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Passover

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Rabbi Joshua Gray at Temple Isaiah’s Second Night Community Seder that took place on Sunday evening, April 13. Photo courtesy Rabbi Joshua Gray

By Rabbi Joshua Gray

Rabbi Joshua Gray. Photo by Toni-Elena Gallo

Nothing brings me back to my childhood, gathered around the kids’ table with my brothers and cousins, like the Hillel sandwich. This singular Passover concoction is a mixture of maror (horseradish) and charoset (a sweet apple and nut mixture), packed between two pieces of matzah, or unleavened bread. If your mouth is not immediately watering at the sound of this combination, I don’t think anyone would blame you. It is only after you try this Passover staple that you fully understand the strangely amazing symphony that is the bitter herb dueting with the sweet pieces of apple and wine. All of this occurs between the satisfying crunch of the matzah. I assure you this combination is one that you, and your tastebuds, will never forget. 

Over 70 percent of Jewish people in the United States will attend a Passover, or Pesach, seder this year. The seder (meaning “order”) is a ritual meal, complete with storytelling, song and general togetherness. We use a special book  called a Haggadah to tell the story of the Israelite Exodus from slavery in Egypt, our subsequent opportunity to live as a free people, and the constant desire to reach our promised land, either literally or proverbially. We are told to continue the tradition; to pass down this important story l’dor vador, from generation to generation. Children are an integral part of the ritual, and we all kvell (burst with pride) as our littlest seder-goers muddle through their designated songs and readings. 

The aforementioned combination of bitter and sweet is no accident. The story of Passover and its rituals are a beautiful part of being Jewish. The message is also a universal one: with freedom comes the responsibility to work toward justice for all people. I always get a bit emotional during our seder when we recite the ten plagues of Egypt; the method by which the hard-hearted Pharaoh finally let the people of Israel go. It is tradition to remove a drop of wine from our cups as we recite aloud each plague. Why do we do this? On a macro level, we recognize that our cups of celebration are never completely full so long as others in the world suffer. The sweetness of freedom from bondage is fused with the bitterness that comes with the knowledge that there is still pain and unrest in our human community. We recognize that while we might be free, there are so many in our world who do not enjoy such self-determination. Individually, we might ask ourselves what could be holding us back from feeling entirely free. What might we be able to let go of that will allow us to live a more meaningful life? 

One of the most important moments in our seder comes as we recite the line: “In every generation each individual is bound to regard themselves as if they had personally gone forth from Egypt.”  Not only do we balance both bitterness and sweetness through the lens of Jewish memory, but we are specifically challenged to put ourselves in the place of those who have gone before us. We grow our empathy for the human family as we build this skill of compassionate curiosity. 

While the goals of Passover are lofty and the rituals might feel a bit baroque, just remember the Hillel sandwich. We are nourished by the tastes from our past as we strive toward a future of justice for all people. On a baser level, Passover evokes memories via taste, smell, song and story. I wish all of you a “Chag Pesach Sameach,” a Happy Passover, and remember, you are always welcome at my table. Try the Hillel sandwich. Trust me.

The author is the Rabbi at Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook.

 

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Honey Pecan Swirled Coffee Cake

By Heidi Sutton

This Honey Pecan Swirled Coffee Cake is the perfect addition to your Passover table. Packed with pecans, dried cranberries and chocolate chips, you can enjoy a slice with coffee in the morning or warm with ice cream for dessert in the evening!

Honey Pecan Swirled Coffee Cake

Recipe courtesy of National Honey Board

Honey Pecan Swirled Coffee Cake

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

 INGREDIENTS: 

1 1/4 cups honey, divided

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

6  eggs, separated

3/4 cup matzo meal

6 tablespoons potato starch

1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS: 

In medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup honey, pecans, cranberries, chocolate chips and cocoa powder.

In separate bowl, combine remaining 3/4 cup honey, egg yolks, matzo meal, potato starch and salt.

In small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold 1/4 of whites into egg yolk mixture. Mix egg yolk mixture back into remaining egg whites.

Spread 1/3 of batter in greased 9-inch springform pan. Spoon half of pecan mixture on top. Repeat with remaining batter and pecan mixture. With spoon, gently swirl filling into batter.

Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes, or until cake starts to pull from sides of pan and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cake from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIP: Strictly kosher kitchens should be sure to use certified kosher for Passover products.

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File photo

By Rabbi Aaron D. Benson

In my opinion any holiday that includes matzoh ball soup is bound to be popular. Passover, which begins Monday night, April 22, features this dish, made with matzoh unleavened bread. The holiday is not just popular but is revered by Jews and non-Jews alike for its overarching theme of freedom. The ancient Israelites were enslaved in Egypt yet God, through the prophet Moses, freed them. As a reminder of this miracle, Jews refrain from eating anything baked with leaven and instead eat matzoh, the simple bread of slaves.  

For Americans, Passover resonates because freedom is a virtue at the core of our country’s identity. Being a citizen is defined as having freedom of religion, of speech, of press and of assembly. Quite literally “revolutionary” when first adopted, the principles in our Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights, have spread these standards of freedom and human dignity around the world.

The Bible’s message about freedom in the Passover story has a slightly different emphasis. It is not at odds with the American view, but it reminds us of a key aspect of freedom. Moses’ famous message from God demanding that Pharaoh, “Let My [God’s] people go,” is usually quoted without its conclusion, “that they may serve Me [God.]” 

When the Jews were finally freed from Egypt, it wasn’t so they could “let loose” after generations of enslavement. Such a life of abandon isn’t any true kind of freedom. Upon leaving Egypt, the Jews set out into the wilderness, eventually to come to Mount Sinai and there receive the Ten Commandments. To take on the responsibility of freedom. To accept laws that will build a society not of oppression, nor of indulgence, but one of respect and concern and common purpose. The Jews would march on, eventually coming to Israel, where they would settle and start to build a society based around the freedom to be responsible. Helping others isn’t a burden. Respecting them isn’t an imposition. Acknowledging that my own humanity is lessened if I do not also care for yours.

Whether you are celebrating Passover this year or not, make yourself a nice bowl of matzoh ball soup. And then, whether you’re celebrating or not, find someone to share that soup with, maybe even a lot of people, maybe even people who seem different from us. Freedom teaches us that we aren’t so different. At some point, we will all need help in our lives, and at some point we all can offer help. Let’s share that responsibility together, along with the matzoh ball soup.

Aaron Benson is the rabbi at North Shore Jewish Center, based in Port Jefferson Station. 

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Blueberry Cheese Blintzes

By Heidi Sutton

Filled with ricotta and cream cheese and topped with blueberries and honey, enjoy these delicious blintzes during and even after the Passover holiday!

Blueberry Cheese Blintzes

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

 INGREDIENTS: 

For Blintzes:

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

1/3 cup matzo meal

1/3 cup potato starch

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 stick butter, for cooking the blintzes

2  tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying

For Filling:

1/4 cup  honey

2 tsp. vanilla

zest of 1 orange

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup  ricotta cheese

2 cups (12 oz.)  blueberries, divided

For Topping:

remaining 1 cup blueberries

powdered sugar

honey

DIRECTIONS: 

Whisk together the eggs, milk, matzo meal, potato starch and salt, refrigerate for one hour or overnight. Stir together the honey, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, cream cheese and ricotta. Fold in 1 cup of the blueberries. Refrigerate.

Melt the butter and vegetable oil together in a small bowl in the microwave. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, swirl a spoonful of the butter and oil mixture over the surface of the pan.

Whisk the blintz batter to recombine then ladle about 2 oz. of the batter into the pan, swirling the batter to cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the blintz begins to set and turn golden brown on the bottom. Flip the blintz over with a spatula and cook for an additional minute on the other side. Remove the blintz to a sheet pan and continue to cook all the batter.

Assemble the blintzes by placing 1/4 cup of the filling in the center, fold in both sides and roll up.

Place blintzes in a shallow pan and reheat for 15 minutes in a 350°F oven or you can microwave them for 2 to 3 minutes.

Place two blintzes on each plate and serve with additional blueberries, powdered sugar and honey!

TIP: You can make the blintzes ahead of time and heat them up when you are ready to serve. Also, try different fruit topping combinations like blackberry and raspberry.

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Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)

By Heidi Sutton

The Jewish celebration of Passover (April 5 to 13) is one of the religion’s most sacred and widely observed holidays and commemorates the Biblical story of the Israelites’ escape from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. The holiday also includes all kinds of ceremonial foods but if there is one ingredient Passover celebrants may find challenging to work with during the holiday, it could be unleavened bread. 

Typically matzoh/matzah is substituted for other yeasted breads this time of year. One place matzoh really shines is in matzoh balls for use in soups or side dishes. A dumpling of sorts, matzoh balls are tasty and filling, and ideal for meals throughout Passover. Try this recipe for “Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)” courtesy of Chabad.org’s Kosher Cooking.

Potato latkes, on the other hand, are delicious at any time of the year, but for Passover they are made with with matzo meal, the flour of a crisp unleavened bread that’s allowed during the holiday. The matzo meal provides a nice substitute for the flour and serves as the binding, along with the eggs, for the latkes in this recipe from AllRecipes.com.

Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)

Perfect Matzah Balls (Kneidlach)

YIELD:  Makes 8 matzah balls (Meat, Pareve)

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons oil or chicken fat

2 tablespoons soup stock or water

1⁄2 cup matzah meal

1 teaspoon salt

1 quart of salted water for cooking

DIRECTIONS:

Beat eggs slightly with fork. Add other ingredients, except matzah meal, and mix. Add matzah meal gradually until thick. Stir. Refrigerate for 20 minutes in covered bowl.

Wet hands and form into balls. Drop into bubbling chicken soup or into a large wide pot into which 1 quart of water seasoned with 1 tablespoon salt has been added and has come to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes.

Passover Potato Latkes

Passover Potato Latkes

YIELD:Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

6 medium Russet potatoes (peeled and shredded)

2 medium onions (shredded)

2 tablespoons matzo meal (or more as necessary)

2 large eggs

Salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

Place the potatoes and onion into a bowl, and stir in matzo, eggs, salt and pepper as needed to make the mixture hold together. Add more matzo meal if the mixture is too runny. With wet hands, scoop up about 1/3 cup of the mixture per patty, and form into flat round or oval shapes.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, and gently place the patties into the hot oil. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes, then flip with a spatula and fry the other side until golden. 

Drain on paper towels and serve hot with apple sauce.

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METRO photo

By Warren Strugatch

Warren Strugatch

This past Easter Sunday was my first without my wife Cindy. On the little dining room table that she brought home from Europe, beneath the candy-colored mini-chandelier acquired on the same trip, I set a holiday table. I reheated crab cakes, stirred up some homemade hollandaise, and sat down to a tasty, albeit solitary, meal.  

I celebrated Easter remembering how Cindy made it festive. She made every holiday festive, none more so than Christmas. She celebrated to the max: decorating, cooking, doling out family tales about her resourceful, hard-toiling immigrant ancestors from England, Holland, Germany, and Ireland. 

I come from a Jewish family with roots in Poland and Belarus; Easter and Christmas were terra incognita. I offered immigrant stories too, plus treats like halvah and matzo brei. Of gefilte fish, the less said the better. 

On Easter, Cindy baked ham, broiled asparagus, boiled potatoes, and prepared quiche. The ham she shared with her mother, Patricia, who had come to live with us in Stony Brook. The quiche, the designated vegetarian plate, was for me. The asparagus was for all. I made matzo brei, the traditional egg and matzo casserole.

The memories of those meals and other occasions warm my heart. My beautiful wife died of leukemia in February. Her mother passed away a year earlier from heart disease. I’ve inherited many of their rituals, including Easter brunch and Christmas celebrations. Now they’re my traditions, too.

My mother-in-law Patricia Slattery, who went by Pat, grew up in the fifties on a farm in Huntington. She got a job working for lawyers while still in high school, surprising her parents. She married Larry Smith, a Navy vet returning from the Korean war, and the couple settled in Smithtown. In a way it was a homecoming, as Larry claimed descent from Smithtown founder Richard “Bull” Smith.  

He opened an auto repair shop. She stayed home to raise Cindy and her younger brother Lawrence, then went to work full-time in the 1980s. In the mid-2000s her car was hit from behind while she drove home from work. Pat suffered a stroke, never walked again, and spoke only with much effort.

Soon thereafter, Pat moved in. With nothing said out loud, Cindy became keeper of the Smith legacy. Her family’s approach to holiday celebrations was revelatory. As for me, I grew up in the Bronx and then Westchester, my home resembling a Larry David script co-written with Billy Crystal. You want a holiday? Come for Festivus. We’ll show you how to share grievances! Billy’s six Jewish relatives, hopping from photo album to photo album, alighted on ours. Hey, that’s Uncle Morty!

As Passover often coincides with Easter, Cindy took elements of one holiday and incorporated them into the other. Our first hybrid celebration almost didn’t happen. Cindy, an event planner par excellence, asked me to collect what was needed a week ahead of time. I dug into the boxes I brought from my previous life and found a menorah. What about the matzo? Well, the store was out.

Cindy: “Go find a store and buy matzo. What are you waiting for?”

I went, I shopped, I couldn’t find. The Passover shopping season was over.  Returning to Stony Brook, I opened the front door to the scent of baked ham and cooked matzo. Cindy must have hidden a box and found a recipe online.

“Happy Passover,” she said.

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METRO photo

By Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky

Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky

There is a story in the Jewish tradition that tells of the Israelites reaction upon leaving Egypt. Upon crossing the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea) to freedom, and upon seeing Pharaoh’s soldiers and horses drowning, the Israelites broke out in joyful songs of praise to God.

In a sense, such a reaction is understandable. After all, we read in the book of Exodus that the Israelites had been subjected to forced labor by the Egyptians for four hundred and thirty years. Their lives had been made miserable by their taskmasters, and little hope remained for their redemption. So of course they would be ecstatic with this sudden turn of events. Who could blame them? The parable could have ended there, but it doesn’t.

We read further that while the Israelites were celebrating, God chastised them, saying, “My children are drowning, and you sing praises?!”

Could such a message be any stronger or more meaningful? Could it contain a better reminder for us over three thousand years later, at this holy day season for so many, and a time of rebirth and renewal?

We are not so different from our ancestors millennia ago. We, too, rejoice in our achievements and successes, often disregarding their consequences and affect on others. We often delight — perhaps openly, perhaps secretly — in the failure of our “enemies,” choosing to separate ourselves from them, rather than to build bridges of understanding and tolerance. Or, at least, we do not show any signs of support. We seem to forget that these people are God’s children. We may forget that we are as well.

Passover, for Jews, is indeed a time of great rejoicing, a time to celebrate freedom and rebirth. Yet it is also a time for remembrance, a remembrance of the cost of such freedom for all involved; a reminder of the growing pains we have experienced.

At the seder, the festive meal of Passover, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is told with great ceremony and joy. And yet, during that time, we also reflect. Salt water is used to remember the tears of the Israelites during their time of bondage. Bitter herbs represent the physical and emotional pain experienced. And cups of wine, symbols of sweetness and joy, have ten drops removed before drinking, in order to lessen our joy when recalling the ten plagues upon Egypt. In modern times, drops are also removed for different “plagues,” such as war, disease, prejudice, pollution and crime.

If we are truly to understand the message of this festival for all people, we must broaden our perspective to look not only at our own good fortune, but also at the fortunes of others to whom we have a responsibility as human beings. We must reflect on our history — where we’ve come from — in order truly to appreciate where we are now. At the seder each year, Jews are reminded that in every generation, each person should look at oneself as if he or she personally had come out of Egypt. We are to see ourselves as experiencing the miracle of redemption; of safely crossing the Sea to dry land.

Now it is time to go a step further. Rather than relying on God’s miracles, and then using them to escape from one another, let us create our own miracle — the miracle of building bridges to cross the raging seas of mistrust and prejudice that divide us. Many of God’s children are still drowning, overwhelmed by the waters that engulf their lives. Only by working together can we save them. And only then will we have fully experienced redemption.

Wishing all who celebrate a joyous, meaningful and renewing holy day season.

Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky is a rabbi at Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook.

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A Celebratory Passover Dessert

(Culinary.net) When celebrating with family, there is nearly nothing better than passing a light and sweet dessert around the table. These Simple Macaroons are crisp, dipped in decedent chocolate and a completely scrumptious option for celebrating Passover.

Simple to make and easy to eat, this sweet dessert is a crowd favorite. With a fresh kick of lemon zest and crunch of shredded coconut, they are a bite-sized, delicious way to end your meal.

They take little to no time to make, only baking 10-12 minutes for a tray full of tasty dessert bites ready to devour.

With sweet honey and vanilla, the flavors come together to create something sweet but not overpowering. It’s a small, crumbly bite that’s perfect for sharing during Passover.

Find more sweet treat recipes for any holiday at Culinary.net.

Simple Macaroons

Recipe adapted from marthastewart.com

Yield: 15 macaroons

Ingredients:

1 large egg

2 1/4 tablespoons honey

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups shredded coconut

5 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In bowl, whisk egg. Add honey, vanilla, lemon zest and salt; whisk. Stir in coconut until completely coated with egg mixture.

Using 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, make 15 balls, transferring each to parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway through, until coconut starts to brown on edges.

Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cool.

Before serving, drizzle with melted chocolate or dip bottom sides of macaroons in melted chocolate to cover bases. Refrigerate 15 minutes to set.

See video here.

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In celebration of it 65th anniversary, “The Ten Commandments” heads to select theaters nationwide on Sunday, March 28, courtesy of Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Paramount Pictures.

Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter in a scene from the film.

Throughout film history, Hollywood has produced a number of sweeping epics and generation-defining movies. However, one Biblical saga – Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” – has withstood the test of time.

Shot in Egypt and the Sinai on one of the biggest sets ever constructed for a motion picture, the 1956 film is universally acknowledged among critics as a cinematic masterpiece with a legendary cast including Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, and Ann Baxter. From its Academy Award-winning director and revolutionary Oscar-winning special effects to its sweeping score and unforgettable sets, “The Ten Commandments” tells the inspiring story of Moses in all its stunning glory. Once favored in the Pharaoh’s household, he turns his back on a privileged life to lead his people to freedom.

In addition to numerous awards and accolades, the movie remains one of the biggest box office successes in cinema history (with theatrical sales adjusted for inflation).

The screening includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz.

In our neck of the woods the film will be screened at the AMC Stony Brook 17, 2196 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook at 1 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Running time is 3 hours 55 minutes. Rated G. To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

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