Last night I remembered a song I really like and sang it to the kids. It's a song that gave me a lot of inspiration about 20 years ago. I think I especially like it because my great grandmother was named Fanny - we recently got in touch with some relatives here in Israel from her family. It's sung by the Judds - remember how great they were? I saw them in concert around 1990 I think.
Here are the lyrics. Hear it here.
A hundred year old photograph stares out from a frame / And if you'll look real close you'll see our eyes are just the same / I've never met them face to face but I still know them well / From the stories my dear grandma would tell
Elijah was a farmer he knew how to make things grow / And Fanny vowed she's follow him wherever he would go/ As things turned out they never left their small Kentucky farm/ But he kept her fed she kept him warm
They're my guardian angels I know they can see/ Every step I take they are watching over me / I might not know where I'm going but I'm sure where I come from / They're my guardian angels and I'm their special one
Sometimes when I'm tired I feel Elijah take my arm / He says keep a goin' hard work never did a body harm / And when I'm really troubled and I don't know what to do / Fanny whispers just do your best we're awful proud of you
They're my guardian angels I know they can see/ Every step I take they are watching over me / I might not know where I'm going but I'm sure where I come from / They're my guardian angels and I'm their special one
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Comes by it honestly, part 2
Now you can see for yourselves how Gabi is going to grow up to be like her moms. Here's what her 6 year old excel spread sheets look like. No, this is not a school assignment, as far as I know. It's what she does in her spare time.
Do you think we could start her on a program now to wean her of this interest in charts and lists???
Haiti & Israel
I think one reason I'm so obsessed with what's going on in Haiti is because it's probably the first time my level of interest in/connection with the Caribbean is matched by the Israeli media. People in Israel are grateful our army and teams have been able to help there and grateful that our contribution has been recognized. Good news about Israel on the international front is scarce, so this is much appreciated.
Before these past weeks events, many people in Israel did not know where Haiti is. The Caribbean is so far from here and Israelis don't have a tradition of visiting there - they do go to Central and South America - young travellers - and they do go to Colombia for medical treatment (transplants), but most Israelis have no connection with the Caribbean.
We took our book of photos of Haiti down from the shelf (a gift from Vlad) and found that the photographer, Daniel Kedar, is an Israeli who lives in Haiti. The very next morning I heard him interviewed on the radio news - an Israeli expert on Haiti - he is one of the key people communicating between Haitians and the Israeli medical and rescue teams there. You can see his work and read about his photo books at www.kedar.net (some of the pages work, some don't). Gabi now wants to meet him - she's learned a lot about the situation in Haiti and is considering making Haiti her topic when she does her "a friend teaches a friend" presentation in March.
Please donate for Haiti.
Before these past weeks events, many people in Israel did not know where Haiti is. The Caribbean is so far from here and Israelis don't have a tradition of visiting there - they do go to Central and South America - young travellers - and they do go to Colombia for medical treatment (transplants), but most Israelis have no connection with the Caribbean.
We took our book of photos of Haiti down from the shelf (a gift from Vlad) and found that the photographer, Daniel Kedar, is an Israeli who lives in Haiti. The very next morning I heard him interviewed on the radio news - an Israeli expert on Haiti - he is one of the key people communicating between Haitians and the Israeli medical and rescue teams there. You can see his work and read about his photo books at www.kedar.net (some of the pages work, some don't). Gabi now wants to meet him - she's learned a lot about the situation in Haiti and is considering making Haiti her topic when she does her "a friend teaches a friend" presentation in March.
Please donate for Haiti.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Haiti on my mind
I've been thinking all week of this calypso song written by David Rudder in 1988:
Hear it on youtube. Here's some lyrics:
When there's anguish in Port-Au-Prince
It's still Africa crying
We're outing fires in faraway places
When our neighbours are just burning.
They say the Middle Passage is gone
So how come overcrowded boats still haunt our lives?
I refuse to believe that we good people
Would forever turn our hearts and eyes
Away.
Haiti I'm sorry
We misunderstood you,
But one day we'll turn around
And look inside you.
Haiti I'm sorry
Haiti I'm so sorry...
But one day we'll turn our heads,
Restore your glory.
I'm not the only one thinking of this song. The St. Kitts newspaper also ran an editorial of this title this week.
Listen to the song, then donate!!!
Hear it on youtube. Here's some lyrics:
When there's anguish in Port-Au-Prince
It's still Africa crying
We're outing fires in faraway places
When our neighbours are just burning.
They say the Middle Passage is gone
So how come overcrowded boats still haunt our lives?
I refuse to believe that we good people
Would forever turn our hearts and eyes
Away.
Haiti I'm sorry
We misunderstood you,
But one day we'll turn around
And look inside you.
Haiti I'm sorry
Haiti I'm so sorry...
But one day we'll turn our heads,
Restore your glory.
I'm not the only one thinking of this song. The St. Kitts newspaper also ran an editorial of this title this week.
Listen to the song, then donate!!!
Israelis On the Scene in Haiti
This was sent by a friend:
In the midst of the overwhelming death and destruction that is Haiti right now, there are Israelis who have come to save lives and offer succor.
On Friday, El Al and IDF planes came into Haiti, carrying 250 medical personnel -- doctors, nurses, lab and x-ray technicians and even a psychiatrist -- and supplies for a mobile hospital, including a pharmacy, a surgical unit, and a maternity ward. A young Haitian mother who was the first to deliver in this ward, early this morning, named her baby Israel.
You can see footage of an IDF rescue team at work in Haiti here:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/Page/VideoPlayer&cid=1194419829128&videoId=1263147905094
~~~~~~~~~~
Members of ZAKA, the Israeli ultra-Orthodox volunteer rescue organization, were on the scene as well. Yesterday, on Shabbat, they labored, digging in the rubble of a collapsed multi-story university building, where cries were heard. After hours of effort, they succeeded in pulling eight students from that rubble, alive.
These ZAKA members then took time, in the midst of the chaos, to wrap themselves in their tallitot (prayer shawls) and recite their Shabbat prayers. Undoubtedly most if not all of the Haitians on the scene had never seen such a sight.
When the men had finished praying, a crowd of people gathered around them and kissed their tallitot.
~~~~~~~~~~
According to one report, head of the ZAKA mission, Mati Goldstein said:
"With all the hell going on outside, even when things get bad Judaism says we must take a deep breath and go on to save more people.
"We did everything to save lives, despite Shabbat. People asked, 'Why are you here? There are no Jews here', but we are here because the Torah orders us to save lives…"
At one point, when things were very grim, Goldstein reported that one mission member started to sing, Heveinu Shalom Aleichem (We bring peace to you.) "I had tears in my eyes," he said.
The ZAKA mission will be staying in Haiti a couple more days, even though beyond a certain point it is highly unlikely that anyone else will be found alive under the rubble.
We have a lot to be grateful for.
In the midst of the overwhelming death and destruction that is Haiti right now, there are Israelis who have come to save lives and offer succor.
On Friday, El Al and IDF planes came into Haiti, carrying 250 medical personnel -- doctors, nurses, lab and x-ray technicians and even a psychiatrist -- and supplies for a mobile hospital, including a pharmacy, a surgical unit, and a maternity ward. A young Haitian mother who was the first to deliver in this ward, early this morning, named her baby Israel.
You can see footage of an IDF rescue team at work in Haiti here:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/Page/VideoPlayer&cid=1194419829128&videoId=1263147905094
~~~~~~~~~~
Members of ZAKA, the Israeli ultra-Orthodox volunteer rescue organization, were on the scene as well. Yesterday, on Shabbat, they labored, digging in the rubble of a collapsed multi-story university building, where cries were heard. After hours of effort, they succeeded in pulling eight students from that rubble, alive.
These ZAKA members then took time, in the midst of the chaos, to wrap themselves in their tallitot (prayer shawls) and recite their Shabbat prayers. Undoubtedly most if not all of the Haitians on the scene had never seen such a sight.
When the men had finished praying, a crowd of people gathered around them and kissed their tallitot.
~~~~~~~~~~
According to one report, head of the ZAKA mission, Mati Goldstein said:
"With all the hell going on outside, even when things get bad Judaism says we must take a deep breath and go on to save more people.
"We did everything to save lives, despite Shabbat. People asked, 'Why are you here? There are no Jews here', but we are here because the Torah orders us to save lives…"
At one point, when things were very grim, Goldstein reported that one mission member started to sing, Heveinu Shalom Aleichem (We bring peace to you.) "I had tears in my eyes," he said.
The ZAKA mission will be staying in Haiti a couple more days, even though beyond a certain point it is highly unlikely that anyone else will be found alive under the rubble.
We have a lot to be grateful for.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Haiti and requested recipes
Alen and I are giving to the UN World Food Program to help Haiti. Click here to donate. The Jewish Reconstructionist Federation has also posted a list of Jewish organizations to donate to: click here.
Our connection: Alen's father Vlad lived and worked in Haiti for about eight years, starting when we lived in the states and continuing when we lived here. We have one of his watercolors he drew there on our kitchen wall along with a painting he bought us there. The area where he lived, Petionville, has been one of the hardest hit suburbs of Port Au Prince. His good friends, Hari and Maevan, lived there with him and are now back in Trinidad, along with their Haitian maid. She has not been able to reach her family and Vlad has not been able to reach any friends there.
Please make a donation today. It seems so unfair that the poorest country in the western hemisphere should suffer such a great loss yet again.
Here are recipes:
Chicken Apple Pot Pie - this is just so easy and delicious. The key is the pie crust you buy in the store frozen in a roll. If you live outside Israel, let me know if it can be purchased elsewhere! It's puff pastry I guess. Defrost it before you make this.
2 chicken breasts - in 1/2 - 1 inch cubes
2 potatoes - same
2 apples - same
2 carrots - smaller cubes
5 scallions - chopped
2 bay leaves
Put it all in a pot, cover with water and cook about 20 minutes. Scoop out and arrange the solids in a flat ovenproof pan (pyrex is best), about 2-3 inches deep. Take out the bay leaves. Pour about half a bag of frozen peas on top.
Pour the liquid into another container. In the pan, melt 1 tbsp margarine, add 1 tbsp or more flour, then slowly add liquid to make a roux. Now add about 2 cups liquid. (Save the rest for soup). Heat boiling until thickened. Pour over the stuff in the pan. Now roll out the pastry over the top. If the pan is too full, you will need to put it on a cookie sheet so it does not mess up your oven. Cook at about 400 for about 20-30 minutes until the crust is browned and the inside is bubbling. Kids and adults like this. With thanks to Marcus Brody who first taught me to cook this.
Lower Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
I adapted this from a recipe by Hillary Clinton found in a Girl Scout cookbook called Recipes for Success. Mine have less fat, less sugar, and taste great.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
sift these together
1 cup sugar (white and brown as you prefer)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil
mix these and beat if you wish
mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Then add 1 cup of oats and some amount of chocolate chips. Craisins are also allowed. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake in preheated 350 F or 170 C oven for 8-10 minutes until brown. Hillary says leave them 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing - definitely do not leave them longer.
Please donate to Haiti and THANKS!!!!
Our connection: Alen's father Vlad lived and worked in Haiti for about eight years, starting when we lived in the states and continuing when we lived here. We have one of his watercolors he drew there on our kitchen wall along with a painting he bought us there. The area where he lived, Petionville, has been one of the hardest hit suburbs of Port Au Prince. His good friends, Hari and Maevan, lived there with him and are now back in Trinidad, along with their Haitian maid. She has not been able to reach her family and Vlad has not been able to reach any friends there.
Please make a donation today. It seems so unfair that the poorest country in the western hemisphere should suffer such a great loss yet again.
Here are recipes:
Chicken Apple Pot Pie - this is just so easy and delicious. The key is the pie crust you buy in the store frozen in a roll. If you live outside Israel, let me know if it can be purchased elsewhere! It's puff pastry I guess. Defrost it before you make this.
2 chicken breasts - in 1/2 - 1 inch cubes
2 potatoes - same
2 apples - same
2 carrots - smaller cubes
5 scallions - chopped
2 bay leaves
Put it all in a pot, cover with water and cook about 20 minutes. Scoop out and arrange the solids in a flat ovenproof pan (pyrex is best), about 2-3 inches deep. Take out the bay leaves. Pour about half a bag of frozen peas on top.
Pour the liquid into another container. In the pan, melt 1 tbsp margarine, add 1 tbsp or more flour, then slowly add liquid to make a roux. Now add about 2 cups liquid. (Save the rest for soup). Heat boiling until thickened. Pour over the stuff in the pan. Now roll out the pastry over the top. If the pan is too full, you will need to put it on a cookie sheet so it does not mess up your oven. Cook at about 400 for about 20-30 minutes until the crust is browned and the inside is bubbling. Kids and adults like this. With thanks to Marcus Brody who first taught me to cook this.
Lower Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
I adapted this from a recipe by Hillary Clinton found in a Girl Scout cookbook called Recipes for Success. Mine have less fat, less sugar, and taste great.
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
sift these together
1 cup sugar (white and brown as you prefer)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil
mix these and beat if you wish
mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Then add 1 cup of oats and some amount of chocolate chips. Craisins are also allowed. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and bake in preheated 350 F or 170 C oven for 8-10 minutes until brown. Hillary says leave them 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing - definitely do not leave them longer.
Please donate to Haiti and THANKS!!!!
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