A reader is expecting a baby a day or two before Passover, and has always been a week early so far. Unlike most of us, she can't afford to be in denial. It's true we got an extra month this year (Jewish leap year) but Pesach is still creeping up on us. Maybe this will start your wheels turning. . … [Read more...]
How I Make Shabbat in Two Hours
August 25, 2009 by
A reader asked me how she can cook for Shabbat in two hours or less. I referred her to my tips for winter Fridays. Today I'll describe what I actually do most weeks. The biggest revelation for me was that I could serve the same thing both on Friday night and Shabbat morning. My kids are all happy … [Read more...]
More Water-Saving Suggestions
July 27, 2009 by
Many Israelis are distressed to realize that they will be paying a lot of tax on excess water, maybe several hundred shekel a month. In my last post on the water crisis in Israel, I asked readers for suggestions. I'm going to compile the replies here, and add a few comments of my own. The … [Read more...]
Washing Machines and Laundry: Tips for Making Laundry More Frugal
April 22, 2009 by
In honor of Earth Day, here's a water-saving tip from Paamonim. Paamonim, which I wrote about here, helps Israeli families in debt avoid poverty, and its website contains many money-saving tips. Saving water and energy is not only a personal financial consideration, as natural resources belong to … [Read more...]
Post Pesach Tips
April 16, 2009 by
Here is a summary of post-Pesach tips that I posted two years ago, updated for 2009. Make a list of what you ate. Mine reads something like: Went away for Shabbat. Ate 7+ kg of matzah, 60 eggs, 2/3 liters of oil, 120 potatoes. Make sure to have enough peanut butter in the house for before and … [Read more...]
Pesach and Wasting Food
April 9, 2009 by
Cross-posted on DovBear. Jonathan Bloom at Wasted Food writes about throwing out food in advance of Passover: I can’t criticize religious or cultural practices that cause food waste, but I will say that not all Jews throw out or burn their leavened foods each spring. There are different levels … [Read more...]
A Vote of Confidence
April 7, 2009 by
When I mentioned that I needed to take the meat out the freezer on Monday to allow it to defrost in the refrigerator, my 5-year-old suggested that I put it outside the window like she had seen the neighbor do. I said it was safer to use the refrigerator. Then my 19-year-old spoke up. "Other people … [Read more...]
Pesach Excess
April 6, 2009 by
While my house gets turned upside-down in advance of Passover (and no, I won't tell you where I'm "holding"), I've gathered yet more thoughts about Pesach. First of all, it is hard. Even the minimum involves hard physical labor and more important, planning. Not everyone is blessed with … [Read more...]
Mishpacha Pesach Cleaning Schedule, Part II
March 22, 2009 by
It's a good thing I saved last week's Pesach cleaning schedule from Mishpacha magazine, because you won't find the "de-stressors" in the column below. (Something Different aptly named them distressors.) Instead Lowinger gives us "Clutter-Control Activities." Glossary at the end. It's probably … [Read more...]
Wikler on Cooperation
May 4, 2007 by
I like this article from Aish about cooperation from children because the author, Meir Wikler, expects children to help out as a matter of course. We shouldn't need to give prizes or even stickers to our children every time they help us, nor inflict a "consequence," even a "natural" one, on our … [Read more...]
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