Israel Today Let’s Eat

By Barbara Deutsch

For some reason, no matter how many days, weeks or even months are planned for vacation, it all seems to go too fast. Maybe that is true for a lot of things, but for us, no matter how long we stay, it’s never enough.

I guess that’s why we are coming here to stay, hopefully without too many hurdles or glitches. It’s time to make the big move.

What I do know is that while Israel has so much to offer and is our dream home, it’s not all golden and the friends and family who live here have been honest and forthcoming about what it takes. Living in Israel is not for the weak of heart and is a challenge for young to old.

Every age group comes with its own issues. Yet, anyone who has taken the big step tells us that they would not live anywhere else in the world.

When we spend our summers in Israel, we try to mix adventure with hanging out and doing nothing. For me, still busy with school prep, I have trouble figuring out how to relax. I need to have a plan and do something every day. It can sometimes be annoying to those I love.

Some plans are made well in advance –a tour, a long trip or a visit with family who live far away. Some plans are spontaneous – breakfast with friends, a walk or sitting around the pool reading. Whatever the plans and wherever we go, my brain keeps churning and working. It’s a byproduct of my superpower, ADD.

Whatever we do, I’m always observing, processing and filing away for future use. For example:

We went to buy the famous Marzipan rugelach in the shuck; there is nothing better than those gooey, chocolate delights hot and fresh out of the oven. As we were checking out, one of the cashiers called us over to her shorter line; the store was packed with people, and there were multiple lines.

As we turned to get into her line, a short, determined woman pushed me aside, got in front of me, started counting pennies, finally paid, took my “waiting to be paid for bag,” got yelled at by the rolling-her-eyes cashier quietly observing all of the goings on, responded, “I did not see her” and left in a huff.

There is a tiny coffee shop situated near a bus stop on a busy corner on Usishken in Jerusalem. It only sells coffee. If you are lucky, there may be a hot delicious chocolate chip cookie to grab as well. So far this summer, he has never been open for us. His posted hours are “whenever he gets there” to “whenever he has to get home for his kids.” for the opportunity to sit outside in the blazing sun while indulging.

When he is open, long lines of coffee connoisseurs wait patiently for his delicious fresh ground coffee. It’s worth the wait, and it seems that there are many who don’t mind his schedule.

Ever-resourceful coffee-loving Israelis have created a Natan’s WhatsApp group to support their coffee cravings.

I was too worried about the street food vibe’s effect on my fragile stomach, so I did not partake. My gluten-free, very careful eater daughter enjoyed her delicious gluten-free wrap.

For those who need to know, there are many places, even in the Golan, where there is delicious gluten-free food available. There is even a store in the shuk called Gluless that is filled with delicious cakes and breads, all gluten-free.

And for those who want to enjoy a nice meal, go to Kazze for spaghetti so good that you won’t taste the difference between what you are eating and what you remember.

Of course, as soon as we got up the steps to the shul, I heard my name called, “Hi Barbara, what brings you here?” by one of the diners sitting at an outdoor sort of table. The person calling my name was a new and wonder as to what we as a people are doing wrong. In an age of easy access to so much knowledge and information, how is it that an educated person, albeit not connected to Judaism, cannot know the Kotel?

So much heavy lifting to be done.

In Israel, connections can be found in so many ways, especially through food. Night and day, the restaurants are filled with diners young and old, charedi and chiloni, enjoying anything from delicious street food to indulging in fine dining.

The homegrown ripe fruits and vegetables are magnificent in their taste and beauty, especially now that we are post Shemitta.

This summer, we have eaten in almost every Mehadrin dairy and meat eatery in Jerusalem. When we are alone or with friends, we have allowed ourselves to sample Rabbanut approved eateries.

There is a boureka bakery in the shuk that sells piping-hot bourekas by the pound. What most don’t know is that down a dingy alleyway, there is an old time cafe with a few tables and waiters who serve boureka sandwiches which are yummy. You have to look closely for the alley entrance or you might never find it.

When we went to Tzfat, an old city with a complicated story, at the top of the road which leads to the Ari’s shul, a Kabbalist rabbi from the Middle Ages who many turn to in prayer for guidance, adjacent to a famous artists’ colony, is a Yemenite food stand. A pony-tailed vendor makes a concoction that looks like an omelet wrap that he fills with all kinds of Middle Eastern delights. Long lines wait friend that I had made last year in Israel. Among other incredible acts of chesed, she leads a group of TJJ/NCSY moms whose unaffiliated children participate in a camp group who explore Israel during the summer. The program is so successful that it has expanded to include moms and now the dads of the TJJ campers.

The moms that I met travel up and down Israel connecting with their Jewish roots. I asked one of their leaders if the trip really makes a difference over the long run. My friend responded, “We were at the Kotel and one of the Mom’s asked in all innocence, ‘Why are we here? What’s the Kotel?’”

This response shocked and rattled me; it triggered an overwhelming feeling of loss

It is so much fun to have free rein over the bounty and talent that this nation offers to its citizens and guests. How amazing is it to be able to sample pizza or schnitzel on every corner and not be limited to only the one option in town.

When we look at a map of Israel, we see mountains, deserts, rivers and wide open spaces. Too bad we don’t get a glimpse of the potpourri of the colorful population, their customs and their delicious cuisine.

Mrs. Barbara Deutsch is currently the associate principal at HANC 609 and a longtime reflective educator, parent, grandparent, and new great-grandparent. Even after all these years, she still loves what she does and looks forward to working with kids every single day.

Ifyou grew up before YouTube and Instagram and WhatsApp statuses, chances are you listened to your Jewish music on a CD or a DVD or even a cassette recorder. And chances are your go-to favorite singers and choirs were all male. Back then, everybody was singing along with MBD or MBC or Avremele because there really were no other options for women.

Fast forward to our current music scene, and wow – times have really changed. The industry has literally exploded with energetic and talented singers, refreshing and creative songs, sophisticated musical arrangements, and – incredibly – a wide range of super-talented female artists and performers who are achieving remarkable recognition and success.

Shaindel Antelis is one of those popular female vocalists who is well known in the industry. She spoke to us about her career, the evolution of Jewish music for women, and her advice to talented young girls who are considering a career in this field.

For Shaindel, joining the music industry was pretty much a no-brainer. She grew up in Brooklyn in what she describes as a very musical family. “We had a studio in our home,” Shaindel says, “so there was always lots of singing and drumming and choirs. People were constantly coming to our house to record their music.”

Growing up, Shaindel remembers just a handful of popular female vocalists in the industry.

“Back in the ‘90s, there was Kineret and maybe one or two others that I knew of,” she recalled. “I loved their music, but