March 2014 - JOYISH

28 March 2014

On deck: Beer and Bugs

bugs_beer_joyish_shabbat When her husband’s obligations demanded he miss dinner, my friend took the opportunity to throw a ladies night Shabbat.

The potluck plan came together via text message. I took on salad, ladybug two claimed dessert, and ladybug three offered wine. “Get whatever wine you want, I plan to have beer myself,” my friend said.

Shabbat keeps my girlfriends together in many ways. We’ve been friends for years and have coined ourselves “The Ladybugs.” Over time, we’ve gotten busier and busier. I expect that will continue. But no matter what, Shabbat arrives every week. Time to stop, eat and connect.

Because we’ve known each other for so long, anything goes. Some Shabbats are froufrou, Michelin-aspiring, 4-course meals. Others, like this one, will be part standing, part sitting on the couch, and part plopped on the floor, surrounded by my friend’s kids and their toys.

Perfection isn’t the point. Perfection misses the point. Shabbat is for connecting over a table or over a beer. It gives us a chance to stop striving for 24 hours, to look around and recognize, that even if it’s not perfect, it’s good. It’s a snapshot of now, and this now will change. It’s a reminder that whatever’s going on today should be savored and sipped slowly.

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27 March 2014

Happy Making: Israeli Brainy Games

Game nights are one of my favorite ways to spend an evening with friends. I have awesome memories of loud nights of Pictionary and Celebrity, where my competitive streak has led my team to glorious victory…or spectacular moping.

However, as kids have come to dominate my cohort’s time, game nights have grown less frequent. Still, I’m always up for a good game of Rummikub, Backgammon or Master Mind, three of my faves that don’t require a crowd. Imagine my delight this week when I learned, completely per chance, that all three have Israeli or Jewish roots! Now I love them even more.

Turns out…

RUMMIKUB was invented by Ephraim Hertzano, a Romanian-born Jew, who emigrated to Mandate Palestine in the early 1930s. Ergo, he was a Zionist. Be still my beating heart. I have fond memories of sitting around my grandparents’ table, playing this game with their wooden set from Israel. Intensely concentrating, I’d try to concoct an incredibly disruptive move that would flip the table upside-down! (My grandfather would usually do it first though.)

Fun fact: There are 3 versions of the game—American, Sabra (Israeli) and International. Modern Rummikub sets only include the Sabra rules, and Rummikub remains Israel’s #1 export game.

When visiting my parents, I inevitably end up sitting across from my mom playing MASTER MIND. I don’t recommend you go up against her. She puts me to shame every time by breaking the code within 3 or 4 tries! And I’m not talking about the cheesy 4-hole version of the game; we only play Master Mind Deluxe in my house.

Fun fact: Mordecai Meirowitz, an Israeli postmaster and telecommunications expert invented the modern game in 1970.

Great BACKGAMMON skills impress me. I’ve played SHESH BESH (the Israeli name for the game) on dates and judged the guy based on his skills. Does this make me a bad person? What can I say, I like big brains.

Fun fact: Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players in history. Called Nard before acquiring its modern names, it was first referenced in…the Talmud!

These are timeless brainy games—that’s what I love about them. They’re mind sharpening and gimmick free: no batteries, buzzers, graphics or props (which, by the way, make them super Shabbat friendly too). Winning requires logic, strategy and a whiff of luck.

Wrapping up, I dedicate this post to my bold brother who launched his first business this week! He’s one of those brilliant freaks who solves puzzles in a blink, and cracks Rubik’s cubes in under 2 minutes behind his back. Brain-bending games are his thing. So having hand-picked the best new adds to today’s market, he’s sharing his finds. Feel free to visit his site, DR’s Toy Chest and wish him Mazal Tov!

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25 March 2014

7 Tips that Add Hours to your Day

Two weeks ago, I launched Joyish. Creative, fun and mentally stimulating, I’m loving it…but, honestly, I’m also sleep deprived.

By day, I’m part of corporate America. I live in my office from 8:30 AM—6PM. And although it’s a really fab office with a killer view, it’s only after my 9-10 hour workday that I’m able to turn my attention to my infantile passion project. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but my body is kinda like, “Honey, baby, darling, sweetheart, we liked that whole 7 hours of sleep thing…what are you doing to me?”

Organizing life to make time for creativity, family, friends and fitness requires a certain finesse, one that I’m far from mastering. But already, I’ve identified a few practices that together literally add hours to my day:

Take at least 5 minutes to connect to Hashem daily, ideally first thing in the morning. Amazing what a few minutes can do. This time enables me to walk into the day centered. I more nimbly adapt to challenges. I feel more balanced and receptive. Rather than swim upstream, muscling everything myself, I create space for Hashem’s presence in everything I do.
The 1 minute rule. If you can do it in less than 1 minute, do it now. In the morning, this might show up as making my bed and putting clothes away. Before leaving work, it could be organizing my desk and cleaning my coffee mug. I grabbed this tip from Gretchen Rubin’s book The Happiness Project and I share it because it works! Tell yourself, “in 1 minute this could be done!” It’s a pretty compelling argument. Plus, I find that the more organized my environment is, the more organized my thinking is, so this tip that reminds me to “clean as I go” makes a big difference.
The To-Do List. Put it on paper and get your arms around it. I find putting pen to paper helps commit tasks to memory better than digital lists, but to each his own. I create a new list daily which keeps my goals in front of me, helps me prioritize, and prevents things from falling through the cracks. Once I see it laid out, I can schedule it, and cross it off.
DVR it. I have my shows, like we all do. I’m so happy “Once Upon a Time” is back, and I can’t wait for “Homeland” to start again; I love “Shark Tank” and my guilty pleasure is “Say Yes to the Dress.” But, I record them and reserve them for the weekends. This way they’re a treat instead of a distraction. I have more time for friends and accomplish waaaay more with the TV off.
Limit Social Media. Now, I can only dream here because my job requires I monitor social media throughout the day. But on my days off, I relish the escape from the infinite feed. Sure, it’s fun to see what friends are doing, but only for about 20 minutes, all platforms combined. After that, social media just becomes a time sucker that’s probably causing you to feel unduly crappy because your friends’ projected lives seem better than your actual one.
Become a Master Multi-Tasker. If you can do more than one thing at a time—without diluting the quality of either—do it. Examples of this include driving and making phone calls, working out while watching TV, or prepping healthy food for the week while doing laundry. In my case, multitasking would not include something like writing emails while on a conference call. Why? Because one distracts me from the other, and the quality of both suffer. So, this tip requires some self-awareness and discretion. No one should feel ignored thanks to your “efficiency.”
Discover what fills you up. What makes you feel happy? Is it gardening, soccer or a trip to the beach? Maybe it’s time with friends or a little pampering. Whatever it is, make it a priority. Filling yourself up ensures you have enough to give to others. Running on empty for an early burnout serves no one. Breathe. Take a walk. Remember there’s a great big world to enjoy beyond your computer screen and to-do list.

Striving and filling your life with friends and meaningful pursuits can be tiring in the moment, but ultimately, it’s energy generating. After all, what else would you be doing? Even “Homeland” can wait.

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24 March 2014

Bringing Israel Home: Hebrew Newspapers

Although I didn’t grow up speaking Hebrew, Hebrew has spoken to me since I was a kid. It started with my first visit to Israel at age 11. How strange to feel so at home in such a foreign place? I experienced then what I’ve experienced during every trip since—a happy heart. It’s a soul thing. If you’ve been, you likely understand what I mean intimately. And when you feel your soul smile, you want that feeling to last and deepen and grow.

The key to such expansion, according to me, is Hebrew, which connects a person to Israel and Judaism like nothing else. On the simplest level, I believe that because languages unlock new worlds. The vocabulary, the sentence structures, the emphasis, the sayings all reveal the way a culture sees and interacts with life. Understand the language of a land and be converted from an outsider to an insider.

At age 30, I realized my dream and went to Israel to learn Hebrew. I attended the best Ulpan (intensive Hebrew classes) in the country and emerged speaking Hebrew. High Holiday services that year thrilled me because, for the first time, prayers that were once gibberish had meaning, far beyond the forced translations on the left.

Joyish_HebrewNewspaper_Yanshuf — Papers like Hebrew Today’s “Yanshuf” carry on Ben Yehuda’s legacy, using newspapers to teach Hebrew around the world. This brilliant resource comes with a dictionary, pages with and without vowels, a CD to guide pronunciation and games. (!)

Returning to the US, the challenge of maintenance set it. You don’t use it, you lose it, and I wasn’t about to let that happen. Enter Hebrew Today which publishes Hebrew-language newspapers, available around the world that are made especially for students at any level. I’m always excited to find it in my mailbox.

Fascinatingly, the newspaper itself plays an instrumental role in Hebrew’s resurrection as a modern, spoken language. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who pioneered the movement in the 1880’s, published a newspaper called Hatzvi that covered contemporary issues and in so doing, introduced new words to the ancient language. Jews throughout the diaspora read his newspaper and learned modern Hebrew! Thanks to Ben-Yehuda’s dedication, when Jews arrived in Israel after years of exile, they returned speaking the language of their ancestors.

Reading these Hebrew papers are one small way I can bring Israel home, strengthen my connection to Judaism, and continue the legacy of Hebrew and learning as a constant in the story of the Jewish people.

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21 March 2014

5 Tips for Guilt-Free Shabbat Dining

On Shabbat and most Jewish holidays, we’re encouraged to eat, drink and celebrate. But weekly feasts can all-too-easily slip into overeating, causing guilt, physical discomfort, and post-meal narcolepsy.

Kidding aside, this scenario hits close to home. After working in the entertainment industry for many years, I internalized the infamously impossible beauty standards that business demands. The result: while trying to eat as little as possible, I drank the Kool-Aid in large gulps.

At a certain point, I decided it wasn’t worth it. I gave up dieting and embraced intuitive eating, slowly learning to listen to and trust my body’s hunger and satiety cues.

Here are a few strategies I’ve developed over the years that allow me to participate in and enjoy holidays, without killjoy food drama.

Scope and pacing. How many times have I filled up on the first course, not realizing three more were coming? Ask your host what’s being served. Knowing the entire menu in advance will allow you to make informed choices. If you know her famous noodle kugel awaits, you might opt against a second helping of gefilte fish.
Take one plate of whatever you want. I love trying new foods and usually want to taste everything. I recognize though that however extensive the food spread, my body only physically needs one plate of food. So, I fill my one plate with whatever I want and grant myself permission to enjoy. In this way, I get to sample and participate, while enforcing a gentle boundary that protects me from overdoing it.
Only eat what you love. At my grandparents’ house growing up, my brother and I would put our plates on our heads after finishing all of our food. Ta da! Albeit cute, I’ve now excused myself from the “clean your plate” club. These days, I eat food that my body and I both love. I used to express appreciation to my hosts by eating more, even if I found the food mediocre. Now, rather than stuff myself to accomplish this, I use my words to say thank you.
People are the point. Shabbat allows us to stop and connect with Hashem and each other. That’s the whole idea. But, measuring and monitoring, and focusing on food kept me in my head and removed from the moment. Let food play a supporting role in the Shabbat scene and instead, prioritize people.
Ask for leftovers. Sometimes, you get a dish that’s particularly delish. When that happens, the inclination is to take more—seconds (and thirds!) The logic goes, “Who knows when I’ll have this awesome concoction again? I better eat it all while I can.” Here’s the thing, if you’re at a Jewish function especially, your host likely made too much, and she’s stressing about what to do with the leftovers. Ease her mind and yours by asking to take some home with you for later. Not only will you compliment your host’s cooking, you’ll spare yourself the impulse to overeat, knowing you can have more once you’re hungry again.

These tenets serve me in many food-oriented scenarios. Not only do they reduce inner dissonance and stress, they provide flexible guidelines that support healthy relationships with others and, most importantly, yourself.

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20 March 2014

Happy Making: Talking Dogs

“It’s a great mitzvah to always be happy.” Rabbi Nachman’s deep and (deceptively) simple words give me the perfect excuse to share happy-making finds like this ridiculous app that animates your pets and has made. my. week.

See, I have this quirk/problem/tic where I talk to and for every animal I see. This habit began innocently at home with humans. Before my baby brother learned to talk, I’d talk for him. He’d grunt, I’d translate, “He wants this. He needs that.”

In time, my brother began speaking for himself, and my penchant needed a new outlet; and found one in anthropomorphizing (yes, there’s a word for this), meaning speaking for animals…all animals, but in my case, especially dog animals. For some reason I understand them more than any other four-legged friend.

What is it about a wet nose that melts my heart? Maybe it’s that dogs themselves are hearts, hearts with feet. And that opinion doesn’t belong to me alone.

The word ‘dog’ in Hebrew is Kelev כלב (KEH-lev). Looking more closely, we see:

“Keh” = כ = “like a”
“Lev” = לב = “heart”

Then “Kelev” כלב literally translates to “like a heart!” How apropos.

Examples like this got me hooked on Hebrew. The language isn’t just a language. It contains secrets and lessons; the words themselves point to and reflect the subject’s core essence.

Below, I’ve shared my Feivel Flapjack and Rocky dog voices with you. They come from the heart.

http://joyish.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/FeivelFlapjack_Joyish_TalkingDog.mp4

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19 March 2014

Now Connecting: Tevye-Style

sunrise,sunset_joyish_hitbodedut_nowconnecting — Sunrise, Sunset in two of my favorite places.
(Left, at my home. Right, in Tel Aviv, Israel.)

Every morning, I have a pow-wow with Hashem. We talk about anything, it’s all fair game. We’re close. I’m pretty sure my picture is on His fridge.

The idea of talking to Hashem in your own words, a Jewish practice known as hitbodedut (HEET-boh-deh-doot) first came across my path via the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Growing up, my parents took my brother and I to New York just about every year for a Broadway theater binge: 5 shows in 4 days. We saw Fiddler starring Topol as Tevye during one of these trips. I was 10 years old and the idea made sense to me.

Throughout the show, the character Tevye candidly converses with Hashem. He pours his heart out, questioning, praying, debating and wishing aloud, in his own words. A two-way street, He asks Hashem questions and listens for answers.

Tevye’s hitbodedut plays a central role in the show because it’s so quintessentially Jewish. One of the few religions in which man engages directly with Gd without an intermediary, Jews have nourished deep, personal, one-on-one relationships with Hashem for thousands of years.

You can see where this is going. I too chat with Hashem regularly, Tevye style, both during my morning connection and throughout the day, formally and informally, about matters big and small.

My hitbodedut shows up in different ways. Some days, I talk aloud (though, usually in a whisper). Other times, I speak silently in my head, the practice taking on a meditative quality. When my thoughts insist on wandering, I write in my journal, often posing questions, and asking Him to answer me through my pen.

Creating time and space for Hashem invites the infinite into the limited. It grants access to what was, what is and what will be. I’m regularly amazed at the insights and answers I receive. The line is always open.

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18 March 2014

The Floating Chuppah

Over the weekend, I attended a dear friend’s wedding. Glamorous and romantic, I couldn’t help but share my 3 favorite elements from her elegant soirée.

1. The Floating Chuppah.

Crowning the ceremony space, a white-on-white tallit floated in the air beneath an opulent chandelier, encircled by roses and white orchids. After the ceremony, the wedding area quickly transformed into a dance floor, but the chuppah remained afloat!

What I loved about this choice was that it allowed the couple to invite all of their closest family and friends to celebrate and dance with them, under their wedding canopy.

2. A Flurry of Petals

One of my favorite moments was when the band leader directed the guests to grab a handful of rose petals from the tables and throw them at the couple on the count of three. The magical result looked like a scene out of a snow globe.

joyish_flowers_wedding — Guests tossed rose petals found
at the bases of these centerpieces.

3. The Israeli Touch

The bride wore a gown by an Israeli designer, and the Persian-Israeli cultural fusion made for untiring music choices, exuberant dance moves, and plenty of kebobs. (I even saw one guest skewer his sushi and eat it as a kebob!)

Joyish_wedding_floatingchuppah_friendsfamily
Mazal tov! To a lifetime of love!

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17 March 2014

Bringing Israel Home—Beet’ayavon Salad

If you ask anyone what constitutes Israeli food, they’ll immediately say falafel and hummus. And while Israelis do harbor deep chickpea appreciation, these foods are to Israelis what burgers and fries are to Americans—treats, comfort food…I dare say, junk food.

Real Israeli food, in my opinion, are salads. Salads and salads and more and more salads. A sea of salads greet me at Israeli restaurants and homes. A heaping side of veggies accompany every meal, even breakfast, alongside warm pita, which I use to soak up every last drop of dressing, and to chase skittish bites around my plate.

Before visiting Israel, I thought of salads as “boring health food.” I certainly don’t anymore. In fact, as a wannabe Israeli, I’ve taken it upon myself to incorporate Salad Culture into my life, and become a Master Salad Maker. I must be doing something right, because I am always charged with salads after asking what I can bring to meals or gatherings.

One easy way to bring Israel home is with SALADS. I made this one for Shabbat, using yummy, seasonal winter/spring ingredients.

Beet’ayavon Salad
Salad Ingredients:

Baby Spinach
Baby Arugla
Persian Cucumbers
Baby Tomatoes
Purple Onion
Beets
Mandarins
Handfuls of Walnuts

Dressing Ingredients:

Rice Vinegar
Pink Himalayan Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dijon Mustard (my favorite is Trader Joe’s Whole Grain Dijon)
2 Cloves of Garlic
Honey

To start, combine all of the salad ingredients in a large, fabulous bowl. I eat with my eyes as much as with my mouth, so if a meal looks beautiful, I’m already halfway to delicious.

I use pre-washed, bagged spinach and arugula. Look at this green. No color enhancement here. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of us.

Joyish Salad Beginning

For cucumbers, I like to peel part of the skin off the cucumber. Totally bare, it looses some of its crunch and taste. But full peel-on, it’s a little too dominant for me.

cucumbers_joyish1

Mandarins are so easy and add so much. Simply peel and cut the individual slices in half. No need to get particular about removing all of the membrane.

mandarin_joyish_salad

The salad before dressing. Nothing boring about this.

The amount of each salad-dressing ingredient will vary, depending on the size of your salad, so forgive me for not having exact amounts listed. Just use the vinegar as your base and add the rest, letting your eye and taste guide you. What’s also nice about this dressing is that you can find all of the ingredients in a non-kosher grocery store.

The finished product looked and smelled wonderful. A dressed salad shines, the glossiness finishing off the vegetables like a lip-gloss completing a look.

I think they liked it.

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14 March 2014

7 Sounds to Bring the Cinema to the Megillah

Cinema_Megillah_Purim_Joyish

What qualifies an event as epic? High stakes, heroes and villains, close calls, a rise or fall from grace, a journey? Based on any of these criteria, the Purim story (summarized here) qualifies. So, I picked out 7 cinematic, sound effects (below) that I think will bring some humor and drama to the Megillah reading. Pull these sound effects up on your phone to become the most popular person at your Purim party.

Traditionally, adults and children alike listen to Megillat Esther (the Purim story) poised, ready to spin their groggers and pound their feet upon hearing the vile name Haman. Why do we make such a ruckus? A common reason given is that we want to erase Haman’s name and memory. Frankly, that explanation alone doesn’t do much for me. I need meatier ideas. So take a bite out of this: Gematria, an ancient system that assigns numerical values to the Hebrew letters plays a reoccurring role in Jewish mysticism. Though a bit complex to explain here, the gematria of the Purim story reveals that Haman represents the idea of doubt. A fierce foe, doubt fights dirty, sabotaging plans and weakening the strong. Maybe there are examples in your own life where doubts turned you into your own worst enemy.

Furthermore, Haman who hated the Jews and wanted to eliminate them, descends from the King of Amalek whom many consider the founder of anti-Semitism, biblically speaking.

Then by spinning our groggers and pounding our feet, we actually intend to stomp out doubt and hatred! By actively and verbally renouncing what Haman stands for over and over again, we recommit ourselves to the achievement of our potential on both a personal and global scale. On Purim, we identify our inner and outer enemies, and drown them out with noise, confidence, happiness and dancing.

Each of us has challenges that feel epic at times. But we can overcome them. And should doubt tell you otherwise, play one of these sound effects to put that nasty instigator in its place.

7 Haman-Muting Sound Effects

1. A classic BOOoooOOooooOOOoooooOOO. (5 seconds)

2. A Cuckoo. (3 seconds)

3. Dr. Evil’s theme music from Austin Powers. (7 seconds)

4. A slap across the face. (2 seconds)

5. A fabulous and appropriate insult from The Princess Bride. (2 seconds)

6. A sports air horn. (2 seconds)

7. A fitting Haman description from the movie Dumb & Dumber. (1 second)

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13 March 2014

5 Ways to Let your Inner Queen Reign

Keep Calm and Esther On _ Joyish_Let queen reign_ Lara Dvora_ Berman_Purim You rule. You know you do. But you don’t always feel that way. I get it—I’m talking to myself as I talk to you. Lucky for us, we’re in good company. Queen Esther herself didn’t feel like she ruled all of the time either.

Beautiful, sweet and ferociously intelligent (I know so many women who fit this description), her husband’s advisor Haman was dangerously close to enacting a plan to annihilate the Jewish people. Secretly a Jew herself, Esther was perfectly positioned to speak up and save her people! If she failed however, she faced certain death.

Esther’s potential to do great, important things shone to everyone around her. But internally, she felt doubtful and afraid. Fortunately, her dear Uncle Mordechai believed in her, and urged her to trust her abilities.

“Listen, you’ve got this! ” Uncle Mordi said, without a trace of guilt or coercion. “But, if you don’t do anything…well, the Jews will survive some other way.”*

We know what happens next: Esther faces her fears, heroically rises to fulfill her destiny, and Haman hangs on the very gallows he built for the Jews.

Esther was a queen, a hero and a human.

5 Ways to Let Your Inner Queen Reign:

Trust Yourself. The root of the word “Esther” relates to the Hebrew word “hester,” which means “hidden.” Just because you haven’t done it before, doesn’t mean you can’t. I have doubts, you have doubts, every leader has doubts. So what? If your inner voice says, “yes,” if it nags and persists, listen. This is your hidden potential seeking to be revealed.
Believe. I bet each of us has an “Uncle Mordi” in our life, someone who truly sees us. They believe in us and push us, but we dismiss them. Don’t they have to say those things? Well, no, they don’t. And actually, they can see what we can’t sometimes. Try believing them.
Stand up for what you believe. Queens exercise their spines. They’re passionate and willingly stand for truth, even when it’s unpopular. That’s one reason they make and change history.
Act Now. Do it now, whatever it is, because if you don’t, someone else will. Rather than cause panic (well maybe a little panic), I see Mordechai’s message to Esther as humbling and motivational. The world isn’t waiting for our grand arrival, but that doesn’t change the fact that we each have a unique role, a unique contribution to make right now. Someone else could do it, but not like you.
Wear a Crown, Really!…or at least a sparkly headband. Socially acceptable forms of dress up—like headbands—add fun and playfulness. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’m royalty every time I wear one. But I do feel fancier, and it can cue some queenly consciousness each time I catch sight of it in a mirror or window.

Rule, reign, rock that crown. You got this.

*Paraphrased

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12 March 2014

Dazzling & Easy Mishloach Manot

There was a time when I wanted to open a highly specialized, gift-basket business where I’d create very customized, unique presents for clients. I never pursued it. Enter Purim, the holiday that makes it a mitzvah to give at least 3, ready-to-eat gifts, typically referred to as Mishloach Manot. Delight and dazzle and customize away!

Well, if I must.

This year, I’ve chosen a “One Fish, Two Fish; Me Fish, You Fish” mishloach manot theme. The Food Network taught me the importance of layering flavors into dishes, so this Adar-able fish theme should inject subtle undertones of consciousness into my Purim treat.

Ingredients (all kosher parve):

Rice Crispy Treats (I bought mine ready made to save time.)
Kosher Swedish Fish knock-off
Fruit roll ups
Sea blue Jordan almonds
Dried pears
Icing
Chocolate Chips
Ginger (optional)
Clear cellophane
Ribbon
Thematic card (optional)

To make these cute Nemo fish, I shaped dried pears into fish, used icing to add stripes, and added chocolate chips for the eyes.

These candy nigiri pieces couldn’t be simpler. I just cut ready-made Rice Krispies treats into sushi-sized pieces. (If you can make your Rice Krispies treats from scratch, even better.) Place a fish gummy on top. To create your seaweed, slice a fruit roll-up into strips and wrap it around the two to hold them together.

Put it all together! Place your smiley Nemo and Sushi pieces on a bed of sea-blue Jordan almonds and gummy fish. I used a piece of ginger and several, sour, gummy candies to create ambient coral.

For a finishing touch, wrap your ‘Under the Sea’ scene in cellophane and tie with a thematic ribbon. To explain my fishy theme to recipients and personalize the gift, I scanned and shrunk my holiday art and turned it into a card.

Who wouldn’t love getting this colorful package? These ideas can be re-used and re-purposed at birthday and theme parties, but first and foremost, you’ve created fun and meaningful Mishloach Manot. Enjoy!

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Month: March 2014