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HONEY AND MILK from page 59

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became Jewish, so did the children of
Israel at Mount Sinai. Also, King
David, a descendant of Ruth, died on
Shavuot and by reading this book, we
commemorate his yahrtzeit (anniver-
sary of a Jew's death).
Traditionally, the synagogue or tem-
ple on Shavuot is decorated with flow-
ers and greenery. This is based on the
belief that when the Torah was given,
Mount Sinai was lush with vegetation.
Shavuot also is considered to be the
beginning of summer. Seeing plants in
full bloom serves as a reminder of

Shavuot as the holiday of first fruits.
Food For Thought:
Shavuot has a culinary theme of
dairy cuisine, which often includes
cheese blintzes, cheese kreplach (ravio-
li-like dumpling), and all sorts of
desserts, especially cheese cake and ice
cream.
The reason for eating dairy foods on
Shavuot is a mystery. Some believe
that until God gave the command-
ments concerning which animals were
kosher and laws for animal slaughter
and kashering of meat, aside from

Temple sacrifices, the Jewish people
had to be satisfied with dairy foods.
Others point out the proximity of
the Torah verses discussing the first
fruits with the commandment to sepa-
rate meat and dairy in the kosher diet.
One tradition states that the Jews
waited so long for the Torah that they
were positively exhausted afterward.
When they returned to their tents
they fixed the simplest food possible,
which was dairy. In the Song of Songs,
the Torah is likened to honey and
milk, another dairy reference. ❑

$ 5 38

AppleTree Editor

#1) READ ALL ABOUT IT:
While most people are more than
familiar with the Ten Commandments
— those famous two tablets — in fact,
these comprise just 10 of the mitzvot
(commandments) that God gave the
Jewish people. This Shavuot, why not
take a look at all 613 mitzvot and try
observing just one more? It doesn't have
to be the most difficult one; you may
even find a mitzvah that you enjoy, or
are amazed by, or want to research fur-
ther. Consider the following:

a) A Jew may not curse a judge, ruler or
another Jew.
b) A Jew may not break his word.
c) A Jew may not return to Egypt to
make it his permanent residence.
d) A Jew must believe in God's exis-
tence.

#2) AT THE SODA COUNTER:
For a fun treat on Shavuot afternoon,
why not host an old-fashioned soda
shop party? The following two recipes
are taken from a cookbook published in
1940, and are treats made specifically for
owners of soda fountains and luncheon-
ettes.

COLA MALTED MILK

Into shaker, place 1/2 oz. cola syrup, 1/2
oz. chocolate syrup, 2 oz cream or milk,
2 soda spoons or tsp. malted milk. Mix
well. Top off glass with whipped cream.

GRAPE JUICE MILK SHAKE

Into shaker, place 5 oz. cold milk, 5 oz.
grape juice, 1/2 oz. lemon syrup, some
cracked ice. Shake vigorously. Strain
into 12-oz. glass. Garnish with cube of

pineapple, 1 red cherry and 1/2 orange
slice. Serve with straws.

#3) SEE THE WORLD:
One of the nicest stories about
Shavuot holds that the heavens open at
midnight on this day, and so it becomes
possible to see the whole universe. You
may not be able to stay up that late (and
you certainly won't want your children
to), but it makes for a great topic of con-
versation.
Before dinner, set the mood by deco-
rating your dining-room ceiling with
glow-in-the-dark stars (available at craft
and discount shops), then ask family
members what they think they would
see if the heavens did indeed open.

#4) FLOWER POWER
Tradition says that Mount Sinai once
was covered with greenery, which is one
reason we decorate our homes with
flowers on Shavuot. Children will wel-
come the opportunity to make roses and
lilies of the valley out of anything —
from string to tiny bits of rice they can
paint.

#5) A TASTE OF HONEY
Long ago, children often would begin
their Jewish studies on Shavuot. As a way
to make this even sweeter, the teacher
would place a bit of honey on the book,
which the child could then taste.
Maybe on Shavuot, you would be
interested in learning a bit more —
whether it's the Tanach (Hebrew Bible),
a new Jewish text, or a book about
Jewish history.
To make your studies sweet, design a
book cover — then prepare your own
unique honey.
Just buy unflavored honey at the store
and add a taste of your choice. Some

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ideas: fresh mint, chocolate syrup, drops
of lime juice or fresh rosemary.

11-800-447-PARK

#6) GOOD THINGS COME IN
THREES
Mystics, and those who believe in the
power of numbers, take special note of
the number 3 on this holiday. First is the
fact that the Tanach comprises three
books. Then there are the three groups
of Jewish people: the priests, the Levites
and the Israelites. Moses was the third
son.
Think of some great "3s" in your life.
Maybe it involves a birthday, a number
of children, an address or the date of an
important occasion.

I.

#7) IT'S IN THE CARDS
One way to make a beautiful
Shavuot card is to press flowers and
use them to decorate a piece of con-
struction paper.
For flowers, it's best to start with
ones that are small (about the size of a
violet is good) and soft, and not too
thick. You can use a flower press, or
simply place your finds between paper
towels, topped by a sheet of white typ-
ing or wax paper, and press between
several heavy books. Lay the flowers
out carefully before shutting the
books, then do not open for at least a
week. Don't forget to try leaves and
bits of grass, as well. While many flora
and fauna will retain their lovely col-
ors for years to come, it's best to press
more flowers than you think you will
need for your project, as some flowers
do not dry well.
You can use any white glue (not
paste; dried flowers are too delicate) to
attach your dried flowers to paper.
Besides stationery, you also can use the
flowers to make place mats or book-
marks. ❑

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Fun Ways To Celebrate Shavuot

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

t Terminal
Special

New Nort
Grand Op

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Interesting articles,
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