Tazria 5771: I'm in a pure state of mind

A fun interpretation of the Torah, The Torah in Haiku.  There is also a book called the Haggadah in Haiku.  I would have quoted the author on this week's episode, except that I have not yet received his permission, so I am linking to his materials for you to look on your own!  http://www.thetorahinhaiku.com  

An article giving more "medical" information on what the diseases were that are mentioned in the parasha.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v2/n3/the-disease-that-shuns

I seem to have messed up my facebook page!  Sorry.  I will try to fix it!

Terumah 5771: Taking God on the Road

This  fabulous book by Author Moses Levine is a "must see". 

It is a great way to see what the Tabernacle discussed in this week's parasha might have looked liked.

You might enjoy seeing this commentary on the Parasha as well.

Please pass on the word about Torah Threads and leave your comments here.  It makes it much more fun for me when I hear what you are all thinking

Mishpatim 5771: Laws, Moral and Community Building

For more information about the Code of Hammurabi created approximately in 1700 BCE please see the following article.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi

A brief explanation of Jewish law as it is practiced today and its development into “Halacha” can be found here.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halakha

SULAM-LI:  The Religious School for Jewish Children with Special Needs Klezmer Concert and Dance party featuring Alicia Svigals’ Klezmer Fiddle Express and Dance Master Steven Weintraub will be on Sunday, February 6, 2011, at 1:00 PM.  Details can be found at SULAM-LI.org.

Bo 5771: Pesach, Matzah, Maror

Links to stories about the Samaritan Passover sacrifice which retains the traditions established in this week’s parasha for the Passover offering. 

http://www.haaretz.com/news/ancient-samaritan-sect-marks-passover-sacrifice-near-nablus-1.219497

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3394699,00.html

In the Passover Haggadah we are told in addition to mentioning the objects on the Seder plate, we have to make certain to mention, Matzah, Maror and Pesach (the Passover offering).  This is derived from this week’s parasha.

Trivia Question:  What do we put on the doorposts of our houses today that also commemorates an act that takes place in this week’s parasha?

Are you a bread maven?  Do you know anything about grains and their chemical reaction to rising agents?  If so please be in touch, I have a question for you!

Miketz 5771 Sibling Rivalry and Other Family Games Also, Hanukkah

 Show Notes Miketz 5771

Unfortunately the Hebrew does not print here...sorry.  (does anyone know how to fix it?)

The text of the Letter sent by Judge KimbaWood as quoted in the Wall Street Journal can be found here: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/111910woodorder.pdf

Video of my friend Addy playing on the Sesame Street Thanksgiving Day parade float can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/SqueakyClean34#p/a/u/2/mYgthSz6sqs

A great story from NPR about siblings which just goes to show that Joseph and his brothers are “normal” siblings.  NPR.org - Siblings Share Genes, But Rarely Personalities

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131424595&sc=emaf

Blessings for Hanukkah

Blessing over Candles

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
Blessed are you, Eternal Our God, sovereign of the universe

asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu
Who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us

l'had'lik neir shel Chanukah. (Amein)
to light the lights of Hanukkah. (Amen)

Blessing for Hanukkah

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
Blessed are you, Eternal our God, sovereign of the universe

she'asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamim haheim baziman hazeh. (Amein)
Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time

Shehecheyanu (first night only)

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam
Blessed are you, Eternal, our God, sovereign of the universe

shehecheyanu v'kiyimanu v'higi'anu laz'man hazeh. (Amein)
who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season (Amen)

Other Hanukkah Resources: 

Particularly for families with young children:

http://urj.org/kd/_temp/931218BB-907C-C5AA66C8B4ADAD033CD/HH_chanukah.pdf

The songs I mentioned in the podcast can all be found here:  http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Hanukkah/At_Home/hanukkah-songs.shtml

Good suggestions from the WW site that will help with the both the calorie count and the guilt. Well, maybe not the guilt

From my friend and colleague Rabbi Shira Stern

To get the most crunchiness out of your latkes without the huge calorie count, bake your latkes, and they will be just as crunchy.

1. Just make sure you squeeze the shredded potatoes over the sink to drive out all the starchy moisture. Then the cakes will become extra crisp when you bake them.
2. Always serve applesauce instead of sour cream. Bonus: this keeps them parve, if you need them to be.

 B. Latkes Recipes (WW)

 Apple/Potato Latkes

Ingredients

            1 large Yukon Gold potato(es), peeled  

            1 medium apple(s), such as Pink Lady, peeled, cored, quartered  

            4 tsp dehydrated onion flakes  

            1 large egg(s), beaten  

            1/4 tsp table salt  

            1/4 tsp black pepper  

            1/4 tsp ground cinnamon  

            3 spray(s) cooking spray  

            1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream  

Instructions

    * Shred potato and apple into a medium-size bowl using the fine-holes of a box grater or shredder; stir in onion flakes. Press out as much liquid as you can by hand; drain liquid. Set aside mixture for 1 minute and press out liquid again; drain again. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and cinnamon.

 ·      Coat a very large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into skillet and flatten each with the back of a spoon to make twenty 2-inch latkes. Leave at least 1 inch between latkes; you will have to do this in batches.

·      Cook latkes until golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Gently flip latkes with a spatula and cook until other side is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Carefully remove latkes to a serving plate; cover to keep warm and repeat with remaining ingredients. Top with sour cream and serve. Yields 2 latkes and 2 1/3 teaspoons sour cream per serving.

2. Baked Potato Latkes

 Baked Potato LatkesMakes 6 servings; 2 latkes per serving

POINTS® value per serving: 3

Ingredients

     * Cooking spray

      2 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, peeled

      3 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

      1/2 cup pasteurized fat-free egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters

      3 Tbsp matzo meal

      1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

      1 tsp salt

      1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

      1/2 tsp ground black pepper

 Instructions

·         Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a standard 12-indentation muffin tin with nonstick spray.

·            * Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the potatoes. Working by small handfuls, squeeze the shredded potatoes over the sink to get rid of any excess moisture. Place in a large bowl.

     * Stir in the shallots, egg substitute, matzo meal, thyme, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Divide the mixture into the 12 muffin indentations.

 ·      Bake 30 minutes. Spray the tops again with nonstick spray. Continue baking until browned and set, about 30 more minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Makes two latkes per serving.

 3. Curried zucchini latkes:

Makes 6 servings; 2 pancakes per serving

POINTS® value for 2 pancakes: 1

 Ingredients:

     * 2 large zucchini

      1 tsp salt

      1 small onion, peeled

      1/2 cup pasteurized fat-free egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters

      1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese

      1/2 cup matzo meal

      2 tsp curry powder

      1/4 tsp ground black pepper

      Cooking spray

 Instructions

     * Shred the zucchini through the large holes of a box grater, mix with the salt and place in a colander in the sink to drain for 15 minutes.

     * Working in small handfuls, squeeze the zucchini of any excess moisture, then place in a large bowl. Shred the onion through the large holes of a box grater and add to the zucchini.

    * Stir in the egg substitute, cottage cheese, matzo meal, curry powder and pepper.

     * Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and set it over medium heat. Make pancakes using 1/4 cup zucchini batter per pancake (only cook as many at a time as will fit comfortably in your pan; overcrowding will cause the pancakes to steam rather than brown).

     * Press down slightly on the pancakes, cooking until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer cooked pancakes to a warm plate and continue making pancakes in batches until all the batter is used. Makes 2 pancakes per serving.

 Sweet Potato Latkes:

Cooking spray

      4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled

      1 large onion, minced

      2 cloves garlic

      2 large eggs

      3 Tbsp matzah meal (more if the consistency is too thin)

      1 tsp salt

      1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

 Spray a pan to coat bottom: spoon out mixture, and fry til edges turn brown.

 Or … spray 2 glass dishes to cover surface;  bake in a 350 oven for 30 minutes; spray a light coating on top then flip them and bake another 30 minutes.

 C. Ginger Applesauce by Joan Nathan:

 1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 whole star anise, broken into points

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 Tblp fresh lemon juice

2 Tblps peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 pounds cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut in quarters

 Tie the cinnamon stick, cloves and anise in a piece of cheesecloth to make a sachet. Bring the sugar, water, lemon uice, ginger and spice packet to a simmer over low heat in a large saucepan.

Stir in apples. Increase the heat to high and bring to boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring often, until the apples are soft (15 mins.)

 Discard the spice packet. Mash the apples in the saucepan until chunky. Taste and add more sugar, if needed. Serve warm or chilled.)

Happy Hanukkah

Parasha VaYeshev 5771 Dreams and Dreamers

Show Notes

Parsha VaYeshev

Genesis 37:1-29:23

A few things got lost in my re-recording of the podcast.

I realized that last week we did not discuss Jacob’s name change to Israel.   So sorry…but we’ll get to it next year.  Just know that from here on in, the text uses both Jacob and Israel for the same person.  The family tree of Jacob’s offspring is listed below.

Jacob’s children by each wife

Leah: 

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah

Zilpah (Leah’s servant): 

Gad, Asher

Bilha (Rachel’s servant)

Dan, Naftali

Rachel:

Joseph, Benjamin

Jacob’s Children’s Birth Order: 

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naftali,

Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah, Joseph, Benjamin

The Psalm, Psalm 118, was a modified translation of the JPS translation.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Vayetzei 5771-Of Dreams and Mandrakes

In honor of Nofrat Frankel and in support of her as she and Anat Hoffman

deal with the aftermath of their arrests for daring to carry the Torah and wear a Tallit and pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

Prayer for Women of the Wall

May it be your will, our God and God of our mothers and fathers, to bless this prayer group and all who pray within it: them, their families, and all that is theirs, together with all women’s prayer groups and all the women and girls of Your people Israel. Strengthen us and turn our hearts to serve You in truth, reverence, and love.
May our prayer be as desirable and acceptable before You as the prayers of our holy foremothers Sarah, Rivkah, Rahel, and Leah.
May our song ascend to Your Glorious Throne in holiness and purity, like the song of Miriam the Prophet and Devorah the Judge, and may it be as a pleasant savor and sweet incense before You.
And for our sisters, all the women and girls of Your people Israel: let us merit to see their joy and hear their voices raised before You in song and praise. May no woman or girl of Your people Israel or anywhere else in the world be silenced ever again. God of Justice, let us merit justice and salvation soon, for the sanctity of Your name and the restoration of Your world, as it is written: Zion will hear and be joyful, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, over Your judgments, O God. And as it is written: For Zion’s sake I will not be still and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be silent, until her righteousness comes forth like great light and her salvation like a torch aflame.
For Torah shall go forth from Zion and the word of God from Jerusalem. Amen, selah.
Prayer by Rahel Jaskow is from Women of the Wall: Claiming Sacred Ground at Judaism’s Holy Site, copyright 2003 by Phyllis Chesler and Rivka Haut. Permission granted by Jewish Lights Publishing, Woodstock VT, www.jewishlights.com.

Life after Death coverage by Katie Couric:  http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7008848n

 

Mandrakes in Harry Potter:

"The cry of the Mandrake is very fatal to anybody who hears it"

—Hermione Granger

A Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a plant which has a root that looks like a human (like a baby when the plant is young, but maturing as the plant grows).

The real story of Mandrakes:
Mandrake is the common name for members of the plant genus Mandragora belonging to the nightshades family (Solanaceae). Because mandrake contains deliriant hallucinogenic tropane alkaloids such as atropine, scopolamine, apoatropine, hyoscyamine and the roots sometimes contain bifurcations causing them to resemble human figures, their roots have long been used in magic rituals, today also in neopagan religions such as Wicca and Germanic revivalism religions such as Odinism.
The mandrake, Mandragora officinarum, is a plant called by the Arabs luffâh, or beid el-jinn ("djinn's eggs"). The parsnip-shaped root is often branched. This root gives off at the surface of the ground a rosette of ovate-oblong to ovate, wrinkled, crisp, sinuate-dentate to entire leaves, 5 to 40
 centimetres (2.0 to 16 in) long, somewhat resembling those of the tobacco-plant. A number of one-flowered nodding peduncles spring from the neck bearing whitish-green flowers, nearly 5 centimetres (2.0 in) broad, which produce globular, succulent, orange to red berries, resembling small tomatoes, which ripen in late spring. All parts of the mandrake plant are poisonous. The plant grows natively in southern and central Europe and in lands around the Mediterranean Sea, as well as on Corsica.

Toldot 5771--Lentil Stew and Dysfunctional Families

Show Notes

Toldot 5771

Suri’s essay, while a commentary on Hayei Sarah is still pertinent to us as we read Toldot.  This was reprinted with her permission.

127 Heirs

BY: SURI STERN

Just this week, while sitting in my Advanced Wealth Transfer class, my professor, a Catholic, was relating to the class a case of a Brooklyn family, very wealthy,  who, as a couple, are  permitted by law to give $26,000/per person/per year. The IRS audited this estate because they felt that the $3,302,000 in annual gifts was too great.  The professor then had the task of showing the IRS that this couple had 7 children, and each child had many children, etc. until at this point, this couple had 127 heirs, to whom they were allowed to give $26,000/year tax free.  127 heirs?  How haphazard a number is that, the professor asked the class.

It's a small class, so I responded, it isnt haphazard at all, it is the number of years that Abraham's wife Sarah lived, and the number of Persian provinces over which Queen Esther reigned.  "So, the Professor replied, do you think the couple had this number of heirs purposefully.?"  I replied, "even if it was not the couple's exact intent, it was obviously G-d's intent."  A moment of silence, and we moved on.

There are no coincidences.  That this case came up this week made me pause.  It is midterm week, and the midterm problem was to take the $24mm estate and plan so that it could pass to the heirs estate tax free.

Sarah lived 127 years and each day of each year brought merit to future generations.  After all, she lived most of her life childless, she had no thought of transmitting her merits to her own children, she did it for us, for future children, whom she would never know.  She placed her merits in a Dynasty Trust for us all...so that generations later, it could merit another woman, Esther, who would also sacrifice herself for us.  She reigned over 127 provinces, in the merit of each of Sarah's 127 years.  She gave up her husband Mordechai and her nation and had a child with Achashverosh, who would permit the Jews to return to Eretz Yisrael and rebuild the Temple.

This week's Parshah states that "Hashem Bayrach et Avraham Bakol," that G-d blessed Abraham with it all.  Was it wealth that the parshah was referring to?  No.  It was children.  Finally he had a son who would inherit and take over his Jewish heritage.

As I plugged away at my midterm this week, bothering Jeffrey Rosenberg of Yale Brokerage to provide me life insurance numbers,  I thought of this Orthodox man with $24mm and 127 heirs, and I understood that his wealth was not from the former number, but from the latter number.

Good Shabbos.

Suri

Lentil Stew Recipe

Jacob’s Lentil Stew—But you don’t have to sell your birthright to eat it!

(Based on the Mediterranean Lentil-Eggplant Stew from the Sunset International Vegetarian Cookbook)

1 large onion

Olive Oil

Garlic (3-5 cloves)

1 large celery stalk thinly sliced

(You could also use a celery root sliced very thinly)

2 large carrots thinly sliced.

Basil 1-2 tsps

Oregano 1-2 tsps

Cilantro 1-2 tsps.  (better to use a bunch of fresh cilantro)

12 oz red lentils or brown lentils

2 cups water

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1-1/2 lbs of eggplant cut into ½ inch cubes

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste (optional)

¼ cup red win vinegar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt (optional)

1/8 teaspoon pepper (optional)

1-2 tsp ground cumin (optional)

Chopped parsley

Slice onion and sauté in 4-5 quart pot.  Add in onions, garlic, celery, carrots, basil, oregano and cilantro.  Sauté until onions are translucent and the carrots and celery are partially cooked.  Add the lentils, water and vegetable or chicken stock to the pot and let boil.  When the pot begins to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover pot and let cook for 1 hour.

While the pot is cooking heat a frying pan and use oil/and/or chicken broth to sauté the eggplant.  You can add in ground cumin and cover the pot until the eggplant is browned and softened.  After 1 hour add eggplant mixture to the lentils and also add the tomato paste, vinegar and/or red wine, cinnamon, salt and pepper.  Continue simmering for about 1 more hour or until the vegetables are tender.  Add more water and/or vegetable stock if the stew starts to stick to the pot.

You can serve this with couscous, quinoa or brown rice for a really hearty meal.

To learn more about Droit de seigneur and/or Primae noctis you can read this quick article at wikipedia.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droit_de_seigneur

Hayei Sarah 5771

I WON!  I won 5^th place in the novice spinning competition at the New York Sheep and Wool festival!

The Cave by Composer Steve Reich and Beryl Korot is a wonderful performance piece delving into the meaning and imagery of the Cave of Machepelah and its importance to our world today. http://www.stevereich.com.

Don’t forget to check out Forgotten Classics at:  hcforgottenclassics.blogspot.com to hear more from Robert Alter on the difficulties of biblical translation. 

You can now find Torah Threads at Itunes!

My Winning Skein of Yarn with its Ribbon!

Lech Lecha

Happy Birthday to me!  It was my birthday when I recorded this podcast….of course, when you listen to it…it will be over and I will simply be old.

Here is the link to the article about Jboomers.  http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/boomers_needs_being_neglected_communitys_peril

You can find Jboomers on Facebook.  If you are interested in attending the Jboomers Klezmer Brunch at City Winery on Nov 21, send a note to Jboomers through facebook.

New York Sheep and Wool, Oct 16-17 in Rhinebeck, NY.  You can look for my skein entries in the novice category.  (1 skein is purple and pink, the other two are grey, pink and blue and very sparkly).  Maybe I’ll even win a ribbon or something!  The last time I entered an artistic type contest was when I was 10  or 11 years old!  (I won!)

http://www.sheepandwool.com/

Thank you Linda Hirschhorn for giving me permission to play her song “Sarah and Hagar” as performed by Vocolot on their Album Heart Beat.   Heart Beat is available at Itunes.  You can find more information about Linda and Vocolot by clicking on the links below.

http://www.lindahirschhorn.com/

http://www.vocolot.com/

Two Contests

Donation Drawing:

If you donate to Torah Threads during the month of October you can win either a personalized yad or a skein of handspun wool.

You can send a donation by clicking on the paypal link at torahthreads.blogspot.com

Essay

If you submit a short essay about the relationship between the children Ishmael and Isaac, your feelings about the pre-ordained strife mentioned in this week’s portion and/or the implications of the strife arising from the relationship of Sarah and Hagar, you are eligible to win a personalized yad or a skein of handspun wool.  I will read the winning essay on a show in early November.  Please submit your essays to me at:  torahthreads@gmail.com

                                 

Our Sponsor, Frisky Lamb Farm is now taking orders for fresh, 100% grass fed, humanely raised lamb on our 75 acre pesticide free farm.  If you live in the Binghamton area you can pick up the meat directly from the farm.  If you live in NY, we can make arrangements for delivery in early December.

The chart below shows relationship of Torah to other forms of Jewish Literature.  More on this in the coming weeks

Show notes for Parshat Bereshit

For the audio feed click on this Torah Threads Link torahthreads.libsyn.com/rss


Thank you for joining me for our first week!  I am sorry there are some imperfections in the audio balance.  I will try to do better for the next one. 

The Torah portion for this week is Bereshit:  Genesis 1:1-6:8.

You can purchase the Plaut Torah Commentary, from URJ books and music.  There is a new revised edition and a travel edition.   http://www.urjbooksandmusic.com/product.php?productid=2086&cat=0&page=5

You should also own the JPS Tanakh.  It is the best available complete English translation of the full Hebrew bible.  There are many different formats available at:  http://jewishpub.org/product.php?terms=tanakh&search.x=0&search.y=0

(I am still trying to get permission to add the text for each week here).  Tell JPS I recommended you purchase the book from them.  Maybe I’ll finally get permission to use their text. 

I have added the widget for JPS’ audio Torah to this webpage.  However you should know, they control the feed.  It is set to only have the audio text available for each parasha for one week before it changes to the next portion. 

Books to consider reading:

Milton’s Paradise Lost with Isaac Asimov’s commentary or the audio edition available for free at librivox.org.

John Steinbeck’s East of Eden and Ernest Hemingway’s Garden of Eden might also interest you. 

Puff Pancake Recipe (with thanks to Ujjala Schwartz)

1 stick of butter

1 cup of milk

1 cup of flour

4 eggs

Vanilla and cinnamon to taste (I forgot to mention that in the podcast).

Cast Iron Skillet

Fruit and or Powdered Sugar for topping.

Heat oven to 425°.

Place stick of butter in cast iron skillet and place in oven to melt butter.

Beat Eggs, add in milk and flour and blend.

When butter is melted, pour the batter into the pan and replace in oven. 
Bake for 18 minutes.

While the pancake is baking, prepare fruit.  You can use fresh  or frozen berries, apples, bananas, lemon,  and/or nuts.

I like to sauté apples and walnuts in a pan with a little orange juice or butter.  I also zap some apples in the microwave for 3 or 4 minutes.  Defrosted frozen berries also work well. 

You can sprinkle the pancake with some powdered sugar.

Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Have a good week. Next week's  Parasha, Noah,  will be released on Sunday, October 3. 

Who am I and What to expect at Torah Threads.

 The RSS feeds are now working thanks to the brilliant diligent assistance of the staff at Libsyn!

Please listen to this audio feed about me and what I plan for Torah Threads before you listen to a parasha podcast.


You can also go to torahthreads.libsyn.com/rss to get the feeds directly.  

http://traffic.libsyn.com/torahthreads/who_am_i.mp3





Chag Sameach,

P

Sukkot

I just finished erecting my Sukkah for this year.  Each year I always plan to have it ready much earlier than three hours before Sukkot begins.  Each year I plan on creating a beautiful, Sukkah made of natural woods so that it would truly be a testament to the beauty of God's world.  I even designed a deck for my house which would have the Sukkah Frame built into it so that all I would have to do each year would be to hang beautiful wooden sides and the Sechach (branch covering).  Unfortunately those designs are still on paper because it was too expensive to build.  So, this year, as I have for the past 20 or so years, I pulled out the metal poles and canvas cloth Sukkah I bought in desperation when I realized my plans for something nicer were not going to come to fruition in time for the holiday.  My poor Sukkah is so sad looking.  I have lost some of the joins for the poles and have not been able to replace them.  So we now have the proverbial duct tape helping hold the Sukkah together.  The wonders of duct tape!

As I look at my sad little Sukkah sitting in my yard instead of the dream house Sukkah I wish were there, I think though, that because it is so weak and ugly, I will have greater appreciation for the meaning of this holiday.  For I know that there are hundreds of thousands of people all over this world who would love to have even the little bit of shelter my weak little Sukkah offers.  I know that there are people who would love to have a corner of my yard to call their own.   I know that the meals I will eat in it during the coming week will provide me with nutrition others lack.  When I was a child, we used to make strings of cranberries and popcorn to decorate the Sukkah,  Then I realized that food should not be wasted on Sukkot decorations. Instead of wasting food, I ran  food collections for the hungry.  It was a much more beautiful use of food.

Sukkot reminds us too of the travails of the our ancestors as the traversed the desert trying to find a place to settle in peace and security.  These thousands of years later we live in a world in which peace and security is not a reality for all people.  We live in a world full of mistrust, greed and violence.  We live in a world where hundreds of thousands of people go to sleep each night without knowing when they will have their next morsel of food.  But rather than sit and bemoan this sad state of affairs, there are things we can do.  We can give non-perishable foods to a local food bank.  We can donate to organizations like Mazon:  A Jewish Response to Hunger and AJWS:  American Jewish World Service who are working hard to alleviate the suffering of the hungry and the homeless.  While these small actions won't solve the problems of our world completely, they are definitely a step in the right direction.  So I guess my little Sukkah is just right the way it is....at least for this year.

Chag Sameach.  A joyous Sukkot Festival to you all.

P

P.S. One week to go until our podcast goes live!