-41111101111fr COMPILED- BY ELIZABETH APPLE Consider This Good Fortune hat do you think are the most important characteristics a person should have? How important is it to you to be intelligent? Thoughtful? Clever? Respected? Learned about Jewish and sec- ular subjects? What role do you think appearance plays in determining how we feel about ------- -------- ,_ someone? Why is this the case? What about you: Do you judge people based on their looks? What does the Torah teach us about attrib- utes such as kindness, wisdom and generosity? ou can have a lot of fun making your own for- tune cookies and writing the fortunes to go inside. You will need: 1/2 cup sugar salt 2 egg whites 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup flour 1/4 tsp. vanilla First, prepare the fortunes be- cause you will need to insert these just as the cookies come out of the oven. You-can stick with the predictable, like "Don't judge a book by its cover," or come up with your own clever sayings, like "You will eat 10 giant latkes W itt At 21 months, Chad Hartz is ready to part the sea. Bubbles, Babies And Zaydes ou're never too young to volunteer. Just ask Chad Hartz. For the past eight months, 21-month-old Chad has been making regular visits to Fleischman Res- idence in West Bloomfield. Accompanied by his mother, Lori, he goes each Tuesday to visit with the residents. "Eye!" (That's "hi" in toddler talk) he calls to a Fleishcman resident named Esther as he enters the building. Seconds later, he recognizes Sam, who has his cane. Chad wants it. Sam turns it over. "Look, he's baby Moses!" one resident calls as the little mentsh carrying a big cane march- es around the lobby. "He looks like he's going to part the Red Sea with his staff." Chad is part of Bubbies. Babies and Zaydes, which gives residents the opportunity to par- ticipate in various programs led by communi- ty volunteers. There is cooking, needlepoint and music (Chad's area of expertise is as assistant pianist to his mother, who performs her rendi- tions of classical, Broadway and Jewish tunes). Residents admit they're in love with the bud- ding Liszt, whose concertos usually last five sec- onds or so. "You're a doll," Molly tells Chad after one magnificent performance. The Fleischman residents have seen Chad take his first steps and utter some of his first words. And Chad's mother says his visits to the home have "enhanced his world by enabling him to interact with senior friends." For more information, contact Myrna Katz, program director at Fleischman, (810) 661-2999. y • tomorrow and have no indiges- tion." You'll need about 15 for- tunes for this recipe. Next, preheat oven to 350 de- grees. Mix sugar and egg whites with a pinch of salt. When ful- ly combined, add margarine, flour and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Place 1 tsp. batter on greased baking sheet (each cookie should be at least two inches apart). Bake for five minutes. Remove from oven. When the cookies are still warm, place a fortune in the middle, then fold cookie in half Finally, fold again (forming a quarter-circle) and let cool. gooZ) for Cbottgbt t isn't just Cookie Monster who will love these cookies. Direct from Israel are two tea biscuits that got resound- ing Forks Up from staff at The Jew- ish News. I Osem cholesterol-free Chocolate Flavor Tea Biscuits (Certified O-U kosher, pareve) FORKS UP Osem cholesterol-free Coconut Flavor Tea Biscuits (Certified O-U kosher, pareve) FORKS UP About the coconut flavor tea biscuits: "'They shouldn't be calling this coconut. I hate coconut so I was reluctant to taste it. Actually, though, it's quite nice." — Style magazine editor Carla Schwartz "This has a nice flavor that's not over- powering." — Phil Smith, of the ac- counting department "These are good, and I don't like co- conut"— Gayle Baldi, of the production staff "These are RATING FOR. CHOCOLATE FLAVOR light and neutral. The taste doesn't TEA BISCUITS: overpower you as Forks up coconut some- times does (like macaroons, my father's favorite). They would be good with sher- bet or sorbet, fruit or ice cream." — Cathy Ciccone, also on the production staff "These are very satisfying if you've got a sweet tooth, and they contain no un- healthy coconut or palm oils." — Marlene Miller, from the classified sales depart- ment it RATING FOR About the choco- COCONUT FLAVOR late flavor tea bis- TEA BISCUITS cuits Forks up "It doesn't have much flavor, but it's a nice shortbread biscuit that would go well with a cup of tea in the morning." — Carla Schwartz "Chocolate as a tea biscuit is a little odd; coconut is much more proper." — Phil Smith "These have a good flavor. Nice. — Gayle Baldi "These are crisp, light and clean." — Cathy Ciccone Parsha Project he coming week's Torah portion, Exodus 21:1, is Mishpatim. This coming Shabbat is Shabbat Sh'kalim, in com- memoration of which an ad- ditional portion, Exodus 30:11-16, also is read. Shab- bat Sh'kalim occurs on the Sabbath immediately pre- ceding the month of Adar (this year the inaugural days are Feb. 20-21). The extra Torah portion describes the duty of donating half a shekel toward the upkeep of the Temple. In the days of the Temple, on the first of Adar, messengers were dispatched throughout Israel to collect the funds. The parsha of Mishpatim continues the account of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Moshe recites to the T people a long list of mitzvot Temple. Make a list of all the (commandments) regarding supplies and equipment you slavery, jurisprudence, crim- inal and civil law, festivals and the Land of Israel. The people respond with the fa- mous declaration Naaseh v'nishma , "We will do and obey all the teachings of God." With the sacrificial blood of an ox, Moshe seals the covenant between God and the Jewish people. Moshe then spends 40 days and nights alone on the top of Mt. Sinai. For a project: The half shekel collected from every adult male Jew made up the basic budget of our ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Through your own study, or by asking your parents and teachers, learn about the Moses atop Mt. Sinai . events and functions of the think were necessary to run the Temple..