Ten years ago today I said good-bye to my family and friends and boarded a plane for the Holy Land. I was about to embark on a journey of life, of discovery, of fear, loathing and love. Ten years on, 3 children, 3 conflicts, 3 homes and a lot poorer I can honestly say that…
Yum, Treats for Purim
For the third year running hubby’s bakery has come up top for their hamentaschen. Just in case you didn’t see this last year, here is my post about Purim and the award winning recipe.
Continuing on with the Purim theme I feel the need to introduce those of you not familiar with the treat that fills my local bakeries and coffee shops at this time of year; Oznei Haman or Hamantaschen. Hamantaschen is Yiddish for Haman’s pockets and Oznei Haman in Hebrew literally translated means Haman’s ears. Google it and there are a number of explanations as to why these delish biscuits are called this, none of which is the one I heard first and has stuck in my head – Haman (the baddy in yesterday’s story) was punished for his treachery towards the Jews by being hung from a tree by his ears. This explanation doesn’t actually explain why the biscuits have 3 corners (maybe he had 3 ears?) and so obviously I heard it from someone even less informed than myself. The real reason is either to do with the 3 cornered hat he wore, the 3 corners representing…
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What I have learnt this Christmas
1. People are grumpy. In recent months I have been adding a little extra to the family coffers by working in customer services for online stores in the States. Usually at about 2 or 3 hours a day this has added a little pocket-money during the quieter months of my new business venture. During the…
Confessions
December 14th, 2013 "Would you like the same present for your birthday that I got you last year?", "what was it? pyjamas? yes I like new pyjamas", "no, sellotape*" (*that's scotch tape to my American friends) And with that it all came rushing back, the trauma and turmoil of this time last year when I…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
December has always been a good month for me. It's the month that as a kid we had 2 weeks off school, the Christmas disco, the Christmas production, Santa would appear in the streets just before bed time on a sleigh on wheels courtesy of the local Round Table, carol concerts, a trip to Manchester…
Temporary Home
It's Sukkot which in Israel means a number of things. Firstly it usually heralds the change in the weather. Hooray. The humidity goes down, the wind picks up, we even usually experience a few drops of rain (literally a few drops). Sukkot also means that people's balconies and gardens and kosher eateries gain an odd…
Thank you very much
Thank you thank you to all the people who wished me congratulations and mazal tov this week. Many apologies for not understanding why I needed such felicitations. The fact that a fellow Brit had given birth to a baby (who may be King if the monarchy last that long) is OF COURSE reason to congratulate little…
Sentimental Journey
Today is Father’s Day in the UK and it would be a bit remiss of me not to dedicate today’s ramblings to my Pops. This year Pops is celebrating his 75th birthday which I can hardly get my head around so I’ve no idea how he is taking it. He is blessed so far with…
Do you want to come to a party?
It’s been a weekend of parties. Unfortunately not parties of the adult variety but 5-year-old birthday parties. A strange phenomenon of my eldest’s nursery is that all the kids seem to have birthdays from May to July. Must be something in the water in the autumn here. Anyway every week I duly head off to…
Bonfire Night Israel style.
As the smoke clears from a slightly damp Independence Day barbecue the important task of collecting wood in shopping trolleys begins for the next fire friendly festival in Israel, Lag BaOmer. You would be forgiven for thinking that it's just one big festival over here at the moment but in actual fact Jews are currently in the…
39 and Counting 