◊ Wrong Again

Posted on April 3, 2014 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

You got me all wrong.

My last letter was not about an isolated and sad childhood; it was the opposite. If you were anyone other than my mother, you would have read it as a gloating exultation rather than a series of grievances. I was boasting about my frequent practice with creativity and industrious nature, about finding comfort with being alone, about filling up on close friends. These things have carried me into “adulthood” or whatever.

I was often alone, but I never really struggled with loneliness. I learned how to cope. I chose to go to summer camp, to ready my trundle bed so that my bedroom could instantaneously flip into a hostel, to pick up the phone on the rare occasion when I was home alone. I feel proud about the aftermath of my only-childness, not sad. You should too.

Regarding your cluelessness, it would be weird if you knew everything about my life. Really weird, trust me. But you don’t remember me playing in the kitchen?

Naomi came from Haifa to Jerusalem last weekend and we ran the Jerusalem half-marathon and prepared for the Birmingham-in-Israel Shabbat dinner together. When we got home from dinner on Thursday night, we discussed what we’d do next. Go to a bar? No. Let’s bake.

The only baking ingredients I had were weird grains — no butter, sugar or eggs in the fridge. But we got creative. I sliced eggplant for the star dish of the next evening’s meal and Naomi whipped together cookies made out of rye flour, yogurt, cinnamon, honey, oats, coconut oil and chopped figs. As we worked in the kitchen, we talked about how we used to go through your pantry and bake without recipes when we had nothing else to do. Surprise concoctions… it was a common activity for us. How do you not remember?

Memory is a funny thing. You probably blocked out my invasion (destruction?) of your sacred kitchen space to keep your sanity. I don’t blame you. Do you at least remember the witches game I played with my cousins? We baked mud pies and brewed dirt potions until you caught us dragging sludge through the house. You furiously hosed us down like dogs and banned us from playing witches again — traumatic for both parties.

You’re absolutely right, the grass has brown spots on both sides … what to do but turn it into green ice cream?

I’ll be home for Passover in less than a week! I know it’s your kitchen and you can do whatever you want in it, but please have the gefilte fish situation under control. Thanks.

xo,

Shaina

Your parents-of-Birmingham-in-Israel Shabbat dinner looked like a lot of fun and ours was too. I made my own version of this recipe from one of my favorite sites, Green Kitchen Stories. I veered from their Italian spices and went East, substituting freekeh (smoked green wheat, popular in Arab grain dishes) for bulgar and cumin for basil. The recipe seems like a lot of work, but I did it in stages so the final prep was quick. I made the stuffing and tomato sauce a week before and kept it in the freezer until I was ready to use it. I sliced and roasted the eggplant on Thursday night. On Friday, all I had to do was assemble and bake. The pictures certainly didn’t come out as nice as these, but it was still pretty. And it tasted delicious.

Involtini di Melanzane … in the Middle East (adapted from Green Kitchen Stories)

4 medium eggplants, thinly sliced (1 inch/2 cm)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Thinly slice the eggplant lengthwise and coat with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in the oven on 400 F until browned on the edges (be careful – these are very easy to burn and they will not roll nicely if they’re too crisp!). Remember that you will bake them again, so don’t worry about getting them a perfect golden brown.

Tomato Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried chili
2 tins canned tomatoes
juice of 2 lemons
a pinch of sea salt and black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and stir until fragrant. Add onion, garlic and chili. Stir until onions are translucent and then add canned tomatoes, lemon, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Stuffing

1 1/2 cup of freekeh (precooked) – The original recipe calls for bulgar and notes that you can also use quinoa, cous cous or other grains
1 tsp cumin
1/3 cup pistachio nuts, finely chopped (save some for topping)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 cup goat feta cheese, crumbled (save some for topping)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large onions, finely chopped
juice and zest of 2 lemons
1 egg

Cook the freekeh according to the recipe on the box. Add remaining ingredients. Add the egg, use your hands to gently fold the ingredients together without mixing too much.

Topping

1/3 cup goat feta cheese, crumbled
a dash of olive oil
handful of fresh parsely, chopped
pistachio nuts, chopped or pulsed into a powder

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with oil. Preheat oven to 325 F. Lay the eggplant slices on the baking sheet and place two big spoonfuls of stuffing at the bottom of each. Roll the stuffing into the eggplant lengthwise away from you (this takes practice and patience!). Once they are all rolled and sitting next to each other, cover them with the tomato sauce. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 F. Remove from oven, sprinkle with goat cheese, and place back into oven for 12-15 minutes, until goat cheese is melted and browned. Remove from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes. Sprinkle with pistachio nuts, olive oil and chopped parsley before serving.

I love that we coordinated some of our recipes to be the same in Birmingham and in Israel. Naomi made her famous carrot salad, which you enjoyed via Gail on the other side. I made my own version inspired by hers and one from 101cookbooks.com. The added chickpeas make it a bit hardier than Naomi’s just-carrot salad – it’s a perfect lunch on a busy school day.

Chickpea and Carrot Salad

1 tablespoon cumin power
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6-8 large carrots, shredded or sliced on a mandolin
2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15- ounce can, drained and rinsed)
2/3 cup chopped prunes, chopped apricots and/or raisins
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
A generous handful of candied pecans (you can make your own or purchase them), toasted almond slices, crushed walnuts and/or pumpkin seeds

Shred carrots into a large bowl, pour dressing over and let sit an hour or more to let flavors come together. Add toasted nuts before serving.

◊ One World One Family

Posted on November 4, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

You are in Israel and I am in class. I’m a terrible student … I just can’t wait to be with the family. All I have to do is get through the next few classes and readings before I see you in two days!

I’m looking forward to Amit’s wedding, but the nerd in me is just as excited to simply be surrounded by my family. The abundance of us together at the same time (for the first time!) in Israel is part of an important story. I’m grateful to live it. And if the legacy of family tradition is carried in the way we party, the wedding will be out of control.

I’m also excited for you to be in Israel again. I know you’ll love the food and I’m curious to hear your perceptions of the country’s daily beat. When I walk the streets of Jerusalem there are times I feel right at home and others when reality flips my comfort zone upside down. Will you experience what other Jewish visitors from the US talk about — a feeling of returning home? Or, more similar to my experience, will being here make you question your sense of belonging to any place? Living in Jerusalem makes me wonder if sense of belonging to a place is something that we’re taught to feel entitled to… and what kind of devotion, adoration, havoc that feeling might trigger. If you run out of things to think about during your time here, sense of belonging is a good one. But I’m certain that won’t happen. Your days will be too crowded with loud family, tasty salads and stunning vistas.

In the least, Abe’s embarrassing family slogan creation – One World, One Family. Schuster, We Know No Borders – vindicates a share of my own search for belonging, particularly among our small American cohort. That’s why our family story is important to me.

See you SOON b’eretz!

xo,
Shaina

The best thing about eating in Israel is the salads. Breakfast salads, lunch salads, dinner salads… small, diverse and plenty! In the words of dear friend Dr. Ayla Pelleg, salads are exciting because every bite is a new adventure!

You’ll see what I’m talking about in a few days if you haven’t already.

In Israel, tuna salads are staple, weirdly for breakfast and especially among students like me for its affordable (in time and shekels) protein. When I was a kid, my favorite lunch was a tall stack of tuna- saltine cracker-tuna- saltine cracker. What I probably enjoyed most about this lunch was the animal-like crumble of the stack after such careful construction.

I’m (mostly) over my childish impulse to destroy, but am still tweaking my all-time favorite tuna salad. Below is my Israel inspired concoction colored with eastern spices and bright veggies.

Shelves in the market feature unfamiliar spices… I experiment with a new one after each visit

Spicy Tuna Salad with Lentils and Arugula
Serves 4 – 7 people

Spice mix

¼ cup tomato paste
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 green chili, stem and seeds removed
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Salad

2 cups French lentils, prepared (boil with salt)
3 5-ounce cans of albacore tuna
4 tablespoons spice mix or to taste
2 cups carrots, finely grated
½ red onion, chopped
4 handfuls of arugula, chopped
3 eggs, boiled and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
Handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted, for garnish

To prepare spice mix, add all ingredients into a food processor and puree into thick paste. In a large bowl, mix lentils, tuna, spice mix, onions and carrots. If desired, add a drop of olive oil to loosen the mixture. Right before serving, toss tuna mixture with arugula and sliced eggs. Add salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and parsley and serve chilled with good bread or crackers. Refrigerate any unused portion of the spice mixture for other salad dishes.

** If you don’t eat fish, add another handful of lentils (or an additional egg or slices of avocado) … the salad works without tuna. The lentils, carrots and arugula carry plenty of substance. Experiment and tell me what you learn.

♦ Schuster Shealy

Posted on September 22, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

I laughed out loud, while shedding a few tears, when I read your response to Dad’s guest post. As if I didn’t know that the predominant gene pool stamped on your DNA had SHEALY all over it…

The minute you were born, after they slapped you to make you cry (Schusters don’t have to be prompted to wail loudly), they laid you down next to me for the first time. I looked into your eyes as you quietly eyeballed me…and there you lay…clearly a mini Allen Shealy replica! As you got older, the comments veered more toward, “We never knew Allen was so pretty.” I was grateful that at least you got my eyebrows!

The Shealy genes penetrated far beyond appearance. By the time you were two, I understood that the die was cast and that I should give up any attempts at trying to mold you in my image, or any other…you were hard-wired. So much for nature versus nurture!

You were quietly cautious and took your time…with everything. You were shy with strangers, easily manipulated by your more Schusterly cousins and adored by everyone! Even as a small child you emitted a sense of calm, loving acceptance and tolerance.

Lest anyone think that you were simply a sweet, adorable child, easily malleable by the prevailing players in your life, that was not the case. The strength of your core, the individuality of your spirit and the stubbornness of your will were apparent and readily available to you when needed.

Your pre-school teachers would place your cubby next to the most out-of-control boy… every year. They knew you would ignore the bad behavior while promoting a sense of calm around you. When you decided that ballet classes and soccer games involved too much public performance for your comfort, you simply stopped, literally in your tracks. I had no choice but to take you home and hope the next activity might be a better fit. Even at the age of three, you would modify the teacher’s model of an art project, creating your own version from some vision in your head…and then other children would copy yours. You were/are a leader, quiet and non-dogmatic, but clearly present.

You are so like your father! Your signature, Shaina Shealy, speaks to your comfort in your genes. However, the impact of nurture has not been totally undercover. I would like to think that some of your creative skills have come from the hands of your Schuster relatives…along with the importance of family, friends and tradition, your love of food and cooking for large hoards of people and, of course, your keen bargaining skills. Perhaps, someday, the Schuster may find its way back into your given name, Shaina Schuster Shealy, no hyphens necessary.

Maybe the biggest challenge for an only child overdosed with love and attention and privilege from two doting parents is to find her own voice. You took that on from an early age. I know you often feel that your path eludes you, yet the thing I am most proud of for you, is that you have the courage to pursue that search. You have learned to trust and follow your voice…wherever it may lead you. Your voice…and your path…may change over time, but you have mastered the process of paying attention to who you are. Despite all the Shealy and Schuster chatter, the Shaina murmurs ring strong.

I sit here in the living room wearing the soft cotton housedress, a gift direct from India from you (it’s what all the Indian mothers wear around the house). You putter around your room identifying the things you will need as you set out for a year of study and exploration amidst the Schuster family ambiance in Israel.

I sit with my own meld of mother worry and pride, an all too familiar feeling. It has been a lightning quick summer filled with kitchen mess, stuffed refrigerators, endless trips to multiple grocery stores…and friends and family…sharing old traditions, trying on new ones…tashlich (casting away of sins) at the farm, new tastes at the holiday table, escaping from temple during Yiskor…the Schusters and the Shealys, together.

Rosh Hashana was an extravaganza of tastes and blessings. You requested Pomegranate Tabouli, a sweet and savory salad that has become a new Rosh Hashanah tradition. As you leave Birmingham for the land of milk and honey…and pomegranates…I hope this dish is a reminder to you of how two seemingly disparate flavors can produce something beautiful, sweet and uniquely flavorful and captivating. This is your dish!

We cooked together, we prayed together and we gave thanks. We looked to the new year with hope and promise. You bring so much that is fresh and honest and spiritual into our lives…making us better than we ever thought we could be. I will miss this time with you…even as I reclaim my kitchen.

I wish you safe travels, new friends, enlightening adventures…and an ever stronger voice!

Love,
Mom
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Pomegranate Tabouli
With apples, walnuts and Pomegranates

2 cups flat leafed parsley, finely chopped
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup crisp sweet apples, diced unpeeled
½ cup red onion, diced
1 ½ – 2 teaspoons ground smoked paprika or chipotle chile pepper
½ cup raisins or currants
¼ cup fresh lemon juice and zest from one lemon
⅓ cup olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
Honey (optional)
1 cup walnuts

Mix first six ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in pepper, lemon juice and zest and oil. Season to taste with salt and a little honey if you like a little more sweetness. At this point, the mixture can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days.

In a dry skillet, over medium heat, stir walnuts until toasted, about three minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Crush with the side of a knife or in a mortar with pestle until they are in coarse pieces.

Stir crushed walnuts into pomegranate mixture. If mixture has been refrigerated, set it out at room temperature for about an hour before adding walnuts.

6-8 servings

◊ Thanks dad

Posted on September 12, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear dad,

Next time I question who I am, I won’t drive out to the farm to find my name. Instead I’ll look for a perfect tomato, slather it with mayo and layer it with egg in two pieces of white bread. I’m sure the egg and tomato sandwich will root me plenty. It is the food of my childhood… a summer treat that you made when mom’s work kept her late, the garden turned out beautiful home-growns or you entertained my friends and me with your attempts at the one-handed egg flip.

The other day, I had a friend over for the first time who was surprised when I said that my parents were out of town: “Your parents? I always assumed you lived with just your mom. I always hear Shaina’s mom this and Shaina’s mom that… but I’ve never hear much about your dad.”

Last week I received a check in the mail for “Shaina Schuster” and in high school I had to correct my friends: my dad isn’t Schuster… his last name is Shealy.

Mom is definitely the louder voice in our family, but please let’s not confuse her volume with her side’s influence on my nature. It might not be so apparent, but your “country roots” contribution to who I am extends a few notches beyond the egg and tomato sandwich. Our family talks a lot about Bubbe’s kitchen and her recipes, but your mother coveted her time in the kitchen too … And let’s face it, my kitchen habits inch more towards your mom’s than Bubbe’s (who kept the ends of her curtains tied in plastic bags – curtain condoms – so they wouldn’t get dirty). Sorry, mom… I do not lament my lack of Schuster-obsessiveness.

I’m with Tom Robbins on his last-meal wishes: the egg and tomato sandwich is a perfect food. Thanks for sharing and for sparing our readers from your second favorite sandwich – I cringe – banana and mayo on white bread.

xo,
Shaina

I created the following recipes with The Cleanse in mind. I’m cleansing in celebration of Esrei Yamim, the ten days in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. I’ve experimented with raw, paleo and vegan diets, but The Cleanse feels like the healthiest eating style for my body.

If you’re interested in the cleanse, visit our cleanse recipe page to get inspired and leave a comment if you want to learn more… I’m always excited for new cleanse buddies!
Mom, it’s so much easier to cleanse when I’m at home with your three freezers and three fridges stocked to their brims with nuts, dried fruits, weird flours, restaurant-sized tubs of spinach… there’s no lack of cleanse-friendly foods!

Big Kale Salad

Tahini Dressing:

4 tbs tahini paste
Juice of 2 lemons
zest of 2 lemons
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp honey (optional)
1/4 cup warm water if needed
salt and black pepper to taste

Kale:

1 big bunch of kale, destemmed, torn into pieces
1 tsp course sea salt
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp paprika
dash of chipotle chili seasoning, to taste

Accoutrements:

 4 medium carrots, shredded or finely chopped
2 peaches or nectarines, cut into bite sized pieces
 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 medium golden or red beet, cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 avocado, cubed into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup toasted sunflower, pumpkin seeds, almond slices, and/or walnuts

Make the dressing by pureeing tahini, lemon, garlic, honey, etc with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth.
Pile kale into a big bowl. Massage lemon juice, salt, paprika and chipotle chili seasoning into kale leaves. It sounds silly, but the massage is crucial… you have to exercise the leaves until they are tender. Gently rub the leaves with your hands for 2 – 5 minutes. This can be done the night before, hours before or minutes before serving.

Just before serving, combine the kale with half of the dressing and remaining ingredients. Use your hands to gently toss ingredients together. Drizzle the salad with remaining dressing if desired.

Miso-Sesame Soba Noodles with Pan-Fried Tofu

1 package (12 oz) dried soba noodles (I like to use 100% buckwheat, but they can be hard to find and expensive. More common is a buckwheat + spelt or wheat combination.)

3 cloves garlic, peeled
5 shallots, peeled
2 tablespoons grated, peeled ginger
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cane sugar (optional)
3 tbs miso paste
2 tbs brown rice vinegar
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 tbs toasted sesame oil

1/2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tbs toasted sesame oil
1 package (12 oz) extra-firm tofu, sliced
1/3 cup black sesame seeds

2 heads of baby bok choy, chunked and steamed (or blanched)
2 heads broccolini (baby broccoli), chopped into bite size pieces and steamed (or blanched)
  1 bunch of chives or scallions, minced

Cook the soba noodles in well salted water, drain, rinse under cold water. Set aside.

For the dressing, combine shallot, salt, sugar, ginger and garlic in morter and pestle. Crush until ingredients are well-mashed. Heat olive oil in pan and add shallot, salt, ginger and garlic. When browned and fragrant, remove from heat and whisk with toasted sesame oil, miso, vinegar, onion and lemon zest. Stir vigorously until all ingredients are incorporated. Set aside.

Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cut into matchstick shapes and season with a pinch of salt, 1/2 tbs olive oil, 1/2 tbs sesame oil, and black sesame seeds. Cook in a large pan on medium heat until tofu is golden brown on both sides. This may take 10 – 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with the veggies and dressing. Top with tofu and garnish with chives or scallions.

♦ Tzereis Gezundereit…or Carpe Diem

Posted on August 23, 2013 by estherschuster

Dear Shaina,

What a role reversal for you to be driving us to the airport to send us off on an adventure! No guilt or fear…maybe a little worry…worry that you might get lonely or scared, especially since you’re still afraid to go into the basement alone! But you sound good and I am thrilled for you…not even the slightest bit concerned about the state of the kitchen. Out of sight, out of mind!

I am happy for your comfort in cooking and sharing with friends and using the house for what it is meant for: a place to enjoy, to eat and drink and be with friends and family. As Bubbe used to say, Tzereis Gezundereit: tear it up in good health! Not literally, of course.

She meant that the things we have shouldn’t be saved and preserved for some later pleasure…use what you have, enjoy it today and share it with the people in your life. It was the Bubbe version of Carpe Diem, plus the acknowledgement that most of our stuff will outlast us, hence, tear it up while you can.

picking peaches on the streets of our neighborhood

We all seem to have taken that message to heart. Here we are in Portland indulging in food, wine, and the distinctive sights and sounds that live in an environment that seems to be fearless when it comes to the expression of individual style, creativity and preference for just about anything…as long as it doesn’t hurt your neighbor or the environment. We are drinking ( we are tasting a lot of wine) this city in like parched nomads emerging from the desert…and it is delicious!

There are hundreds of neighborhoods (and we have hit many of them on this trip) each boasting unique flavors and personalities. The walkable streets, lined with bike lanes and crosswalks and closely packed craftsman style homes are lushly adorned with Portland greenery and fruit trees… small independently owned coffee shops, French bakeries and taquerias, bars and ice cream parlors, vintage stores and shops displaying the work of artisans of every talent and skill (dress shops complete with sewing machine and seamstress, old fashioned barber shops, weavers, painters and jewelers) are everywhere. The costumes on the street are wide open…from biking shorts to hiking boots to retro flowered dresses to…well, anything goes in this town, really. The tattoos are bold and sported by people of all ages and lifestyles. Freedom and independence feeds the creative spirit…and the entrepreneur.

We followed a llama into a jewellery boutique

We have shared good wine, food and conversation with our new dear friends from Portland and look forward to showing them Portland’s polar opposite twin city in the South when they visit us. We’ll try to break them in slowly.

Today we drove to Ashland, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Theater and saw a production of Midsummer Night’s Dream set in 1964 at a Catholic Parochial School. Tomorrow on to Napa.

The luxury of our trip reminds me that now is our time. Even old couples need some time alone in a fresh space every now and then to remind them of who they are…separately and together. We are seizing the day…and hope to continue to do so together for a very long time.

Breakfast on our porch

Soon it will be the holidays. I saw your post for the cleanse. Although I haven’t done much cooking (not that I haven’t been eating), the one thing I did make is cleanse-friendly. I tried to replicate a beet dish that we had at a Peruvian restaurant in Portland. I thought mine tasted good, but definitely didn’t have quite the same visual appeal.

Everyday there are new places and sites and experiences I want to share, but enough is enough! I am looking forward to coming home and returning to the normal order of things…me doting on you for the last few weeks of your home-stay…you preparing to leave and being annoyed with my stickiness.

I miss you already. Even though I know its not easy for us to live in the same house. I still miss being around you…being a part of the moments of your every day. I know these days are short-lived and that soon, I will be hearing about your life through the wonders of technology, again.

We’re off for a wine tour in Napa, so I better send this now because I am sure I won’t feel much like focusing after we return.

Love,
Mom
xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxo

Beet Salad with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

2 Red Beets, medium sized
2 Golden Beets, medium sized

Wrap beets in aluminum foil and roast in a 375° oven for 30 -45 minutes or until done (able to be pierced easily with a knife)
Slice thinly, keeping red and yellow beets in separate bowls

Beet Dressing

2 limes, juice and zest
1 Tblsp olive oil
A few drops of sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and adjust to taste.

Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Jalapeno or habanero pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor. Adjust seasonings to taste.

The restaurant version

Arrange thinly sliced beets in alternating layers of red, golden, red beets on a platter. Pour lime sesame dressing over beets.
Drip Cilantro Chimichurri sauce along edges or center of beets.

Garnish with fresh cucumber , cut in thin julienne strips and fresh chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve cold or at room temperature as an appetizer with a fresh baguette or on a bed of arugula as a salad with dinner.

◊ Unloading

Posted on July 7, 2013 by shainashealy

Dear mom,

Home after 6 months of wandering… It’s finally time to unload! My closet shelves seem wider and your kitchen appliances shinier and I am SO done with my freakin humongous backpack.

I still need to process it all as I recover from the exhaustion that comes with the bag-lady package, and I can’t stop thinking about Israel. My role as birthright staff was a success and I enjoyed the days with our distant but familiar family in Israel after the trip.

My group watching the sunrise from Masada

During my first few days in Israel, I laughed a lot in my head. A simple “Shalom” slammed me back to the pit of my childhood… Hebrew words were throwbacks that roped chants from the Jewish Day School back into my brain. Every Israeli situation was a novelty.

I know that a visit to the Western Wall is supposed to be emotional and that I’m supposed to cry when I touch it and blablabla. But during our visit to the Old City, all I could think of was my 4th grade art project, when my classmates and I each reported on one of the city’s landmarks. I was in charge of Sha’ar Ha’ashpot, the Dung Gate, where Jersulamites chucked their trash. I presented it with an intricate drawing of an old relic surrounded by diapers, banana peels and flies.

prayers shoved into cracks of the wall

And when I opened my mouth to speak Hebrew, I only thought of Carl’s made-up song to the tune of Kool and the Gang’s Celebration, which helped me remember Hebrew grammar rules… “Conjugate the verbs, come on!” followed by a quick rap of the actual conjugations, ani ahavti, ata ahavta, hoo ahav, etc…

Most embarrassing was my response to Sivan (our group’s medic and my roomate) when she introduced herself to me. Instead of introducing myself back like a normal person, I sang to her. The chant that Mrs. Posner sang to help us remember the months of the Jewish calendar just slipped off my tongue… Sivan, Iyar, Tamuz, Av…

Sharing a camel with our bus driver, David

From that moment on, Sivan made a rule that I couldn’t call her name unless I sang it.

My American Jewish education prepared me for a visit to my homeland with Israeli songs, folk dances and silly games that seemed irrelevant to any real situation. And as I toured ancient sites and tested memories in my head, the nostalgia for Israel that I was trained to feel possessed me… it was creepy.

But after ten days of touring ancient sites with other American Jews (Jewish Americans?), I relocated to the homes of our Israeli family members. I met Chana for the first time, your Israeli replica. After showing off each room in her home (including a whole room just for kitchen appliances), she force fed me for hours… Israeli salads and hummus and a spongy orange cake that tasted exactly like one Bubbe used to make I couldn’t believe it. I observed personalities so clearly unique to our family’s gene pool… the force feeding, the loud talking all at once… that at times I thought I was back in Birmingham.

Chana with her cake and cool glasses

I heard stories of how Zayde’s brothers and sisters landed in Israel, and how we have cousins in Russia who are rediscovering their Jewish heritage right now preparing to make Aliyah. Sitting around a table of aunts and uncles, baby cousins and plates and plates of food, I saw, firsthand, the joyous outcome of a country that prioritizes the provision of a safe haven for Jews seeking refuge. The songs and dances that I learned at summer camp and school provided the initial backdrop of familiarity… but with the family, the sense of belonging that I learned about at summer camp and youth group and Jewish Day School finally unfurled.

I know it’s all a cliche and I’m surprised by my reaction to Israel… it wasn’t my first time there but it was the first time I’ve felt this way.

I think my emotional experience was shaped by the juxtaposition of my itinerary: I headed to Israel from India. In India, my outsider perspective was extreme and the “welcome” limited. The religious and societal structures create a barrier that makes integration into Indian culture impossible for a white American like me. The newness, surprise and unfamiliarity of everything around me in India was acutely opposite of the nostalgic comforts in Israel. So of course the “welcome home” from the Israeli customs officer in the airport elicited a heightened reaction.

I don’t really know… I have a lot to unload.

love,
Shaina

In Israel, the breakfast spread is glorious: dozens of fresh salads, salty cheeses, creamy tahini and thick yogurt. The participants on my trip stared at my plates piled high with crunchy veggies at 7 AM each day, How can you eat vegetables so early in the morning?

Post breakfast bliss with Naomi!

The Zucchini and Tomato Salad recipe below is adapted from my favorite cookbook right now, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem, and the carrot salad is one that I made up to commemorate my moment of glory as a Birthright staff, which happened in the morning of our last day of the trip. I complimented the quantity of veggies on a participant’s breakfast plate and his response to my comment was, “ You know I started eating vegetables in the morning because you told me to.”

Wow. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such a positive influence on a young person’s life. Salads in the morning are where it’s at.

I also included a recipe for hummus because it’s just so basic… I’m shocked that we don’t have it in our recipe index yet!

Chunky Zucchini and Tomato Salad

Serves 8-12 people as a side dish
Prep time: 30 minutes

8 green zucchini
5 large tomatoes
3 tbs olive oil
2 cups greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red chiles, crushed or 1 tsp red chili flakes
grated zest of 1 lemon
juice from 1 lemon
2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 handful of fresh mint, chopped
1/2 C chopped parsley
salt
black pepper
1 tbs date syrup, agave or honey

*Note that I modified the original recipe for this dish for American convenience and ease. So if you want the real thing, pick up a copy of Jerusalem. You won’t be disappointed!

Preheat the oven to 425 F and cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Trim the zucchini and cut lengthwise into thin 3/4 inch pieces. Halve the tomatoes. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place zucchini and tomatoes cut side down on separate pans. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes until browned on the tops and edges. The veggies should be tender in the middle and crisp on the edges.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Meanwhile, mix all remaining ingredients (except for honey/date syrup) together and hold some parsley for garnish. Once cool, chop zucchini and tomatoes coarsely. Gently fold into mixture and spread over large, shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and date syrup/honey, and garnish with parsley. Serve with warm pita, couscous or your favorite bread.

Chopped Carrot, Beet and Tahini salad

Serves 10 – 12 people as side dish
prep time:

15 – 20 minutes

1 lb of carrots
2 medium beets
2/3 c walnuts
6 medium dates
4 tbs tahini paste
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs water
2 tbs lemon zest
juice of one lemon
1 tbs sesame seeds
4 tbs zatar
salt

To roast beets and walnuts, preheat the oven to 350. Wrap the beets in foil, place them on a pan, and keep them in the oven for 15-25 minutes until soft. Place walnuts on a pan and keep them in the oven for 7-10 minutes until brown and fragrant. Allow to cool. *This can be done the night/day before.

*You can also opt to leave the beets and walnuts raw for a crunchier, earthier dish.

Chop raw carrots, roasted beets, walnuts and dates into small 1/4 inch chunks (you can do this in a food processor for ease, but make sure that you don’t pulverize too much) and mix. In a separate bowl, mix tahini paste, olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice and sesame seeds into a fluid paste. Combine all ingredients and add zatar and salt to taste. Eat as a crunchy, healthy breakfast salad on its own, top with plain yogurt, or use as an accompaniment in sandwiches and pitas. The possibilities are endless.

Hummus

4 C chickpeas (canned will work, but it’s much better if you cook them yourself)
5 cloves garlic
1/3 c tahini
juice from 2 lemons
1/3 c water
3 tbs olive oil
salt to taste

Optional additions

turmeric
roasted red pepper
more garlic
spinach
chili powder/hot sauce
black pepper
olive oil, zatar, parsley, cilantro, tahini for garnish

Puree all ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy. Play around with optional additions and garishes. Serve with warm pita, french fries :), roasted veggies, salads, chips… anything!

See what I did:

Sivan and I always held up the caboose… I the sheep herder and she the body guard. Here, we rest at Masada while waiting for kids in the bathroom. Always in the freakin bathroom.