Part 1- Taglit

After doing certain thing a certain way it is hard to think that they would be different. This trip, this bus, bus 70, the staff, the tour guide, the security, the participants have been beyond amazing!! I am speechless!

There is so much that could go wrong! There so many things that can affect the trip but none of this has happened! The staff was outstanding! The participants interested in learning, wanted to do things, wanted to grow, To get  involved, wanted to make friends and make sure that everyone has a friend! They were committed to make everyone feel welcome and part of the group!!

They were certain that no stereotype was strong enough to be defeated and make everyone part of the family! 

This trip was Madricha Heaven! Any Peula this kids participated! We spent countless hours playing games: ninja, mafia, relay races, water gun war, climbing playgrounds, and more. They asked questions when wanted to learn more. They challenge our fix message and ask those tough questions.

We talked about philosophy, g'd, Judaism, Israel, the conflict, politics, relationships, our past, our future and the present.

This group helped me understand, or better said reconfirmed why I do what I do and how much more is there to be learn.

Each of the relationships built created an impact. Half way into the trip we added 8 amazing chayalim (soldiers) to our family. We laughed, we cried, we learned, we party, and we grew together. This kind of mifgashim helps participants understand the reality of what Israelies go thru. They are peers, they are the same age, yet they live such different lives.

At the closing activity for the soldiers, my body had gusbumps, the words said in both side of the group were as strong, meaningful, and powerful as the other. 

The trip was fun! We laughed non stop! I thank each of the participants for jumping on board on the pranks, for making the water gun not annoying but a key object of our history! For helping each other when a wise word was needed. For been open minded, for opening your heart to the feelings we had expose you to. For letting your mind, values, and ideologies been challenge.

You guys are so unique! I am thankful to be your madricha! I am thankful of the moment we have shared together and how close we became!

THANK YOU!

Poland- part 1

77 years ago my great grandparents left their everything for a new life. 14 Years ago my family, my immediate family embarked on a journey. 12 years ago I embarked on a personal journey.

Today, I reminded myself

About the journeys I started 14 & 12years ago. 

Check how one goes from happiness to sadness. On one side of the world is all happiness, the circle has been completed. Dad became an American! Could not been more happy! All the hard work, al the efforts had paid off.

If my great grandparents would not have decided to leave just in time today we would not be here, would

Not be able to celebrate.

On the other side of the world, here I am, sitting in the middle of Treblinkax. There is over 200 people here and you do not hear a single soul. You hear the wind blowing, the trees moving, some birds cheeping, but there is not a single sounds. The sun makes his way out in within the clouds showing that there is a light, that there is always something to look forward too, that in every bad moment, there is a ray of light.

Today I been remind of who you are and where we come from.

12 years ago I participated in the Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and March of The Living to Poland and Israel. I went to the camps, I witnessed the horrific nightmares that the nazis made OUR family, OUR people feel. I had promised my self to come back, to be able to share, to talk, to feel, to empower others.

Today I am back, I am here, I am in Treblinka a place I had never felt, a place I had wished no one would ever have to feel.

Today, I am back.

As bad or unimaginable as it could be just picture 16,000 Jews in Auschwitz to say never again, to say WE are here and WE are standing strong.

Friends+ asado+ Alfajores= fun times

Alfajor de maizena y cubanitos

Nothing is more Argentinean that an Alfajor and an Asado. When combining the two becomes the perfect setting to share with friends and have a good time and eat great food.

Spent an entire afternoon reading Nucha and Doña Petrona cooking books. Combine and tweak both recipes and came out with this soft, savory and yummy alfajor. 

Ingredients:

• 140 grams Butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 40 grams of All purpose flour
• 80 gr of Sugar
• 1 tbsp of water
• Orange zest
• 300 gr of Corn Starch
• 150 gr of chocolate

Instructions:

1. Combine butter, orange zest, corn starch, sugar, and flour in food processor until dough is form.
2. Add the egg yolks and water. 
3. Mix until dough is form
4. Place dough in refrigerator for an hour
5. Using a rolling pin stretch the dough.
6. Using a round cookie cutter of no more of 6 cm of diameter make cookies
7. Place a parchment sheet on the tray
8. Cook for 10 minutes at 335 F
9.  Let cool down for 30 minutes
10.  Using a pastry bag, place dulce De Leche and put it on the cookie.
11.  For the conitos: Melt chocolate in 30 secs intervals in the mirowave. Dip cookie with dulce de leche and then let cool down.

Old flavors new taste

On February 2001, my dad left Argentina with the hopes of building a new life, full of benefits, better quality, in United Stated.

The rest of us, mom, brothers, and myself, left in june 2001. Life here, in Miami has been a roller coaster. Work has been hard, meeting new people and making freinds a challenge, learning the way a country functions even a greater challenge. But nothing has brought us, the Naparstek family down.

As every immigrant, we also has a story share when it comes to the "immigrations papers". Fourteens years ago becoming a US citizen was a dream, was a light at the end of the tunnel that we were not even able to see, imagine, or think off.

We took little, even tiny steps. Everyday was a challenge, everyday was a mistery, everyday was unique, but we knew we wanted to be here, we knew that together life is better, and we were hopeful that things were going to happen, and ONE DAY all pieces of the puzzle will come together.

That day came. It was April 2. After 14 years all of 5 of us are American Citizens. Who would have thought?

Grandparents (3 out of 4) were Polish, my parents and us were Argentinean, and just like that one day we are American. 3 generations, 3 nationalities. Who would have said!

To honor dad, his work, his efforts, and his vision we made him his favorite dessert: Sambayon


Ingredients:

• 8 yolks
• 10 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of corn starch
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 egg white with to form stiff peaks 
• 12 tbsp of Oporto wine
• 200 ml of heavy whipping cream

Steps

1. Using a double boiler (make sure water does not touch upper bowl) mix egg yolks, sugar, milk, and corn starch. Stirring constantly until well mixed (around 8 minutes)
2. Add to egg whites mixing from bottom to top.
3. Let cool down. 
4. Whip the heavy whipping cream until you get soft peaks.
5. Add to the mixture.
6. Put on freezer for 5 hours.
7. Once ice cream in hard, cut into smaller pieces. Using a blender put the ice cream there for 2 minutes.
8. After an hour is ready to serve

Enjoy!
 

Limmud and some more Limmud

From the Hebrew to learn "Limmud" is not only the definition to learn but a wonderful one of a kind experience.

As I am writing this post I am watching a music performance by Craig Taubman with all prayers and Hebrew songs modernize.

Monday was such a special day. I started the day full of enlightens by beautiful human beings who have so much to teach and share with this community of learners. 

I went to a session who spoke about Maria Montessori and her believes in religion and how should be teach on a classroom.

Later it was follow by a class taught Lee Lewis about the history of Bagels and how to make a bagel. I met an amazing women called Carole who will be hosting me during the three nights that I am staying in London. 

I also attended two sessions about on how to improve/make our own Limmud a better program/conference/experience for our community. There were over 30 people from different parts of this wonderful world who are also VOLUNTICIPANTS at there Limmud. 

The day only got better by the hour. I people are great! We built a whatsapp group, a micro community of Spanish speaking Limmudniks however we accepted Eli from Atlanta. There are Argentinians, Mexicans, a colombian and a Spaniard.

I saw a music show and finished with a comedy stand up with Jewish jokes, literally laught the whole time.

Picking sessions is hard, every hour I am missing something that I wished I had attended, 35 Sessions per hour... Can you imagine!! And in Miami we only have 12, ha... One day one day.

Today I attended my first Talmud Chavruta learning session by the wonderful Yaffa Epstein (who will be at Limmud Miami and hope I can attend).

Amazing sessions, great brainstorming on how to make Limmud communities better!! Ohhhhh how much I love this place! Is it a place? An experience? Or just magic?

Heard Ari Shavit and had a conversation about Latin Jews and the relationship of israel with southamerica! He remembered me from the day before! How honored!

Today I spoke with Natan Sharansky, thank him for everything he does code the Jewish world! 

Days only get better and tomorrow is the last day!!! Off to enjoy the next day!

L'itraot

Jewish Disney World

There are experiences that say with you forever. I am experiencing one of those.

There is a place in the world called Limmud. Limmud takes you one step forward in your Jewish journey. No matter where you are, what you do, who you are. A meal is an experience in itself. 

I arrived yesterday, Friday December 26, in the morning. After wondering around the airport and napping at the coffee shop I met with another 40 participants which whom I shared the bus. When you arrive at the Warwick university you can already feel the magic, it's like a Jewish Disney World. Everyone is happy, everyone welcomes you with a smile, everyone helps you, and most of all, everyone is friendly and wanting to meet new people.

Yesterday I attended 2 sessions: shmita and Jewish food ethic, and a shabbat celebration: here they have some 3-d glasses that when you looked at light you see hearts! Spread the love! (Look at the picture below) Both were special, in both of them I learned and grew.

Today was different. I started the day with a 2 miles run in a sunny but cold morning (38F). At 11:30 there was a stretching and relaxing session which I thought it was great to do after my run. When by 11:45 we realize that the presenter was not coming and my need to stretch my body I asked the other 5 people in the room if they wanted to do yoga. Asking around nobody felt comfortable to start the session so I just lead the first 15 minutes, one of the most important core values at Limmud. We can all teach!!!! Alex led the stretching, Mijal some more yoga and we left feeling inspired!

Lunch followed where I met Michelle, the Limmud shabbat co-chair and we had an interesting conversation about immigration and food.

The afternoon followed by a deep relaxation and vocal vowel meditation. I felt like I was picked up and remove from my body. After an intense hour of meditation and relaxation I feel like new! New energies, new blood, new experiences. May shabbat finished and let this week be as powerful and meaningful as this shabbat has been.

Shavuah Tov!

Birthday Cake

Do you have the birthday of a relative or friend coming up?

What's best that a good chocolate cake with buttercream frosting... and when the frosting is green, even better! This cake came up super moist and fresh! The recipe is definitely a keeper. Original recipe from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• Shaved dark chocolate

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. Step 2

   In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.

3. Step 3

   Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.