Visit Our Website www.BikurCholimPS.com March 2015/Adar 5775 VOL. 18 NO. 3
Let My People Know
Published and mailed 5 times a year to 3,500 homes in Palm Springs
Bikur Cholim of Palm Springs A Project of Chabad of Palm Springs P.O. Box 2934 Palm Springs, CA 92263 Rabbi Yankel A. Kreiman
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P U R I M
PUBLISHED BY THE BIKUR CHOLIM OF PALM SPRINGS
h a o l Mish os n a h M a k a d Tze
a l l i g Me ing d a e R
e v i t Fes s l a e M
Sponsored in Loving Memory of
by Gene & Linda Goldsman & Family
Esther and the Modern Jewish Woman: Shining Examples For All By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe
By the Grace of G-d Brooklyn, N.Y. Mrs. ____________ Northridge, CA 91324 Blessing and Greeting: I received your letter; and may G-d grant the fulfillment of your heart's desires for good, that you may have good news to report in all the matters about which you wrote. The zechut of your observance of our sacred traditions--which I was gratified to note in your letter--will surely stand you and yours in good stead in all of the above, including your continued advancement in all matters of Torah and mitzvot. For although this is a "must" for its own sake, in compliance with G-d's will, this is also the "channel and vessel" through which to receive additional divine blessings in all needs, materially and spiritually. The above is a particularly timely message now that we are about to celebrate Purim, the highlight of which is the reading of the
megillah evening and morning. It is noteworthy and significant that although--as the megillah tells us-both Mordechai and Esther were instrumental in bringing about the miracle of Purim and saving our people, the megillah is not named after both of them jointly, nor after Esther and Mordechai in that order, but solely after Esther ("Megillat Esther"). Here is a pointedly emphatic message for every Jewish woman about her unique role in Jewish life. To be sure, no one can compare to the stature of Queen Esther, but it does emphasize the extraordinary potential of every loyal Jewish daughter to shape the future of her family, with farreaching consequences for the environment and even for the entire Jewish people. If this seems farfetched and mystical, the following episode will illustrate what even a comparatively small effort can accomplish. You may have heard that many of our senior Lubavitch students volunteer their summer vacation to travel to distant places in order to reach out to fellow Jews in need of encouragement to strengthen their identity with and commitment to our people and the Torah way. In the course
of this program it so happened that one of the students visited a small, Jewishly-isolated town where he found only a few Jewish families, and, as he later reported, he was disappointed to have accomplished nothing there. But several months later, our own Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch which sponsors this program received a letter from one of the families in that town. The writer, a woman, related that one summer day she happened to stand by her front window when she saw a bearded young man, wearing a dark hat, his tzitzit showing, approaching her door. She confessed that when she admitted the young man and learned of the purpose of his visit, she was not responsive, for she and her family were not prepared at that moment to change their lifestyle. Yet for a long time after that encounter, the appearance of the young man haunted her. He reminded her of her grandfather and had refreshed her memories of the beautiful Jewish life she had seen in her grandparents' home, though the material circumstances were incomparably more modest than she had come to know in her married life. Finally--the letter went on--she decided to make the change. She made her home kosher, and the family began to observe Shabbat and Yom Tov, and she is raising the
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children in the Torah way. Since then, her home is filled with such contentment and serenity that she decided to write to the Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch and express her profound gratitude. Now, if all that was the result of a brief encounter with that young man, though unbeknownst to him of its lasting impact, how much more can be achieved by an American Jewish family, whose influence is not limited to a few minutes' conversation, but serves as a shining example of the kind of daily life and conduct that should be the privilege and blessing of every Jewish family? Needless to say, if, in maintaining the proper Jewish standards, there may be some difficulties to overcome (many of which may even be more imaginary than real), surely such difficulties should be of no significance in comparison to the infinite benefits. Moreover, the effort required is a personal one, while the benefit is also for the many. With prayerful wishes for a joyous and inspiring Purim and With blessing, [Signed: Menachem Schneerson]
‘A Message From the Rabbi’ Dear Friends, As we are approaching Purim, let us remember our 4 Purim Mitzvos. It’s very easy to remember- just think of the 4 M’s
Happy Purim to You and Your Family!
Megillah - Listen to the reading of the Purim story Mishloach Monos - Gift baskets to a friend Matonos La Evyonim - Tzedaka Money for the poor Meal - Enjoy a festive Purim Meal We hope you enjoy our current issue of ‘Let My People Know’.
We’ve included lots of inspiring Purim stories, recipes, and a special Purim guide, to enhance the Holiday Spirit.
Rabbi Yankel & Rochel Kreiman
Happy Purim Dr. Amy Austin Sara Lee Austin Judge Jacqueline Drucker Isaac & Selma Friedman
Judy Gornbein Art & Joan Markovits Joan & Harold Yocheved Meltzer Kramer Arlene Morse Lenore Leon Celia & Sandy Norian Ruth & Herb Levitsky Howard Schreiman Harriet Lindsay Joyce & Irwin Yarmo LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 3
@Purim
The Story of Purim via Twitter By Miriam Wartell
For those of you who don’t know twitter… @ = directed at someone specific. # = “file under.” AchashveiroshAdvisor1: @JewsofShushan PARTY AT THE PALACE!
KingAchash: @Haman You’re gonna be my right-hand man
Remember the time Mordechai saved your life?
Haman: @KingAchash Sweet! Everyone is going to have to bow to me now #Power
KingAchash: @Advisor2 Yes, what did he get?
MordiJew: @Haman Not gonna bow #JewsDon’tDoThat
Advisor2: @KingAchash Nothing, Sir.
Haman: Problem solved #GetRidofJews Haman: @KingAchash Those Jews are awful. Can I kill them?
AchashveiroshAdvisor: 13th day of AdarJews are going down!
QueenVashti: @Advisor2 I ain’t goin’ nowhere…
MordiJew: Oy! #JewsNeedToFast
AchashveiroshAdvisor1: @ WomenofShushan All the single ladies must come to the palace #UglyNotIncluded HadassahEsther: I’m not going. Royal Guards: @HadassahEsther You must come with us. Heigai: @WomenofShushan Makeup counter is to your left. KingAchash: Picked my new wife! #Esther HadassahEsther: : ( MordiJew: @HadassahEsther I am sitting by the gate #WatchingYou Bigsan&Seresh: Guess what we’re up to!? MordiJew: @HadassahEsther Bigsan and Seresh out to kill your hubby HadassahEsther: @MordiJew Will let him know, thanks. KingAchash: Mordechai saved my life #Chronicles 4 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
Haman: The king must be talking about me #Awesome
KingAchash: @Haman Sure, why not.
KingAchash: @AllAdvisors Bring Vashti ASAP #ShowOffTheWife
KingAchash: Time for a new wife!
KingAchash: @Haman Tell me, what shall be done for a man the king wishes to honor?
HadassahEsther: @MordiJew OMG! MordiJew: @ HadassahEsther Esther, talk to the king! HadassahEsther: @KingAchash @Haman Please come over for a dinner party
Haman: @KingAchash Let him wear the king's royal robes and a crown. Let him ride the king's royal horse. Haman: @KingAchash Oh! And let a servant walk before the horse and say “this shall be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!” That would be cool… KingAchash: @Haman Nice! Find Mordechai the Jew and do what you said #NiceGuysGetRewarded
KingAchash: @ HadassahEsther Sure
Haman: Horrible day! At least I get another free dinner tonight #DinnerAtThePalace
Haman: @ HadassahEsther Free food, I’m there!
KingAchash: @ HadassahEsther Great dinner, now what can I do for you?
KingAchash: Dinner with the wife and righthand man #Awesome
HadassahEsther: @KingAchash Please spare my life and the life of my people!
KingAchash: @HadassahEsther What can I do for you, Esther?
KingAchash: @ HadassahEsther Who would do such a thing!?
HadassahEsther: @KingAchash Come over tomorrow with @Haman for another dinner party
HadassahEsther: @KingAchash Your wicked advisor @Haman!
Haman: Saw Mordechai today, he still wouldn’t bow! #BuildingaGallow KingAchash: I can’t sleep KingAchash: @Advisor2 Read me my chronicles Advisor2: @KingAchash I opened the book.
KingAchash: Hanged Haman today. #EvilGuysAlwaysGetFoiled @JewsAroundTheWorld Don’t forget to fulfill the mitzvot of Purim! Listen to the Megillah, have a Purim meal, send gifts of food (mishloach manot), and give gifts to the poor.
Michael A. Sanford, M.D., F.A.C.S.
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760.773.3737
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Rabah & WithTodah heart felt appreciation to you, Rabbi Yankel Kreiman. Mazal Tov
Rabbi Yankel Kreiman
Your loving and dedicated Mitzvos touch the Hearts and Souls of everyone you reach out to daily.
Tr a d i T i o n a l r i T u a l C i r C u m C i s i o n Rabbi Nachman B. Kreiman Certified Mohel
180 South Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Home 323-934-9329 Cell 323-896-5098
s"xc
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LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 5
The Shpoler Zeide’s Purim Play Once a Jew named Mendel came to the tzaddik Reb Aryeh Leib of Shpola, asking for help. At a glance, the rebbe could see that he was terribly upset. “Rebbe, I don’t know what to do!” the man said. “A year ago I left my home in Rumania to come to Russia, together with my wife and family. We hoped to get a new start in life, but we’ve had no luck. In addition to all the expenses of moving, which I don’t know how I’ll pay, I have now received official papers demanding that I appear in court on charges of stealing money from the government.” “Believe me, Rebbe, I never touched a penny that wasn’t mine in my whole life. I don’t know what it’s all about. Rebbe! What am I to do?” “Don’t be worried,” said Reb Aryeh Leib, trying to calm him down. “Tell me, where is the trial to take place?” “Here in Russia,” Mendel replied. “They wanted to take me back to Rumania, but the Russian government protected me.” “Good. It’s best to be on your own ground. Is there a date for the trial?” “Yes, it’s scheduled for ——.” “Have it changed,” the rebbe said sharply. “Do everything in your power to make sure the trial takes place on Purim day! Do you have a lawyer?” “No, Rebbe. Not yet!” The rebbe paused for a moment and then said, “Mendel, I’ll make you a deal. I know a certain girl who is soon to get married. The poor girl is an orphan, with no father or mother to help her. I am trying to do what I can. She still needs 300 rubles for the wedding. If you get me the money for her, I will get you a good lawyer.” Mendel was overjoyed. 300 rubles was a lot of money, but Mendel immediately handed the sum to the rebbe. Filled with good hope, he turned to go. “Wait, Mendel. How will you know who your lawyer is?” said the rebbe. Mendel gazed at the rebbe without speaking. “Listen, don’t worry. He will meet you in the courtroom on Purim day. You will be able to recognize him by his white hat and 6 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
red gloves. Is that a good enough sign?” Mendel smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Rebbe,” he said. Mendel returned home and immediately began carrying out the rebbe’s instructions. He began going to the offices of the court, filing papers and speaking to officials in order to have the date of the trial changed. At first he met with no success. Refusing to take no for an answer, he kept on trying, until at last he succeeded. The trial was set for Purim day. Shortly before the trial, Mendel sent a letter to the rebbe enclosing more money to be distributed to the needy on Purim, and asking for the rebbe’s blessing. Finally, the day of the trial arrived. In the Shpoler Zeide’s shul, everyone was in an excited Purim mood. Following his yearly custom, Reb Aryeh Leib prepared to make his Purim play. He gave instructions to his students and to the people of the town who would be the actors, but no one really knew what the play was about. One of the townsfolk was instructed to play the part of a Jew named Mendel. Another was to be Mendel’s old friend who had turned against him, and was in fact the chief witness for the prosecution. The judge was to be played by the rabbi of the town. The prosecutor, who was trying to prove Mendel’s guilt, was told to cover his face with black paint. The Shpoler Zeide himself dressed up as Mendel’s lawyer. He put a white scarf around his fur shtreimel, and wore red gloves. “All the townsfolk kept interrupting the prosecutor with the black face . . .” The trial began. First the “chief justice” read the charges. Then the “prosecutor” with the black face tried to tell the court what a terrible person “Mendel” was, a hardened criminal and a thief. However, all the townsfolk watching the play kept interrupting him and laughing at everything he said. Next, “Mendel’s former friend” took the stand. He
told the court that the true reason “Mendel” had moved to Russia was in order to run away from the law. He had found a chest of golden coins belonging to the government of Rumania, and now he was trying to make off with the money. Then two “witnesses on Mendel’s side” were called to take the stand. They testified just the opposite. They told the court how they had seen the “friend” demanding a huge sum of money from Mendel. When Mendel refused to give him the money, the “friend” threatened to make big trouble. Finally, the Shpoler Zeide, dressed up as Mendel’s lawyer, made his speech. He showed how the whole case was based on a lie, made up by the wicked “friend.” He proved that there never was a chest of gold; and even if there had been one, and Mendel had found it, the Rumanian government could not legally claim a penny. Everyone was spellbound, and hung on to his every word. At last came the verdict. The “judge,” who was the rabbi of the town, declared Mendel innocent. Mendel’s wicked “friend” was reproached and sent off in shame. The “prosecutor” with the black face was grabbed and pushed out of court, and told to go wash his face. Then the Shpoler Zeide and all his followers sat down to their festive Purim meal. In the middle of their rejoicing, a message from the real Mendel arrived. The trial had gone splendidly! He was free! He would return to Shpola at once. A few days later, Mendel showed up and told everyone about the trial and his wonderful lawyer. People opened their eyes in disbelief. It was exactly what had happened in the Shpoler Zeide’s Purim play! Mendel could not wait to see the tzaddik. “Thank you, Rebbe,” he said. “You sent me an amazing lawyer. Everyone said they had never heard anyone like him before! Most important of all, here I am. Free! He saved my life!” “I am so glad to hear it,” said the rebbe. “Do you by any chance know who that lawyer was?” “No, Rebbe,” Mendel replied. “So I will tell you. He was a holy angel from heaven, created by the charity you gave to help that orphan girl get married. “If you are lucky, you may see him again. After 120 years, when you will be summoned to G‑d’s court in heaven to account for what you did in this world, he may come again to be your lawyer and to speak in your defense!”
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LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 7
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All She Remembered Was Her Name By Rochel Yaffe
It was late Shabbat afternoon, that magic moment between dusk and darkness. The visitors had gone. The baby was already sleeping. Soon the lights would go on. My father and my brother would be home from Shul. There would be a call for the Havdalah candle, wine and spices, and the workweek would begin. But for the moment it was Shabbat--Shabbat peace, Shabbat stillness. I curled up next to my mother on the living room couch, and begged, "Tell me a story. Tell me about myself when I was little." And my mother began: You were born in a very difficult time, a sad and bitter time for our family, for the Jewish people. Wicked Hitler was on the march across Europe. Like Haman before him, he had sworn to destroy us, to kill every Jewish man, woman and child who lived on the face of the earth. Hitler's armies had not yet reached Hungary. He had not yet arrived in our town. We had heard terrible stories, things we didn't believe, couldn't believe. But I was young, not much more than a girl, and I had just been blessed with my first baby. Forgetting all our troubles, I waited eagerly for the nurse to bring my baby to me. I sat in the large hospital bed, and watched the nurses bring the other women their babies. "Oh, give her to me!" I cried. "Please, let me hold her!" But the nurse, a heavy-set woman with small, hard eyes, did not smile. Finally, a nurse came walking toward my bed, holding a small bundle wrapped in a flannel blanket. What a beautiful baby you were: Your eyes were big and blue in your small rosy face. Someone had tied a matching blue ribbon into your fuzz of brown hair. "Take her," she said shortly, dumping you roughly at the end of the bed. "I don't know why we have to bother with these Jewish brats." I must have gasped, because she looked straight at me and repeated. "These Jewish brats. They are a waste of time and money. Hitler will take care of all of you before the year is out." I couldn't answer her. I just held you tight in my arms and cried and cried. "There, honey, don't let that old witch upset you." It was the woman in the bed next to mine. She was a rosy-cheeked farmer's wife with graying hair. "Come on, let's have a look at your baby. Oh my, oh my; isn't she cute. What a pity..." Suddenly, she sat straight up in her bed, and spoke to me with great earnestness, "Listen to me, listen to me, Mrs. ...." "Mrs. Rosenberg," I supplied. "Listen, Mrs. Rosenberg. Let me have her." Her heavy face was flushed with excitement. "Let me take her. 10 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
Why should she die, the innocent babe? I swear to you, I will care for her as if she was my own. I never had children, you know. Give her to me." I stared at her in amazement. "What do you mean? What are you saying? How can I give her to you? She is ours. She is a Jewish child and we will raise her, G-d willing, as a Jewish child." "You won't raise her." The friendliness was gone from her face. "That poor babe, she hasn't got a chance. There won't be any Jewish kids left when Hitler gets here." "Don't be so sure," I answered uncertainly. "Don't be so sure. This is not the first time they have tried to destroy us." And suddenly I remembered. I remembered that it was Purim that day. Purim was your birthday. It was a sign, I thought, a sign from Heaven, that my baby was born on the very day that Haman met his downfall. It was the day that was transformed from darkness to a great light. I was suddenly filled with courage and confidence. "In every generation they have risen up against us to destroy us, and G-d has always saved us from their hands. And He will again. He will again!" My neighbor continued to reason with me, but I was no longer listening. I was thinking about my baby's name. Your father came to visit me that afternoon. How good it was to see him, his megillah tucked under one arm, a bag of kosher food in his hand! My first words to him were, "Avrom, I know what our baby's name will be. She will be Esther, Esther Malka." Your father nodded. "Esther. Esther Malka. A beautiful name, a good name." Gently he stroked your little head. "G-d will surely help." And that is how you got your name. To us your parents, to our relatives, to all the people who knew you, your name held a special meaning. It meant hope. It meant faith. "Ah, Esther'ke. Esther Malka," people would say, smiling down at you. "A beautiful name, a good name." And then they would sigh, "G-d will help. G-d must help."
Indeed, we needed G-d's help desperately in those days. Hitler's armies entered Hungary. By the time you were two years old, we were forced to leave our homes, and we were living in the ghetto. What is a ghetto? It was a kind of prison. There was a section of the city that was surrounded by walls and guarded by Nazi soldiers. Young men like your father were marched out at the point of a gun to work for the Nazis. Otherwise no Jew was allowed to leave the ghetto walls. And inside those walls we lived, crowded together, many families in one apartment. We lived with cold, hunger and fear. Many became sick and died. Others were taken away by the Nazis and never heard from again. That is how you lived and grew in the ghetto. You were a pale, thin little girl with wide, anxious blue eyes. There were so many things you could not understand. And then it was Purim, your third birthday. Your father and I were determined that this one day you would have a taste of Purim joy, that you would laugh, have some fun. We planned it all carefully. That morning before your father left with the workers, I sewed a pair of gold earrings inside his jacket. He would trade these with the farmers for flour, sugar, and dried fruit. We would have hamantashen. After he had left, I found a torn lace curtain. It became your gown. From cardboard and old wrapping paper, I fashioned a crown. Your costume was ready. When the men returned from work, people gathered in our house to hear your father read the megillah. How little it takes to make a child happy! You wore your costume like a queen. I had let your hair loose and brushed it until it shone. Your eyes sparkled under your crown. Your cheeks were flushed with excitement. In your happiness, you were the center of attention. People smiled, and cried. They were remembering other Purims in better times. Every time your father read the name Esther HaMalkah ("Esther the Queen") the other children smiled at you. You stood very proud, very serious. The megillah was your story. That night, as I tucked you into bed, rosy and happy, stuffed with hamantashen, you murmured sleepily, "I'm lucky I am Esther." But that was the last happy day I can remember in the ghetto. Things got worse and worse. Every few days now, German soldiers rounded up terrified Jews and forced them into cattle cars. They never returned. Finally, the day came when we realized that we had to send you away. The plan was to smuggle you out of the ghetto, and send you far away to the countryside, to one of the little villages so poor and small that it was forgotten, even by the Germans. There you would live with a peasant family until the war was over. For a sum of money, the last we had, they might agree to take in a Jewish child, and ask no questions. When you woke up that morning, I had all your clothing packed in a large satchel. The young man who was going to take you was already waiting, sitting patiently in the corner. As I dressed you hastily, I tried to explain. I told you that the young man was a friend. He
would take you to a place where there were no soldiers and no guns, where you could eat all the potatoes and bread you wanted. You asked, "Are you and Tati coming with me?" I told you we were not. Then I gripped you by the shoulders and spoke to you very sternly. "Remember one thing. You are not called Esther anymore. Your name is Eva. Say it again. Eva. No matter who asks you and when they ask you. Nobody must know you are a Jewish child. Do you understand?" You were only three years old, and you didn't understand. You burst into loud sobs. "You won't come with me. Tati won't come with me. And I can't even have my name." I tried to think of words that would comfort you. But none came to me. Besides, I was afraid that if I spoke, I would be crying along with you. Then I heard the young man speak. "Come here, Ester'ke." His voice was calm and friendly. "Come, I want to tell you a secret." You stopped crying, and regarded him curiously. Tall and blond, dressed in the rough clothing of a peasant, he looked like a gentile. But he spoke to you in Yiddish, and his eyes were Jewish eyes, kind and sad. "You're not leaving your Tati, your Mommy, or your name. Not really. You will keep them all with you, here." And he pointed at your heart. "And at night, when you are alone, in bed, you will say the Shema and you will think of them, your mother, your father and your Jewish name. But you won't tell anyone. It will be your secret. And one day, your mother and father will come and get you, and bring you home again." "And you, do you have a secret?" you asked him. He nodded. "Yes, I do, Es... I mean Eva. Yes I do." You left me then, holding tight to the hands of your new friend.
A Purim Potpourri The Story of Purim in Rhyme
A royal party like you've never seen But Vashti refuses to be the dancing queen A drunken king orders her killed Leaving a position to be filled The great beauty pageant begins And a nice Jewish girl wins While the Jewish community kvelled Her religious identity, Esther withheld Meanwhile Mordechai is the talk of the town
Your face was smudged with tears. But you went quietly, won over by a sucking candy and a new doll. For many, many months, we did not hear from you. Towards the end of the war, roads and bridges had been bombed, and we were cut off from the countryside. Somehow, through many miracles, we survived, your father and I. Many, many Jews, millions of Jews, did not. Then, the war was over. The wicked Nazis were destroyed. Like all the Jews who survived we tried to put our life together again. Our one thought was to find you. We set out for the village where we had sent you. We walked ten miles by foot. The railroads were down and there were no trains. And as we walked, we prayed. We prayed that we would find you safe. We knew that many villagers had driven out the Jewish children that they had agreed to shelter. Others had handed them over to the Nazis. We also knew that there were villagers who had grown to love the children in their care and did not want to give them back to their parents. And the children themselves were often too small to remember that they had Jewish parents. Torn between fear and hope, we made our way down the dirt road that led through the village. We decided that we would not tell you all at once that we were your parents. It might frighten you. We would make friends with you, slowly. We would win you over. Gradually, you would remember. Suddenly, we caught sight of a child, a small, sunburned girl with matted brown hair and bare feet. She was playing in the dirt in front of a house. Our hearts leaped. It was you. "Little girl," your father called in a trembling voice, "come here." You came over and stared at us with wide, wary blue eyes. You stood there with your thumb in your mouth. How can I describe how I felt? My heart sang with gratitude to G-d because we had found you, healthy,
alive. But there was no welcome, no recognition in your eyes. You had forgotten us completely. Suddenly, you turned and ran into the house. "Ma," you called to someone inside. "There are people here, funny people. They're outside." But there was no recognition in your eyes. A small woman in a black kerchief came out. She was holding you tightly by the hand. Her face was blank, stony. She looked us up and down, our pale faces, our dusty city clothing. Suddenly, I was frightened. She was holding you so tightly, as if you belonged to her. I remembered the woman in the hospital who had said, "Give her to me." I forgot all our plans. I forgot that we had decided to tell you slowly, gradually. "Ester'ke," I burst out. "Esther Malka. It's Mommy and Tati! Don't you remember us?" You froze. You stared at me, without moving. Suddenly, your face changed. You seemed to awaken from a dream. Recognition flared in your eyes. With a little cry, you tore your hands away from the woman who held you, and you were in our arms. It had grown quite dark while my mother was talking. She stirred, glanced at the clock on the wall, Shabbat was over. But I wanted to prolong the moment, to make it last a little longer. "How come," I asked, "How come I forgot everything-you and Tati and being a Jewish girl--and remembered only one little thing, my name?" My mother rose to take out the spices, the Havdalah candle and the wine cup. "I guess," she said, "I guess because a name, a Jewish name, is not a little thing after all."
To Haman, the wicked, he won’t bow down Too bad Haman has a short fuse And decides to kill all of the Jews
Eshter proves to be a queen Of great spirit and grace And Haman is hanged in Mordechai’s place
Esther is asked to intercede with the king But who knows what that could bring? What mood will he be in when she arrives? This guy has no qualms about killing his wives
The king turns over a new leaf Mordechai’s the new chief The Jews are empowered to fight for their lives Justice triumphs and Judaism survives
So the Jews fast and pray And Esther prepares a royal buffet Mordechai is hopeful and is not scared As Haman is having his gallows prepared
The thirteenth day of Adar comes And the Persian army succumbs Gone was the threat of annihilation Purim became a day of celebration
A reversal of fortunes, a twist of fate Leaves Haman a bit irate G‑d’s plan is put into gear Haman’s end is very near
So grab a Megillah and some Tequilla Let the spirit of the day be your guide There’s no greater high than Jewish pride
LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 11
Purim
Editor’s Note Purim begins this year on Wednesday evening, March 4, 2015, and continues through Thursday night, March 5. What follows is a brief step-by-step guide to Purim observance. We have also included links to additional Purim resources.
The festival of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar (late winter/early spring). It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.”
The Story in a Nutshell The Persian empire of the 4th century BCE extended over 127 lands, and all the Jews were its subjects. When King Ahasuerus had his wife, Queen Vashti, executed for failing to follow his orders, he orchestrated a beauty pageant to find a new queen. A Jewish girl, Esther, found favor in his eyes and became the new queen—though she refused to divulge the identity of her nationality.
of all the Jews on the 13th of Adar—a date chosen by a lottery Haman made.
crucial to hear every single word of the megillah.
Mordechai galvanized all the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray to G‑d. Meanwhile, Esther asked the king and Haman to join her for a feast. At the feast, Esther revealed to the king her Jewish identity. Haman was hanged, Mordechai was appointed prime minister in his stead, and a new decree was issued—granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemies.
At certain points in the reading where Haman’s name is mentioned, it is customary to twirl graggers (Purim noisemakers) and stamp one’s feet to “eradicate” his evil name. Tell the children that Purim is the only time when it’s a mitzvah to make noise!
On the 13th of Adar the Jews mobilized and killed many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar they rested and celebrated. Your Purim To-Do List 1) Listen to the Megillah To relive the miraculous events of Purim, listen to the reading of the megillah (the Scroll of Esther) twice: once on Purim eve, Wednesday night, March 4, and again on Purim day, March 5.
Meanwhile, the anti-Semitic Haman was appointed prime minister of the empire. Mordechai, the leader of the Jews (and Esther’s cousin), defied the king’s orders and refused to bow to Haman. Haman was incensed and convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination To properly fulfill the mitzvah, it is 12 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
2) Give to the Needy (Matanot La’Evyonim)
Concern for the needy is a year-round responsibility; but on Purim it is a special mitzvah to remember the poor. Give charity to at least two (but preferably more) needy individuals on Purim day, March 5. The mitzvah is best fulfilled by giving directly to the needy. If, however, you cannot find poor people, place at least two coins into a charity box. As with the other mitzvahs of Purim, even small
children should be taught to fulfill this mitzvah. 3) Send Food Portions to Friends (Mishloach Manot) On Purim we emphasize the importance of Jewish unity and friendship by sending gifts of food to friends. On Purim day, March 5, send a gift of at least two kinds of ready-to-eat foods (e.g., pastry, fruit, beverage) to at least one friend. Men should send to men, and women to women. It is preferable that the gifts be delivered via a third party. Children, in addition to sending their own gifts of food to their friends, make enthusiastic messengers. 4) Eat, Drink and Be Merry Purim should be celebrated with a special festive meal on Purim day, at which family and friends gather together to rejoice in the Purim spirit. It is a mitzvah to drink wine or other inebriating drinks at this meal. Special Prayers (Al HaNissim, Torah reading) On Purim we include the Al HaNissim
Guide
prayer, which describes the Purim miracle, in the evening, morning and afternoon prayers, as well as in the Grace After Meals. In the morning service there is a special reading from the Torah scroll in the synagogue (Exodus 17:8–16). Purim Customs: Masquerades and Hamantashen
A time-honored Purim custom is for children to dress up and disguise themselves—an allusion to the fact that the miracle of Purim was disguised in natural garments. This is also the significance behind a traditional Purim food, the hamantash—a pastry whose filling is hidden within a threecornered crust. Pre- and Post-Purim Observances Torah Reading of Zachor On the Shabbat before Purim (this year, February 28), a special reading is held in the synagogue. We read the Torah section called Zachor (“Remember”), in which we are enjoined to remember the deeds of (the nation of) Amalek (Haman’s ancestor) who sought to destroy the Jewish people.
The Fast of Esther To commemorate the prayer and fasting that the Jewish people held during the Purim story, we fast on the day before Purim. This year we fast on Wednesday, March 4. The fast begins approximately an hour before sunrise, and lasts until nightfall. The “Half Coins” (Machatzit HaShekel) It is a tradition to give three coins in “half” denominations—e.g., three halfdollar coins—to charity, to commemorate the half-shekel that each Jew contributed as his share in the communal offerings in the time of the Holy Temple. This custom, usually performed in the synagogue, is done on the afternoon of the “Fast of Esther,” or before the reading of the Megillah. Shushan Purim In certain ancient walled cities— Jerusalem is the primary example— Purim is observed not on the 14th of Adar (the date of its observance everywhere else), but on the 15th of Adar. This is to commemorate that fact that in the ancient walled city of Shushan, where the battles between the Jews and their enemies extended for an additional day, the original Purim celebration was held on the 15th of Adar. The 15th of Adar is thus called “Shushan Purim,” and is a day of joy and celebration also in those places where it is not observed as the actual Purim.
LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 13
Bikur Cholim At Work
A HAPPY and HEALTHY PURIM to everyone from BIKUR CHOLIM of PALM SPRINGS!
We would like to thank the Jewish Federation of the Desert for their generous help and support toward our ongoing activities.
14 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
We invite you to be a partner in Bikur Cholim's programs.
Please use the enclosed envelope to send in your PURIM donation. You can also visit our Website: BikurCholimPS.com Once again, may G-d bless you and your family.
LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 15
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Burning of the Chometz Ceremony Friday, April 3, 2015 • 11:00 am Please call the Bikur Cholim for more information at 760-325-8076 Bring your Chometz!
The First Passover Seder will be on Friday Night • April 3rd, 2015
DESERT HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
SELLING THE “CHOMETZ” The Torah forbids a Jew to own any chometz (bread, cake, beer, etc.) during Passover, so we sell all chometz (left after the search and burning) to a non-Jew, with a rabbi acting as our agent. The non-Jewish buyer gives a small deposit, and the balance becomes a guaranteed loan. The sale of chometz transaction is legally binding, but the buyer may return it and retrieve his deposit. Place all chometz utensils in a specific room or closet(s) to be sold, sealed with tape or lock, until after Passover.
SALE OF CHOMETZ FORM Please Print or Type
I (we*) (SELLER’S NAME) __________________________________________________ hereby authorize Rabbi Yosef Shusterman to dispose of all chometz in my (our) possession wherever it may be, at home, at my (our) place of business, or elsewhere - in accordance with the requirements of Jewish Law as incorporated in the special contract for the sale of Chometz. Resident Address: ___________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________________________________
The Desert Holocaust Memorial is located in the Palm Desert Civic Center Park at San Pablo Avenue & Fred Waring Drive. Residents and visitors are encouraged to visit this moving memorial, a place of remembrance and monument of hope. 18 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
Business Address: ____________________________________________________________ City: ______________________________________________________________________ Signature(s) _________________________________________________________________ * husband and wife, specify names. Must be signed by head of household and preferably all parties. Send to Rabbi Yosef Shusterman, 303 N. Wetherly, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 or fax to (310) 271-0411. Forms must reach us no later than Monday, March 30th, 2015. Responsibility cannot be accepted for forms received later. You can use the enclosed envelope to send this form along with your Purim donation. Thank you!
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Hell's Kitchen By Matt Brandstein
By my mid 20s, I had effectively become another one of those unaffiliated Jews working deeply within the sitra achra (dark side) of Hollywood, vigilantly dumbing down civilization with entertainment goods so tasteless that their mass popularity was even more alarming than their utter lack of content. A lifelong diet of secular fanaticism in addition to the intellectual contamination from my thankless job had eventually caused such a debilitating case of spiritual attrition that, out of sheer desperation, my neshamah (soul) began a grassroots style protest campaign to take down my decadent lifestyle. The mantra of a beloved Chabad rabbi with whom I had crossed paths months earlier in Times Square took hold of my thoughts as I bit into a crunchy BLT sandwich. "You are what you eat!" shrieked his phantom voice as hot bacon grease scalded my hungry fingers. The snack was meant to be a quick fix comfort food for my clichÊd feelings of generation x apathy, but the words I heard were an enduring revelation that prompted me to reflect deeply on my poor menu choice. "I am a Jew... not a pig," I told myself through guilty sobs as I spit my last delicious bite of treifness into the garbage, which I then proceeded to throw into the bigger garbage outside on the street in the middle of the night just to hammer home the point. Diet had to be the single most practical area to achieve miraculous transformation, at least according to the hype. The media messages of life altering results and vibrant health promoted by the mega billion dollar weight loss industries finally made sense to a skinny guy like me. While climbing up the five flights back home as a newly non-bacon eating Jew, I prayed that something as fundamentally important as kosher might provide me with the kind of practical salvation from the quicksand that had been drowning my integrity. My sights turned to my shabby tenement kitchen, laden with the contraband ingredients and illegal concoctions, all set amidst a thick layer of residual grime that seemed to cruelly emphasize my culinary transgressions. Radical research was required to learn the legal ins and outs of preparing not just me but my home for proper Jewish use. Going kosher was certainly not the most common task in Hell's Kitchen (the actual name of my midtown Manhattan neighborhood), but I wasn't going to let a Satan get in the way of claiming my Jewish birthright... 20 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
A few days later, I gathered every dish, pot, pan and utensil in my kitchen, as well as all of the contents of my cupboards, fridge and freezer, and smashed it all to irrevocable bits. Normally, I would have been a bit more philanthropic with their removal from my home, but as a novice to Jewish life, I needed a visceral rite of passage to embrace the significance of this change, not to mention the brief catharsis destruction provides. A small part of me also wanted to eliminate the risk of another unaffiliated Jew inheriting this full kitchen set of spiritual troubles. It would have been practical to send out a general press release announcing my new dietary restrictions to alert all of my relations, both professional and personal, with whom dining was an integral activity, but instead I just avoided everyone and spent most of the first two months of going kosher by myself in a corner booth on the second floor of the now defunct Kosher Delight on Sixth Avenue and 46th Street in midtown Manhattan. I tend to be a bit of a neurotic loner anyway, so disappearing into a world apart from my mainstream one didn't set off any alarm bells with those that know me well. "I can eat sushi every meal and never get sick of it" is one of those innocuous phrases that upwardly mobile people with enough petty cash to regularly eat the stuff seem to repeatedly declare as they dig into their sixth or seventh piece. I bet they would eat those very words after, say, their twenty-second piece on the third day of the nothing-but-sushi diet. If one were actually crazy enough to voluntarily consume the same meal for the rest of their life, my own personal field research has lead me to believe that there is nothing more fitting for the task than the Kosher Delight snack box. This manna from heaven, consisting of crispy fried chicken and french fries, is flavor loaded with enough sodium enhancers to leave the taste buds relentlessly craving for more. On the occasional treif restaurant outing with
family and friends during my kosher-keeping debut, I always seemed to be at midtown hotspots within the ironic proximity of my beloved Kosher Delight. Not ready yet to declare my forward shift into Jewish observance, I simply feigned a lack of interest in eating to the curious amusement of my fellow diners. My rapidly expanding waistline from several weeks' worth of tens of thousands of snack box calories made even the overprotective secular Jews in my life back off from forcing me to order from the menu. However, I did manage to raise a few eyebrows, when, in some of the fancier restaurants, I insisted upon drinking my sodas from the can. "I have a terrible germ fear. Who knows if they are really properly washing those dishes," I questioned aloud, thinking it better at that stage to sell my mental instability than my religious stability to a group that didn't seem too keen on Jewish orthodoxy. While riding the D train back home from the Broadway Kosher Delight on an early Friday afternoon, I had my first moment of validation that I was actually going in the right direction with this dietary switch. It wasn't one of those Hollywood style Divine Providence testimonialmaking moments that I heard about happening to others, but it was enough of an impetus for me to continue taking further steps towards a more Jewish life. I pulled out a little booklet that a Breslover Chassid had handed me earlier that day while at my restaurant's counter ordering my tenthousandth snack box to go. I glanced at the book's title, which was neatly printed under a gloriously illustrated crown. I roughly remember it was something like "You too can be happy!" I frowned and thought to myself, I am actually terribly unhappy, but it's still seems like quite a chutzpah to hand a guy a book that just assumes everything in his life is still in the "before" stages. I wanted someone for once to just make an assumption that a zero like me actually might already be an after. A Chabad student then entered my subway car at 42nd Street. To make room for him, I quickly removed the food bag from my adjacent seat, allowing the beloved waft of snack-box vapors to (as the restaurant's name promises) kosher delight me. The steam tickled my face. As I went to scratch, I felt the unpleasant bump of yet another zit. Suffice it to say that eight solid weeks of fried food doesn't bode well for a healthy complexion. G-d only knows how my arteries survived!
As my eyes rolled up towards the heavens in selfdisgust, I made eye contact with Dr. Zizmore, known to those in the New York metro area as Dr. Z, the famous dermatologist to the non-stars and not so rich. Granted, this was not actually Dr. Z in person, but his happy face plastered on a subway advertisement for his busy Fifth Avenue clinic. Directly below Dr. Z., within the same ad panel, was a striking example of a young woman with terrible acne pocked skin. Fluorescent lighting and a lack of cosmetic cover-up painfully highlighted the callous texture of her ravenously destructive condition. The adjacent photo to the right showed the obligatory miracle of this woman's "after" look. Her transformation afforded her an unnaturally smooth skin tone. Not only did she have her zits sandblasted off her face, but she went in for the extra few bucks and had all of her pores surgically removed as well. Selfishly, I didn't care about her improved complexion. I just envied her success. My anxiety level began to rise. I nervously pulled on the brim of my cap, shading my eyes from Dr.
Z's pitchwoman's taunting smile. I focused again on my little booklet as the train chugged towards Times Square. Its pages promised the secret to achieving happiness, but by just contemplating its premise, I felt impossibly stuck against the enormity of my pressing discontent. I was still just a fed-up before in the same vein of the acne pocked lady. Unfortunately, dermatology can't yet heal the scars on one's psyche. The young man sitting next to me cleared his throat with a subtle cough in preparation for speaking. He looked at my Kosher Delight bag and then up at me with polite concern. For once, there was not an "Are you Jewish?" uttered, as I have learned from experience to be a standard line in the realm of introductory outreach dialogue. "Excuse me, what time does Shabbos come in?" I hadn't yet figured on any sort of Shabbat observance at this point in my Jewish identification reclamation strategy. I was still trying to get down the fundamentals of kosher. Unexpectedly, while contemplating my response,
the proverbial cartoon light bulb appeared to clarify my muddled thoughts and provide me with an unexpected jolt of excitement. Something as transient as my Kosher Delight snack-box-to-go bag gave this young man the impression that I was an actual participant in our shared faith. Never in my life had someone asked me even anything remotely related to Yiddishkiet, and this man, an actual Chabad chassid with such visibly impressive religious credentials, made an assumption that I might be in possession of something as valuable as candle lighting times. The ascent my neshamah took at that moment sent my heart racing. The encounter must have been fully irrelevant for him in the grand scheme of his hurried day, especially when I shrugged my shoulders and responded, "I'm sorry. I don't have a clue." But for me, it was a confirmation of my spiritual progress. I walked off the train feeling more inspired to continue my pursuit for meaning through a Jewish life. As that day faded into Shabbat, I even felt just a bit like an after at a time when I sure needed it.
In Loving Memory of Laura Lewinson O.B.M. We will miss you, especially @ our Shabbat services in Mission Hills Senior Living. We will always remember you!! From all your Family & Friends!!
Happy Purim Dr. Paul & Stephanie Ross
Fine Jewelry
467 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Gadi Diamond Cutter
Phone: 760-323-1838 Fax: 760-323-2843 Cell: 213-280-9515
LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 21
Platt Law Group is a full-service law firm that provides effective representation for individuals and businesses in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California. Our firm has the resources and skills to handle all transactional legal issues, while efficiently managing the costs of those services. We take pride in our ability to provide customized representation that meets the specific needs of our clients, while building personal relationships that are built on trust. Located in mid-Wilshire, our lawyers are there to help you whenever legal needs arise. Our firm's practice areas span a wide range and include: • Real Estate Agreements and Transactions • Business and Entity Formation • Business Contracts and Transactions • Lease Agreements • Landlord-Tenant Law • Document Review
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For more information regarding our practice at Platt Law Group, and to schedule a free initial consultation, contact us online or by calling 310-893-3700.
Purim Eve Party!
A stupendous Purim Eve Party is planned for Wednesday, March 4th at 6:00 pm, at the Aleph Academy Campus in Palm Desert. (73-550 Santa Rosa Way).
There will be a Masquerade Fashion Show and Contest for children and adults with CASH PRIZES! (Separate categories for young children, older children, and adults.)
Dinner will be served. Catering by Tani - (kosherinpalmsprings.com)
WE CATER FOR LARGE GROUPS AND SHABBATONS
Separate Kids' Menu & Dance Party
917-359-3567
R.S.V.P. Please call 760-413-4425 or e-mail info@alephacademy.org
22 n LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775
We sell everything from designer to active day wear, shoes, handbags, accessories, collectables, menswear, furniture, works of art, bric-a-brac and more!
Donate your gently used clothing, furniture, lamps, jewelry, books, musical instruments, plus cars, trucks, boats and planes! Call to arrange pick ups 760-770-7786.
69-550 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage (between Date Palm and Frank Sinatra, next to Palm Springs Ford) Open Sunday - Thursday 10:00 am - 5 pm, Friday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Closed Saturday
Caring • Committed • Convenient
With more than 100 years of experience, you can count on Forest Lawn for superior service and only the highest degree of integrity. Our informative, well-trained staff is here to assist you with a full range of on-site services. Whether you would like to plan for the future or are in a time of need, Forest Lawn is here for you.
Serving the Jewish Community with Dignity & Understanding
Chevra Kadisha Services Available
Call 800-204-3131 or visit ForestLawn.com today and discover a new trusted resource.
Cathedral City FD 1847 69855 E. Ramon Road Cathedral City, CA 92234
Coachella FD 640 51990 Jackson Street Coachella, CA 92236
Indio FD 967 82975 Requa Avenue Indio, CA 92201 LET MY PEOPLE KNOW • MARCH 2015/ ADAR 5775 n 23
recipes
Kreplach II By Sara Finkel
Kreplach Dough 3–4 tablespoons water ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs pinch of white pepper 2 tablespoons oil 2 cups flour, sifted Meat Filling 1 medium onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons oil 2½ cups cooked chicken, beef, or liver, diced or ground 1/8 teaspoon pepper pinch of cinnamon Filling: In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until tender. Add meat and seasonings and cook for 10 minutes while stirring. Dough: Beat eggs, adding water, salt, pepper and oil. Stir in flour. Mix until smooth. Add a little flour if too sticky. Knead for 5 minutes. Cover and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Divide into 3 parts. Roll out each part into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 3-inch squares or circles and place a teaspoonful of filling in center. Fold diagonally to make a triangle. Wet edges with cold water or egg white and pinch to seal. Drop gently into a large pot of boiling salted water or soup and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Serve in soup. Yields 30 kreplach.
Healthy Hamantashen By Lily Aronin
Yields: 20 large cookies
Ingredients 3 cups 70%–100% sifted whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 4 whipped egg whites ¼ cup raw sugar for the egg whites ½ cup raw sugar ½ cup canola oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon zest Directions: In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the ¼ cup of sugar. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest together. Fold the egg whites into the oil mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl until it forms a dough. Wrap in plastic, and let the dough rest for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Roll out and form the hamantashen. Fill with your favorite filling. Bake at 350° F (185° C) for 8 minutes, until they look set.
Sushi Hamantaschen (Onigri) By Chanie Apfelbaum
Anyone who reads my blog knows that I’m just not that big a baker. So when Purim comes around, I’m not about to make my own hamantaschen. The bakery stuff is good enough for me. I still like to get into the Purim spirit, so coming up with something that has three corners (reminiscent of Haman’s threecornered hat) is a must.
Happy PURIM
Sushi has become a staple (read: obsession) in many Jewish homes. You can find sushi bars at most kosher restaurants, groceries, and even pizza shops. We Jews just can’t seem to get enough. So what better way to celebrate Purim, and enjoy everyone’s favorite food than with these adorable sushi hamantaschen.
It turns out that triangular shaped sushi is not my own creation. It’s a popular street food in Japan, named Onigiri, meaning “rice ball”. Onigiri can be made by hand, or using a rice mold. Either way you do it, these adorable hamantaschen are sure to be the talk of your Purim seudah table. Onigiri can be stuffed with all different sorts of fillings including vegetables, fish, or meat. Fill them with whatever suits your fancy, or take some inspiration from your favorite sushi spot. Onigiri Filling Ideas: scrambled eggs, pickled vegetables pickles, guacamole, portobello mushrooms, umeboshi (pickled plums, Eden makes a kosher version), marinated tofu, tuna, lox, mock crab, flaked salmon, caviar, hot dogs, meatballs. chicken nuggets, gingery chicken, diced cold cuts Sushi Hamantaschen (Onigiri) Ingredients 3 cups warm cooked sushi rice nori, cut into 1"-1 1/2" strips fillings of choice toasted sesame seeds Directions Using a rice mold: Rinse your rice mold with water and fill halfway with sushi rice. With wet hands, make a little indent in the center. Add filling (if you’re using a filling that has a lot of liquid, like pickled vegetables, squeeze out the liquid or the rice will get too wet and fall apart). Cover the filling with more sushi rice, but don't stuff it. Cover the rice mold with the lid and press down. If you can't press down all the way, you have used too much rice. If you press down too easily (there should be gentle pressure needed), you have put too little rice. Remove the lid, invert the mold, and press down on the “button” to release. Measure the width around the sides of your onigiri and cut nori strips a little bit bigger than its width (the nori shrinks a little once it forms to the rice). Wrap the nori around the sides of your onigiri. If needed, you can seal the nori where the edges meet by dabbing it with a little bit of water. To make hamantaschen out of the onigiri: Using a piece of paper that is slightly bigger than your onigiri, cut out a triangle shape in the center. Place the paper over your onigir, centering the triangle over your rice and sprinkle sesame seeds over the cut-out. Alternatively, you can roll the sides of you onigiri in sesame seeds and cut your nori into triangles for the center. NOTE: Rice molds are available at asian markets as well as on Amazon. If you purchase the pink one pictured, be sure to remove the pink “buttons” that are snapped into the lid, otherwise they will make an indentation in your onigiri. Hand-made Onigiri: Wet your hands to keep the sushi rice from sticking to them. Spread a palmful (or less, depending on how big you want the onigiri to be) of warm sushi rice into one hand. Place the filling in the center. Fold up the rice around the filling and pack the rice tightly with both hands into a triangular shape. Continue as above. Onigiri can also be made by hand using plastic wrap to help mold the rice into shape. Place a piece of saran-wrap over a bowl and put a palmful of sushi rice in it. Place the filling in the center. Gather up the saran-wrap around the rice and twist at the top to seal the rice inside. Gently mold the rice into a triangular shape and remove the plastic wrap. Filling Recipes: Pickled Vegetables, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, sliced radishes,1 1/2 cups water, 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp kosher salt - Bring the water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Add vegetables to a jar and pour pickling brine over them. They should be completely covered. Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours. Keeps for 2 weeks. Wasabi Tuna - 1 can tuna, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Gold’s wasabi sauce 1 tbsp mayo - Drain tuna and remove from can. Flake lightly with a fork. Add soy sauce, wasabi sauce and mayo. Asian Guacamole - 1 avocado, cubed, 1 scallion, thinly sliced, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or pickled ginger, diced, 1 tsp sriracha, salt, to taste - Lightly mash a few cubes of avocado, leaving the rest in cubes. Mix with scallions, lime, vinegar, ginger, sriracha and salt. Accompaniments: Soy sauce, Gold’s wasabi sauce, pickled ginger, spicy mayo. Spicy Mayo - 1/4 cup mayo, 1 tbsp sriracha, 1 tsp lemon juice Mix well until incorporated.