Author Archives: The Jewish Lady

NYC School Lunches Now Free, but None Are Kosher

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NYC Schools have started offering free lunches for every student. Previously approved only for low income students, it’s now universal. The federally sponsored program is supposed to be inclusive, yet no Kosher or Halal options are available. While those dietary restrictions may be rare in most areas, 38% of the student population is affected, making it a big problem.

To be fair, a vegetarian selection is offered each day, so the kids certainly won’t go hungry. Even so, when more than 1/3 of the students are asking for Kosher and/or Halal, it’s not unreasonable to provide it. (If only a handful were concerned, that’s a totally different case and would be a burden to accommodate them.)

Because Kosher and Halal meat is more expensive, I’m guessing that’s the reason why it’s not included. I don’t think it’s a matter of discrimination in any way, regardless of rumors floating around. Trying to find a balance between cost, health, and food preferences is not easy and it’s going to take some time for the schools to work it out.

Parents can pack or buy lunches for their kids, after all. It’s not Burger King; you can’t always have it your way and that’s to be expected when the lunch is free.

Kris Kringlestein (The Jewish Santa) Giveaway

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The month of December can be a challenging time for the Jewish community. All around us, we are inundated by decorated trees, flashy light displays, red-nosed reindeers, stuffed stockings, and everything else that goes along with Christmas.

As a young girl, growing up in an area with a micro sized Jewish population, I always felt left out of the fun. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t have the things that my friends looked forward to and it made me sad. Yes, we had Hanukkah, of course, but it’s definitely not the same. Christmas is a major event while Hanukkah is actually a minor one. Only because of its proximity to Christmas has it taken on such significance, especially here in America. A menorah and some dreidels are a great start, but we need more, and in recent years, we are getting it, bit by bit.

Still, Hanukkah decorations and toys can be difficult to find, and what is available doesn’t always compete with the enormous range of Christmas goodies on the market. Mensch on a Bench has been a wonderful substitute for the Elf on a Shelf craze, which is awesome. Having that option is so important! Instead of being denied the experience altogether, we can delight in products that honor tradition while allowing us to partake in modern festivities.

Now, with the remarkable invention of Kris Kringlestein, the Jewish community has their own Santa! This adorable blue and white gem dances and sings in “Yinglish” (a combo of Yiddish and English) that will provide unlimited joy to those who are young and the young at heart. I think he’s the cutest and most clever thing ever! (Bonus points for the glasses and yarmulke.)

Some purists may claim that Jews should not play with a Santa at all, but I disagree. Instead of pretending this stuff isn’t cool, we need to create our own versions. And, let us not forget, that 70% of our community is intermarried and those folks are extremely torn in this regard. By gifting someone a Kris Kringlestein, that conflict is eliminated completely.

Want your very own Kris Kringlestein for Hanukkah? One lucky person will win! Enter the giveaway thru 12/15 and he could be yours.

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why I Bought a Helix Sleep Custom Mattress (Plus, $100 off)

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This post contains affiliate links and I received compensation for this post

During the holiday season, when everyone is focused on giving gifts to others, I think it’s important to also treat ourselves. My gift for me this year is a new mattress. That might seem a little extravagant, but as someone who suffers from chronic back pain and insomnia, it’s truly a necessity and worth every penny because I wake up feeling so lousy.

After visiting a few local stores and testing what they had in the show room, I wasn’t too impressed. Prices were very high for what was offered. Instead, I found a better option online at Helix Sleep. They offer a customized mattress that takes into account height, weight, gender, age, sleeping position, problem area, and desired firmness. (Determined by taking a simple online quiz.)

By building exactly what I want and getting the features I need, the odds of a better night’s sleep with less pain go way up! (I really, really hope it works better than my current Serta mattress that does nothing and cost much more).

Get $100.00 off a mattress purchase plus any other item with checkout code HOLIDAY17 at Helix Sleep.

 

Need more convincing? Check out the Helix review over at MattressMatchers.com. They have done a complete analysis of the company. It will give you a better idea of why I chose this brand in the first place.

Simply Hanukkah: Celebrate the Holiday Effortlessly with 8 Nights of Gifts

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The eight special nights of Hanukkah deserve eight special gifts, especially when children are involved. Little ones look forward to this tradition so much, after all! In our family, we have always tried to do eight gifts, but it can be tough—selecting, buying, and wrapping these gifts takes a lot of time and effort! Sending them to friends and family who live out of town is even worse because shipping deadlines apply. Plus, it seems like every year there are more people I want to exchange gifts with, adding to the chaos.

As a busy working mom, it’s difficult for me to add yet another thing to my list. I want to spend the holiday actually enjoying the festivities, not rushing around and missing out on precious memories. That’s why I love to find products that make my life easier like Simply Hanukkah. Having also dealt with this common problem that every Jewish family faces, they’ve created the solution: a gift package that include 8 pre-wrapped, age appropriate Hanukkah gifts, gelt, a wooden dreidel, and a Hanukkah story, all delivered right to your door.

Packages are customized by age and gender, allowing you to select from these options:

  • Girls Gifts – Ages 2-3
  • Boys Gifts – Ages 2-3
  • Girls Gifts – Ages 4-7
  • Boys Gifts – Ages 4-6

Every box is a beautiful collection of high quality gifts, coming from trusted brands like Disney, Melissa and Doug, Crayola, etc.

For those who want to make the occasion even more exciting, Simply Hanukkah offers a full line of decorations like tablewear, banners, lanterns, menorah, candles, and photo booth props.

The idea of not having to do anything except sit back and enjoy the fun, stress-free, is like a dream come true. I’m especially excited to send boxes to my sister’s children who live in Florida. Instead of the one big box I usually send myself, they’ll have 8 different surprises to look forward to now, without any effort on my part.

Celebrating the holiday has really never been easier. To find your ideal gift package, check out Simply Hanukkah’s website and don’t forget to follow them on Instagram.