Two Pesach links

First, Abacaxi Mamao gets a little nervous:

I went to the hardware store in search of an inexpensive pot for boiling water. My sister owns only fleishig [meat, or meaty if you're a Brit] pots for Pesach, and my aunt, the coffee devotee, needed something in which to boil water that would then be used to make coffee to which milk would be added. Hence, my quest.

The clerk at the hardware store questioned my desire to purchase "the cheapest pot you've got," so I (stupidly?) explained that I just needed it for Passover and it didn't need to be anything fancy, just something that would boil water.

"Oh, Passover," he said. "Where are you going to get the blood?"

Read the rest of the post to find out what happens.

And check out Lion of Zion, as he documents the once widespread practice of comparing bitter herbs to bitter women-- at the Pesach seder.

He captions the picture above as follows:

The wife holds a double-edged sword, alluding to Proverbs (4:5): "But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword."


Hag sameach and Shabbat Shalom.

Food shortages

Apparently matzah isn't the only food in low supply. On the radio this morning they interviewed an American about the grocery chain Costco, which is limiting the amount of rice people can purchase. She couldn't remember anything similar since the second world war. They then interviewed an Israeli food expert. He was reassuring, saying that Israel produces 1.5 times the amount of food that it needs. Of the excess, half goes to the Palestinian territories and half to the US and Europe. And even though we don't grow much wheat, we have more than enough potatoes to meet the country's needs. (Pesach all year round?) That is, he continued, assuming the price of water doesn't get too high. Israel's water situation is at a crisis level and as usual our leaders aren't paying much attention.

The thought of having excess food, while our neighbors (like Egypt) are having food riots because of rising costs, does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

I know why there is a matzah shortage

We have been hearing about the undersupply of matzah in the US, and couldn't find any in the store this morning here either. We could have scraped through our (one day--I can't help rubbing it in again) of Yom Tov but managed to scrounge some extra from friends. I figure someone got smart and and shipped a big order from Israel to the US earlier in the week.

The shortage was all caused by my father-in-law. He bought 10 or 15 pounds of matzah on sale at the supermarket before Pesach, stored it in his basement, and flew to Israel to be with his children. Hopefully no one will raid his house.

Oy Bay is covering the story.

My husband and I both recall that our families would never rely on being able to find matzah in the middle of the week. Where he lived, you put in your Pesach order in advance and that was it. In my hometown you could find Pesach products in stores, but the supply was sketchy.

Seven reasons I haven't been blogging over the holiday

I started several posts but could not be inspired to finish any of them. Below are the main reasons, one for each day of Pesach:

1. House guests.
2. H.A.D.
3. Husband and children on vacation.
4. A trip to the Hula.
5. Hot potatoes--cooking them, that is. Lots and lots of them.
6. Hordes of delicious book club books imported by said guests. The best so far is The World to Come by Dara Horn. And not just because her name starts with an H.
   
7. Hanging loose and enjoying the fun.

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday.

Happy Pesach

A month ago I committed to writing a post a day (bli neder) until Pesach; despite a few bad days I had fun and the blogging energized me enough to get through Pesach preparations. My readership substantially increased, although recently more than half of my hits came from people searching for a potato kugel recipe. And the LA Times Middle East blog page listed this blog on its sidebar--how cool is that?

Two things made me happy this morning: My son had washed the floor after I went to sleep, and my daughter offered to help iron his shirts (I'm allergic to ironing).

Despite a few rough moments, I confess to enjoying Pesach cleaning. I don't have the stamina I used to but the work seems to have gotten done. We can only hope that I didn't forget some crucial item.

Wishing all my readers, commenters and lurkers a beautiful, kosher, meaningful, relaxing, enjoyable, delicious and memorable Passover.

"Yayn Bechorim" -- The wine of the first-born

Today is Taanit Bechorot, the fast of the first-born, which commemorates the fact that Jews in Egypt were spared the tenth plague. Because this year the fast would have fallen out on Shabbat, it got moved up to Thursday. At any rate, no one really fasts. Instead, bechorot (first-born sons) attend a siyum exempting them. Just about every synagogue has one after shacharit (morning prayers).

What do you do if you are the parent of a bechor who is too young to fast? The father usually attends a siyum in his place. But I know of a woman who actually fasted on Taanit Bechorot; her husband was also a bechor, so she felt that the obligation fell on her. I don't know why she didn't just go to a siyum if she felt it was necessary. My husband is a bechor and I never fasted when my oldest was a baby. (And I didn't go to a siyum either.) I know there's not usually much to eat on the day before Pesach, but still.

As my husband was coming out of shul this morning a young woman drove up; she told him she had heard that it was possible to get "yayn bechorim" (wine of the first-born) at that synagogue. The woman explained that she was planning to drink it on Pesach, in lieu of fasting today. My husband had never heard of it. Have you?

We don't even remember. . .

West Bank Mama wrote about her favorite parts of Pesach. I think mine might be the end of the first day, after Yom Tov is over and I realize I don't have to make another seder.

After I wrote my last post it occurred to me that we must have had two sedarim the year my son was born in New York, so I asked my husband if he remembered the second one. He also drew a total blank. That was the last time we had two, because we made aliyah the following fall. Conclusion: The second seder is completely forgettable.

Actually, I do remember the second seder from when I was a child. My parents always invited an unmarried, elderly Reform professor, for whom the second seder may have been a bit of a novelty. Or perhaps they just figured he was lonely. My parents didn't like the fact that he came late every year so they finally decided to start without him. That solved the problem.

Once, when we came to the discussion of "Arami oved avi" (a wandering Aramean was my father) in the haggadah, he made a comment. "You know, X has made great strides in ascribing this passage to E instead of to P" (a reference to scholarship regarding the alleged different authors of the Torah). This topic did not interest my father; he acknowledged the comment and continued the seder.

Keeping kids interested in the seder

Received via a community email list:

We'd like to keep our 4- and 6-year-olds alert and excited for as long as possible during the seder. Acting out parts of the haggada has been suggested but we're drawing a blank on how to do this realistically yet without delaying the proceedings too much.
Has anyone out there in Cyberspace done this successfully in previous years? Can you share your ideas?
Also, any idea how to act out the MAKOT (plagues)?

Despite not doing anything unusual at our seder, our kids manage to stay awake. Our oldest set the precedent at his first seder at age 2.5 weeks. My parents were supposed to join us, but they had been in town for the birth and brit and couldn't bring themselves to make a second trip so soon. We declined an invitation to the seder, which was just as well, because our newborn stayed awake for the entire time; my husband and I took turns walking with him.

As for older children, it helps if they have learned about Pesach in advance, and have a pictorial haggadah. I've heard of props and quizzes, but I think the most important thing is to pay attention to them, explain the text on their level, and have them fully participate in every aspect of the seder including serving. After all, the seder is full of all kinds of interesting activities; we just need to point them out.

Another thing that helps: We serve only two courses and generally end by midnight. And don't forget the naps.

Please post any suggestions in the comments.

I've been H.A.D.

I'd like to propose a new category for the DSM-XIX: Hamsin Affective Disorder, exacerbated by Passover preparations.

Presenting case: Patient awakens to dishwasher parts strewn over the bathroom; floor covered with crayons, toys, papers and garbage bags; opened half-empty cabinets; counters covered with impossible-to-categorize items including bottles without covers, a six-year-old box of kosher gelatin, two half-open bottles of dish detergent, more dishwasher parts, and a bag of wrongly sized garbage bags.

Patient planned to escape and take assorted children to town to accomplish long-procrastinated errands, but when hit in the face by desert wind (that the forecaster assured her would be finished today), patient closed all her windows and shutters and seriously considered rolling into a ball and crying.

Pesach Crisis Cleaning

When it comes to Pesach I don't like to talk about where I'm "holding," because I don't want to hear that my neighbor has set her seder table while my house looks like a tornado ran through it. But those who are inspired by others' progress should look here.

This is for my readers who are having trouble getting started with Pesach preparations. It's all practical; no inspiring words tonight.

Mom in Israel's guide to Pesach cleaning

Make a schedule including a column for each day. Mark any appointments you have, and pencil in the Pesach chores that are left. Try to distribute the heavy jobs among different days, according to when you will have help.

Keep in mind that anything you plan to kasher must be cleaned carefully and cannot come into contact with hot chametz for 24 hours prior to kashering.

Anything not coming into contact with food does not need to be cleaned, only checked for edible chametz.

Here are the jobs, in some kind of logical order. Skip anything that doesn't apply to you.

• The refrigerator and freezer. Empty them and clean carefully.
• Chametzdik Menus. As you empty cabinets and the refrigerator/freezer, sort food into the following categories: Kosher for Pesach, eat before Pesach, sell (chametz), put aside (not chametz, but not KFP either), and give away/throw out. If you need more food, add it to your shopping list.
  
• Cover one shelf of the fridge and freezer with newspaper for the last of the chametzdik food.
  
• Cabinets. Empty out and line one or two cabinets for Pesach food as early as possible. Continue to prepare cabinets as you finish up the cooking and can put away utensils you no longer need. If you come across an item that you haven't used since last Pesach, give it away.
  
• Don't clean more cabinets than you need. Wipe off the crumbs and gook, and ignore stains. If it's convenient, put Pesach utensils in the cabinets as you prepare them.
  
• Bedrooms. The kids should do their own, if they are old enough. If you are compelled to clean every toy small children might use during the holiday, set aside a few and pack up the rest. Check backpacks, pockets, purses and drawers. Don't clean them.
  
• Plan menus for Shabbat and the seder. Make them simple. Mark down any items not on your standard shopping list.
  
• Shopping. The longer you wait, the more crowded the stores. Pick a calm, quiet time to write the list, and don't forget non-food items like toilet paper, dish and laundry detergent, candles, toothbrushes and cleaning supplies. Avoid going to more than one or two stores, and if no one in the family can help, go with a neighbor (at least in Israel).
  
• Set aside utensils to be kashered. Arrange for the sale of chametz.
• Clean the car. Or at least check it.
  
• Keep up with the household laundry. If the leader of your seder wears a kittel (special white robe) is it clean? Any summer clothes you want to take out? Ironing? Linens? Tablecloths and dish towels?
• Check that medicines are kosher for Passover.
  
• Scrub the top of the stove, grates, and knobs.
  
• Clean and kasher the oven.
  
• Clean and kasher the dishwasher. Since this involves taking it apart and cleaning a million pieces individually, you may decide it's possible to survive without it. Ours is electronic so the timer will be useless anyway by the time the seder rolls around this year.
• Vacuum the sofa, or at least pull up the cushions and look for chametz. Maybe you'll find something good.
• Polish silver. Not essential but nice--maybe you can find a pre-teen who is available.
  
• Haircuts and clothes shopping, if necessary.
• Kasher utensils.
  
• Finally, clean, kasher and cover the counters and sinks.
  
• Cook. Start with the items that keep well. As soon as I "turn over" the kitchen I make the mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs, and egg noodles. The kids make the "ice cream" (sherbet). (I bought two boxes of macaroons; no baking for me.) Then I do the soup, haroset, meat and vegetables, leaving the horseradish for last. I calculate the vegetables I need and prepare them at the same time. For example, if I need carrots for soup, pot roast and carrot salad, I peel them all at once. Chopped onions also keep in the refrigerator. I wash all greens at once, dry them on towels, and store in the refrigerator.
  
• Last minute items: Wash floors, empty garbage and vacuum canister, open packages, set timers, and check the refrigerator and cabinets for chametzdik food.
  

Allow time after every task to clean up and "put out fires" that have built up elsewhere, and to make sure your kids are fed and supervised. Get them involved whenever you can (this is a whole other post). Take frequent breaks to eat, drink, and rest. Alternate heavy and light jobs, sitting and standing. Try to sweep and do a light mop at the end of each day (ha).

Wishing you all happy cleaning, and pleasant memories of this time for ourselves and our children.

Preschool Pesach Project: Simplified Haggadah

M., my friend and co-playgroup mother, loves crafts. I thought you might enjoy her latest project.

It started when M. found some "matzah paper" in a store. She cut and folded the thin cardboard, decorated with a matzah pattern, to make the front and back cover of the "haggadah." On the front she wrote, "Happy and Kosher Pesach."

She then helped the little girls, aged 4, make and paste different symbols according to the sections of the haggadah. Our 5 and 6-year-old sons were at her house that day, and helped by writing the "text" in crayon.

The first page contains a foil cup, to illustrate the kiddush (sanctification) on the wine:

To illustrate hand-washing, the girls made hand-prints. The karpas is just painted paper, dipped in a shiny bowl of salt-water:
For maggid, the story of the Exodus that is the centerpiece of the seder, they pasted in a book and wrote "Haggadah shel Pesach." (Pesach haggadah)
Here's the second hand-print and that matzah paper again.

Maror is more painted paper, and korech is a one-dimensional paper sandwich. My son did not want me to post this picture, because his friend misspelled korech by writing it with a koof instead of a kaf. I promised him that I would let you all know the correct spelling (kaf, vav, resh, kaf sofit).
Here's the shulchan aruch (set table, for eating the festive meal); notice the fork and spoon. We also have the tzafun (hidden matzah).
You have to lift up the paper to view the afikoman (hidden matzah eaten for "dessert.")
Here we have another cup to symbolize the wine after Birkat Hamazon (blessing after the meal) and letters cut out from the girls' painted paper that spell out Hallel (songs of praise). My daughter says her cup was red, so we had to compare her hand to the prints to make sure we brought home the right haggadah. We had.

Here she had them paint over a stencil of Jerusalem, that she happened to have lying around. Doesn't everyone?

In case you're as clueless about these things as I am, M made the pages separately (on the clean side of printed pages, of course) and then stapled them back to back, in order, inside the cover.

I thought about writing a post about how to make Pesach if you haven't started yet, but I don't know if anyone would find it useful. Have a good week.

How did my mother do it?

Pesach-observant homemakers the world over are talking about turning over. Turning over the kitchen, that is. When they have finished most of the shopping, cleaning and kashering (making the stove, sink and counters kosher for Passover), they officially"turn over" the kitchen for Pesach. They might still have chametz around but from that point any serious cooking will be kosher for Passover.

My mother always turned over the kitchen the night before the Seder. After the bedikat chametz (search for leavened bread after nightfall) we brought down the Pesach dishes from the attic. My mother insisted that we wash them, and indeed they were covered with dust and the occasional bug. She rose early the next morning to put the roast in the oven (when I got married I learned that it's traditional not to eat roast meat for the seder--but she may have made pot roast). We ate chametz until the last minute, chosen from a tray on the breakfast room table. The children's job was to wash dishes, clean out our hairbrushes and garbage cans, and help prepare the seder plate. For lunch she fried potato latkes. Her Pesach food was easy to make and delicious. The table didn't groan from the quantities but no one left hungry either (but did I ever tell you about the soup?).

In another family, which shall remain nameless, the husband stayed up all night after bedikat chametz cleaning the oven. By the time the men left for shul in the evening, the wife was just starting to grate the horseradish for the seder plate. One of the children, on spending her first Pesach in a hotel, was shocked at the variety of food served for lunch on Erev Pesach. In her house, there wasn't any time, or anything, to eat.

At the opposite extreme, I grew up with someone whose mother "turned over" the kitchen so early that the family ate kosher for Passover food for an extra week.

My mother knew what she had to do and when. She neither procrastinated nor took on unnecessary chores. She did spring cleaning if she was able and let it go if she didn't. Most important, she didn't obsess over any one job. She did it to the best of her ability and crossed it off the list.

I can't keep it up

Too much shopping, cooking and cleaning. Sorry, Baila.

Although I think the KCC should count for at least two or three.

Free Pesach Shiurim on the Web

--------------------------------advertisement-----------------------------

I hope you are all coping well with your Pesach preparations. But if a spiritual and intellectual interlude sounds good to you, schedule some time on Sunday, April 13th. On that day (and night) Rabbi Brovender's Atid WebYeshiva is sponsoring a special series of Pesach Shiurim. You can even listen while you're cleaning--I won't tell.

Signup and participation is free.

Here's the line-up:

Rabbi Jeffrey Saks - 10:00am Israel time/3:00am NY time
Inclined Toward Freedom: On Leaning at the Seder

Mrs. Ilana Saks - 11:30am Israel time/4:30am NY time
"Because You Were a Slave in the Land of Egypt"

Rabbi Avi Weinstein - 1:00pm Israel time/6:00am NY time
Different Meanings of Freedom and the Festival of Freedom

Rabbi Moshe Morris - 5:00pm Israel time/10:00am NY time
The Halachot of When Erev Pesach Falls on Shabbat

Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky - 8:00pm Israel time/1:00pm NY time
Where Did Moshe Go? A View of the Haggada from the Vantage Point of Tanach

Mrs. Nomi Berman - 9:30pm Israel time/2:30pm NY time
The All-Nighter in B'nei Brak

Rabbi Yitzhak Zuriel - 11:30pm Israel time/4:30pm NY time
The Meaning of Rabbi Yehuda's Ten Plagues Simanim

Rabbi Yehoshua Geller - 1:00am Israel (April 14)/6:00pm NY time
Reading Maggid: Secrets to the Haggada's Midrash Encoding

Rabbi Chaim Brovender: 5:30am Israel time (April 14)/10:30pm NY time
Why is Moshe Rabbeinu Missing from the Haggada?

Click here for free signup.

How to get rid of five kilograms of flour in one week

One--Bake challah for Shabbat for our family
Two--Bake challah for my son's friend's family, who is hosting him for Shabbat
Three--Bake bread or rolls for the siyum that my son is hosting this week. A siyum is a celebration of the "completion" of the study of a tractate of the Mishnah or Talmud, or a book of the Torah. My son completed the Mishnah. I was hesitant about doing this so close to Pesach but I figure ten teenage boys means using up a lot of chametz.
Four--Bake cakes for the siyum and Shabbat
Five--Make quiche, pancakes, muffins?

All amounts are approximate, and we'll do the baking all at once, in a team. Am I the only one who spends more time cooking than cleaning this time of year?

Kosher Cooking Carnival #29: Pre-Passover Edition

Welcome to the April 7, 2008 edition of kosher cooking carnival.

Here are the previous editions:
#1,#2,#3,#4,#5,#6,#7,#8,#9,#10,#11,#12,#13,#14,#15,#16,#17,#18,
#19,#20,#21,KCCMetaCarnival,#22,#23,#24,#25,#26,#27.#28

Thanks to Batya for all of her hard work on the KCC. She will be hosting the May edition; WestBankMama in June. Contact Batya if you'd like to host. And thanks to all of the bloggers who contributed and submitted entries, including those who dragged out their Pesach cookbooks a little early.

Purim already seems like a long time ago, but you can save these for next year:

Learn about the traditional Purim food with The Origins of Hamentashen in Jewish Literature (Revisited) posted at the Seforim blog.

Yolanda Shoshana presents Cilantro Lime Rice posted at Kosher Soul Food. If you're sephardi you can make this for Pesach too.

Devo K presents Today's Photo posted at In the middle, on the right, about the challah she made for Purim.

Kreplach is another traditional food for Purim. The New York Times presents Missing Ingredient, Gone for Good - New York Times posted at NYT > Dining & Wine.

Keep this for the next time you're invited to a latke-hamantashen debate. Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Winning The Debate posted at Tip Dude.

Getting rid of Chametz

Traditional Jews clear out their pantries to get rid of chametz (leavened foods) and make way for the Passover food.

If you still have flour you can try Ima shalom's Recipe Friday: Bread Machine Challah posted at Ima Shalom.

Sarah presents Sugar Snaps posted at ~ Sarah's View ~.

Got pita? Cosmic X presents Two Minute Pizza posted at ****** Cosmic X in Jerusalem ******.


Preparing for Pesach

This year Passover begins on Saturday evening, April 19 and continues through Saturday evening, April 26. Those outside of Israel observe an additional day, Sunday, April 27. This year the preparations for the festive Passover meal are more challenging because observant Jews must finish all of the preparations for Passover a day early because of the Sabbath.

The Rebbetzin's Husband presents Erev Pesach on Shabbat at
The Rebbetzin's Husband.

Dixie Yid presents Achieving Harmony at the Pesach Seder - Part 1 posted at Dixie Yid - Thoughts on life and Chassidus.

Tzipiyah presents Starting Pessah Cleaning posted at Tzipiyah.com.

Frumstepper presents Egypt and the 12 Steps posted at Frumstepper.

Here's something different: Skull-A-Day: 270. Matzo Skull A.K.A. The Skull of Affliction posted at Skull-A-Day.

If it's art you like check out Passover Postcards posted at DubiQuilts - Quilts and Fiber Arts.

Yolanda Shoshana presents Jewish Holiday Cooking posted at Kosher Soul Food.

Phyllis presents Ima on (and off) the Bima: It's That Time of Year Again... posted at Ima on (and off) the Bima.

Adena presents Passover is coming posted at MotherThoughts.

Toronto Pearl presents PPS*... posted at pearlies of wisdom.


Pesach—Kashrut and Customs

Batya presents Oy Gevalt, Kitniyot posted at Shiloh Musings.

Soccer Dad sent in Wall Street Journal tastes kosher (including Israeli) wines posted at HaKerem: The Israeli Wine Blog.

Frumhouse presents A Pesach Memory posted at Little Frumhouse on the Prairie. I think the alternative title should be "How to keep your kids from getting a shidduch."

ProfK presents To Brok or Not to Brok, That is The Question posted at Conversations in Klal.

David Linn presents Back to the Shmurah Matzah Bakery posted at Temunot.

Passover is a rough time for people with food allergies and sensitivities. Bythebay presents a New Source for Gluten-Free Oat Matzo posted at Gluten-Free Bay.


Pesach Recipes

If you are looking for something unusual check out Passover Preparations posted at Baroness Tapuzina.

Who would expect to find beef with kosher-for-Passover beer at a blog called Kosher Vegan Lasagna? You'll find that and more at Pesach Recipes.

Ilana-Davita presents Salmon in Curry Sauce posted at Ilana-Davita.

Yolanda Shoshana presents Kosher Soul Food: Passover the recipes... posted at Kosher Soul Food.

Ariella Brown presents Pesach recipes -- desserts, main, and sides all gebrokts posted at Kallah Magazine: the blog for the magazine.

Robin presents Turning up the heat - Passover Recipes posted at Around The Island.

triLcat presents Pesach Food posted at triLcat Talks about Writing, Literature, and Her Life..


Leora presents One Potato, Two Potato posted at Here in HP.

ProfK presents Where Pesach is, there Recipes Also Reside posted at Conversations in Klal.

frumhouse presents Bat Ami Yiffat Laila Yemenite Charoset Recipe For Passover - Pesach posted at Bat Ami Yiffat Laila...Means...Daughter of my People Beauty as the morning dawn

Schelly presents Carrot-Coconut Vichyssoise at Preparing for Passover posted at Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog.

sylvia_rachel presents Soup! posted at The Trailing Edge.

Raggedy Mom presents Two Pesach Recipes posted at Raggedy Mom.


Pesach Desserts

Leora presents Sponge Cake Recipe posted at Here in HP.

Jewish Blogmeister presents Kosher For Passover: Fancy Desserts: Easy Recipes posted at Jewish Blogmeister.

Steven presents Matzos that’s SOFT?!? posted at Renegade Kosher Cooking.

Ilana-Davita presents My Pesach Chocolate Cake posted at Ilana-Davita.

Tzvee presents Bernice's Favorite Pesach Recipe: Peach Kugel posted at Tzvee's Blog.

sylvia_rachel presents Two Pesachdik dessert recipes posted at The Trailing Edge.


Not about Passover:

I'll end with a few posts not connected to any holiday:

Saifuddin presents Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek Çorbasi) posted at Hakim Abdullah.

Jenny gives us a way to Share The Food You Love posted at the so called me.

Esther provides an alternative KCC at MY URBAN KVETCH: The Jewish Blogger Recipe Virtual Collective posted at MY URBAN KVETCH.

Going to Paris? Check out Food/ Kosher in Paris, 2008 posted at Michel Gurfinkiel.

Ibn mordechai talks about waiting between meat and dairy at Do We Have to Wait? posted at Da Kani Ma Chaser?.

Steven presents Kinda Renegade Coffee posted at Renegade Kosher Cooking.

Wishing you all a joyful, meaningful, kosher and delicious holiday.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
kosher cooking carnival
using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: kosher cooking carnival, blog carnival.

Turning up the Heat--In the Kosher Kitchen

Update: I noted below who was already "yotzei." I received many fantastic contributions from a variety of blogs; if you got a receipt you can assume yours arrived. Please try to get it in by late Saturday night.

In my previous post I wrote about strengthening our local community. Now I am offering you a chance to strengthen your cyber-community.

On April 7 I will be hosting the next Kosher Cooking Carnival. Thanks to those who have submitted posts already, especially Frumhouse, who located a slew of interesting Pesach posts from a variety of blogs.

If recipes aren't your thing, you can submit a post on Pesach preparations, kashrut, Pesach memories, food traditions and more.

I'm naming names! We're looking forward to your contribution.

Ima Shalom (consider this a joint invitation)
Ill Call Baila
Therapy Doc
Juggling Frogs (Come back, please)
Hydrangeas are Pretty
Trilcat
Leora yotzei! (obligation fulfilled)
Frumhouse yotzei!
Sephardi Lady
Pesky Settler (who submitted a chametzdik post)
ProfK yotzei!
Raggedy Mom
Aidel Maidel
Around the Island
Mommy's Going Meshuggeneh
Ima on (and off) the Bima yotzei!
Sylvia-Rachel
Jameel
Rafi
Soccer Dad
Jack (There's your link and my request.)
Kallah yotzei!
West Bank Mama
Emahs
Safranit
Square Peg
Coffee and Chemo
My Shrapnel
Lion of Zion
Raanana Ramblings

It's Friday (despite the date of the post) so I'll stop here but please consider this a personal invitation, even if I didn't mention you.

If you like you can paste the following straight into your blog--see how easy I made it for you? I hope it works--Blogger wouldn't let me paste in the actual html.

A Mother in Israel will be hosting the next Kosher Cooking Carnival on April 7, so get cooking! Topics will include Pesach recipes, kashruth on Pesach, preparing for Pesach, Purim accomplishments and recipes for getting rid of hametz. And anything else relating to kosher cooking. You can submit your own posts here, as well as any other posts you would like to recommend. Check out the most recent one, KCC #28 over at Frumhouse. Special thanks to Batya, who organizes the whole thing.

A post about the weather, and a bit about the Jewish calendar

Today the high in Tel Aviv is scheduled to be 36° Celsius, or about 97°. Those of you who are new to Israel might think that summer has started. But spring is still ahead of us, albeit interspersed with a few more chamsinim (hot, dry spells followed by a fierce wind sprinkling a thick layer of sand over everything). My sister-in-law told me that the word chamsin comes from Arabic for 50, because it occurs during the seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot (we're talking about Jewish Arabic speakers here, obviously). Remember that Pesach is late this year and as the first full moon after the spring equinox has just passed, we should have had our seder already. That's why some others are already celebrating their spring holiday. That crazy leap year. Anyway, we shouldn't give up on spring, my favorite time of year here in the "suburbs" of sunny Tel Aviv.

There are only three seasons in Israel: summer, winter and spring. The Hebrew word for fall, stav, means winter in ancient Hebrew. Fall doesn't exist. Spring, though, is wonderful, with cool evenings and warm and sunny days.

So while it's probably safe to put away the warm undershirts and flannel sheets after the coldest winter in years, you'll likely want access to your long-sleeved t-shirts well into May. Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to miss them come June.

I've read that because of desert expansion, the hamsinim have not been sticking to the calendar lately. We have experienced them in December, but nothing as severe as today. In the meantime, here are some suggestions for dealing with a hamsin, or sharav as it's known in Hebrew. Feel free to add more in the comments.

• Close all of your trisim (shutters) and windows during the day. Leave a tris open a peek for light, or turn on a small electric light (preferably florescent). This will keep the sun, air and sand out, and we avoided using the a/c. Israeli homes are built to withstand the heat more than the cold, so you may as well take advantage of it. You can open everything up at night, but beware of the sand.
  
• For drinking water, we freeze half-full bottles and fill them with tap water. That way they stay cold while the refrigerator stays closed.
  
• Don't leave out any food out as it will dry up in mere seconds.
  
• You can hang laundry if you can stand being outside, but only if there is no sand. I think some veteran Israelis will dispute this one.
  

And speaking of the calendar, we're heading into the "clock of the summer" this Thursday evening. As usual, it coincides precisely with the date that Shabbat is starting to "come in" at a normal hour.