Matzo Ball Soup

What to do with your left over matzo…

I love matzo, but I had enough for this year. Only one thing comes to mind when I look at the somewhat square panels – an opportunity for building something.  And so we did.

You will need:
Left over matzo
Chocolate spread such as Nutella or Hashachar
Left over candy, marshmallow
Toothpicks - for making little people
A tray - use it as the base

How to:

1. Think of what you want to make
2. Cut the matzo along the breaking lines (below is a great short video of how to neatly break a matzo. To bad I found it after we were done)
3. Glue the panels using chocolate spread, you should apply a generous amount to hold it well.
4. Decorate with candy, make small people, play, eat.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Note:
this is not a ‘healthy choice’ project, but from our experience, building it became more important than eating it
This project can get a little messy, that’s why we did it outside.

After we were done, Ori decided it was her birth day and the castle was her birthday cake, so we played along.

There are more ideas of what to do with your left over matzo in the following video clip. Enjoy it.

tali

The taste of Passover

This Passover was a vey special Passover for me. It was not about going to places, or traveling abroad (which could have been nice - a spring vacation in Paris -); it was not even about the Seder. It was simply about family and spending time together.
Try and imagine my parents, finally, see their 3 kids, 7 grandchildren, dogs and cats, come together after too many years of not being under one roof. We had so much catching up to do. We found our selves do nothing but eat, drink, admire the kids, and talk and talk and talk and do loads of dishes.
Looking at the future generation, I found my self enduring the past while drinking my sweet cup of instant coffee with broken matzo, just like I used to with my grandfather during the many breakfasts I had in my grandparent’s house over Passover.


 
Or making matzo brie for breakfast, using my grandmother’s secret recipe, and watch my girls eat it with piles of sugar just like I used to do.

Funny how I don’t remember even one present that I received for Passover, but the flavors - flood me with memories and a nice warm feeling.

What is the flavor of your Passover as a child?  I would love to here your comments.

And with this sentimental note, I don’t think I can look at another matzo for another year.

tali

What does Miriam has to do with sibling rivalry?!

Many things come to mind when I think of Moses older sister Miriam. A strong woman, a musician, a prophet, a poet and I am sure there are more I am missing. There is this basic virtue in Miriam that I have always taken for granted, Ori’s teacher has pointed it out to me the other week and I wanted to share it with you.
Miriam is a responsible and caring older sister. A virtue we tend to take for granted not only in Miriam but also in our own family relations, yet sibling rivalry is something we try to resolve almost on daily bases.

Miriam kept on following Moses in his little basket without loosing track of him, making sure she knew where he ended up and who drew him from the water.

If sibling rivalry is an issue in your house, you may use Miriam as an example for caring relations between siblings.
A great way to tell the story is by acting it with puppets.
You may also build a little scene such as the one Ori did in her school, with Miriam made out of a spoon, hiding in a toilette paper roll decorated as reeds, and little baby Moses in his basket.  Tell your kids the story; emphasize Miriam’s care for Moses and her acting out as a responsible sister.
Try and have a conversation with your child of how does he/she care for their siblings, give he/she examples from your sibling relations of how you care for each other. (You don’t have to tell them how you have released your brother from jail, although it does have a FREEDOM theme that works great with Passover…. try and keep it down to stories they can understand and relate to…)

This is what Ori made in her school which I thought was a great play tool that could help get the message across:



You will need:
Cardboard (for base
Blue paint
toilette paper roll
green tissue paper or white paper colored in green (for reeds)
plastic spoon or a popsicle stick
a small baby toy
egg carton or a small basket
pebbles
pipe cleaners
fabric scrap (for Miriam’s dress)
glue
scissors
drawing tools

How to:
Phase 1: The base

1. Paint the cardboard base in blue (mimicking the Nile river)
2. Paint the paper roll in shades of brown
3. Glue some green paper strips around the paper roll, trying to make it look like reeds
4. Glue the paper roll onto the cardboard base
5. Glue some pebbles on to the cardboard base
6. Set aside to dry

Phase 2: Miriam

1. Turn the spoon or Popsicle stick into Miriam,
2. Draw a face, add a dress using paper or a fabric scrap and some pipe cleaners, add some hair using paper or yarn
3. Set aside to dry

Phase 3: Moses

1. Turn egg carton cup into a basket by painting it in shades of brown
2. Glue some green paper strips around the paper roll, trying to make it look like reeds
3. Line the basket with some fabric (so baby Moses will be comfortable)
4. Place baby Moses in his basket. (if you dont have a small doll, you may also draw a baby on a paper, or mold one using modeling clay etc. use your creativity.
5. You may glue the basket onto the base

When done, place Miriam in the toilet roll, as if she is hiding in the reeds looking after Moses.

Note:
For this craft project I don't have process pictures like I usually do. I hope the image of Ori's project from school will be clear enough. I trust you will use your creativity in helping your child construct the scene. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I do hope to get some pictures from you.

If you want to read more about sibling rivalry, my friend Emily has some great input on her fantastic blog - child perspective


Happy Passover
tali

My fairytale

Even though this is not Cinderella, and I am not the evil stepmother, it is my fairytale and miracles do happen - I have started cleaning for Passover.
 
My house is in such neglect and Passover is just a great excuse for cleaning it. This is not the miracle thought…wait….here it is: Zoe and Ori both voluntarily (no bribery involved) helped me with the cleaning. They were scrubbing every surface they could reach, stretching on their tiptoes, having a great time. 

Then the clock struck 12:00, I think it was the neighbor who knocked on the door… and my sweet princes were gone, off to play…and I was left to clean the rest of the house all by my self.

...cleaning ever after...happily!

tali

Note:
For non toxic cleaning solution, I have used, more or less, a ratio of 1 water and 2 vinaigrette in a spray bottle.

I found it - a pop up Haggada

I found it, the Haggada I was looking for and I didn’t even know existed.
It is a pop up Haggada which I think my girls will be thrilled about (any child, really…) and help them engage with the Seder beginning to maybe even the end.
It is based on one of the oldest extant Haggadot in the world:  from the late 13th century, from the collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.  This only means one thing: a trip to see the original Haggada in Jerusalem. 

If you will not be going t o Jerusalem, you could always get it at Amazon - The Koren Bird's Head Haggada: A Hebrew/English Pop-Up Passover Haggada .

tali

An easy way for kids to follow the Passover Seder

WHAT PAGE ARE WE ON?! What a ridiculous question, now that I have learned that the Seder is composed of 14 steps. Did you know that? I didn’t, and neither did the rest of my family, I suppose, otherwise why would they spend most of the Seder looking for the right page?...

This year, in order To avoid all that confusion and turmoil, I have designed a mandala that describes the phases of the Seder. Like a clock, kids (adults can do this too) may color the different phases as they are being read, gradually completing the circle. This activity may keep your kids attuned with the reading of the Haggadah, therefore more involved and curious about the Seder. 

Please print this for your kids to have at the table, its free. And share this with other families that celebrate Passover.

Click your preference to download a larger printable file.  JPG /  Word Doc

tali

The Passover creativity sack – a new family tradition

It all started when I couldn’t find what I really wanted (which is usually the case with me), so I had to make one up (3 to be more precise). It was Passover 2008, My brother flew in with his family to celebrate the holiday with us. I was looking for a Passover plague toy kit too keep the kids entertained during the Seder. What I found I didn’t really like, so I went home and with the help of my brother and his wife, we made our own. The sack was a great hit. We have all enjoyed it throughout the entire week (including the adults...). After the holiday ended, the kids packed each their sacks, and kissed them goodbye till the year to follow. I drew my conclusions, and made an improved version with a very strong creative concept I would like to share with you. You may make up your own, or follow this link to Amazon to purchase the one I have designed. if you are in the LA area and you are interested in purchasing the sack, I could possibly meet up with you to save the cost of shipping.

The three main ideas behind the sack:
1. To encourage the child to explore Passover through creative playת making the   connection between creativity, play, and learning
2. creative and fun addition to the family holiday tradition
3. To collect toys, pyramids, writings, drawings, and memories of years of joyous celebrations. 

Sack description:
The sack is made of natural cotton canvas 10”x10” with a Poppy field print on one side.
Inside you will find:

2 piece wooden pyramid puzzle (3”x3”) is a challenge for the mind, representing the Egyptian pyramid, a symbol of marvel.

2 oz Red paint (non toxic, washable), and a brush. Encourage your kids to make red paintings depicting Egypt while all water sources turned to blood with the first plague.

Egyptian hieroglyphs alphabet card
Practice writing using Egyptian hieroglyphs symbols. This activity enforces an idea I strongly believe in, that IF YOU CAN WRITE YOU CAN DRAW.

Blank hard cover notebook (60 pages of high quality paper)
The notebook is a place where the child can explore creative ideas in writing as well as drawing during the Passover days, and look back at those pages years to follow. 

Jumping Frogs game kit

Is simply a fun game representing the second plague of Frogs.

Shades
Representing the ninth plague of Darkness, the shades are used as a dress up accessory that encourages imaginary play.

Small baby toy (about 2”) in a reed basket with a handle is representing Moses in his basket.  Help the children identify and connect with the big figure of Moses as a baby.
Kids love small things especially those they can play pretend with. 

Needle and thread with stitching diagram
Help your child embroider their name on the face of the sack. Personalize sack while developing fine motor skills.

The sack should be brought out in the beginning of every Passover, and tucked away at the end of the holiday, waiting patiently to be taken out again the year to follow. Like an old friend that comes to visit once a year, stays over for an entire week, and as soon as he’s gone he can’t wait to be back again. The Passover creativity will become a collection of toys, pyramids, writings, drawings, and memories of years of joyous celebrations.

Have any question, or suggestions please add a comment or email me.
As always, Thanks for reading

tali

Link for sack