Shabbat at Home

Parashat Va-era
December 31, 2021 – 28 Tevet 5782

Please enjoy these resources for enriching this Shabbat in your home.

Guide to Shabbat Blessings: everything you need for blessings over candles, wine/grape juice and Challah

For Study and Reflection

Plague of blood—destruction of Egypt’s water supply
In this week’s Parasha (Torah portion, we read about the first of the ten plagues that rained down upon Egypt in the wake of Pharoah’s refusal to let the Jewish people go.

Read about the plague of blood as a reminder of how much of the world struggles with unclean or polluted water—and learn what you can do to make a difference https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-corruption-of-water/

Shabbat Mevorchim – Shabbat of Blessing
This Shabbat is one that precedes the New Moon, Rosh Chodesh – in this case, the beginning of the month of Shevat, which will fall on Sunday night and Monday, January 2-3. On Shabbat Mevorchim we recite a special blessing for the New Moon and the month ahead.

Here is a lovely version of the blessing. Perhaps you’ll recite it over dinner.

Blessing for the New Moon, by Marcia Falk

May the month of ________ (name the new month)
be a month of blessings:

blessings of goodness,
blessings of joy,

peace and kindness,
friendship and love,

creativity, strength,
serenity,

fulfilling work
and dignity,

satisfaction, success,
and sustenance,

physical health
and radiance.

May truth and justice
guide our acts

and compassion
temper our lives

that we may blossom
as we age

and become
our sweetest selves.

May it be so.

Recipe: Yerushalmi Kugel (NY Times)

Recipe from Adeena Sussman
Adapted by Melissa Clark

You think you’ve tasted kugel, but this is something entirely different than the Eastern European version you have had before.

Makes 8 servings

Prep/cooking time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

2 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

1 (12-ounce) package thin egg noodles (or use angel hair pasta)

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed, sunflower or vegetable

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

6 large eggs, beaten

2 ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions. Rinse and drain well. Return to pot and toss with 1 tablespoon oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
2. In a heavy skillet, combine sugar and 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns amber brown, but not burned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Working quickly, pour the caramelized sugar over the cooked noodles and stir to combine. (Don’t scrape the skillet.) The caramel will probably clump in places when it hits the noodles, and that is OK. It will melt as the kugel bakes. Let noodle mixture cool until warm, about 10 minutes.
4. Add eggs and 2 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper to noodles. Stir to incorporate.
5. In a 6-quart oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high until very hot, but not smoking. Scrape egg-noodle mixture into the pot and smooth it into an even layer.
6. Bake, uncovered, until kugel is dark golden and the top is slightly hardened and crusty, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
7. Transfer pot to a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along the edges to loosen the kugel. Invert kugel onto the rack, then invert it again onto a serving platter so that the top — and lighter side — of the kugel faces up. Serve while still warm or at room temperature.

Song: Gesher, by Yosef Goldman

All the world is just a narrow bridge,

And above all is not to fear at all.

Conversation with Kids: On accepting responsibility

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/accepting-responsibility/

Parashat Vayeshev

PRACTICE: In the Spirit of Thanksgiving (who says it’s one day only that we are called to gratitude?)

Listen to CBH’s Chorus singing “This Be Dear to Me,” and take a moment to locate what you are grateful for on this Shabbat.

TORAH: Tamar the Hidden

This week’s parasha focuses primarily on Joseph. However, smack in the middle is set the surprising narrative of Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah, who was left vulnerable and helpless when her husband died. Since Judah didn’t take up his responsibility toward her, Tamar found a way to force him to recognize and support her. Read Ellen Dannin’s surprising take on Tamar as a role model for us.

TALK: Light Our Own Lights

As we prepare for Hanukkah this coming Sunday evening, November 28, we have an opportunity to reflect on light amid darkness.

Every person must know and understand that deep within them a candle burns, and their candle is unlike the candle of any other. There is no person without a candle. Every person must know and understand that it is upon them to toil and reveal the light of their candle for others. They must kindle them into a great torch that will illuminate the entire world. 

–Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, first chief rabbi of Israel

Questions for discussion:

1. What is the light you bring to the world?
2. How can we bring our lights together to bring light to the world around us?

SING:

This song by Rabbi Margot Stein offers a new perspective on light and dark:

Light and Dark
By Rabbi Margot Stein

Bring some light into the darkness,
bring some darkness to the light
As we dance among the shadows
flickering in black and white

All things dark are not just evil,
all things light are not just fine
Can we learn to bless our difference,
God in your face, God in mine.

Copyright 2002 by Margot L. Stein

Sing along with Rabbi Dayle:

EAT: Pumpkin Spice Challah Recipe by Tori Avey

https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/pumpkin-challah/

Parashat Chayyei Sarah

• Guide to Shabbat Blessings: everything you need for blessings over candles, wine/grape juice and Challah
• Opening the Gaps in Patriarchy: How Rebecca Helped Empower Women: A d’var Torah with action opportunities

• Question for discussion

• How can we empower women? Other oppressed people?

• Watch women taking action

• Check out Women Wage Peace, a grassroots movement to bring peace to Israel/Palestine

• ---

  Watch Prayer of the Mothers, Yael Deckelbaum
• Bake Challah in preparation using this recipe that I have found fool proof. Maybe make one 3-or 4-braided loaf for Shabbat and one or more round loaves for Rosh Hashanah.
• Read Erev, a poem by Rabbi Annie Lewis
• Make Blessings for Shabbat (candles, blessings for children/others, Kiddush, challah)
• Get ready for the work of turning and returning to our Source. Listen to Im Atah Maamin, by the CBH Chorus.