Posted on 12/18/2003 6:30:28 AM PST by carlo3b
HAPPY HANUKKAH ". . . and May This Festival of Lights bring Blessings
upon you and All Your Loved Ones for Happiness,
for Health, and for Spiritual and Material Wealth,
and May the Lights of Chanukah Usher in the Light of Moshiach
and a Better World for All of Humankind."The Victory over Antiochus
More than 2000 years ago, the land of Judea was ruled by Antiochus, a tyrannical Syrian king. Even today, people fight wars over their gods, despite claims to value "religious tolerance." But a couple of thousand years ago, religious tolerance didn't exist at all. Religion was as good an excuse as any to oppress a people.
That's precisely what Antiochus did to the Jews: he forbade them to observe the Sabbath or study their religious text, the Torah, and he erected a statue of Zeus in their sacred temple of Jerusalem. Many Jews followed his decrees, because they had no choice; those who resisted were executed.
In 167 B.C., the Jews -- driven to desperation -- rose up against Antiochus. Mattathias, a well-respected priest, gathered together an army and put his five sons in charge. Judah and his brothers wanted a name for their battalion that would signify force and strength; "Maccabee", meaning "hammer", fit the bill. It took three years of fighting, but eventually the Maccabees drove the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem.
Naturally, the Maccabees quickly got rid of the statue of Zeus. Then they cleansed and purified the temple, and rekindled the menorah, a candelabra that symbolized God's Divine Presence. Oddly enough, although it only held enough oil to burn for a single day, the menorah burned for eight. This was the miracle.
HANUKKAH CUSTOMS: THE MENORAH
About the Menorah
To Jews and non-Jews alike, the menorah, or Hanukkiya, is the most recognizable symbol of Hanukkah. It's usually a nine-branch candelabrum whose candles are lit by a "shamash" or service candle which then takes its own place at the centre of the menorah. The menorah itself is placed in a window or anywhere it can be seen by passers-by.Lighting the Menorah
On the first night of Hanukkah, a single candle (or oil wick) is lit on the far right side of the menorah. A candle is added, from right to left, each night, and the newest candle is always lit first. Ideally, the candles should be lit as soon as stars become visible in the night sky, but they can be lit late into the night. While the candles are being lit and the blessing given, the whole family and any guests gather to witness the ceremony; everyone is encouraged to participate. By the eighth night, with all eight candles lit, the menorah makes a spectacular sight. And as they did the previous evenings, the candles will continue to shine until they burn themselves out.The Blessing
The first blessing thanks God for the commandment to "kindle the Hanukkah lights."Baruch Atah Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha-olam Asher Kidshanu B'mitzvotav V'tzivanu L'hadlik Ner Shel Hanukkah.
Blessed is Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, by whose Mitzvot we are hallowed, who commands us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.The second blessing praises God for the miracle the candles symbolize; it's said as the candles are being lit.
Baruch Atah Adonia Elohenu Melech Ha-olam She-asa Nissim L'votenu Bayamim Ha-hem Ba-ZmanHa-zeh.
Blessed is Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who performed wonderous deeds for our ancestors in days of old, at this season.
On the first night of Hanukkah the "shehechiyanu" blessing is included, to signify that this is the first time the Hanukkah lights have been lit this season.Hanukkah is a "Festival of Lights" to celebrate the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Syrians, and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The holiday also commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.
Happy Hanukkah to all.
Hey, I'm excited.. wow, it really works? . .LOLOLOLOL. . :)
Hi...Carlo,
Hag Sameach Hanukkah To ALL!
Todah Rabbah for posting this wonderful thread.
Thank You for ALL of the Great Recipes too.
May HaShem Bless and Keep You and Your Household.
And May HE Bless and Protect ISRAEL, Our Jewish People and the IDF.
Ahavah to ALL!
Another Day, another light to show the way.. This recipe is a hand-me-down from my earliest days in my old, Little Italy neighborhood, and from a dear old friend of my Great Grandmother, a Polish emigrant family matriarch that would coffee klatch with Nana and the gals at our kitchen table and bake that greatest Holiday foods I have ever eaten.. ENJOY!.. Those memories...sighAuthentic New York Bialys Not a Bagel, but close, it's a variation called a Bialy. What's the difference you ask? Well I'm glad you asked because I know the answer.. Both are of Jewish origin, one is boiled and the other baked, both are made from dense, tight dough. However, when it comes texture, a bagel is a bit more tough and chewier while a bialy is lighter, more like a bread, or soft pretzel, with a wonderful surprise.
OK you say, so what is a bialy? A Bialy is the abbreviation for Bialystoker Kuchen [kuchen meaning “cake” in Yiddish]. Bialystok is a city in Poland, where these fabulous breads originated. Bialystoerian's introduced Braily's to the USA around the turn of the century along with the world renowned bagel.
Bialys have a couple of steps in additional step in shaping, and that surprise I was telling you about. The dough is first divided and rounded into dough balls, then they are allowed to proof. When the Bialys are three quarter proofed, they are indented and stretched in the middle to form a thin membrane and finally smeared with a caramelized onion paste.
They are baked in a hot oven for a short time to produce a pale and lightly brown spotted Bialy. This is the only way to produce an authentic bialy look. The perfect Bialy can be filled in a similar way to a bagel, however bialys lend themselves more to savory fillings rather than sweet due to the infused onion scent they carry.Authentic Polish Bialys
1) Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Prepare Onion Paste Topping; set aside.
- Cornmeal
- Onion Paste Topping (recipe below)
- 2 cups warn water (110 to 115 degrees), divided
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 3/4 cups bread flour
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, chilled*
2) In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup water, yeast, and sugar; let stand 10 minutes or until foamy.
3) Add remaining 1 1/2 cups water, salt, bread flour, and all-purpose flour.
4) Knead by hand or with dough hook of mixer for 8 minutes until smooth (the dough will
be soft). If you think the dough is too moist, add flour a tablespoon at a time. If the dough is looking dry and gnarly, add warm water a tablespoons at a time.
5) Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 1/2 hours or until tripled in bulk.
6) Punch dough down in bowl, turn it over, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise another 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
7) On a floured board or counter, punch dough down and roll into a cylinder shape. With a sharp knife, cut
cylinder into 8 rounds.
8) Lay dough rounds flat on a lightly floured board, cover with a towel, and let them rest 10 minutes.
Gently pat each dough round into circles (a little higher in the middle than at the edge), each about 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
9) Place bialys on prepared baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise an additional 30 minutes or until increased by about half in bulk (don’t let them over-rise).
10) Make an indention in the center of each bialy with two fingers of each hand, pressing from the center outward, leaving a 1-inch rim.
11) Place approximately 1 teaspoon of Onion Paste Topping in the hole of each Bilay.
12) Dust lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 15 minutes.Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake on upper and lower shelves of the oven for 6 to 7 minutes, then switch pans and reverse positions of pans (front to back), and bake another 5 to 6 minutes until bialys are lightly browned. NOTE: These are soft rolls,
and it is important not to bake them too long or they will be very dry. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.After cooling, immediately place in a plastic bag (this will allow the exterior to soften slightly). NOTE: These rolls are best eaten fresh, preferably lightly toasted and smeared with cream cheese. For longer storage, keep in the freezer.
* Tip: To help slow down the yeast, the flour should be chilled in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 24 hours before use. Be aware that chilled flour often requires a little more development than flour at room temperature and will also feel tighter at the start of mixing. Don't be alarmed: the dough will become more elastic and extensible as it warms up.
Makes 8 glorious Bialys.
ONION PASTE TOPPING
*Place the onion puree, salt and olive oil into a heavy bottomed frying pan and cook for approx. 45 minutes or until the onion puree has turned a pale brown color. It should be a moist and caramelized paste. (optional) Fold in poppy seed. Store in a covered container until required.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds (optional)
- 1 cup onion, pureed, and caramelized*
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Savor the flavor of the past.. Think of me smiling.. :)
Hold on one minute there.. Don't hold me to it, but I think you can sub Soy, or Gluten flour for the all purpose flour in this particular recipe. You may have to add a bit of something to loosen it just a bit, but I don't think so.. Try it, or I will and we'll report back.. :)
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