Celebrating with Bread

Posted on March 12, 2022March 12, 2022 by Chris

Bread is a common food in every culture I can think of. One of my favorite breads from Israel is Challah Bread.

Challah is a brioche-type bread made with eggs. It is sweetened with honey and uses oil instead of the butter used in brioche. If you search for recipes, you can find many of them. And I’m sure, at least from the bakers I know, there are lots of variations of each one. I use the same recipe as my daughter, but both of us change it for different situations. The most significant difference I’ve found is the amount of honey to use.

Challah is a bread of celebration and is commonly served on Shabbat. This bread is braided into a loaf as in these pictures. Since I consider anytime I’m with family and friends as a celebration, I make it a lot.

During the celebrations of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kipper [as one of the foods used to break the fast of Yom Kipper], and Sukkot, challah is braided into a circle or a crown. The circle is studded with raisins. I also found one reference to braiding it into a crown in honor of Queen Esther on Purim.

While it isn’t tradition, I’ve found using challah as the base for cinnamon rolls can be very popular during coffee time at church.

Picture of Challah bread my daughter made.

Another picture of my daughter’s challah.

Behind the Scenes

Posted on March 5, 2022March 5, 2022 by Chris

Last year, 2021, celebrated 75 years since the three bedouin cousins who were searching for a missing goat discovered ancient scrolls in a cave. These are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

I looked up and used my camera to get a picture of the entrance to one of the caves where scrolls have been found over the years. Visitors are not allowed close to the caves. The windblown paths are too delicate to allow tourist traffic.

These scrolls are famous and well known, but this cave and the mountain look down on something I found to be more interesting — the settlement of Qumran.

A Jewish sect called Essenes lived in Qumran. These men are believed to have copied the scrolls written prior to 68 A.D.

They lived a simple life of work and worship. They refused to participate in the politics and the religious ceremonies corrupted by the culture in Jerusalem. It is hard to see in my pictures, but the steps leading to the cleansing and purification baths are polished by men descending and ascending.

In the late 60’s A.D., Israel was in a revolt against their Roman conquerors. The Essenes knew they would soon be killed and their homes destroyed by the Roman soldiers putting down the revolution. They placed the scrolls with the sacred writings of their faith, the Tanakh, what we call the Old Testament in jars to be preserved in the dry desert air. They worked on this until the very end.

As I sat on a bench overlooking some of the excavation, I visualized these men laboring only for their God and their faith, not concerned about their lives.

How would it feel to live away from the political and religious division in my world today? Do I have the faith to be this faithful?

Entrance to one of the caves above Qumran where the jars of scrolls were found.

These steps lead down to baths where the men would purify themselves as part of their worship. Note the steps split at the top. Men would enter on one side to go down the stairs. Others coming up the stairs would exit on the other side. If someone coming up after purification touched one going down, they would have to begin the purification process again.

In the closer, smaller room, was a cell where the Essenes would sleep. The larger room toward the top of the picture was where the community would eat and work.

Getting ready to learn

Posted on February 26, 2022February 26, 2022 by Chris

For a few weeks, I’m going to put off writing about items to purchase in Israel on the fourth Friday of the month. Not only are there a limited number of items to write about, but there is something more immediate in my life.

I’m getting ready for the Colorado Christian Writers Conference May 11-14, 2022.

We usually meet at Estes Park, Colorado YMCA. However, this year will be virtual. I know you might be saying “I want people, not computers.” And normally I would agree with you, but I’ve seen the line-up and the plans and am very excited.

First, the conference will be 100% live. No prerecorded material.

At an in-person conference, there are too many things and classes going on at the same time, so we’re bound to miss something. With CCWC’s virtual conference I’ll still miss some simultaneous presentations, but they are being recorded and I’ll have three months to watch the presentations which I can’t watch during the conference.

I have to admit, I don’t pay to attend CCWC in money. I pay in labor as a member of the staff. But if I did pay to attend CCWC, this would be at the top of the list. The cost is $199 if you register by March 15th. No travel costs. No cost for room and board.

Plus I don’t have to wonder what kind of food will be served.

I’ve included pictures of two of my favorite authors/speakers.

This is where you’ll find more information.

https://colorado.writehisanswer.com/

She will make you laugh and brighten your day.

It is exciting to look forward to his presentations. No one ever knows what the props will be.

Let’s Study

Posted on February 19, 2022February 19, 2022 by Chris

Last week in this blog, I mentioned I’m leading a Bible Study called “Write His Answer.”

I also mentioned I’m thinking about expanding that study to Zoom as well the in-person students. I do have the study formatted so a person can jump in at any point in the study

So, I’d like you to help me. Should I add Zoom members to the present study members?

Hummus

Posted on February 12, 2022February 12, 2022 by Chris

When I started this “Impressions of Israel” set of blogs on September 3, 2021, I shared my fear of embarrassment when I first arrived in Israel in 2008.

This blog is a continuation of that story.

After I got off the plane, I was comfortable and enjoyed what we were seeing and where we are going.

This particular day, we were walking through the Old City of Jerusalem to visit a community on the other side of the city. As we traveled a street in the Muslim quarter, we were told to move swiftly, do not stop to talk or look at anyone, and not to make eye contact with the vendors. This street was dangerous for tourists.

[Just a note here. The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters; the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. Since that trip, I have learned there is a street in each of the quarters which is considered dangerous.]

We were walking swiftly and I felt myself knocking something over. It was a small table with a bowl of hummus. I slowed down so I could help clean this up, but I was grabbed by the arm and was pulled along with the others. I was told not to worry about it because it was just a bowl of hummus.

To this day, I wonder what would have happened if I had stopped and interacted with that merchant.