Israel Part 4 - Food and Friends

So nice to travel with friends. We had a very nice dinner at the David Citadel Hotel

Leslie (to the right) is the reason I was able to go to Hadassah Convention in Israel! Thank you Leslie!!!

My first Israeli breakfast. So many salads and cheeses and fruits. Too bad things were not well labeled for those of us that have food allergies. I was able to maneuver around, but I would have liked to have tried more food. If in doubt, I didn't eat it.

My first Israeli Krembo in Israel! It is a chocolate covered marshmallow treat on top of a little round wafer cookie. It is delicious.

Another Israeli Breakfast. Eggs and cucumbers and melon. DELICIOUS

Israeli desserts. The Krembo and the chocolate ball. Again, delicious.

Lunch at the Israel Museum. Not sure what the dish is called but it was a roasted chicken with roasted vegetables with middle eastern herbs. Again. Delicious.

Flat bread with three different types of dipping sauce. Delicious.

Could have been at Piccolino

Fast Food - Israeli Falafel in pita. YUM.

I don't know what this was except heavenly. I think it was smoked potatoes with an herb aioli sauce. I have no idea how to make this at home.

Hummus with plenty of vegetables.

Took a cooking class in Jerusalem.

This is chicken with red onions.

Our class made pita!!!!!

Pita Making

Our food!

On the bottom is a roasted slice of eggplant, topped with Tehina. Then ground beef and caramelized onions.

Makluba! Rice with roasted vegetables and on top there are caramelized onions and chicken.

Makluba!

Israeli dates in the shuk. They were huge. They were delicious.

Shuk Dragon Fruit

Etrog Man - Juice

Just look

120 kinds of Halavah in one stall of the shuk

Pomegranate

Rugelach from Marzipan Bakery in the Shuk

NUTS at the shuk

Cooking class video

 

Israel Part 3

This day I went on a tour under the Kotel. This was the first time I was able to do this since before, it had not been completely dug out!

The Kotel. The ramp leading up to the Dome of the Rock is new (for me). What was also new to me was the metal detectors and security. Back in 1988, you just walked into the plaza.

Look at those stones. And how precise they were. No modern machines were used to build this!

The sanctuary 

This is the Torah Ark for the synagogue IN the tunnel!

The tunnel is not meant for tall people. I don't need to worry about it!

In the tunnel

 

Israel Part 2

Time got away from me between Thanksgiving, and work, and end of year stuff! I didn't post anything else besides day 1. Of course, I am still LOVING every minute of each memory.

I toured The City of David. What was interesting about this, was that Naomi had been this past summer, and sent us a photo of a harp in a gift shop. The same window display was there when I went!

The City of David

Look at the mountain, and in the middle, you can see the tour busses!

From The City of David

A tree in the City of David

View from being in the City of David

The Jewish Quarter

Photo from the Kotel. I don't remember the plastic chairs from my visit in 1988.

The Kotel

The Kotel

The Jewish Mentalist. He was amazing! Lior Suchard does the welcome video on El Al. But he was amazing.

It was part of Hadassah Honors, and again, it was a great event.

 

Israel - Hadassah - part 1

 I recently returned from Hadassah Convention in Israel. It was amazing. Let me share some photos with you. This is from the first full day I was there. We had a big celebration with an amazing view on day 1.

Then, we were went to a theater and heard many inspirational stories about Hadassah. We met Fayez (yellow sweatshirt) and his cardiologist from Hadassah Hospital (man in a suit). This Israeli doctor has treated many, many patients and he lost his house in a missile strike, and had to rebuild. I later met him again at Hadassah Hospital during my tour.

We also heard from a team at Hadassah Hospital who delivered a baby in March, 2020. What made this delivery special is that the mom was Covid positive, and she was the first woman in labor with Covid in Israel. Because the mom was positive, they had to whisk off the baby. As you can see from below, the mom and the baby boy are healthy today. Because the family was Covid positive in March, 2020, the Hadassah Team were the only people attending the bris.

We also met Sasha, a teenager from Ukraine. His mom arranged for his passage to Israel after the Russian invasion started. Sasha has been living in one of the Youth Villages in Israel for the past 8 months. He told us how much he LOVES Israel and wants to stay in Israel. The best part of meeting Sasha, was that Hadassah flew in his mom from Ukraine for a mini re-union.

I will share more snip its at a later date, but this is just the FIRST MORNING of being in Jerusalem.

Mae's Chocolate Pie

 When I was growing up, my parents were friendly with two sisters, Mae and Diane. Both were amazing cooks, and Christmas was a FEAST. Diane would host. Mae would bring dessert. Diane made baked ziti for an appetizer! There were cannolis for dessert. Mae often made the cover of Bon Appetit, including this one. It was amazing.

However this chocolate pie is much easier to make!

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust

1 1/2 c sugar

6 oz semi sweet chocolate

4 eggs

2 sticks butter

2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Bake pie crust and let cool

Melt chocolate and butter together. Put in mixer, and add sugar. Mix. Add four eggs and vanilla and have the stand mixer mix for 5 minutes (I use the whisk attachment). Pour into crust. Put in fridge.

 

Sweet and Sour Meatballs - A Weitzman Favorite

 I didn't make meatballs when the kids were younger. I am not a meatball lover, and didn't really care. But I have made this recipe for Passover and all year round. I can also make them with meat or with vegetarian balls.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1/4 c. matzo meal
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t dried oregano - from the Spice House
• 1 large egg
• 1 16 oz can of whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 26 oz jar of marinara sauce (I use Paul Newman's)

Instructions:

In a pot over low heat, combine the cranberry sauce and the marinara sauce while you make the meatballs. Stir every once in a while.

In a bowl mix the beef, matzo meal, onion powder, oregano and egg. I use gloves to really get into the mixture. Form meatballs that are about 1-2 inches in diameter. Drop them into the sauce. Cover. Cook for 45 minutes. Test a meatball to confirm meat is done.

To make it vegetarian, I use either pre-formed balls or I take the "meat" and form my own.