creative jewish mom

A Peak Into My Northern Israel July Container Garden Blooms!

We are in the 7th year in Israel, a year called "shmittah" in which we let the land rest, and while this also applies to my container garden, it does not mean that I need to let the plants die, but rather tending to them in a more minimal way than usual. Of course my poor container garden often gets forgotten when I'm busy with my art, but yesterday I stepped outside to a variety of delightful blooms that I just had to share with you! Nothing densely flowering, but each little flower is lovely and appreciated! In the photo above, yes, my wonderful little daisy plants that re-seed and reflower year after year, are just so wonderful, especially since I have them at the base of larger plants, like a lemon tree and tall bougainvillea. Okay, shabbos is coming, so lets quickly take a look at a few other flowers now in bloom in my container garden in Northern Israel in July!

Myna Birds In My Window In Northern Israel!

I would like to introduce you to some feathered friends, that keep me company practically all day long.....generation after generation! You see, about four years ago a myna bird pair decided to build a nest just above my office window, and ever since then, either they, or more likely, their children, have been expanding their family a few times a year. The first myna bird pair were very angry and made lots of noise that was really quite unpleasant. It took me a while to realize that they were myna birds, who as it turns out are not native to Israel, but rather descended from a cage of birds that escaped a zoo near Tel Aviv! Myna birds are very fierce and take nesting spots from other birds agressively, sigh, and multiply quickly. (To which I can attest!) The good news is, that after 3 or so years, the birds now sing and make nice sounds rather than the angry squawking of their ancestors!

I witness the parents bringing back large bugs to feed the babies, and I hear the babies and parents making noises of one kind or another. All of this, because I have a roller shade covering the window most of the time so that there won't be glare on my computer screen! I have photographed the birds from time to time, but this the first time that I captured the siblings, and their childish interaction with one another, too funny!

I do plan to use these silhouettes as reference for some kind of birds on a line art, or maybe just "birds in my window" art? Keep on reading to see some more shots, and if you ever happen upon interesting shadows behind your roller blinds, document it!

The Story Of A Very Special Chanukah Menorah

While this story actually happened in 2016, I started to tell it here in 2019, but it has taken me until 2021 to actually do it! I guess I wrote this story in my head so many times that I was convinced I had posted it, but apparently not, as it is no where to be found! And since this is such a special story that we tell every Chanukah since 2016, now is a great time to share it with you my dear readers on Zot Chanukah, the 8th and finaly day of chanukah, with the most light!. Chanukah is about publicizing miracles, so while this does not qualify as a miracle it is pretty amazing, I think, so here goes!

Feeling Safe in Your New Home: Tips and Advice

Depending on where you live, home security may or may not be an issue, but as they say, better safe than sorry! The feeling of violation that results from an attempted or even successful burglury is not something one wants to face, and most importantly, if your safety could be threatened due to a burglery, then please please figure out how to make your home a place where you can live without worry or fear. The world is a crazy enough place as it is, lets keep our homes a safe sanctuary!  Over 6 million homes are sold in the United States every year. In most cases, a first-time home buyer will wait a long time to make this purchase. Making improvements to your credit score and saving up a down payment can help you land the funding needed to buy your first home. If you have recently purchased a home, congratulations, now, sorry to have to bring this up, it is very wise to become familiar with the security vulnerabilities your new home may have.

Ignoring the need for fortifying your new home can result in burglary attempts, which would be very very unfortunate. Take the necessary steps to feel safe in your new home by checking out the helpful advice in this article.

What Does The Ramban Say About Emotional Happiness And Physical Health?

Since we have just celebrated the Jewish holiday of Shavuot in which we receive the Torah anew, each year, now is a great time to talk about how the wisdom from the Oral Torah is just as relevant today as it was when it was first received. To understand the Oral Torah, one can refer to the writings of the Rambam (Maimonides), whose commentary on health and emotional well being is just as relevant today, if not more so, than when it was written.

Today while researchers work on cures for terrible diseases and viruses that afflict the human race, they have also begun searching for a fundamental truth regarding our daily existence, through experiments and medical studies. The most basic human needs are being pondered and studied, in order to understand how the human psyche works, and how basic needs fit into that equation. Why does one need sleep? Why does one need water? Why are we in need of physical activity? How does food affect our physical and emotional states?

Lets start by looking at the seemingly basic cycle of food-water-sleep-physical activity. This cycle, as well as each of the entities, affects your household’s heart and soul, your physical and mental balance, and your ability to bring you and your children to an optimum level of emotional happiness and physical health. When you realize that by carefully considering the basic needs of every human and how they work together, you can truly have a major impact on the lives of your family, in a way that you never considered to be possible!

It turns out that by looking to the wisdom of the Torah as well as modern day applications of that same wisdom, we can easily ensure our family is functioning at the highest level possible. Lets take a look at what the ancients sources and today's modern medicine have to say about the same issues, shall we?

Today Is Yom HaZikaron For Our Fallen Soldiers

Today is Yom HaZikaron, Israel's Memorial Day for its fallen soldiers and victims of terror. Yom Hazikaron began at sundown yesterday when a siren was sounded across the country for one minute. Everybody stops what they are doing, including cars driving on the highway, and observes the silence to show their respect and remember the fallen. Without our army we would not be a country as defense is a necessity unfortunately for our survival amidst neighbors who are not exactly friendly. You know, the kind of neighbors who think it is okay to send missiles into our yard and send their kids over to our driveway with guns. Not to make light of the situation, but this is reality here in Israel, a reality unfamiliar to most of the Western developed world.

There really are no words, but we offer our prayers for peace and no more loss of life. Today we remember those who paid the ultimate price for our Jewish homeland.

This oil pastel painting made yesterday, shows the beautiful mix of wildflowers that grow in the meadow just beyond the military cemetery in my neighborhood. Life is a crazy juxtaposition of joy and grief, and we pray that grief should only rear its head after a long fruitfal life for all.

Enhancing Your Children’s Creativity Through Connecting To Nature

Above: Pomegranite tree in bloom in Northern Israel on June 4th, 2020

Fostering your children's creativity is something that starts at home. Online classes and art books can definitely help boost your child's creativity, but at the end of the day there's nothing like getting in touch with nature to really get creativity flowing. I can say personally that since I've been taking nature walks roughly four times a week my creativity is bursting at the seams, and even though I've been taking exactly the same walk over and over there is always so much to see if you just open your eyes to the beauty of nature.

With that in mind, below are a few pointers on getting your kids in touch with their creativity through their relationship with nature.

Today Is Memorial Day For Israel's Fallen Soldiers

Today is Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers, and this year it is quite different indeed. My heart goes out to all those who treasure the memorial ceremonies and the once yearly get together at the grave of their loved one(s), and who this year will be remembering their son/daughter/mother/father/aunt/uncle/brother/sister quietly. In large military cemeteries I believe entrance is not permitted today, and families were asked to visit the graves over the past few days. The military did put flowers or floral wreaths as well as flags on each grave, and today in every military cemetery several soldiers are standing on guard in respect, in front of a large customary flare. Our local military cemetery's gates were wide open however, as it is much smaller than others. How do I know this? Because I live just down the street from the cemetery and decided to go pay my respects (and take some photos) without actually entering the cemetery proper, since unlike previous years the place was virtually empty, well except for the 3 soldiers, 1 man, and 2 women and me. So, out of respect for those who gave their lives to protect our tiny country, from the ruthless enemies on all sides (except for the Mediterranean Sea) I decided to go for a visit and say thanks. Sigh, sigh, sigh.

Truthfully, the good news is, and with all due respect, the most important day to visit the grave, according to Jewish law is on the anniversary of the passing, namely the date on the Jewish calendar. So while visiting the grave on Memorial Day certainly has great meaning for many, maybe this year more families will actually visit the grave on the day that make the most difference for the deceased, which is on the date of their passing.

Expert Tips To Keep Your Crafty Family Home Clean & Orderly

Above: Perfect craft for spring, tutorial here.

Kids who participate in arts and crafts have better motor skills, more confidence, math skills and self-esteem than those who don’t, according to studies. As such, creating a crafty family home environment is crucial for your child’s development. As we all know, craft activities can be messy, however, that should not deter you from giving your kids every opportunity for creative growth. Follow these tips, and your crafty home can be a clean and orderly home as well!

It’s all about proper storage

69% of people say that they do creative activities to build their self-esteem and inner strength. If you regularly do arts and crafts to improve your family’s mood, you’ll likely have piles of paper, paint, ribbon, markers and more hanging around your house. This clutter can make your home look untidy, and drive you a bit crazy, so it’s worth investing in multiple storage boxes, drawers or bins so that you can easily put everything away. These boxes can range from large floor containers to pretty tabletop boxes for storing small, delicate items. You could even get your kids to decorate their own for some extra creative fun. Another idea is to simply use cardboard boxes that are all the same size and have a convenient storage spot. And of course a rolling metal cart with three tiers to hold all the basics like paints, markers, scissors, paper, etc is a must!

How To Make Moroccan Mufleta Immediately After Passover: We Did It!

History has been made in our family,! For the first time ever we were able to pull off the beloved (by Moroccans and their non-Moroccan friends and neighbors) Moroccan tradition of making mufleta, and throwing a mini-Mimouna party, in our very own home. Wow, I almost can't believe it! You see for years it was just me cleaning up in the kitchen as soon as Passover had ended, (around 8:30pm) and by the time everything was washed and packed up safely, before bringing any flour into the kitchen, well it was very late and I was not up for more cooking, especially when the family was already asleep! Nonetheless, I do remember saying that just as soon as I had help cleaning up and packing up the Passover kitchen, I would love to make mufleta and of course play some festive Moroccan music and get my hands all sticky from the honey, who wouldn't? (We did enjoy mufleta made by others in their homes.) Flash forward, with three teens on hand to help, we finished cleaning and packing up by 10:40 pm, and my daughter quickly made some mufleta dough, and actually took upon herself to make the mufleta, for the first time ever, and let me tell you, it was the most delicious mufleta ever, truly!

Isn't it funny that I imagined that I'd be making the mufleta, but the next generation already took over, LOVE it, and I know my daughter enjoyed it much more than I would, so yippee. Plus she made a huge amount, 2 kilos of flour worth, so we sent plates full of mufleta to the neighbor across the way who assumed we'd be making some on account of husband's Moroccan roots, and one for the Ashkenazi son in law of the French Algerian neighbors who don't eat any flour products until tomorrow, and a plateful to my daughter's friend two flights down whose father came home and requested that she find some mufleta from a neighbor! Want to give mufleta a try? Keep on reading......