Author Archives: The Jewish Lady

A Lighter Rosh Hashanah Menu

The past few days have been a whirlwind of holiday prep—shopping, finalizing the menu, cleaning everything, and enduring 90 degree heat (so unusual for September in New England!).

I’ve made a big decision to shake up the food. A typical Rosh Hashanah menu around here would be either Atlanta Brisket or Roasted Turkey. We enjoy both of these main dishes, but I am craving something quicker, lighter, and healthier.

Since we won’t be having any guests and it’s just the family, I feel comfortable planning something different. If we were hosting a large crowd as we’ve done in the past, I probably wouldn’t, since most people expect a traditional menu for holidays.

Here’s what I’ve decided on:

Salmon (prepared simply with lemon & dill)
Baked potatoes
String beans (sautéed in a garlic butter)
Round challah
Apple slices dipped in honey
Mandelbrot, served with ice cream

Since I’m using the oven for the fish anyway, it will be easy to start the potatoes first and then finish everything at the same time. The challah I’ll buy, the Mandelbrot is already in the freezer, and the string beans can be sautéed just before serving.

I’m sure this menu seems very basic to some and not festive enough, but for me, while I love the traditional foods, I don’t have the time/energy/ambition to do the whole shebang this year. I’ll still set a pretty table with a nice cloth and china, and we’ll enjoy using our favorite Judaica like the Shofar and the Challah Cover and we’ll enjoy being together as a family, which is the most important part, right?

What about you? Are you serving a traditional menu? Would you ever consider straying? Let me hear your thoughts on Rosh Hashanah foods!

Pampers Cruisers #SagtoSwag

Before I became a mom, I used to love visiting the gym. I had lots of extra time and energy to devote to being active and the gym was the only place I thought I could work out.

Then I got pregnant and my boundless energy and good health seemed to disappear overnight! Once the baby came, I assumed I’d be able to resume my gym routine. That was years ago and I still can’t find an extra hour in the day. Because being active is important and leaving my little one isn’t easy, I finally decided to create a home gym—for both of us!

Creating a home gym is actually very simple, provided you have the necessary equipment. Here is what I like to use:

Yoga Mat
Plastic ball
Light hand weights
Sweatband
Towel
Water bottle

When the weather is nice, we like to take the gym outside. I find we’re both more enthusiastic in fresh air than stuck inside the living room. Since my guy is still little, I developed a super simple routine that any mom and baby can do together for exercise:

Start by stretching 3-5 minutes
Get on the yoga mat and do some basic poses
Rolling the plastic ball between us
Standing on the grass, run or walk in place
I lift my hand weights while he watches and claps his hands to cheer me on
Finish by again sitting on the mats and cool down

Start to finish, our total fitness routine lasts about 15 minutes. I’d go longer, but he’s so small and loses focus quickly. Another thing that can derail us is a diaper mishap. In particular, I am referring to saggy style. Not only do they look bad, they are also an accident waiting to happen! A saggy diaper can restrict how a baby moves and as babies grow, they need a diaper that will keep up with them.

The newly redesigned Pampers Cruisers, launched in August, offer a solution to this common problem. Geared for active little ones, in diaper sizes 3-6, they feature three new Extra Absorb Channels in the diaper’s core, which helps evenly distribute wetness and prevents sagging. This allows baby to move and play freely with Pampers 12 hour protection and fit.

The three channel absorbency comes after four years of research and development, and a survey revealing that 80% of moms who notice sag are bothered by them (I certainly am!).

By using the right diaper, we’re able to keep active without any worries—something that’s caused us problems in the past. Now, you could say we’ve gone from Sag to Swag, thanks to Pampers Cruisers.

This review was made possible by iConnect: Influencer Management and Pampers. I received product free of charge, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Reaching Out to Disabled Jews

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20% of the Jewish community is disabled. Isn’t that shocking? I found this out by reading an excellent article on Matan Kids that addresses their unique needs and how we can take steps to reach out to them.

These suggestions include making necessary changes in the areas of housing, education, employment, spiritual access, and community—a sort of Jewish Disabilities Act.

Because I have witnessed firsthand how many people with disabilities become unaffiliated through default, I think it’s very important to make any reasonable accommodation to keep them included.

We need to also remember that a disability can be mental or physical, and a mental one isn’t always apparent. Sometimes people are embarrassed or afraid to ask for assistance and rarely is it offered.

Instead of wringing our hands about a lack of involvement, let’s try to change it in practical ways:

Install handicapped ramps and elevators, whenever possible
Offer both traditional and large print books
Set up carpools for those who don’t drive
Employ disabled members to work easy jobs in the temple (cleaning, lawn care, etc.)
Provide money for their care, which could be from members’ donations or the Rabbi’s discretionary fund

Our members are the true strength of the Jewish Community and everyone should feel welcome.

Do you support a Jewish Disabilities Act?

Get Cash for Your iPhone with Gazelle

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Want an iPhone upgrade? Gazelle is giving you the opportunity to trade-in your iPhone 5s 6, or 6 Plus for cash (not store credit) through their Best Price promotion. This offer is $1.00 more than the trade-in price that your carrier or Apple might offer.

For example, if you are trading in a Sprint iPhone 5s, Gazelle will best Sprint’s price for that iPhone 5s. What’s more is that Gazelle’s Best Price Guarantee will be offered on iPhones 5S, 6, and 6 Plus that are in “good” condition rather than “perfect” condition, which means that you’ll get the best price possible for your phone without it having to be in “perfect” condition.

Here are a few other things to know about this Best Price promotion:

Offers will be locked in for 30 days after the online offer is accepted.
The best price guarantee will only be offered on iPhones 5S, 6, and 6 Plus.
You will able to submit a claim if you find a better price that what Gazelle is offering.
If a better price is advertised from Apple or a major carrier after the promotional period has ended, Gazelle will not attempt to beat it, nor will they honor adjustments to price after the promotional window.

Visit http://www.Gazelle.com/bestprice for the full terms and conditions.