drink from the bar but are not at all obliged to. The porch is officially open to all visitors of the park from 12 -9 PM daily, and until 7 PM on Sundays. During the summer, there are many free activities offered in the park. You can learn more about the history of this park, like the fact that it was the site of the Crystal Palace exhibit in 1853-4, and see photos of the park in its various stages at http://www.bryantpark. org/about-us/history.html. If you like Bryant Park, you can show it on it Facebook page and follow its updates there or on http://twitter.com/bryantparknyc Gardens and grounds galore in the Bronx 4 ½ stars (when you’re not paying full price) Wednesday is the free day for grounds admission at the New York Botanical Garden, a 250-acre landscape that encompasses an expansive native forest and 50 distinct gardens, located at Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10458. Note that “grounds only” means just that; entrance to the conservatory rock and native plant garden, and the tram tour are extra. The usual fee is $6 for the grounds only; a pass that includes entrance to all the above is $20. Parking is available for $12, though it is usually possible to find free street parking not too far away. The number to call is 718-817-8700. For automated directions, call 718-817-8779 or go to the site: http://www. nybg.org/ The flowers attract butterflies, like this Monarch photographed at the New York Botanical Gardem

In the 5 Boroughs

Central Park is not the only park in Town, check out Bryant Park 4 stars If you want a really cheap date in the heart of the city, consider heading over to one of my favorite section -- 4243 Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Right behind the library famous for the majestic structure guarded by a pair of carved lions is Bryant Park. It’s a great place for a picnic.

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Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

A tree and far more grows in Brooklyn 4 stars At the Brooklyn Botanical Garden , located at 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225, the free day is Tuesday. The regular admission charge is $8 for adults.

While the 52-acre Brooklyn gardens are far smaller than the Bronx ones, there are beautiful blooms to be seen in the rose garden, and the conservatory entrance is included. There is parking available for a fee at 900 Washington Avenue. It is usually possible to find street parking in the area. Call 718623-7200 or visit http://www.bbg.org or more information and to find at what is in flower at the time you plan to visit.

Queens Botanical Garden 3 stars. Add one if you like the “green” theme that you see throughout the garden and in the building.

The Queens Botanical Garden is less well known than the larger gardens in Brooklyn and the Bronx. But it has been spruced up and includes an attraction for anyone interested in green design, a Visitor and Administration Center described as “the most advanced green building in New York City.” the gardens now charges for admission from April through October. The cost is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for students with ID or children over 3. Free admission is available Wednesday, 3-6pm and Sunday, 4-6pm.. To find out what’s in bloom when, see http://queensbotanical. org/gardens_collections/in_bloom. The number for general information is 718-886-3800. Note that the cover picture of this magazine is a picture I took of this garden last spring.

The Queens Museum of Art 4 stars if you get the tour of the Panorama This museum is, admittedly, very small. But if you’re headed out to the Queens zoo, Queens Botanical Garden, Hall of Science, or just Flushing Meadows Corona Park anyway, you can add it on as another stop. If you want to see how the World’s Fair in New York was promoted, this is the place where you’ll find it. It is in The New York City Building that was built to house the New York City Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair. The highlight of the museum comes from second World’s Fair in Queens. It is the Panorama of the City of New York, which was built by Robert Moses for the 1964 World’ Fair. It was updated in 1992. So you still see the Twin Towers standing there. This is definitely the highlight of the museum. We were able to

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catch a tour of the 9,335 square foot architectural model, which visitors see by passing along a bridge with around and over parts. You can see it on your own, as well, but it’s nice to have the guide point out key structures and to explain what has changed the topography of the city in the past 19 years. I can tell you that even children were riveted and find this exhibit far cooler than Google maps.

At the Queens Museum of Art, admission is by suggested donation. Adults: $5 Senior and Children: $2.50 Members and Children under five: Free. The museum is located at the New York City Building in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY 11368. The number to call for information is (718) 592-9700 New York Hall of Science 4 stars for the museum, less than 3 stars for the extra charges for the simulator ride, playground, and mini golf. You may want to skip this one on Chol Hamoed unless you get there very early because it gets very crowded with groups and families later in the day.

Many people enjoy the “Science of Sports” exhibit, which has been there for a number of years. A new exhibit, imported from the UK, is called “1001 Invention-Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization. The tallest item there would be the elephant clock, which is powered by water to show minutes as well as hours. One of the interesting things I noticed is that the Muslim maps assumed north is down rather than up, as it is usually drawn in American maps. That fits in with the Jewish tradition that assumes one’s forward (or upward) direction is east, possibly because one would take the direction in which the sun rises as the starting point.

In addition to an introductory film that features some of the characters presented in the exhibit, there are centers where visitors can activate videos of actors who represent characters associated with science, engineering, medicine, or learning.

They are not all Muslim. One represents Maimonides, known among Jews as the Rambam. It’s a bit funny to hear the actor attempt a Brooklyn accent, as he proudly

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recounts that his name is commemorated on a hospital in Brooklyn. Talk about understatement! The Rambam is such a central figure in Jewish thought and halacha that it is laughable to point to his reputation as living on only in medicine. It’s true that he was the personal physician to the Scljuq ruler Qilij Arslan in Anatolia, but he also was much more than that. His works on Torah and philosophy are very far from forgotten.

The New York Hall of Science General is at 47-01 111th Street, Queens, NY 11368. Admission for adults (18 & over) is $11. For children 2-17it’s $8, as it is for students with college ID and senior citizens. Admission is free on Friday 2-5 pm and Sundays between 10 and 11 am, September through June only. Note: this museum accepts ASTC membership from other museums. You can buy membership for reciprocal acceptance here or elsewhere for a lower price (see the review of the Newark Museum). For information call 718-699-0005 or go online at http://www. nysci.org.

The Frick Collection 4 stars on Sundays Sundays, 11:00 am to 1:00 is “pay what you wish” admission: to the Frick Collection. This museum is a tiny fraction of the size of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,, so it is not really worth the standard admission price of $18 for adults, though it is worth the cost of $5 for students with valid identification. Children under ten are not admitted. The price of admission includes an audio tour. You really do need the audio guide to identify the art for you because there is no

Kallah Magazine

Exterior view of the Frick Mansion

Spring 2011/ 5771

card next to the art objects to provide information about the Children’s Habitat offers a place in which children can play, subjects and artists The museum is open to visitors Tuesday climb, explore, and enjoy the outdoors. It features play through Saturday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, ,Sundays: 11:00 areas packed with objects conducive to imaginative play, as am to 5:00 pm. The museum is always closed on Mondays well as a really cool xylophone. and most legal holidays. The Frick collection is housed in a The number to call is 516-571-8020. Nearby is Planting grand mansion at 1 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021. Fields described below.

That’s at 5th Avenue, right across from Central Park. It includes European paintings, 18th Century French furniture Suffolk County Farm and Education Center 5 stars and porcelains, Limoges enamels, and fine rugs, as well as Note” This is likely to be less crowded than the New York the finely designed house itself that was bequeathed to form zoos tend to be on Chol Hamoed, and, of course it has the the museum by Henry Clay Frick. advantage of being free. However, A database of the permanent you would have to skip buying the Gazebo at Bailey Arboretum collection can be searched online animal feed on Pesach because it http://collections.frick.org/. You is likely real chometz. Still, you can also allow your fingers to are usually allowed to feed the do the walking on a virtual tour. animals carrots that you bring Phone 212-288-0700 from home, so you don’t have to miss out on the fun of feeding them altogether.

On Long Island This farm is a lot more Happy trails 5 stars economical and farm-like If you’re looking to really than places like http://www. immerse yourself in nature whitepostfarms.com/, that are, without having to go all the way essentially, petting zoos that to the mountains, take a drive out make money on admissions, to Long Island’s North Shore. In food and bottles for the animals, Lattington, New York you’ll rides, etc.

Animal feed is discover the beauty of the available for just $2 for a bag. It woods and gardens of Bailey is sold on the honor system. No Arboretum It is open every day, one is there to collect payment, year-round, and admission is so you are supposed to deposit always free. There is no parking payment in the box marked “Please deposit $2.” You also fee charged either. Highlights include trails, picnic areas, can bring carrots from home.

There are signs posted telling and a play area. The easy to hike woodland trail features signs that teach about Long Island history and ecology, you which animals would welcome carrots, such as goats, as well as warnings about recognizing poison ivy. Picnic mules, etc. and which animals should not be given them, tables make it easy to bring your lunch and enjoy it, too. like the turkeys, chickens, and peafowl.

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That reminds me, here you can learn that a peacock is always a male, and female version is called a peahen; her feathers lack the distinctive coloring associated with the species.

You can also learn which type of animal is referred to as “macho” and why a farmer may actually feed a magnet to cows. The ground include a charming Children’s Garden and various fields, as well as the domestic animals. This is a working farm that is free to the public 7 days a week from 9 AM to 3 PM. It is located at 350 Yaphank Avenue, Yaphank, NY 11980 Visit online at http://ccesuffolk.org/.

Phone: 631-852-4600

However, a parking fee of $8 is charged from April 1st to Labor day, 7 days a week and weekends only from September 10th through October 31st. Tours of the ground floor of the house are available April 1 – September 30 11:30 am – 3:30 pm. The charge is $3.50 for adults. Children under 12 are FREE (Ticket price includes admission to Coe Hall and beginning April 4, The Manor House). At 12:30 and 2:30, you have the option to take the UPSTAIRS/DOWNSTAIRS TOUR for the same price. . For more information about exhibits and what is open when, visit the site, http://www. plantingfields.org/, or call (516) 922-9200.

A grand house, gardens and greenhouses 5 stars for the Historic homes for New York and the nation 5 stars on gardens and greenhouses, 3 for the house. special event days like the Rough Riders demonstration Step into the grandeur of the Gilded Age at Planting Fields held on July 4th. On other days 4 stars, give or take a half, Arboretum State Historic Park, 1395 Planting Fields Road, depending on how good your guide is.

Oyster Bay, NY 11771. This grand property features the mansion that was To see the home of home to the family of A breathtaking collection of orchids, as well as exotic trees Theodore Roosevelt the insurance mogul, and plant are on display year round in the main greenhouse and his wife and six William Robertson children from 1885 Coe. With its until his death in distinctive architecture 1919, you have to and expressly planned take a drive out landscaping, it is a on Long island. prime example of the Roosevelt’s passion Gold Coast estates on for hunting and Long Island’s North taxidermy literally Shore. The 409 acres fills this house. The surrounding the house site warns visitors include green houses about the fact that with exquisite flowers, the house is not various outdoor a i r- c o n d i t i o n e d , gardens, decorative and the third floor pools, specimen trees, of the house is and nature walks. The subject to closure grounds are worth when the heat seeing in spring reaches dangerous through fall, and the levels. So don’t main greenhouse with plan to come there its tropical plants, during a heat wave. trees, and orchids, Visitors can only at any time. The enter the house as camellias, though, are part of a tour. Tours only bloom in winter are offered on the from January through hour from 10am March. to 4pm. The fee is $5 for adults. The You can enter Roosevelt Museum the grounds and at Old Orchard is greenhouses for free, open Wednesday

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Kallah Magazine

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index.htm or call 516-922-4788.

t h r o u g h Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

Admission to the building is free, and visitors can view movies and exhibits at their own pace. Another free attraction on site is the The Sagamore Hill Nature Trail. To get there, set your driving directions to 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, NY 11771.

For more information, visit http:// w w w. n p s . gov/sahi/

There is another home associated with Theodore Roosevelt in New York City at 28 East 20th Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway.. However, parts of it are currently closed, which is why I am not describing it here.

You can see the site, http://www.nps.gov/thrb/thrb-upgrade. htm for more information and to take a virtual tour.

visit the site at http://www.nassaumuseum.org/default.php For visits later in the year, be sure to check for closure dates coming up in May, September, and late November.

Cradle of Aviation 3 stars –add one if you are seeing an Imax This museum is located on Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Garden City, about 20 minutes away from the 5 Towns area For Pesach week, you may want to check out the 9th Annual Astronomy & Space Week Monday-Friday, April 18-22, 12:00-4:00 PM. It boasts of Astronomy Workshops and Family Activities.

Thursday April 21, 12:00-4:00 PM is designated as Astronomy & Space Day The activities and workshops are free with admission.

Admission is on the pricey side, $14 for adults for a museum that takes only an hour or two to get through. You may as well splurge for the $21 combination ticket, which includes a Cradle of Aviation Dome Theater. You can also buy tickets for the film alone for $10. For more information, see http://www.cradleofaviation.org/index.html or call 516572-4111 Atlantis 4 ½ stars Located in Riverhead, NY, the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium is more than a bit of a drive from the Nassau, Queens, or Brooklyn area. But it is quite an experience to see the fish, sharks, rays, penguins, and sea lions displayed around the theme of the lost city of Atlantis. There are also talks on the penguins and some of the other marine animals, as well as a sea lion performance, the talk on penguins.

Prices are somewhat on the high end at $21.50 plus tax for adults, but you can usually find some coupons on admissions on the site itself at http://www.atlantismarineworld.com/ couponcove.php or elsewhere online. Atlantis Marine World Aquarium offers its own charming magic at: 431 East Main

The Nassau County Museum of Art 3 stars This museum. is located on Museum Drive in Roslyn Harbor, off of Northern Boulevard (Route 25A) 1/2 mile west of Glen Cove Road. The art collection is small but carefully arranged and described. It is worth visiting at least once to see the miniature castle on view in the Ridder Miniature Museum. That’s in a building separate from the mansion that houses the art exhibits. The castle has its own site, www.dollhousecastle.com. The museum also boasts beautiful grounds with sculptures. A $2 parking fee is charged on weekends. Combined admission to The Arnold & Joan Saltzman Fine Art Building and the Art Space For Children/Combined Admission is $10 for adults, $4 for children 4-12. For more information, call 516-484-9338 or

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Street Riverhead, NY 1190. For more information about the exhibits and schedule of special events, call the general number at 631-208-9200 or visit the site at http://www. atlantismarineworld.com.

New Jersey Attractions The light bulb at the end of the tunnel 4 ½ stars ; add a ½ star for free admissions.

If you venture across the tunnel to New Jersey, you can visit the lab and home of America’s most famous inventor. The fee charged for those 16 and over is $7, which covers admission to both the lab complex Picture taken from and Glenmont, Edison’s 29 room Queen Anne style mansion for up to 7 days. *Credit card payment is not accepted, so be sure to bring enough cash to cover the cost or your checkbook with you.* You have the option of purchasing the audio tour for an additional $5. On the day we visited, it was thrown in free. FREE admission days include National Park Week April 16-24, National Public Lands Day September 24, and Veterans Day November 11 – 13.

Note: the lab complex is open Wednesday through Sunday, but the estate is only open Friday through Sunday. You must start at the lab in order to get the pass to allow you to enter Llewellyn Park, the gated community in which Glenmont is located. House tours run from 12:00pm - 4:00pm, beginning on the hour. Grounds are open 11:30am - 5:00pm. Edison National Historical Park is located at 211 Main Street, West Orange, NJ 07052. One drawback of this place is that there is no place where you can eat food your bring form home there other than parking lot, which is not exactly a picnic ground. For more information, call (973) 736-0550 ext. 11 or visit http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm

A little bit of everything in Newark 4 stars Can’t make up your mind if you want to see modern art, art of the civil era, Victorian furniture and dishes, natural history, astronomical exhibits, or both a modern and antique fire engine? Consider a trip to the Newark Museum. Normal hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 12 noon–5 pm. When I lived in New Jersey, I used to visit it often. It’s been greatly

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expanded and updated. If you are a teacher or a parent of kids 7-14, I highly recommend checking out the money exhibit: “Once Upon a Dime: The World of Money.” It is very well done and spans the history of money from barter to digital payment. There are many more exhibits, including art, historic artifacts, and a section on natural history with interactive exhibits on biomes and plate tectonics. That part of the museum also includes some samples of rocks and minerals that glow in the dark.

The Ballantine House tries to convey how life operated in the Victorian era for the well-to-do and the servant class.

The Fire Museum has a small collection of firefighting equipment, but the chance to inside Glenmont board a fire truck and to put on the fireman gear gets kids very excited. They may be less excited by the old one room schoolhouse, but it is worth the few minutes it takes to see. There is also a small planetarium connected to the museum which entails an additional charge. You can check the calendar for scheduled sky shows and special activities for children.

Suggested museum admission for adults is $10 Children, Seniors & Students with Valid I.D.: $6 *AAA members get a two for one general admission discount .*You may still want to consider membership, not only because you get in free but because this museum participates in the ASTC reciprocal program. Family membership for this museum is $60, which is lower than the cost of membership in other ASTC museums around New York. And it gets you into higher priced attractions like the New York Hall of Science and The Intrepid. The membership from is accepted

by Liberty Science Center only on specific dates.

The museum is located at 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102-3176 Phone: 973- 596-6550. With regard to parking, the museum charges for parking on its lot, but you can usually also find street parking, and meters are not in effect on Sunday. Do skip the gift shop; it is very overpriced. The only gift shop I can recommend from these attractions is the one listed in the next one.

A real mine 4 ½ stars (it loses ½ a star for not granting more time in the Exhibit Hall) Ogdenburg, NJ is the site of a zinc mine that operated through

Kallah Magazine

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1986. The Sterling Hill zinc mine is now open to the public Liberty Science Center is located in Liberty State Park at 222 at the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. On the grounds, you Jersey City Boulevard in Jersey City. The number to call can see sculptures and minig equipment.. The mine itself is 201-200-1000 This museum tends to get very crowded is represented by a 1,300 foot underground walking tour of on Chol Hamoed, so you may want to avoid it then. It also mine tunnels that house exhibits that represent the miner’s is rather pricey with exhibit tickets starting at $15.75 for work and the equipment used. Underground it is always adults. You can also purchase a somewhat dizzying array of 56 degrees, no matter what the weather is outside. Before combination tickets to include an IMAX and other shows entering the mine, visitors get a half an hour -- which is not . Ticket prices go all the way up to $28.50 per adult. You enough time to really take in everything there is to see, as save a great deal if you are a teacher with ID, particularly the guide admits -- in the Zobel Exhibit Hall. You really if you only want to see the exhibits. The cost of the teacher have to rush through because the Exhibit Halls are only ticket for that is just $5. You can also buy tickets for an open to visitors on the guided tour, which keeps to a strict IMAX alone; that is $9 per adult ($1 less than what the timetable. The Zobel Exhibit Hall contains more than Cradle of Aviation charges); the teacher price is $8. See 20,000 mining-related items, extensive ores samples that http://www.lsc.org/lsc/visit/prices . Another page offers a include gold, as well as representations of all the elements package that includes a trip to that Statue of Liberty for $25 in the periodic table. In the Thomas S Warren Museum per adult, though it appears that does not include any of of Fluoresence special lights The periodic table come to life in the Zobel Exhibit the center’s film. See http:// reveal the fluoresence in www.lsc.org/lsc/visit/offers manufactured objects -or call 201-253-1310. The like money -- and natural parking fee is $7, though objects -- like your teeth. if you get there early, you could find free parking on The gift shop does sell the street in front. jewelry, among other While there are quite a gift items at surprisingly number of exhibits here, affordable prices. Here you they don’t change around can pick up a souvenir for a too often. So if you have $1 a $2 that is not your usual been here not too long pencil. Earrings start at $2 ago, you may have already and bracelets at $3. There seen everything. As far as are miniature wire trees science type museums, my with stone leaves for $7 and favorite is a bit further off, various geodes in shapes, in Philadelphia. slabs, and bookend sets in a range of prices. There are also mining miniatures, marbles, Philadelphia attraction, worth the trip if you rusty horseshoes, and books, as well as ultra-violets lights have the time for the fluorescent rock enthusiast for sale. Some of those The Franklin Institute 4 1/2 stars (It doesn’t get the full come to the site specifically to gather rocks to enhance their 5 because of all the add-on rides it offers at additional cost mineral collection. and the special exhibits that require additional tickets at $24.50 each for adults) Tours are always at 1pm. During the winter they are You can easily spend the entire day here at 22 North 20th only available on weekends. Call 973-209-7212 for Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. The place is packed with information or email info@sterlinghillminingmuseum. interactive exhibits that engage adults and children alike. org. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and The price of admission is a better deal than that of LSC, $7.50 for children 12 and under. The drive from New York especially for combination tickets that start at $21 for takes about an hour and a half. But it is worth the trip exhibits and an IMAX. But an even better deal is getting for such a unique experience. For directions, see http:// admission to the exhibits free with ASTC membership. sterlinghillminingmuseum.org/visitor/directions.php Ask about which ones the Institute accepts by calling | 215448-1231 . That’s the number for membership. The general Liberty Science Center 3 stars (add one if you get in number is 215-448-1200. See what the museum is offering free with ASTC membership – referenced under Newark at http://www2.fi.edu/ Museum.)

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FINANCIAL PLANNING, EXPECTATIONS, AND THE REAL WORLD

by Martin Z. Schmidt

Whether you are part of a young couple or their parents, you have financial goals. Over time, they may shift from buying a house to making simchas, college funding, planning for retirement, etc. You need to be sure that your strategy adapts to change to cover your needs and remain on track to sustain you through retirement.

THE PROBLEM Statistically, about 70% of all cases reviewed over the last 15 years revealed problems relative to reaching longer-term objectives.

THE SOLUTION IN 3D The traditional model for planning your future financial condition was limited to a two dimensional framework.

Financial planners, insurance agents, brokers, and bankers are trained to gather information, use various arithmetic techniques and arrive at a strategy to meet your financial objectives. To effectively build your financial future, though, you need more than that. I propose that you think three dimensionally. You wouldn’t start building without a blueprint and equipment; likewise, when establishing a sound financial structure, you need a solid plan and the right tools.

THE MULTIPLIER PRINCIPLE Say you deposit $100,000 in an account at ABC Bank. The bank pays you 2% interest. But it makes 6% on the money by lending it to Harry who uses it to purchase a boat. The boat dealer deposits his proceeds back into the bank, which now lends the same money out a second time for a car loan at 5%. The dealer deposits the proceeds bank into the bank, which turns it over for a mortgage loan at 4%.

Get the picture - the same dollar is reused to collect interest repeatedly, home improvements, credit cards, etc. This is the banks’ multiplier effect, or in economic terms, the “velocity of money.” The bank can earn 25, 30, or more, while paying you 2%. The government, all financial institutions, and the corporate world operate on the same multiplier principle.

WHAT THIS APPROACH CAN DO FOR YOU Using a three dimensional approach, the financial objective is to bring the same multiplier strategies the non-institutional universe – you and me. Rotating dollars to maximize returns and growth increases current cash flow. Flexibly moving money for reinvestment and changing cash flow direction, multiplies the effect of your dollars, while keeping risk

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down and minimizing erosion. This approach encompasses every dollar you invest, save or spend –insurance programs, stocks, bank accounts, philanthropic donations, even daily living expenses.

THE PLAN Your plan has to have the dollars, the knowledge and methods, and the protection, to build with the least risk and erosion, and still maintain flexibility with efficiency. Remember we’re going to look for geometric, not arithmetic returns – with minimal risk. A qualified financial advisor should be able to demonstrate how to maximize retirement benefits and longer term financial goals by analyzing current cash flow, investment structures, insurance portfolios, expense factors, securities, tax ramifications, estate planning etc., all in light of personal circumstance and objectives. The younger you are, the more valuable the long-term effect will be.

Unfortunately, most two-dimensional plans depend on “best-case” scenarios.

A good financial plan will provide for all contingencies, especially the negative ones, like market drops, decreasing interest rates, increasing taxes and inflation rates, disability, law suits, etc. It is inevitable that you will encounter many different situations over the course of your life.

THE TOOLS If the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer, everything becomes a nail!

How do you get the other tools? You need a professional to give you access to them. An intelligent financial advisor (insurance agent, broker, attorney, trust advisor) can be your guide to multiplying rather than offering just arithmetic solutions to where to place the dollar. Your future objectives are important in program development. Accordingly, you need to communicate about objectives, risk aversions, family contingencies, income needs, etc. Remember, and this cannot be emphasized enough, that flexibility and continuous review is essential to a sustainable financial plan.

Martin Z. Schmidt is a financial planner, advisor, asset manager and lecturer affiliated with Yzer Wealth Management, affiliated with the DBS Financial Group, with offices in NY and Florida. He can be reached with requests or questions at (516)554–1030 zachary1970@ verizon.net or mschmidt@finsvcs.com

Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

Kallah in the Kitchen: Great recipes that happen to be kosher l’Pesach

by Ariella Brown

pesach).

However, I was recently looking for a way to put together zucchini and red pepper and found a great recipe that just happens to fit the criterion of the title. It doesn’t use eggs or matzah, so it is cholesterol and gluten free, not to mention acceptable for those who don’t eat gebrokts.

Plus, it is easy to prepare and quite economical, as it uses inexpensive ingredients and can feed 6. So I just had to include it.

As the title indicates, the collection of Pesach recipes here are intended to be made on the holiday and beyond.

I invited readers to contribute recipes that they would make all year round, though they happen to be kosher for Pesach. I got great recipes from Miriam Peromsik, and Jamie Geller, author of two cookbooks and cofounder of www.JoyofKosher.com.

Originally, I was not planning to put in any recipes of my own, as I already posted my favorites in last year’s Pesach issue. (You can read them and print them out at http://issuu.com/ariellabrown/docs/kallahmagazine-

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Baked Vegetables (parve) Note :This recipe does not reheat well, so only make it right before you serve it, and be sure to put it in the preheated oven immediately after assembling the ingredients so that the potatoes do not have time to discolor. I use the food processor to slice the potatoes and zucchini. This comes out on the mild side, so you may want to add more spice or garlic if you like a stronger flavor.

the zucchini. Season again with salt and thyme. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over the vegetables. Repeat layering and seasoning. Drizzle any remaining oil over the top. Cover securely with aluminum foil. Bake until vegetables are very soft and tender, 1 hour. (Serves 6)

The following 3 side dish recipes from Miriam Peromsik are based on vegetables but also include matzo meal, so they are gebrokts.

Baked Squash (gebrokts)

1 clove garlic, peeled and halved 2 lbs. baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 4 small zucchinis, sliced 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips or thin rings 4 tbsp. olive oil 2 tsp. thyme 2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper (optional) Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Rub a 9 x 12” or equivalent size baking dish or pan with garlic. Use about 1 teaspoon of the oil to grease it lightly.

Layer half of the potatoes in bottom of dish, overlapping slices if necessary. Season lightly with the thyme, salt (and optional pepper). Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the potatoes. Add a layer of half the red peppers, then half

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3 pounds yellow squash or zucchini, peeled and diced ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup matzo meal 2 eggs ½ cup oil or margarine 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper Combine all ingredients and pour into baking dish.

Sprinkle with additional matzo meal. Sprinkle a little oil over top and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour or until brown on top.

Broccoli Kugel (gebrokts) 2 medium onions, diced 1/2 cup oil Take off stove, stir in 1/2 cup matzo meal 3 beaten eggs 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 16 oz. package frozen broccoli, defrosted (plan ahead

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by leaving it in the refrigerator overnight) Sauté the onions in the oil. Mix all the ingredients together, except broccoli, which you add last. Mix well. Bake in small casserole dish at 350 until done, at least 45 minutes.

This one started as a variation on the Broccoli kugel recipe above, but uses half the oil and doesn’t require sautéing the onions:

Spinach Kugel (gebrokts) 16 oz. package frozen spinach, defrosted (plan ahead by leaving it in the refrigerator overnight).

2 medium onions, diced 1/4 cup oil 1/2 cup matzo meal 3 beaten eggs 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper

1 onion 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon basil 1/2 t pepper 3/4 c white wine (optional) Salt the chicken and saute in oil in a large skillet or stewing pot. Add crushed garlic.. As chicken begins to brown, add small amounts of water, letting the chicken cook until the water is absorbed. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Strain tomatoes to remove seeds and pour over chicken. Add the onion, oregano, basil and pepper. Add wine (if using). Cover and cook slowly for about 45 minutes or until done.

Squeeze out excess water from defrosted spinach.

Mix it with the other ingredients.

Bake in small casserole dish at 350 until done, at least 45 minutes.

Lemon-Garlic Chicken

The following two chicken recipes from Miriam Peromsik are cooked on top of the stove recipes.

For years, she did not have an oven available for use on Pesach. Even if you do, they are handy to have if you need to cook on Yom Tov and only want to leave a burner on but not the whole oven:

Greek Stewed Chicken in Tomato Sauce 6 chicken cutlets

1/4 c olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed water salt, to taste 1 can peeled tomatoes (28-36oz)

1 tablespoon olive oil 6 raw boneless chicken breasts 4 cloves garlic, chopped Juice of one lemon 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute’ about 8 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Add garlic, saute’ 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, cover and cook for another minute or two. Remove from skillet and serve.

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Dairy and vegetable dishes from Jamie Geller

Cheese Pancakes These pancakes are an all-time favorite in my family—I even make them for dinner almost every week all year round.

1 pound farmer cheese 3 large eggs 3 tablespoons sour cream 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar ½ cup sugar 3 tablespoons potato starch Oil or nonstick cooking spray, for frying In a medium bowl, combine the farmer cheese, eggs, sour cream, sugars, and potato starch. Mix well.

Heat oil or cooking spray in a skillet over medium heat.

Pour a ladle full of the pancake mixture into the pan. Fry until golden, approximately 1-2 minutes per side.

Two Tone Zucchini Frittata (dairy) For those who don’t have many starch options but still want to start the day with something filling, these frittatas are a complete meal.

1 teaspoon oil, for sautéing ½ cup chopped onions 1 cup yellow and green zucchini, thinly sliced 3 large eggs, beaten ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup shredded cheese Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and sauté until golden. Add the beaten eggs but do not mix. Allow eggs to set. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Lower heat and cook until rim of frittata begins to turn brown. If your skillet has a plastic handle, cover with silver foil to avoid melting. Place skillet with frittata into a broiler and broil on high for 2-3 minutes.

Tip: If you do not have a milchig broiler or oven available on Pesach, leave the skillet over medium heat for a few more minutes until eggs seem to have set completely.

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Avocado Salsa (parve) Note: For those who don’t

eat peels on Pesach, soft skin peelers that are ideal for tomatoes are available. Avocados offer a refreshing twist for the palate and complement the egg and cheese dishes.

2 ripened avocados, diced ½ red onion, chopped 2 plum tomatoes, cut into small chunks 1 tablespoon lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste Combine the avocado, onion, and tomatoes.

Dress with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Jamie Geller, acclaimed cookbook author, partnered with Tamar Genger, MA, RD to make www.JoyofKosher. com is a recipe-sharing hot spot and launch a corresponding print magazine to be out this season. Online, members can post and save their favorite recipes and have them available anytime, anywhere with the click of a mouse. The site will also feature exclusive interviews and tips and tricks from leading chefs and food personalities as well as weekly contests with prizes. Registration at JoyofKosher.com is free and the new print magazine will be available at various locations all over the country and at newsstands nationwide. For more information, visit www.JoyofKosher.com. You can also follow on Twitter and get updates at Facebook.

We’ll end with desert recipe from Miriam Peromsik:

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

3 egg whites 1 pinch salt 1 c sugar 5 oz chocolate chips 2 T cocoa powder 1 tsp. vanilla (or packet vanilla sugar if you don’t have KFP vanilla extract on hand) Beat egg whites until peaks form. Beat in salt and sugar.

Stir in chocolate chips, cocoa and vanilla. Spoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet or use a silicone mat on the sheet. Bake at 275 for 30 minutes.

Additional recipes for Pesach and beyond at http://kallahmagazine.com/home%20front.htm

Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771

From Extraordinary to Ordinary: Post-Pesach Recovery

by Rabbi Chaim Brown

Let us look at how the Israelites reacted to the end fo their (see Netziv’s introduction to Sefer BaMidbar). R’ Tzadok first Pesach experience. The Midrash (Shmos Rabbah 24:2) haKohein in Machshavos Charutz (p. 9) writes that each teaches: time the Isaelites faced a test or a trial that became too difficult, they begged for a return to the experience of the “R’ Yehudah said - At that time Bnei Yisrael said, ‘Hashem Exodus, for a return to the pattern of the Shechina revealing took us out of Egypt for five things: to give us the spoils of itself and caring for their needs without their efforts as they Egypt, to carry us on the clouds of glory, to split the sea, had experienced during Yetziyas Mitzrayim. He radically to exact punishment on the Egyptians, and for us to sing reinterprets the refrain of “Nitna rosh v’nashuva” as not shira. Now, he already has given us the spoils of Egypt, a desire to return to slavery, but a desire to return to that carried us on the clouds of glory, meted out punishment to spiritual high which marked the Exodus form Egypt. the Egyptians, split the sea, and we sang shira, so let us return to Mitzrayim!’ Moshe said to them, ‘Hashem has said to me that you shall never see the Egyptians again as you In light of this interpretation of R’ Tzadok, perhaps have seen them this day’...” this same idea is being conveyed by the Midrash. Now that the roller coaster ride of Yetziyas I think there is an obvious lesson Mitzrayim, collecting the spoils of the in this Midrash that relates to the Egyptian army, seeing the splitting of “post Yom Tov” return to routine. the sea, and singing shira is over, Bnei Every Yom Tov is ideally a time Yisrael desired only to go back and reof spiritual growth and renewal, experience the same ride all over again. a time to become reinvigorated Once the heights of spiritual ecstasy with spirituality and Torah. Yet, have been tasted, it becomes hard to let after Yom Tov one faces the go of “extraordinary” and move beyond inevitable return to work and that to the “ordinary” mode of our daily school and business as usual - the matzah is hardly digested grind. Yet, this too is part of Hashem’s plan. Life is not on the eighth day when one is already swallowing those meant to be all spiritual highs, where we are carried daily first bites of pizza (see Ma’aseh Rav of the GR”A #185)! by the Shechina. We are responsible to make our own way We risk an attitude of “been there, done that” with respect through trials and burdens with the Shechina hiding in the to Yom Tov as we race to return to Mitzrayim, to resume the wings, utilizing the inspiration and excitement we carry same old habits that we had beforehand. Chazal are trying with us from those great heights that only sometimes we to teach us that the experience of a Yom Tov should leave merit to experience. an indelible impression; we should be wary so that we do not return to the same routine and habit as before, but carry “B’yom tova heyei b’tov, u’byom ra’ah re’eh” - “In the day with us some of that invigorating energy of matzah, maror, of goodness, be glad, and on a day of misfortune, consider” and Torah to improve the everyday life experiences that (Koheles 7:14). R’ Bunim M’Peshischa interpreted this to will remain after the holiday ends. mean that when you have a day of goodness, a Yom Tov, consider and look ahead then to the day of misfortune, Perhaps there is also a more subtle point to this teaching and take with you the inspiration to guide you through of Chazal. Not only here, but throughout the journey in the it. Not all of our days can be Yamim Tovim, but we can desert the constant refrain of the Isreaelites’ complaints draw from those days of tov that we have the guidance was “Nitna rosh v’nashuva Mitzrayma” - “Let us turn back and inspiration to carry us through the intervening weeks, to Egypt” We know that the journey through the desert was until we draw again close to the Shechina and experience a transition period between the spiritual high of the direct another Yom Tov. manifestation of the Shechina [Divine Presence] which took us out of Egypt and miraculously provided for every need For more articles by Rabbi Chaim Brown see http:// and the training of Bnei Yisrael to have the self-sustenance kallahmagazine.com/DivreiTorah1.htm and his blog necessary to build the Land of Israel through natural means http://divreichaim.blogspot.com/

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Kallah Magazine

Spring 2011/ 5771