Yom HaShoah

Once again Yom Hashoah is coming up.

And, in general, we forget the full name of this day: Yom Hashoah Vehagvurah.

The translation of “shoah” is not simple. The term is taken from the verse of the prophet Isaiah (47:11) that says: “Therefore shall evil come upon you; you shall not know from where it rises; and mischief shall fall upon you; you shall not be able to put it off; and desolation [“shoah”] shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know.”

This “shoah,” this “desolation,” refers to a phenomenon that razes, like a kind of hurricane that leaves nothing standing in its wake.

But this day is also the day of “Gvurah,” that is to say of “heroism.” The kind that colored a great many acts with life; memorable acts, small and enormous, that gave a fresh and quickening breath to faint and lifeless age.

Why do we have a national holiday today?

Let's learn a little bit about the history of Labour Day, which by the way, is not celebrated as such in The United States of America and in Great Britain. There they celebrate Labor Day on September 1st.
May 1st. in those countries is known as "May Day".

Now...let's take a look and read about history!

Happy Passover!

Passover Music

Passover Music

Ilu hotsi, hotsianu,
hotsianu mimitsrayim,
hotsianu mimitsrayim,
Dayeinu!

Da, dayeinu! (3X)
Dayeinu! Dayeinu!

Ilu natan, natan lanu,
natan lanu et hatorah,
natan lanu et hatorah,
Dayeinu!

Ilu natan, natan lanu,
natan lanu et hashabbat,
natan lanu et hashabbat,
Dayeinu!

Had God brought us out of Egypt
and not supported us in the wilderness
It would have been enough!
had God given us the Sabbath and not the Torah
It would have been enough!
Had God given us the Torah
and not brought us to the land of Israel
It would have been enough!

Passover Recipes

Passover Appetizers

Gefilte Fish

California Charoset

Gefilte Fish, Hung's Style

Passover Fruit Casserole

Charoset (Traditional)

Passover Cheese Balls

Traditional Charoset

Passover Entrees

Chinese Pesach Stir Fry

Fillet of Sole Florentine

Quick Passover Fish Recipe

Kabsah (Lebabese Hamburger)

Passover Barbecue Coat (Rub)

Brisket in Marinade

Citrus Salmon Fillet

Passover Soups

Matzoh Balls (Knaidlech)

Chicken Soup

Chicken Matzo Ball Soup

Passover Egg Drop Soup

Passover Side Dishes

Passover Squash Pudding

Broccoli Knishes

Passover Onion Pudding

Passover Spinach Bake

Matzoh Brie

Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs)

Passover Turkey Stuffing

Passover Vegetarian

Mock Gefilte Fish Patties

Cabbage Salad with Lemon & Orange Dressing

Low-Fat Moroccan Carrot Salad

Low-Fat Mock Chicken Soup & Vegan Matzah Balls

Matzo! Matzoh! Matzah!

No matter how your spell it - Matzah is the quintessential Passover food.

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is the eight-day holiday commemorating the Jews' escape from slavery in Egypt. During the holiday, only unleavened bread may be eaten. That means no pasta, cereal, bread, cakes, cookies or any other starch product made with yeast or other rising agent.

In the place of leavened bread, Pesach observers enjoy matzah, unleavened bread made purely from flour and water. During the eight days of Passover, matzah is used in sandwiches, schmeared with cream cheese, baked into pizza and even pan fried in butter for matzahbrie, a Pesach-friendly substitute for French toast.

Why unleavened bread?

Referred to as lechem oni, or the bread of affliction, matzah symbolizes the minimalist fare that was eaten by Egyptian slaves.

The matzah also represents the actual food taken by the Jews when they fled from bondage. The Jews had to leave so quickly that they didn't have time to rise their dough. "Why do we eat this matzah?" asks the Hagaddah, the compilation of stories, prayers and songs recited during the seder (ritual meal). It answers, simply: "Because the Holy One redeemed our forefathers from Egypt before their dough could rise."

In their haste, the Jews were forced to focus on the bare essentials. On both a literal and a spiritual level, matzah embodies this concentrated, singular focus.

While matzah is called the bread of slavery (lechem oni), it is actually the bread of freedom: The freedom that comes from learning what you really need in order to enjoy the things you want.

The Passover Seder Plate

The centerpiece of the Passover Seder table is the Seder plate, a special plate containing 5 foods that remind us of the struggle of the Israelites in their quest and journey to freedom.

These five food are....

Haroseth
Parsley (dipped in salt water)
Roasted egg
Shank Bone
Bitter herbs

A mixture of chopped walnuts, wine, cinnamon and apples that represents the mortar the Jewish slaves used to assemble the Pharaoh's bricks.
Symbolizing Springtime, it is dipped in salt water to remind us of for the tears of the Jewish slaves.

Another symbol of Spring.

Symbolic of the sacrificial lamb offering, the bone can come from whatever the family is eating, such as the leg bone of a roasted turkey.

Freshly grated horseradish reflects the bitter affliction of slavery.

The Passover Seder

Taking place the first 2 nights of the 8 day holiday, the Seder is the most important event in the Passover celebration. Usually gathering the whole family and friends together, the Seder is steeped in long held traditions and customs

Leading up to the first night of Passover, the home is cleaned and cleared of all yeast foods, called hametz. All hametz is either eaten before Passover begins or "sold" to non-Jewish neighbors and friends.

The rules surrounding Passover are strict and many, with only special foods, utensils, and dishware allowed.

Kitchen utensils and dishware normally used in the home are not be used during Passover.

Special dishes and utensils for the Passover holiday are taken out of storage, cleaned and used.

Only foods that are "Kosher for Passover" are allowed. No leavened (containing yeast) foods or grains are eaten. In their place matzoh and foods containing matzoh are eaten. This is to commemorate the Israelites who fled quickly into the desert with no time for their breads to rise and were forced to bake the dough into hard crackers in the desert sun. All foods prohibited during Passover must be disposed of the morning of the first night of Passover.

The Story of Passover

About 3000 years ago the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians under the rule of the Pharaoh Ramses II. According to the Book of Exodus - Moses, a simple Jewish shepherd, was instructed by G-d to go to the pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people.

Moses' plea of let my people go was ignored. Moses warned the Pharaoh that G-d would send severe punishments to the people of Egypt if the Israelites were not freed. Again the Pharaoh ignored Moses' request of freedom. In response G-d unleashed a series of 10 terrible plagues on the people of Egypt

1. Frogs
2. Lice (vermin)
3. Wild Beasts(flies)
4. Blight (Cattle Disease)
5. Boils
6. Hail
7. Locusts
8. Darkness
9. Slaying of the First Born

The holiday's name - Pesach, meaning "passing over" or "protection" in Hebrew, is derived from the instructions given to Moses by G-d . In order to encourage the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, G-d intended to kill the first-born of both man and beast. To protect themselves, the Israelites were told to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so that G-d could identify and "pass over" their homes

The Pharaoh was unconvinced and refused to free the Jewish slaves

Until the last plague

When the Pharaoh finally agreed to freedom, the Israelites left their homes so quickly that there wasn't even time to bake their breads. So they packed the raw dough to take with them on their journey. As they fled through the desert they would quickly bake the dough in the hot sun into hard crackers called matzohs. Today to commemorate this event, Jews eat matzoh in place of bread during Passover

Though the Jews were now free, their liberation was incomplete. The Pharaoh's army chased them through the desert towards the Red Sea. When the Jews reached the sea they were trapped, since the sea blocked their escape

It was then that a miracle occurred. The waves of the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able to cross to the other side. As soon as they all reached the other side the sea closed trapping the Pharaoh's army as the waves closed upon them

Then as the Israelites watched the waters of the Red Sea sweep away the Pharaoh's army they realized they were finally free

Passover celebrates this history. The first 2 nights of the 8 day holiday are celebrated with lavish meals called Seders in which the stories and history of Passover are celebrated. Special foods, plates, silverware are all a part of the Seder

Passover

Welcome to this new area of knowledge!!!!!!!

I would like to share some of your habits when you celebrate important events at home!

Why don't we share some good moments, anecdotes, recipes and whatever you can think of as Passover (Pesaj) is getting near?