Gone for Passover!

Hi, guys…

Passover begins tonight (Monday March 25, 2013) at sunset.

(Baking handmade shmura matza for Passover)

I will be in Toronto for a little over a week.

Have a happy, kosher and joyful Passover.

(The Passover seder table)

I’ll should be back Wednesday April 3.

See you then!

Read Full Post »

Rosh HaShana – Going into Total Jew Lock Down

Well, boys and girls – geeks and nerdlings – it’s that time of year again!

The Jewish holidays will soon be fast upon us. (Is that a redundancy?)

This coming Jewish year (5773), all of the seven (count ‘em – SEVEN!) Jewish holy days between September 16 and October 10 will fall on week days.

I will be spending almost all of them in The Heart of the Old World (i.e. the area of Bathurst Street between Lawrence and Wilson avenues)

As such, this blog (along with its ‘sister blog’ Vampyre Fangs) won’t be posting articles as per its regular Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.

It’s a Jew thing.

Not to worry. I will return to my usual full schedule by the middle of October, all refreshed and spiritually revived.

Wish all of my readers the best, now and always. Thank you for popping by and reading my musings.

As they say in the Vatican, “Gutt yontiff! A gutten un a gezinter yor! A gebentshed un a zeeser yor!”*

____________________________________________________________

* Translation (from Yiddish): “Happy holy day! A good and a healthy year. A blessed and a sweet year!”

Read Full Post »

Tisha B’Av begins at sunset this Saturday night

The ninth day of Av  (Tisha B’Av) is perhaps the saddest day in the Jewish calendar.

It is the day we commemorate and mourn the tragic events that occurred on that day.

(Romans carrying the Menorah taken from the Temple of Jerusalem)

Tisha B’Av in History

On Tisha B’Av, many national calamities occurred:

• During the time of Moses, Jews in the desert accepted the slanderous report of the 12 Spies, and the decree was issued forbidding them from entering the Land of Israel. (1312 BCE)

• The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar. 100,000 Jews were slaughtered and millions more exiled. (586 BCE)

• The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans, led by Titus. Some two million Jews died, and another one million were exiled. (70 CE)

• The Bar Kochba revolt was crushed by Roman Emperor Hadrian. The city of Betar — the Jews’ last stand against the Romans — was captured and liquidated. Over 100,000 Jews were slaughtered. (135 CE).

• The Temple area and its surroundings were ploughed under by the Roman general Turnus Rufus. Jerusalem was rebuilt as a pagan city — renamed Aelia Capitolina — and access was forbidden to Jews.

• The Spanish Inquisition culminated with the expulsion of Jews from Spain on Tisha B’Av in 1492.

• World War One broke out on the eve of Tisha B’Av in 1914 when Germany declared war on Russia. German resentment from the war set the stage for the Holocaust.

• On the eve of Tisha B’Av 1942, the mass deportation began of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, en route to Treblinka.

(To this day. Jews pray at the Kotel [Western Wall] – what remains of the ancient Temple compound)

The Tisha B’av fast begins Saturday, July 28th at sunset. It ends approximately 24 and a half hours later, Sunday night. Check for local times in your area.

May you have an easy fast and may HaShem protect and save the Jewish people from the hands of those who wish to destroy us.

(My son at the Kotel)

Read Full Post »

Jamie Oliver’s Simple Summer Spaghetti

Saw this over at Jamie Oliver’s website. Sounds wonderful, especially on hot days when you don’t feel like doing a lot of cooking.

A really simple, quick and amazingly tasty pasta dish which always hits the spot and will impress your mates. Try baking some fish filets over the herby tomatoes… it’s fantastic.

 (© David Loftus)

Ingredients

• 500g mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 150g good black olives, stoned
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• a bunch of fresh lemon basil, leaves picked
• a bunch of fresh marjoram, leaves picked
• 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 400g spaghetti or linguine
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

In a large bowl, scrunch the tomatoes with your hands to slightly mush them. Mix in the olives, garlic and vinegar. Tear in the basil and marjoram leaves and pour in the olive oil. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain and quickly toss in with the tomatoes. Call your guests around the table, then taste the juice at the bottom of the bowl and adjust the seasoning if you feel it needs it. Serve right away.

Stay cool!

Read Full Post »

Quick & Easy Purim Hamantashen

This Wednesday night, March 7, marks the beginning of the Jewish festival of Purim, commemorating the events of the biblical Book of Esther in ancient Persia (now Iran). The wicked Persian premier, Haman, plotted to wipe out all the Jews (sound familiar?) but was ultimately thwarted. Purim falls into the “they tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!” category of Jewish festivals and holidays.

As part of the celebration, Jews traditionally bake three-sided fruit or poppy-seed filled turn-over cookies called ‘hamantashen’ (also spelled ‘hamantaschen). Their triangle shape is because it is believed that a tri-cornered hat was worn by the wicked Haman (i.e. the ‘Haman’ in ‘hamantashen’).

In the spirit of the festival, I offer you Chabad‘s ‘Quick & Easy Hamantashen’ recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package moist yellow cake mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons water

Fillings:

1 cup fruit jam (any flavour) or 1 cup prepared poppy-seed filling or 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and flour. Stir in the eggs and water to form a stiff dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut into 3 inch round circles and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Place a teaspoon of filling into the centre of each cookie and pinch the sides tightly to form three corners so that only a little filling is visible. Moisten with water, if necessary.
• Bake hamantashen for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.
• Allow cookies to cook for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe yields 2 dozen hamantashen.

Read Full Post »

Just in Time for Valentine’s Day: The Science Behind the Kiss!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Sheril Kirshenbaum [1], science writer and author of the recent book, The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us, sheds light on exactly what goes on biologically when we lock lips. Kissing basically “acts like a drug by stimulating the natural chemicals in our bodies, yet unlike other human behaviors, science has barely begun to ‘put kissing under the microscope’ to study this intriguing evolutionary behavior,” says Kirshenbaum.

(The most famous kiss ever photographed – Times Square, August 14, 1945)

As recently reported in that bastion of scientific journalism, the Huffington Post, “Our lips are packed with sensitive nerve endings so that even the slightest brush sends a flurry of information to our brains that often feels very good. Although we often don’t think of them in this way, our lips are the body’s most exposed erogenous zone. When they are involved in a passionate kiss, our blood vessels dilate as our brain receives more oxygen than normal. Our pulse quickens and our breathing can become irregular. Our cheeks flush as our pupils dilate causing many of us to close our eyes. Five of our 12 cranial nerves jump into action as we engage all of OUR senses in interpreting what’s going on and anticipating what may happen next.”

(My personal all-time favourite – the upside-down Spidey kiss)

When there’s real chemistry between two individuals, a kiss sparks romance by triggering a cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitters that cascade through our bodies and brains! (Actually, that sounds kinda hot in a nerdy biochemical sort of way). Thusly (people don’t say ‘thusly’ enough), locking lips with our respective sweetie-pies serves as humanity’s most intimate experience because it conveys more than our words can possibly express. It’s nature’s ultimate litmus test telling us when to pursue a deeper connection with someone special or to step back because we’re incompatible with a partner.

And understanding the science behind how this happens doesn’t take any magic out of the moment. Well, not for me at any rate. Instead, it provides a better understanding and appreciation of our ourselves and our relationships.

So in this super-smoochy lovey-dovey ‘food tastes better when I’m with you’ time of year, let us not forget to blow kisses to the Sheril Kiershembaums of the world who remind us that, like the wonder of a kiss, science is indeed all around us.

____________________________________________________________

[1] Ms. Kiershenbaum is also Director of the University of Texas Project on Energy Communication (or as she puts it, “communicating science to a nation watching reality television”) and appeared last year as a speaker at TEDGlobal 2011.

Read Full Post »

A Latkarrific Sufganiyotastic Hanukah in Toronto!

As usual, I spent the Jewish Sabbath this past weekend in Toronto.

This year, the Xmas holidays spilled over into the following Monday and Tuesday. Also, I was able to leave work very early Friday morning, so I had the good fortune to spend most of Hanukah in The Heart of the Old World! Woohoo!

(Latkes – aka Jewish hashbrowns)

Depending on your taste, we were either blessed or cursed with a snow-free holiday season. For me, this was just fine. Now while I despise heat and sunshine, I am also no fan of snow and ice. Most of the festive week, therefore, was a kind of grey overcast cool damp depressing wonderful time. Couldn’t have asked for more!

(Sufganiyot – aka Jewish doughnuts)

It was a great week with friends, loved ones and, of course, my SigOth, SG. A blur of Hanukah parties, blended-family get-togethers, synagogue services, shopping, shiurim, meals with friends (new and old) and loved ones, and good old-fashioned quantity time together.

Today is the last day of Hanukah. May everyone continue to have a joyous and blessed holiday season, filled with happiness, love and good times!

Read Full Post »

Der Meshigineh Hint Meets His Match!

OK… Right off the bat, introductions of sorts are in order.

The Cast of Characters

Exhibit One: My daughter, 22-year-old university graduate, planning to make aliyah (i.e. emigrate to Israel) in the very near future.

T.A.: Exhibit One’s Israeli boyfriend from the seaside city of Ashdod (south of Tel Aviv). Surfer dude. In Canada for a visit.

Exhibit Two.: My son, 19-year-old university student, presently on end-of-year break.

S.G.: My significant other (a.k.a. SigOth, a.k.a. girlfriend)

(Bentley – Der Meshigineh Hint)

Bentley (Der Meshigineh Hint): (Yiddish: The Crazy Dog): My son, Exhibit Two’s dog… a bizarre cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Mastiff. Big, slobbery, overly-friendly, über-snuggly, has no concept of personal space, and nosy to a fault.

Rina: An ill-tempered parrot. Presently residing at the house of my girlfriend, S.G. (see above), it belongs to a Rabbi of our mutual acquaintance.

Scene: SG’s House (Toronto)

‘Twas the night before Hanukah and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…

Yeah, right… and then I woke up!

My dear darling SigOth, SG, had the kind-hearted and generous, yet misplaced, hospitality to invite me and The Kiddie-Winkers (i.e. Exhibits One and Two, along with my daughter’s boyfriend, T.A.) over to her house for a pre-Hanukah family get-together with her and her kids, BE and ES.

It sounded like such a good idea. The extended-blended Fam coming together for a warm, cozy, haimish (i.e. homey) evening. What could go wrong?

The fly in the proverbial ointment, the wrench in the works, the banana peel on the sidewalk, as it were? The Livestock.

And I’m not referring to the rodent rodeo down in the basement… the assorted rabbits, gerbils, etc.

I’m referring to two unexpected animal guests… Bentley (The Hound of the Baskervilles) and Rina (The Squawker that Devoured Cleveland!

(Rina – a bird with NO sense of humour)

SG was bird-sitting for several days while Rina’s owners were out of town.

Exhibit Two didn’t want to leave Bentley home alone because, when left to his own devices, Bentley leans toward the ‘destructive when bored.’

Rina lives in this elaborate and quite large bird palace. Rina is known to squawk rather loudly and enthusiastically.

Exhibit One is not a fan of loud noises, especially of the sudden and unannounced variety. Oh, and did I mention that Exhibit One also has a mild case of ornithophobia?

Rina is usually confined to her spacious and well-appointed cage, constantly aware of her surroundings, especially the people near her. Bentley, on the other hand, basically wanders around in a kind of stunned cloud of his own making.

I suppose a clash was inevitable but I did not expect it to be so sudden. No sooner had Bentley entered SG’s house than he strolled over to the Parrot Palisades to check out the occupant in his own inimitable ‘up close and personal’ manner.

Bentley is not a small dog. Huge pretty well sums him up.

(Bentley’s honker before Rina’s impromptu rhinoplasty procedure)

Rina, always in a foul (no pun intended) mood, upon seeing Bentley’s oversized schnozz giving her the olfactory once over, wasted no time in expressing her displeasure. Her can-opener of a beak was clamped onto Bentley honker in a flash, leaving no doubt in his mind as to who the alpha animal was in SG’s house.

I am sure the neighbours all heard his piteous cries of pain and surprise.

Exhibit One jumped vertically, a good 18 inches clear of the sofa cushions. A personal best. Luckily, TA was nearby to catch her on re-entry.

BE and ES said words to the effect of “Holy Smokes! Did you see THAT??”

Exhibit Two executed the perfect Face Palm.

SG and I merely sighed and shook our heads.

Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season. May it be filled with good times together with friends and loved ones!

Read Full Post »

Santa’s Carbon Footprint (The Dark Side of Xmas)

The enviro-geeks at Ethical Ocean have delved into the serious issue of Santa’s carbon footprint.

Seen by millions as a jolly old soul, this bearer of gifts and muncher of cookies also has a dark side – a dark, polluting side that the environmental movement must address.  For centuries we have allowed this to occur every single year but the toll now is too great. Just look at these troubling conclusions.

(To see the full-size info-graphic, click here, then click on the image to enlarge it)

According to the study, “In just one night, Santa releases almost 69.4 million metric tons of carbon emissions. That is roughly the amount of annual carbon emissions produced by the country of Qatar.”

Some disturbing details:

• A team of seven-foot tall tundra reindeer will emit 40,668 metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide during their 122 million mile trip. Much like cattle, reindeer produce methane through normal animal digestive functions, which is 21 times as potent a greenhouse gas as carbon dioxide.
• The typical lump of coal found in a naughty child’s stocking weighs approximately six ounces. If 1/5 of all children in the world are on the naughty list, 75,000 tons of coal will be left in stockings. 37,111 tons equivalent of carbon dioxide was released in the mining of that coal in the form of methane gas. Another 194,591 metric tons will be emitted if they choose the burn the coal Christmas morning;
• The Christmas Eve tradition of leaving out milk and cookies comes at a cost to the environment. It takes 900 and 750 grams worth of carbon emissions per kilogram of food to produce milk and cookies, respectively;
• Toys are, by far, the top contributor of Santa’s carbon footprint. From the initial production and assembly to the packaging and eventual disposal, toys for good children will release 68.1 million metric tons of CO2.

Just think about this next time you wish for old St. Nick to drop off prezzies to you and all the other little kiddie-winkers out there. Your moment of Christmas joy comes at the expense of our environment, our future and the lives of our grandchildren!

Add that to the visions of sugar plums dancing in your head as you sleep Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas!

Read Full Post »