There was fun for all in the kitchen on Friday morning as Beryl Hiller, Lou Hammerman, Lindsay Sag, Carol Katzman and Aileen Grossberg prepared Beryl’s Mexican-inspired kiddush under the direction of Shomrei’s new kitchen guru Mustafa. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Beryl Hiller
Cool Down with Soup
When we think of cold soup , we most often call to mind a bright tomatoey gazpacho or a silky smooth vicysoisse. Gazpacho is technically a blend of raw vegetables including tomatoes,cucumber, bell peppers, often bread and spices. A simplified version was most likely brought to the Iberian Peninsula of Spain by the Romans and then given a local twist. It is simple and quick to make and has endless variations.
Today blended fruit soups, sometimes including tomatoes, are also called gazpacho. Continue reading
MESH Report May 23, 2023
It’s sad to say that in recent weeks the request for meals from MESH which supples meals to the food insecure population off Montclair has risen from 30 to 50 per week.
Today’s team of Co-chairs Aileen Grossberg and Lynne Kurzweil, ably assisted by faithful volunteer Susan Rosenblatt, valiantly produced 50 tasty, filling meals. Our wonderful custodian Carlos helped us leave the kitchen as spotless as it was when we began.
Welcoming our Newest Member
What’s sweeter than a new baby? Shomrei welcomed 4 day old Esther Hirsch to the congregation with an in-house catered kiddush on Shabbat, November 19.
Babies come when they are ready so the kiddush volunteers didn’t find out about Esther’s birth until late Wednesday afternoon. We did a quick pivot, abandoning the planned kiddush menu, and substituting a custom menu requested by Esther’s parents, Josh Hirsch and Jenny Leon. Continue reading
Toda Raba
Thank you to everyone who helped with the Sukkot kiddushes. The special Shabbat kiddush was a huge success with well over 100 people sharing a scrumptious meal together in our lovely sukkah on a perfect fall afternoon.
Kudos to Dale Russakoff who spearheaded the effort and to Suzanna Grobman and Katie Teladano who made it all work along with a superb crew of volunteer sous chefs who chatted and chopped from Thursday ‘til Saturday. Continue reading
A Welcoming Kiddush on Sept 10
Thank you to the outstanding help in preparing and cleaning up last Shabbat’s special kiddush honoring Rabbi Julie.
Led by Aileen Grossberg kudos go to food preparers Barbara Gollob, Beryl Hiller, Carol Katzman, Zen Lucey, and Lindsay Sag.
The clean up crew included Andy Ely, Rachel Kanter, and Rabbi Julie ably helped by our wonderful custodian Javier.
A special THANK YOU to Michael and Lindsey Sag, Andy Ely and Rachel Kanter, Matt Purdy and Dale Russakoff for sponsoring this kiddush. Continue reading
Kiddush Guest
I had just dropped off groceries for this week’s Shabbat kiddush when I saw a brown rabbit sitting on the lawn as if waiting. I’ve seen this rabbit before but never so close.
I wonder if the rabbit was waiting for kiddush, having heard about all the great salads we serve. Continue reading
From the kiddush coordinators
We are about to start a new year. We have a new rabbi, new congregants, new students and most of the COVID-19 restrictions have been loosened. We are almost back to normal.
That means that kiddushes will be almost like they used to be except for two things: Beryl and me.
Beryl has a full time job and I will have recently moved and anticipate being overwhelmed by all that has to be done in a new home as well as my other responsibilities as a professional librarian. Neither of us can coordinate kiddush every week as we did pre-COVID. Beryl and I will still coordinate special events like bnai mitzvot celebrations, yahrtzeits, and the like.
So we are asking for some of you to step up and join us as coordinators. Continue reading
Kiddush Thanks
Holly and her mother-in-law stopping in to say thank you
A sincere thanks to those who volunteered to help prepare and set-up Olyvia Hahn’s bat mitzvah kiddush. Continue reading
A Little Bit of Magic
Do you remember the folktale about the shoemaker and the elves who secretly helped out the shoemaker or the stories of Elijah who provided beautifully set tables for poor, but righteous folk?
We have our own not-so-secret elves at Shomrei who on this past Saturday were out in full force at Teddy Goldman’s bar mitzvah as the social hall morphed from sanctuary to banquet hall in less than twenty minutes. Continue reading