Thursday, January 26, 2012

The mini-taste of winter we had was fine and was plenty for me. I love the moderate, almost no snow weather. Of course, I love life and I am thankful for every moment of it.

Super Sunday: The Cleveland Jewish Federation does a great deal to benefit our congregation and each of you. Please consider getting on their website and volunteering next Sunday on this year’s Super Sunday. I am sure if you just show up they will be happy to utilize your services.

Services: Join us for a regular old Shabbat Worship at 7:45PM this Friday evening.

Book Club: We meet next, Sunday evening, February 26 at 7PM, at the home of Mitch and Simone Fromm, 122 N Hayden Pkwy, in Hudson. The book, Mary Doria Russell, A Thread of Grace, is an easy read on the Italian Holocaust experience. Feel free to join us and become part of our Temple Book Club.

Torah Time: Bo (Come) Ex 10:1-13:16

The portion is one we almost all recognize. It recalls the last plagues, the Israelite’s leaving Egypt, the decree of the Passover Matzah requirement, and the institution of Tephillan.

Well it is the wrong season, but the seven days required eating of matzah, got me to thinking about eating.

It made me reflect on those wandering Israelites. First, all they had to consume was matzah, seven days to torture the intestines. So maybe their systems were more tolerant of the concoction. Then, that gone, stuck traveling with no provisions, manna is provided to them. Lots of guesses have been made on what its texture was and the taste it provided, but let’s face it, we would all get tired of consuming the same thing day after day for forty years.

Now I bet the next thing you assumed I would write about are the dietary laws, the laws of kashrut. Wrong!!!

No I thought about what we are now told is good for us to eat and to drink and what we are now told will cause us harm. Those suggestions and warning seem to change almost yearly. Or is it monthly or is it daily?

If you grew up in the world I did, the world of the 50’s and 60’s, meat and potatoes were the foods of choice. We were told to drink a quart of milk a day. White bread was just fine for us. We were supposed to replace mayonnaise with Miracle Whip. Butter was bad fat filled and margarine’s goodness should be rubbed on our bread and put in our recipes. Coffee was a bit of a no, no but almost everyone drank it as a pick me up. Oh and cocktails at 5PM were just fine.

Remember those days. My mother made schmaltz and gribenes (Jewish fried chicken rinds). She made chopped liver regularly. On Passover we consumed dozens of fried eggs. We rarely ate fresh vegetables, cheese or pasta (wholegrain or otherwise). And we consumed ice cream by the half-gallon.

Do you get it? We thought all of those things were health builders.

Then as time passed we learned that everything we thought was good was bad.

Time went by we were told sugar and corn syrup were bad for us, but corn syrup was better. The best were the low calorie or no calorie sweeteners.

By now you know where I am going with this piece. Artificial sweeteners are now being called a problem. Eggs were a no no for the most part of forty years, but they are now back in. Organic food is preferred, but of course, no one knows what that really means. Liver is good for you once a week. Don’t eat processed meats. Be careful on going to fast food restaurants. I think it is ok to eat chicken this week and it does not have to be of the free range variety, but that might be better (I wonder what they have home on the range that makes it better).

And thankfully we learned earlier this month that four cups of coffee a day is really good for you, but two or five might be problematic. (Do you lose count like I do? And is a cup of java six or eight ounces?)

Maybe it was easier for the Israelites when all they had was manna or matzah.

Friends, it might just be time that we figured out that moderation is the key. Anything consumed in great quantities, might very well cause some kind of problem. Unless, one has allergies, limited quantities of almost any types of edibles are probably just fine.

Go try something you like tonight or this weekend. You want to eat steak, go ahead, but don’t get that two pounder. You want to eat potato chips, fine, but limit yourself to one or two servings. You have a yen for a nice piece of chocolate cake, great, but only a serving or two, not half of the cake. Let the kids have some candy, but not too much. They will not become hyper, unless they already are.

Let me know if you agree or disagree at sezring@gmail.com.

Have fun eating. Remember to enjoy it. Watch your amounts of intake. Get some exercise. Think moderation. Living that way, you and I will be happier.

I think I am going to get A doughnut now!!!

Dare to be Happy!

Shabbat Shalom,

Rab E