"Not acceptable to me"

Gabi asked when is Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). I told her it's on Tuesday - Yom HaZikaron (Memorial day) is tomorrow and Yom HaAtzmaut is on Tuesday. "Lo mekubal alai" - that's not acceptable to me - she said. "A happy day after a sad day? The sadness will still be there."

A friend said today it's the steamroller of socialization that starts now to make them "Israeli". It struck me hard how quickly Gabi identified the challenge for all of us on these days.

Prayer for adults with parents

On the 7th day of Pesach, I went to shul and found that for those who don't say Yizkor, the congregation provided this wonderful prayer. They had it on laminated cards so people could take it with them as they went out. The prayer was especially appropriate since my parents celebrated Seder with us and we are so privileged to have them staying with us. I remember well Alen's mom telling me after her father died how blessed she had been to have both her parents until she was 55 years old, and the sentiments of this prayer express my feelings.

תפילה לשלום המשפחה (במקום יזכור)

אבי שבשמים בשעת הזכרת נשמות אלה שהלכו לעולמם
נושא אני את עיני אליך, אלוהי, בהודיה מלב שלם,
על שחסדך הגדול הורי היקרים חיים פה עימי.
ברכם בבריאות טובה ותן להם כח רב לחיות אתנו עוד שנים רבות וטובות,
חזקם ואמצם לחיים של רווחה,
ברכם ברפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף.
ברכם שיזכו להנות ולהתברך מצאציהם,
שתהא פרנסתם מצויה ושתהיה הברכה בביתם.
חזק אותי, שאוכל לעזרם בכל כוחי ובכל מאודי,
ולואי ואזכה לקיים מצוות כיבוד הורים בכל דקדוקיה והידוריה.
יהי רצון שאבין את האחריות הגדולה כלפיהם המוטלת עלי.
ברכני שאראה חובתי כלפיהם כזכות ולא כנטל,
מאהבה ולא מכורח, בשמחה ובנחת ולא מקוצר רוח.
ויהי רצון שאזכה להיות מקור שמחה להורי ומשפחתי,
שמחם וברכם בבריאות טובה ובחיים של אורה ואהבה.
ותהיה בי יראתך ואהבתך לעבדך בלבב שלם ונזכה כולנו,
יחד, לחיים טובים וארוכים.

My Father in Heaven, at this hour of remembering those who have passed away, I raise my eyes to You my G-d, in complete thanks from my heart, that in Your great kindness my parents are still alive here with me.

Please bless them with good health and give them full strength to live with us many more good years. Strengthen them and give them courage for a life of fullness, bless them with health and healing of spirit and body.

Please bless them that they may enjoy and be blessed by their offspring. May they have financial well-being and may their home be filled with blessing.

Strengthen me that I may help them with all my strength and all my might. May I merit to fulfill the mitzvah of honoring parents in all its details and beauty. May it be Your will that I understand the great responsibility toward them that is upon me. Bless me that I will see my obligation toward them as a privilege and not as a burden, done out of love and not out of coercion, with joy and nachas and not with a short temper.

May it be Your will that I may merit to be a source of joy to my parents and my family, please grant them joy and blessings of good health and a life of light and love. And may there be in me fear and love of You to serve you with a full heart, and may we all merit together long and happy life.

Another Pesach dessert

So this is a combination of something I read in the paper but did not cut out and my mother's traditional almond pudding. I made it up basically. It came out VERY orangy and I would recommend cutting it down to one orange - I used 2 which is what was in the newspaper. The newspaper also had walnuts, which I don't like.

Take the orange (or oranges) - boil for 20 minutes with the peel on. Cut in quarters and remove seeds. Put it in the food processor and puree.

Separate 4 eggs. Mix the yolks with 1/2 cup sugar (or maybe a bit more, I did not use a measuring cup). Add 200 grams (that's about one cup) ground almonds - you could probably cut back on these also, but it was a good consistency.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the egg yolk, orange, almond mixture. Put in a greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 F - I say bake it well, everyone told me to take it out of the oven sooner than I thought it was ready. My mom thought it would get too dry. I thought it was not dry enough.

Alen liked it a lot and did not think it was too orangy. My mom and I liked it but thought it could do with less orange. Gabi thought it was ok and Sasha would have none of it. Let me know if you make it!