Israel

Do you need Shabbat dinner inspiration? For their final project our Amplifying Israel teen fellows for February, Lulu Rosenberg and Shaked Nitka, created a joint cookbook of Shabbat dinner recipes:

“We were able to show how even thousands of miles away, we all share the connection of our Judaism and especially through our Shabbat dinners and meals! We hope you enjoy seeing our recipes and that you might even try them out!” Shaked & Lulu

Shaked’s Recipes from Israel!

Oven-baked rice with chestnuts and cashews

Ingredients:

★ 2 cups of rice

★ 2 packs of chestnuts cut into cubes

★ Cashew

★ Chopped medium onion

★ 2 of tablespoons of soy sauce

★ 2 of tablespoons of date honey

★ 1/4 cup of oil

★ 4 cups of water

Instruction:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
2. Put the cashew and chestnut onion rice in a baking pan and mix
3. Add the soy sauce and date honey and mix
4. Add the oil and mix.
5. Add the hot water and mix
6. Put in the oven for 1 hour
7. After baking, use a fork and gently open the rice
8. And the rice is ready😋

Pita with za’atar

Ingredients:

★ 1 kg flour

★ 700 m”l of cold water

★ 1 teaspoon of dried yeast

★ 15 grams of salt

★ A little flour to flour the surface

★ Olive oil to grease the bowl

★ Za’atar and olive oil mixed together

Instruction:

1. Put water, salt, and yeast in the mixer bowl and stir. Turn on the mixer and add the flour gradually
2. Grease a bowl with a little olive oil and transfer the dough to it. Cover and soak overnight in the fridge.
3. Remove the bowl from the fridge and bring it to room temperature
4. Divide the dough into eight equal balls and place in a mold And let the dough apple for 2 hours.
5. Prepare a work surface and sprinkle flour generously on it.
6. Flatten the dough ball with your hands
7. Spread as a tablespoon of the za’atar and oil mixture on each pita
8. Bake in the tabun at a temperature of about 500 degrees for 2 minutes
9. Bon appetit😋

Sfinj

Ingredients:

★ 1 kg white flour

★ Fifty grams of fresh yeast

★ 1/2 cup white sugar

★ 1/2 teaspoon of salt

★ 800 m”l water

★ oil for frying

Instruction:

1. In a large bowl mix together flour and yeast
2. Add sugar and salt and mix
3. Add half the amount of water and put the dough for a minute
4. Gradually add the remaining water and continue kneading for another minute
5. Cover the bowl and wait until the dough is twice as large
6. Mix the dough with your hands to remove the air Cover and wait again
7. Make a little ball out of the dough and make a hole in the middle of it
8. Fry the ball in the oil until it gets a golden color and dip in sugar
9. Continue throughout the rest of the dough
10. Bon appetit!

Lulu’s Recipes from Atlanta!

Shabbat Chicken

Pound chicken flat and dip it in Jason’s seasoned bread crumbs until both sides are covered and then saute in olive oil until brown, flip, and cook until brown again (chicken will not be fully cooked at this point). Put the chicken into a baking dish, (we use a 9×13). Pour chicken soup stock to cover chicken (typically 1-2 cups is enough to cover- we use the parve Better than Bouillon Chicken Flavor). Then, add 2 cups of mushrooms on top (drained), cover and cook at 350 for at least 40 minutes. The longer you cook it, the more tender the chicken becomes!

This is a Shabbat staple in my house. This chicken always reminds me of warm meals in my house with my family and friends!

Lemon Garlic Chicken and Pasta

4 chicken breasts

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 lemons- 1 thinly sliced and 1 juiced

3-4 cloves of garlic minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a large baking dish or skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange lemon slices at the bottom of the dish or skillet. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive oil mixture and coat thoroughly and then place in the dish or skillet. Pour any remaining olive oil mixture over the chicken. You can also add a lemon slice on top each piece if you like. Roast covered for skinless or uncovered with skin for 50 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, cook a packet of whole wheat spaghetti per the instructions on the box. Save 1 cup of the pasta water before draining. Add the water back to drained pasta, drizzle olive oil on it and also add a few pinches of pasta spices- (we like dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme and garlic).

Put pasta on a plate and top with chicken and a lemon spice!

Rugelach

½ cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 package of active dry yeast

½ cup of warm water

¼ cup of margarine

1 teaspoon of salt

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups of all purpose flour

In a large bowl, stir 2 teaspoons of sugar with ¼ cup of warm water until dissolved. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy (about 10 minutes). While you are waiting, heat remaining water in a small saucepan, add the rest of the sugar, margarine and salt until the margarine is melted. Let cool until lukewarm and stir into yeast mixture. Add the beaten eggs. Then stir in 3 and ¼ cups of the flour, about 1 cup at a time. Knead until smooth on a lightly floured surface- about 10 minutes or so. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky. Transfer to a large bowl greased with oil and turn dough to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rinse in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk- about 1- 1 and ½ hours.

Roll out the dough, cover lightly with oil, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar or sweetened cocoa. Cut into triangles and roll from large end into peak of triangle. You can brush with beaten egg mixed with water. Let rise again for 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until the rugelach are medium brown.

This is my great grandmother and Bubbie’s recipe- it is my favorite!

Judaism is a big part of my life and it is in my daily life almost everywhere, sometimes even without me noticing it. It could be reflected in the David shield necklace that I got for my Bat Mitzvah which I wear all the time or in the special feeling of a holiday whenever Friday comes. I think the fact that I’m Israeli has a strong connection to my Judaism because in Israel there are many holy places for Judaism that are relatively close to me and that allows me to connect with Judaism and the history of the Jewish people. Also, Israel is based on Judaism and its laws, and the people surrounding me are following those just like me. For example, on Yom Kippur, everything is closed and when I go out on the streets there are lots of people outside riding a bike or meeting each other to spend this time together which allows me to experience the holiday in a more powerful and special way.

I’m not in a religious Jewish school, but Judaism is still present, I learn The Bible and on school trips we go to places that are important to the history of the Jewish people. After school, I usually learn more and do my homework, with my friends or riding my roller skates to a field close to my house where I will read a book or knit. On Friday, which is my favorite day of the week, I help my parents cook for Shabbat dinner, and on that day, my brother also comes back from the Israeli army, and we all sit down and have Shabbat dinner together. Being Jewish and Israeli is a big and important part of my identity that matters and interests me greatly and I love opportunities like this one (Amplifying Israel teen fellow) that connect me to Judaism.

Shaked is an Amplifying Israel teen fellow.

My name is Sarah-Anne Seligman and I am in 11th grade. I’m from Atlanta, GA and I chose to come to Alexander Muss High School in Israel for the Fall semester of 2020 because I wanted to grow my Jewish Identity, be more independent, and make greater connections with myself and my friends. Upon arriving on the AMHSI program all 71 students were put into a mandatory bidud (quarantine). I had three other girls in my capsule and I became friends with them instantly. We talked about our Jewish identities, got closer, and now I consider them sisters. After the two weeks of laughing, talking, and enjoying life to the fullest, bidud was over and we got our dorm rooms.

I was super nervous to get my room because I had such a good time in bidud, I didn’t want anything to ruin that. After I found out who my roommates were I was in such relief because they are the sweetest people ever. The next day we went on a three day tiyul (field trip) to Mt. Gilboa, hiked down the mountain and learned all about Devora and other Judges in the Tanakh for our Israel Studies class. After we hiked, we went to a swimming hole and swam with everyone which was so fun because it was the first time that everyone was together. Unfortunately, for the next three weeks Israel went into lockdown and we could not go on any Tiyulim so we made the most of it working and being in school. Those three weeks brought the community together and without them I think that people would not be as close as they are today. After lockdown ended, we went to a Tiyul where we farmed and it was such an eye opening experience.

A couple of weeks ago we went to Jerusalem for five days after lockdown ended, it was so fun and spiritual. We crawled through different caves, went to the Kotel, and had a blast. For that trip, I only had one roommate and we became so close. She is one of the nicest people ever and she is my best friend here. When we are not on a tiyul we are in regular classes. I am taking five general studies classes plus Hebrew and Israel Studies. Being at AMHSI has forced me to have really good time management skills, helped me get out of my comfort zone, and helped me gain confidence in my Jewish identity.

JumpSpark helped me come to Israel financially and they gave me people to talk to before I came on the program which helped to know what to pack, what to wear, what to know before going on the program and they were super helpful with everything I needed. I chose to come to AMHSI because I wanted to start my education in Israel Studies, the Tanakh, learn Hebrew, and become a better young Jewish adult.

Sarah-Anne received a $1000 Spark Grant towards a Gap Year in Israel.

 

Zach Mainer is the valedictorian of the 2020 graduating class of AJA. He was awarded a Spark Grant to participate in a Gap Year program at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh in Israel. Read more about Zack’s experience in a letter we received.

Dear JumpSpark:

Thank you so much for your contribution to my year in Israel. My experience in Israel so far has been invigorating and inspiring. I am studying in Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, a yeshiva with programs for both Israeli and overseas students. From the moment I have arrived, I have been engrossed in advanced Judaic Studies (even though I spent the first two weeks in quarantine with only five other students). 

This year’s experience differs slightly than normal due to the coronavirus: The students can only spend time with their own “capsule” of students, and we are not allowed to leave the campus of the yeshiva. Despite this, the students have been able to bond, and we have participated in several activities. We package food for needy families once a week, and we also play thrilling nighttime sports.

Officially, the yeshiva goes on Sukkot break after Yom Kippur for three weeks, and the students can explore the country on their own. However, this year, we had to celebrate Sukkot in the yeshiva. Having this experience with the other students was unbelievable. Aside from a packed schedule of activities throughout the break, we also needed to build our own sukkah for the Sukkot holiday out of whatever materials we could find, as the yeshiva had never needed to provide its students a sukkah before. We searched around the campus and ended up building our sukkah out of old doors from a to-be-renovated dormitory, lots of tape and nails, random planks of wood, and palm branches for the roof. We had all been used to fancy sukkahs with solid walls specifically designed to be used for a sukkah. But we were proud of the ragtag sukkah that we built, and somehow, it stayed up for the entire holiday.

I am so glad that I received the privilege to come to Israel, and I am so grateful to JumpSpark for making it possible.

From,

 Zechariah Mainzer

 

Today The Jewish Education Project launched an ambitious new initiative to transform teen travel to Israel. Known as RootOne, the initiative is seeded with a $20 million gift from The Marcus Foundation and will help tens of thousands of teens travel there each summer with major subsidies for trip participants. We’re thrilled to partner with five leading youth serving organizations (YSOs)— BBYO, USY, Ramah, Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), and NCSY—to elevate their Israel experiences and to make them more affordable for more families.

Beyond increasing the number of teens and affordability of these trips, RootOne is an investment in the unique, immersive learning these trips provide. The initiative will support new trip curricula and offer deeper pre and post-trip engagement to strengthen participants’ Jewish identities and connections to community and Israel. We’ve brought on The iCenter for Israel Education to train all American staff who will lead trips, using their similar, proven model through which they train Birthright Israel staff. The iCenter also will help prepare Israeli teens who will join the trips since we know how impactful those peer-to-peer relationships are.

For decades, The Jewish Education Project has supported and resourced educators to deliver meaningful Israel education. But simply put, RootOne is a game-changer that takes these efforts to an entirely new level. It has the potential to impact a generation of young people. During the formative teen years, these trips can set a teen on a path for ongoing, meaningful Jewish engagement filled with lifelong friendships. They can cement a person’s connection to Jewish community, and they are integral to developing Jewish leaders who care deeply about Israel and the Jewish People.

The first RootOne trips are expected to leave summer 2021, with RootOne vouchers lowering the price point by $3,000 per participant. We expect to increase teens traveling to Israel on these trips by nearly 40% year over year. By 2025, we expect more than 10,000 Jewish teens will travel to Israel on RootOne peer programs every summer. And by 2030, that becomes 20,000 teens.

I invite you to check out the new website RootOne.org to learn more. Please share with your friends and colleagues. And we look forward updating you as this exciting initiative takes flight