Renew Our Days As Days Of Old

We visited Neve Tzedek this week. This is the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv and we were lucky enough to have as a guide hubby's aunt's husband, Shlomo, who was raised in this neighborhood and not only knew it like the back of his hand but also related personal anecdotes (Like shlepping wood for the water heater at his friend's house. Apparently, the rest of the neighbors were too poor to have such luxury and went to the public bathhouse, which we also visited.)

We saw the house (and balcony off the window) of Literature Nobel prize winner, S.Y. Agnon. We saw the Famous Sh'loosh house (still not renovated, alas.) We saw where Shlomo's sister went to school (now it's a performing arts center.) We saw old, old synagogues and old, old factories of things that no one have any use for anymore. 

But it was lovely. Because, while this place that was once the richest, fanciest, liveliest neighborhood in the new city by the sea had later fallen into disrepair (so Shlomo basically grew up in a slum), today it is renovated to within an inch of its life. The narrow streets and alleyways teem with people. Specialty stores that sell unique clothing, hand made jewelry and extraordinary art reside in what used to be dim one room houses and hole-in-the-wall "factories". Each stone is lovingly restored and even new houses are built in the style of the older building in order to keep the authentic look and feel. Out of the slums, the ruins and the dirt, a wonderful, beautiful place was reborn. It is again a desirable place to live, to work and to create.

What made the change? Love. Someone walked around and saw beauty under the layers of dirt and neglect. Someone wanted to make it pretty and useful again. Someone loved it enough to bring it back to life.

On Tisha B'Av, this week, we mourned the destruction of the Temple (both of them) and various other disasters our people have encountered. Places and people who once were celebrated and glorious have fallen into disrepair and ruin. Only love can bring them back. Only when someone will look at these places and see the beauty beneath the neglect and care enough to work hard to bring them back to their old glory, will they flourish again. And the same goes for the people. Only when we will care enough about others, look at them and see their inner beauty and love them enough to work hard to get along with them, only then will our nation be renewed "as in days of old." And only then will we be worthy of a renewed Temple.

In this week's parasha, Moshe keeps driving this point home: don't forget what I taught you, because forgetting the good and the right will lead to ruin and disaster.

It did, you know. Which is what we mourn. And also what we can fix and renew. We can make it beautiful again if we can just see the beauty within and be willing to work hard at renovating it.

Shlomo's wife, Vida (hubby's favorite aunt) makes this awesome cake that is totally worth ruining your diet for (I don't bother with diets as it seems like a lost cause by now.) The only drawback is that you need to get some dairy products that are common in Israel but not so easy to find in America. Practically any store that carries Israeli products should have them, though (even Costco....) so just look for them.




Khaleh Vida's unbelievably yummy cake

4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
27 oz (750 grams) Israeli white cheese (this is a soft, spreadable cheese) either 5% or 9% (when you find it, you'll see the % on the package)
2 heaping Tbs corn starch
1 package Vanilla Instant Pudding, divided
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream


Preheat oven to 375F.
Beat 4 egg whites with 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Mix well: 4 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, white cheese, corn starch and Instant pudding. Fold beaten egg whites into the mixture.
Spread in a 9x13 inch pan, lightly greased.
Put into the oven and immediately lower the heat to 325F. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave cake inside for another 10 minutes.
Cool cake completely.
Meanwhile, beat together milk, cream and the rest of the pudding package. Spread evenly over cooled cake.
Keep in fridge, serve well chilled, think carefully before you share it.






Dear G-d, give us wisdom and kindness. Teach us to see beneath the surface of people and places, into the inner beauty that is the divine spark You have placed inside each and every one of us. Give us the compassion to do what is necessary to clean off the dirt and reveal the beauty in this world You have so lovingly created for us. Renew our days as days of old so we will have the chance to sit together in peace and share the above-mentioned delicious cake. I will personally save You a piece.