Shabbat Shalom!

Ciao Blogos,

How's everyone doin'?

I had a superb weekend in Tel Aviv. Relaxing, good company and stellar food. What more can a gal ask for? We took a bus of HUC students yesterday morning and spent the day trying to survive the heat. Whew! Was in 90's plus bad humidity- "too darn hot..."

I went with a group of 10 students on a lovely walking/historical tour of Neve Tzedek. We made our way through the old streets and ended up at the green market at the old train station. From there headed over to the shuk which was over-crowded and intense due to the Shabbat rush, even for me.

I met a friend of mine, Reut, for lunch on Sheinken St.- great to catch up with her. Then headed to the beach for a while to meet up with some HUC people. I should note that I had already been dripping with sweat from the heat for HOURS. It was almost too hot for the beach. Water was even hot. Yikes.

Last night we all went to the Beit T'filah Yisraeli service on the namal (port). My friend/classmate Andrea sang in the service- beautiful, as always. They draw a huge crowd in the summer- hundreds of people gather. It's the most beautiful setting for a service- the sun setting over the ocean in the distance and the sound of the sea- stunning. I have taken a million pictures of that same exact scene and it never gets old. I absolutely love it. People didn't sing so much last night which was sort of upsetting to me, but I still enjoyed the service- especially the musicians. They add in several Israeli songs/melodies- scattered throughout Kabbalat Shabbat. The highlight is "What a Wonderful World" sung in Hebrew. "Eh-zeh ach-la o-lam." Gets me every time.

After the service, a group of us went to Benny Hadayag for dinner on the namal- an awesome fish restaurant. I split a 2.2 pound whole fish- sea bar. Unclear if that is the real name of the fish or a bizarre Israeli translation. Nonetheless, one of the best fish I've ever tasted. Delicious. They kept bringing an assortment of about 20 salatim and we also had a few spectacular desserts. It was an indulgent and totally worth it meal. I will definitely be visiting Benny the Fisherman again!

Today I went to the beach again- a great way to spend Shabbat. Incredible people watching. I love seeing all of the Israeli families together on the beach on Shabbat. It's so different than a Shabbat in Jerusalem, but equally restful and rejuvenating.

Today was a much better beach day- cooler, heavy breeze and huge waves. It was lots of fun wave jumping and hanging in the ocean. Took me back to the old St. Martin days...the lifeguards were having a field day with the waves, blowing their whistles and screaming at everyone, trying to get them to stay between the cones in the designated swim areas. Israelis don't pay attention to rules and certainly not to life guards, so that was amusing.

About to gear up for another week at school- only a few left.

Hope all is well with everyone and you are enjoying summer. When July is over, we can pretty much kiss the summer goodbye, so enjoy it while it lasts. Why does it always go by so quickly? No other season passes like summer. Especially winter...what's up with that...

שבת שלום.

לםלי

July Ba'aretz

Greetings friends and blogos!

Wow, it has been two weeks since I sat down to write my last post. It's been so busy!

Maybe I'll start with the most recent and move backwards in time...

Amy and I just returned from a mini two day tiyul to the North. It was absolutely awesome- Rejuvenating, relaxing and came at the perfect time. We were exhausted from a long week of orientation and the north was calling...we rented a car and left Jerusalem Sunday late morning. The ride was stunning- gorgeous mountain views, lush greenery and a crystal blue Sea of Galilee completed the picturesque driving backdrop. Our ride up was pretty smooth, aside from being stopped at one of the security checkpoints coming out of West Bank road. I stupidly didn't bring a passport, so they had us go through some extra security measures. No biggie, but I did want to tell them they picked the wrong people to be suspicious of...

We drove all the way up to the mystical city of S'fat. Amy is not a fan, but she indulged my need to visit anyway. I had to get my Judaica artwork shop on! And shop I did. Picked up a few treasures and eyed a Tallit that I've been dreaming about for a few years...white with purple pomegranates. Resisted temptation to purchase the Tallit- decided to wait and continue the search before committing. It was nice to walk around- said hello to the wife of the artist who made my pomegranate picture that I bought a few years ago. Took in the sights and then we headed to Mitzpe Hayamim.

Mitzpe Hayamim is a spa in the north that is so relaxing that when you step foot on the grounds, the shoulder tension literally melts away. It's a dream. We were living the dream. Our room was stunning, complete with our own private mirpeset (balcony) overlooking the breathtaking views. After check in we relaxed by the pool and I made friends with the towel guy so I could borrow his goggles. I swam 72 laps- had to work up an appetite for dinner. Meals at Mitzpe Hayamim are fit for a king. They have the most outrageous vegetarian (plus fish) buffet one could ever imagine. (See pictures) It was just as mouth wateringly delicious as I remembered. AND- they generously prepared Amy her own special plate, accommodating all food sensitivities. That's service!

It was early to bed for the weary, food-coma-induced travelers. The next morning we once again feasted like Kings, or queens in our case. After breakfast Amy took a morning nap and I took a nature walk along the grounds. Bonded with the chickens and cows and horses (oh my). It was lovely. Walking the grounds is a bit like being in The Secret Garden (my favorite musical), so I was in heaven. Lots of great tunes were going through my head...it's a constant juke box in there.

Sadly, the time came to leave relaxing heaven on earth. Amy has declared she will get married there. We next headed to Rosh Pina, a beautiful and quaint town, full of local artists and awesome galleries. We walked around and had lunch at the famous chocolate restaurant- great salads and a few pieces of chocolate to wash it down...hmm.

From here the plan was to do a 2.5 hour hike up to Nimrod's castle (an old fortress), unfortunately we had to adapt our plan based on a time crunch. We didn't realize the parks closed at 5. So, we nixed the bigger hike and went to the Banyas and did a river hike/walk. The Banyas waterfall is incredible- wait 'till you see the pictures. Also, there was a new suspension bridge with more water views- so it was definitely still awesome. But we were both sort of bummed the other hike didn't happen.

We headed back to Jerusalem, making a stop at Decks in Tiberias for dinner. Got back to Jlem around 9:30. We were exhausted! It was a wonderful trip- the north is my favorite part of Israel- nothing more beautiful.

Ok, orientation. We had a full week of orientation programs/activities for the students. Daniel, Amy and I had a lot of involvement in planning and execution which was really nice. We were extremely pleased and proud with how our programs turned out. Hard to pick highlights because the whole week was engaging and terrific. It was interesting to be involved in orientation from this perspective instead of as a member of the class. Although, we do feel like honorary members...much of the week inspired me to evaluate my own Cantorial journey over the past few years since I began the program, and ask myself what I want from my remaining two years in school. All good stuff. Lots of deep probing, reflective and introspective work.

I led Kabbalat services Friday night and that was a great experience. I love leading t'filah. Very energizing. Seeing and hearing the students reactions to t'filah throughout the week truly reminded me what it's like to come in at the beginning of the process feeling like you know nothing...and to balance that out, from where I stand now as a rising 4th year, to feel like I have learned a huge amount of liturgy and repertoire, and more specifically, that I've acquired the skills and experience to pray and lead prayer effectively. It was wonderful to have Yoshi playing guitar and a treat to lead with Haim, who was an Israeli Rabbinic intern during my year in Israel.

That was a quick summary of the week. I'm excited for this class to begin the year. It's a really wonderful class and I'm looking forward to calling them my colleagues in a few years...

Saturday night after our closing program/Havdallah, we all went to Off the Wall comedy club to see one of the new students do his routine. He's been doing stand up for several years now. Wow, what a hoot! I haven't laughed that hard since seeing Bridesmaids. Everyone was in stitches. And thank God, because I would have had a hard time lying to his face telling him he was funny if he was really a dud comedian. Everyone knows I don't have a convincing lying face...I tell it the way I see it! We also hit up this totally American bar called Mike's place for some trivia fun. They actually had a good cover band- they played one of my favs with a rock vibe- Annie Lennox "Why."

Thinking back to the week before orientation...the previous Friday we had 17 people over for Shabbat dinner! It was a wonderful evening- great food, music and conversation. Quite an eclectic mix of students, random friends and Israelis. Daniel, Amy and I cooked all day! And we certainly had enough food for an army-wow. On the menu? Home-made chicken bourekas by Daniel, an assortment of salads including Amy's popular beet/mint concoction, apricot ginger chicken, yellow rice, mixed roasted vegetables, mashed cauliflower and an array of desserts- the highlights being Nancy's chocolate chip cookies and fruit crisp. Nothing better than a full house on Shabbat.
;-)

And before that, I can't even remember...women of the wall for Rosh Chodesh was an interesting experience. Unfortunately there were no serious brawls or run-ins. I was secretly hoping for one...the service by the wall was beautiful- felt very connected. Especially during Sh'ma- that was a powerful moment. After the shacharit and Hallel services we moved to Robinson's Arch for the Torah service because they wouldn't let the Torah through the Western Wall security. We had some evil stares and women telling us to be quiet as the service progressed by the wall, but nothing too radical. A man on the other side of the mechitza had to be escorted away because he went crazy. But I think that is pretty normal for kotel happenings. Lots of crazies running about these parts...

Our walk over to Robinson's Arch with the Torah was a bit dramatic. We were instructed specifically to walk slowly, following a girl in front carrying the Torah scroll, all the while singing Ozi V'Zimrat Ya (a million times). When we finally made it over to start the service, things seemed a bit disorganized, but everything was fine. I was happy to be a in the kahal that morning and witness the events as they happen most months. I neglected to mention that the walk to and from Robinson's Arch was exciting because there were a handful of other sim has happening simultaneously. Many Bar Mitzvahs complete with dancing, singing and spirited drum action. It all provided a contagiously energetic backdrop to the early morning. Also, we had a nice moment with our small HUC group, stopping to acknowledge a classmates first ever trip to the Kotel. We said and sang a Shehechiyanu and Daniel shared some beautiful words of Rabbinic wisdom- nice moment.

Forgot to mention an important event during orientation week! Yerushalayim Sheli was a pilot program this year that turned out to be a smashing success. We broke the class into 6 small groups- each group was led by an Israeli. The idea of the evening was to show the students Jerusalem through the perspective of a Jerusalemite. We want the students to begin forging relationships with Israelis right off the bat. I tagged along with a group going to a one night arts/cultural event at the famed Israel Museum and it was amazing. They had music and dance performances scattered throughout the inside and outside grounds of the museum. The evening culminated in a Wi party, hundreds of people dancing outside in an open courtyard, each with their own set of headphones blasting music. They were running on Israeli time and my patience ran out by midnight so I missed the Wi party by ten minutes. Next time! Our group host was an Israeli Rabbinic student, Tamir, and his wife- they were excellent. We received lots of positive feedback from the students and the hosts about the program. I hope it's something they will continue in future orientations.

Last night we took an epic trip to the bowling alley. Or, as they pronounce the sport in Israel, BOOOWWEEELLLING. The way Israelis pronounce the word "bowl" rhythms with the movement one makes on the toilet. Quite amusing. In any case, it was a BLAST. I, of course, get very competitive with any sport and BOOWWEELLING is no exception. We were all pretty low on the score board but I took the lead in the first game, winning with a score of 96. Lost my edge and came in second place in the next round. A good time was had by all. And Amy and I had a ball with the basketball arcade machines- we went wild putting up more points on that board than it had ever seen. (except for the 178 top score on the machine, which must have been from a rare cameo by Michael Jordan)

I think that's about all I have for now. I have about three weeks of Israel bliss left. Getting sad about that, but also realize that I have many exciting things ahead in the coming year. AND, I know I'll be back. Sooner rather than later this time...

You know what's on the plan for today? A PEDICURE. 'Bout time.

Check out my complete Israel 4 album- full of great shots from the BBQ, night time party at the Shuk, Israel Museum and our North tiyul. https://picasaweb.google.com/leslie.niren/Israel4

Happy Wednesday to all.

Chaim Tovim.

L'shalom,
Leslie

an old post...

Below is a post that was written on July 4th- two weeks ago. Better late than never...

Not the most exciting, but lama lo?

Boker Tov, my friends!

This blog post is brought to you from my stationary bike at the YMCA. (and the letter lamed) It is another beautiful day in Yerushalim- hot sun beating down already and it's only 11am. Whew, gonna be a scorcher.

I had an awesome weekend. Friday morning I took my first dip in the YMCA pool- swam 60 laps with the old ladies during "women's swim hour." There are designated male only/female only/mixed swim hours. It felt GREAT to add some swimming to the bike, treadmill, outside hill exercise regime. The rest of my Friday was relaxing- some walking around town, taking in the Pre-Shabbas atmosphere (my favorite) with the city all abuzz, and of course, some eating.

I had a lovely breakfast with one of the Rabbi's from Dallas and his wife. Aroma on Emek Refaim- always the hottest spot to see and be seen. In fact, I had a Jewish celebrity sighting! The one and only...Rick Jacobs, incoming URJ Pres. (recognized him from all the online publicity) The first time I spotted him, I decided not to say hi. The second time I walked by I decided to introduce myself. He appreciated it and we had a nice little chat. You never know who you'll run into in Jerusalem!

Friday evening Amy and I went to Nancy's house for Shabbat dinner- delicious food and great company. Nancy is not only our supervisor at school, but she has become our Israel Mom (gotta have at least one in every city i frequent!), so it was nice to be with her whole family- she has two sons around my age.

I headed out to Tel Aviv bright and early Saturday am for a relaxing beach day. Met up with my cousin, Ilana (shout out to cuz), and we walked around some main streets and explored Neve Tzedek, one of my favorite little artsy neighborhoods in Tel Aviv. Most stores were closed for Shabbat, but we got the feel of it. I always love to walk through the Susan Dallal Center (perf. Arts center that houses ballet, modern dance, etc.) because it's a beautiful and courtyard is awesome.

We spent a few hours relaxing on the beach (which was hopping!)- there was a group entertaining young Israeli guys next to us- dancing and singing and blaring Mizrahi music, which of course I loved. Speaking of which, Ayel Golan is giving a concert at the Sultan's Pool in Jlem this summer!

My friend/Cantorial classmate, Andrea, met up with us on the beach and it was great to chill with her in such a relaxed setting...very different than our usual lunch in the CL...or being in class on West 4th Broadway in a suffocating room with no windows...oiy...(shout out to you, achoti)

Andrea and I went to an outdoor concert that her friend was giving Sat. night titled "Shalom Broadway!" It was the kickoff concert for a free summer Motzei Shabbat series hosted by the city. There are so many amazing arts and cultural events in the summer here- it's outrageous! The concert was in the courtyard of the Opera House- very cool spot- lots of people- good energy- great breeze- beautiful evening. Whew, I am getting very spoiled this summer...The music was a mix of classic Broadway tunes/American Songbook and a few Israeli movie music classics. The coolest part was the constant back and forth between Hebrew and English. Loved hearing Phantom of the Opera and Guys and Dolls and Somewhere Over the Rainbow in Ivrit. (have got to get my hands on a copy of that one! Perfect for a concert...)

I almost forgot! Andrea and I had a banging dinner at "chadar ochel," a very cool restaurant right in the courtyard. YUM. Sea bream with okra and spinach and an awesome, sophisticated twist on the Israeli salad.

Took the bus back and it took me two hours- ugh! Should take 45. It suddenly came back to me that coming into Jerusalem on Motzei Shabbat is a big mistake.

I was exhausted, went to bed very late and still managed to wake up at 6am for women of the wall yesterday morning!

To be continued...

-Leslie

An Israeli Jam Session

An Israeli Jam Session
A guest post by Amy Goodman

With the tune Uf Gozal playing in the background of our Katamon, Jerusalem apartment, Leslie Niren embarked on a task to duplicate Benny’s world-famous homemade peach jam recipe. Little did I know that I would become engaged in this epic battle, as would our third roommate Daniel.

It all started three years ago. Benny was charged with leading the Niren family on their first tour of Israel. But quickly, Benny became so much more than a mere tour guide. And throughout Leslie’s year in Israel (2008-2009) Benny served as Israeli uncle, ambassador of Israeli culture, and weekend retreat host. Returning this summer, a bit older, a bit wiser and significantly closer to investiture, Leslie received a gift from Benny upon her return to Ha’aretz. Wishing a sweet summer in Israel, this first jar of homemade peach jam was voraciously eaten and then carefully rationed by Leslie. She did not share with us, not that either Daniel or I could blame her. When slathered over sunflower seed butter on a piece of toast, there could be no better breakfast imagined. This jam was described as “mind-blowing,” “[expletive deleted] amazing,” and “the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.” Admittedly, I have also heard watermelon, chocolate cake, lavender ice cream and rugelach described with the same superlatives. However, Leslie's enthusiasm for food does not diminish her refined assessment of said foodstuffs. When it is good, it is good.

So then we moved deeper into peach season in Israel. Half-kilos of peaches became full kilos sold at each and every grocery store. The peaches began calling to Leslie from the shuk and the fruit stands in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv. Peaches – small, fuzzy, white, sweet and succulent – were begging to become the jam that Benny made famous throughout the country. Peach Jam. I must become Peach Jam.

Which brings us back to the present, when Daniel and Leslie returned to our apartment with two kilos of peaches which were destined to become preserved fruit. Sitting on our white (off white?) leather (?) couch, Daniel and I were drawn into the jamming. The first task, how to sterilize the jar for preserving the finished product. The decision – a large pasta pot, boiled for ten minutes and placed upon a clean, dry hand towel.

The next task – how to remove these freshly cleansed jars from the boiling water without assistance of tongs. The solution – a pink, plastic spatula inserted wrong-way inside and a wooden salad server supporting the base of the jar, one at a time. “Don’t breathe on these,” cautioned Leslie. “They’re sterilized now.” OK, Les. They’re sterilized. “Where are the jams?” Leslie asked. In this case, of course, she meant music from one of our iTunes collections. Daniel needed clarification, “Name a genre.” “Adult contemporary,” I offered. Thus began our Michael Buble block and I cursed myself. My suggestion, offered ironically, was taken literally and I was forced to hear ruined renditions of Van Morrison and Frank Sinatra classics. But our chef was happy – elated is more like it – singing along to Michael’s sultry sounds, occasionally shaking her butt and pausing to swoon.

With two kilos of peaches cut precisely, if not meticulously (and presumably washed), the jam cooking was ready to commence. The same pot soon held the peach sections, leaving us all to wonder – what color would this be in the end? Do you add any water, so the peaches don’t burn? “Benny says, no.” Really?? “The peaches produce their own juices. That’s what Benny says.” Thus, our electric range was put on a high heat. “Pectin?” I asked repeatedly, ad nauseum, frankly because I enjoyed how it sounded echoing off our white stone (?) floor. “Benny says no pectin.”

Well, how much sugar? Leslie’s verdict – 2 kilos of peaches and ¾ a kilo of sugar. “Absolutely not enough,” Daniel and I both opined. The recipes suggest a one to one ratio of fruit and sugar. “That is gross,” Leslie responded. “If you don’t want it sweet, then what’s the point of making jam?” Rabbi Andrew skyped in from Richmond, Virginia.

So the pro-sugar block achieved an increase – up to 2 kilos of peaches to 1 kilo of sugar. “I don’t think it will be sweet enough,” Daniel offered with cautious skepticism, not wanting to step on the chef’s toes or to offend her artistic sensibility. “If there isn’t enough sugar, it won’t thicken enough.” I take the moment to add, “Especially if there is no pectin. PECTIN!”

One half hour passes, we’ve moved through country music into hits from Glee and thankfully past mind-numbingly awful showtunes (frankly, if it isn’t from the Sound of Music I don’t want to hear it). It is time to add the lemon. “Benny says…” Well, Leslie. Benny isn’t here. So what are you going to do next? Lemon added, we return to the great sugar debate. “The peaches weren’t fully ripe.” “All of the online recipes say 1:1 fruit to sugar.” “There was actually closer to 2.2 kilos of fruit.”

All of these considerations made sense, but Leslie remained skeptical. “Should I add more sugar? I just don’t want it to be too sweet.” “YES!!!” Daniel and I screamed. Another ½ kilo is added. Just as the last crystals were added, Daniel’s mother called from New Jersey. Important information of note: she’s a professional chef. Leslie can’t help asking, even though the sugar has already been poured, “When you make jam, what is your ratio?” Her response: “I usually do two to one.” “NO!!!!”

But at this point, what is there to do? The sugar has been added. From Richmond, the caution – it gets less sweet as it cools. The “in case of” suggestion – make some unsweetened applesauce in the morning after you taste it. It takes away some of the sweetness without adding flavor. “But then it wouldn’t be peach jam.” Well there’s nothing to do now, let’s see how it goes. “But the color is wonderful!” Yes, Leslie. It is.

Leslie turns the heat off, covers the pot and it is time to shower. Leslie goes first, as usual, and Daniel and I take a moment to taste the jam. “Oh, shit. It’s pretty sweet,” Daniel said. “No! It can’t be that sweet.” I slunk (?) sheepishly toward the kitchen and grabbed hold of the demitasse spoon – the only non-serving spoons we seem to have in this apartment. “Oh shit! It really is sweet.” We look at each other with concerned, gritted teeth and begin speaking in hushed tones. “Don’t tell Leslie,” said I. “Maybe it will be less sweet when it cools,” Daniel offered. Wishful thinking. However, with a pervasive stickiness in the apartment, yet surrounded by an ether of sugary, peachy sweetness, we all headed to bed.

Morning comes and we’re all up early, eager to see what a night’s rest has done for both our chefs and our product. Leslie is up first, at the crack of dawn, fretting about the jars which sat out over night exposed to the elements from the open window. “They are not sterile any more.” Unfortunately, the pot that had once served as a receptacle for sterilizing was filled with about 1.5 liters of peach jam. A 2 quart saucepan would have to make due in the meantime – but it was certainly not large enough for one jar, let alone for two. But we do what we can with limited supplies. I stumble out next, eager for a bowl of cheerios, my usual routine, when I remember why I was so elated upon arising this morning. It would not be cheerios, honey nut or otherwise. It would be delicious, peach jam on a piece of toast. Peach jam indeed!

But first – to jar the fruits of our proverbial labors. Another makeshift version of a supply that even a minimally stocked kitchen would contain. She would not be deterred. With encouragement from me and our now awoken grizzly bear (“Seriously, Leslie! What were you doing at 6am?” I remind him, “Ear plugs, Daniel. Ear plugs.” The grumbling, grizzly bear in not amused.) “It is a bit too sweet, but not terrible.” Do not fret, Leslie, I have honey everyday. It is not too sweet for me. And another concern voiced: “We have so much! Who can we give some away to?” I have a peanut butter and honey sandwich every day. I’m definitely excited to switch to peach jam. “Really?” Absolutely! Peach jam indeed!

But finally, to eat. Oh! To eat. It was sweet, but not so much that my teeth were hurting. It was the kind of sweetness that wrapped itself around you like an envelope of delicious. There were big pieces of peach, preserved to be soft and slithery and yet retained texture when you bit into them. The color, a rich golden, with just a hint of a reddish hue, glistening like a fresh mist on a river of yum. I eat breakfast slowly this particular morning, saving my coffee until after I’m done – not wanting anything to confuse my now heightened taste buds. More! More! More! I caution them. We do have two jars. Let the flavor linger today and savor what we’ve created in the weeks to come. So, with just a touch of sadness, we close the jars and put them away for now.

So now I am left asking the question: Are you ready to try some? Well, if you are anything like me then frankly, in the immortal words of Queen B, I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly. But, thankfully, I have the rest of the summer to try.

AEG 7/5/2011

*note from Leslie- "A huge thank you to Amy for her stellar contribution. There better be some comments on this post..."