How to make Hamin?

Shalom friends, the winter is here! It’s rainy and cold and it’s the best time to prepare Hamin (Cholent). Hamin is a long-simmered stew traditionally served for the Sabbath. There are many variations of Hamin, which is standard in both the Ashkenazi and Sephardi kitchens.

The word Hamin derives from the Hebrew word חם , meaning hot , because it is severed after simmered overnight for 12 hours or more. Although there are specific recipes for Hamin, you can add or take out ingredients according to your taste. In order to eat the Hamin on Shabbat, you have to prepare it on Friday.

Hamin

Today we will learn how to make Moroccan Hamin called ” Schenna”, meaning hot dish in Arabic. Continue reading

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Pikuach Nefesh – The value of life

It is a well known fact that Judaism values life. Jews believe that the lives of all people are the product of G-d. The rules in Judaism are created to preserve the life of every human being, without regard to race, gender and religion.

The term Pikuach Nefesh, literally means “saving a life”, describes the principle that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious consideration. When the life of a person is in danger, almost any negative commandment of the Torah becomes inapplicable.

Saving a life

The Talmud (B.Yoma 84b) discusses a number of cases as examples in which Biblically mandated laws can be disregarded for the sake of saving a life.

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Exclusion of women in Israel

During the year of 2011, the Israeli street has came across a known,but not so common in modern Israel, phenomenon: women’s exclusion.

It all begun in September 2011, when 9 religious cadets in the IDF officer’s course walked out of an evening seminar on the legacy of the 2008 Operation Cast Lead in Gaza . The reason for this action was two female singers…

During the last week, we have heard a few disturbing stories revolving around the exclusion of women. Beit Shemesh, a religious city near Jerusalem, has seen increased violence by Haredim(ultra religious) men, attacking women and little girls, who they feel have been dressing in an immodest manner.

Beit Shemesh

These men have been spiting, cursing and throwing rocks at women. Continue reading

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