It has been over a week since I returned from a whirlwind trip through Poland and Israel, otherwise known as the March of the Living.  Almost immediately upon my return I sat down to write this blog post, but found it simply too difficult.  Anything I could possibly write, any stories I could recount, seemed to simply fail in comparison to the experience I had on the trip, my first time in Poland.  Now a week later, after sharing stories with family and friends, I realize there is one piece of the trip that stands out in my mind; not a specific anecdote or a site we visited, but an incredible life lesson I learned while traveling through Poland with 217 other Jews from Montreal.

March of the Living Montreal in Poland – photo courtesy of PBL Photography

The Holocaust is one of the darkest periods of history and Poland, especially as it is presented to the participants of the March of the Living, is indeed a dark place.  It is hard to ignore that the history of the country seems to be mirrored in the weather; the sky was almost always grey and, even when the sun poked through, there was a constant chill to the air.  But, contrary to popular belief, the March of the Living is not a dark trip.  In fact, the most important lesson I learned while in Poland is that the March of the Living is not about darkness…it is about light.

Our Montreal contingent was lucky enough to travel with Rabbi Reuben Poupko, an incredible educator.  It was Rabbi Poupko that pointed out the light, even in the darkest of places, while addressing our group under the dome of the ashes of over 60,000 Jews at Majdanek, on our last day in Poland. 

“It is very easy to want to never come back to a place of such terror and hatred, yet we do it every year.  And instead of meeting our past with anger, we bring hope.  We sing, we light Yahrzeit candles, we hold each other and we remember.  We don’t come back in anger; we come back with pride.”

As we got on back on the buses, heading to the Warsaw Airport and then on to Israel, I began to reflect on the past week spent in Poland and of all the light that we had managed to bring to the dark places we had visited.  We sang and danced to Hebrew songs in the old deserted synagogues of Dzialoszyce and Tykocin, bringing the light of Jewish tradition back to these old shtetls.  We comforted each other in the barracks of Birkenau as we listened to our unbelievably strong survivors tell us their stories of how they made it out alive.  We put our arms around each other and sang “hinei ma tov u’ma-nayim” at Treblinka and Majdanek.  We made new friends, we told stories, we laughed.  And on Yom HaShoah, amidst the lines of crematoriums in the fields of Birkenau, we sang Hatikvah with thousands of other Jews from all across the world.  Remarkably, as we did, the sun came out from behind the clouds and shone down on us, bringing actual light to one of the darkest places on Earth.

Celebrating Jewish culture at the shul in Tykocin with song and dance – photo courtesy of PBL Photography

Out of all of these incredible moments of the trip, there is one that will forever stand out in my mind; the moment I realized what an important experience the March of the Living truly is.  Standing in front of the mass grave in the Lupochowa forest, where the entire shtetl of Tykocin was shot and killed, I furiously tried to light a row of four Yahrzeit candles.  Each time I managed to get two or three of them lit, the wind would blow them out before I could light them all.  Eventually I ran out of matches and, feeling defeated, stepped back.  I remember thinking to myself that in this place, a place plagued by a history of pure hatred and evil, it just wasn’t possible to bring out any light.  However, seconds after I stepped away, my spot was taken over by a fellow marcher, with a new pack of matches, who began to light the candles all over again. 

No matter how many years have passed, it is up to us to teach our children about our history, and to explain to them the importance of ensuring that we never let our Jewish traditions of combating life’s dark moments with singing, dancing, love, and light fade away.  No candle will ever stay burning in the windy Lupochowa forest, but as long as there is always another Jew waiting to light it when it goes out, we are facing the horrors of the world in the best way we know how….with a whole lot of light.

Yahrzeit candles surrounding the mass grave in the Lupochowa forest – photo courtesy of PBL Photography

What do Mel Weinstein, Julie Goldenberg, Tracey Shwartz and Ariela Levi all have in common? Aside from being talented dancers in theMontrealbased dance production Enigma, they are all Taglit Birthright Israel alumni!!!

In just over 48 hours, Enigma will take center stage onCanada’s Got Talent. The four girls along with their group members Florence Brais and Jade Hassoune first auditioned for the show inMontrealearlier in the year, but their story began in 2008. Enigma was born as a unique and inspirational dance outlet, whose mission was to bring awareness to and raise funds for Vision of Hope, a fund created to honor the late Ian Samberg who sadly lost his battle to cancer in 2007.

Since then the group has managed to raise over $140,000 for the cause through two sold out shows, and has caught the attention of local and national press. This time around, the group won’t be looking for dollars, but rather your vote. On April 22^nd as of 8pm you have five ways to show your support for them: by phone, online, facebook, text and twitter.

For more information on voting please visitCanada’s Got Talent’s website here.

From everyone here at team BIEC we wish them the best of luck on Sunday, you can count on our votes!

Mel & Tracey at the Bedouin Tents, Israel 2011

]]> http://whatthebiec.com/2012/04/20/vote-for-enigma-on-canadas-got-talent/feed/ 0 teambiec Enigma_flyer Mel & Tracey at the Bedouin Tents, Israel 2011 http://whatthebiec.com/2012/04/03/montreals-jewish-community-comes-together-to-support-israels-newest-singing-sensation/ http://whatthebiec.com/2012/04/03/montreals-jewish-community-comes-together-to-support-israels-newest-singing-sensation/#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:55:30 +0000 Shoshi http://whatthebiec.com/?p=640 ]]> After Holland’s original reality talent show, “The Voice of Holland,” took off in America last year, many countries have followed suit, including Ukraine, Poland, Mexico, Germany, France, and the UK, each launching their own versions of “The Voice,” now one of the most popular television talent shows.  The latest country to create a new singing sensation is none other than Israel, who announced the winner of their edition of “The Voice” this past Saturday night. Not only were Israeli audiences waiting in suspense to find out the winner…so was Montreal’s Jewish community.

Four months ago, Montreal native and BIEC alumni (March of the Living, 2005), 23 year-old Kathleen Reiter made aliyah, after having traveled to Israel the previous summer.  Having lived in Israel for only a few weeks before her audition, she wowed the four judges of Israel’s “The Voice,” and audiences everywhere, when she performed an amazing rendition of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” during the blind auditions for the show.  Not only did all four judges fight to have Kathleen on their teams, but the show’s live audience was brought to their feet, cheering her on as she finished her performance.  From that moment forward it became clear that Kathleen was going to be tough competition for the show’s other contestants.

Week after week, show after show, Kathleen continued to impress the judges and her new-found followers with amazing performances.  Not only did her family and friends back home in Montreal tune in to every episode, but, as a true testament to Montreal’s Jewish community, the entire community came together to support her.  Facebook fan pages went up, videos were posted, and our own Birthright Bear Facebook account was flooded with status updates, cheering Kathleen on.  This past weekend’s airing of the season finale brought incredible excitement to the Montreal Jewish community…and even more so when it was announced that Kathleen had won!

A few weeks ago, in an interview with The Canadian Jewish News, Kathleen said, “I am so proud of where I come from.  I grew up in Montreal, and I think that just growing up there made me into this person I am today.  I take a lot of pride in where I come from.  As a Jew, it was important for me to make a home here, in Israel, as well.” 

BIEC would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kathleen on her amazing talent and incredible hard work; she has made the Montreal Jewish community incredibly proud!

Sara (on the far left) and friends from her Birthright Israel trip in Jerusalem this past summer

One of our incredible activities included hiking Masada. We were fortunate enough to climb along side 100s of soldiers completing their 1^st Tekes (first initiation to get their beret), which included a 45 km overnight hike through the desert. We only joined them for the last leg of their hike, up the roman ramp. To our good fortune, most of these soldiers were English speakers who had made Aliya, so we were able to talk to them, cheer them on and ask some questions. Cheering the soldiers on as they helped each other up the mountain, exhausted from the previous 8 hours was remarkable. At the top, they assembled in the standard Chet army formation and sang Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem. I had chills as I watched these soldiers stand up straight, carrying their back-breaking bags and sing. This was the moment I saw the purest form of love forIsrael and the sacrifice so many make in order to keep our homeland safe for trips like Birthright Israel to come and go freely.

 I spent the rest of my summer working at a Jewish camp in Spain. The goal of the camp is to unite Jewish youth from around the world, including Italy, France, Norway, USA, Morocco,Israel and more. With all their different lifestyles and languages one common characteristic was their love for Judaism and Israel. This experience, along with my Birthright Israel trip inspired me to apply to BIEC’s MIT (Madrichim in Training) program in August. Both experiences taught me the importance in Jewish unity and the Jewish community at large, in addition to the impact that Israel has on an individual. I knew it was something I wanted to get involved with to ensure that future Birthright Israel participants would have the same incredible trip I had. Through this program I was able to work side by side with Sam and Jeremy, in a year long leadership development program, to ensure that if I were to lead a Birthright Israel trip, I’d have the necessary tools to give my participants the same great experience that Sam and Jeremy gave me. 

A few months into the program, a position opened up at BIEC and I jumped at the chance to be part of a team that enables so many participants to create lasting relationships between individuals, the community, and Israel. I am eagerly looking forward to meeting new people and working with everyone in the office in creating fun and enriching events and leading a trip to Israel this summer! Please feel free to contact me with any ideas you may have and we can work together in making them happen! 

Sara Goldberg is the newest member of Team BIEC and is incredibly excited start working with Birthright Israel alumni and other members of the Montreal Jewish community.  Feel free to contact her at sara.goldberg@bjec.org.

In 2008, I was contacted by the Gift of Life as a potential match for a man with leukemia. After further testing, I was told that a more suitable match had been found. From that point on, I felt very connected to this man, a man I had never met. I wondered about him, his recovery, and his family. Something told me that my journey with the Gift of Life was not going to end there. Then, it happened.  In August 2011, I was contacted as a potential donor for a 48 year old woman with leukemia. After further testing, I was found to be a suitable match and was flown to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston for a full health workup, and was cleared for donation. At that point it all became very real. I was filled with so many emotions. I was excited, nervous and unsure of what to expect. Family and friends were generally very supportive but undergoing a “medical procedure” as a healthy young adult did raise some concern. Nonetheless, my decision had been made. This was something I felt I needed to do.

On October 9^th, I flew to Boston again, this time for the donation. I was given medication daily to prepare my body for the donation process and finally, on October 13^th, the big day came. With the support of my sister-in-law, who came to Boston to be with me, I donated my stem cells. Though the procedure took close to 11 hours, it was a relatively painless process. Either way, my own discomfort felt negligible compared to what my recipient was enduring.

If it wasn’t for my Birthright Israel trip, there is a good chance I would never have become part of the Gift of Life registry. Birthright Israel gave me the opportunity to make new friends, learn about Israel, connect to my community…and potentially save a life. What more could someone ask for? I am happy to report that I received my first update from the Gift of Life about a month ago and everything seems to be going well on my recipient’s end.  I would urge everyone to do their research, and learn more about the Gift of Life and their mission. The opportunity to save another person’s life will forever change me. For those of you that have gone on Birthright Israel, what was the highlight of your trip? For those of you who have not, what are you waiting for?

Registration for Taglit-Birthright Israel summer trips opens tomorrow, February 15^th, at 10am.  Visit www.israelforfree.com to register.  Don’t miss out on your free trip to Israel!

Last year, over 200 people gathered at Art & the City II, at Koko Bar & Restaurant

We wanted this year’s Art & the City Vernissage, set to take place on January 23, 2012 at Velvet Speakeasy, to be awesome.  Our team of volunteers and BIEC staff hmm’d and hahh’d over the perfect location, the right nibbles (cupcakes!) and how to nab fabulous young Jewish artists.  As the venue was to be a chic, mood-lit club, exactly which spotlights to rent to illuminate the artwork on display was of utmost importance.  We talked a lot about lighting, a concern that I actually find ironic.

Why?  Because I don’t really think that we “see” art…I think we experience it.  If you’ve ever been amid great art, concerns about beauty and aesthetic value slip away.  What comes to the foreground is a feeling, an atmosphere, a story or idea that has the power to transform, the ability to stir things up, or calm them down.

Last spring, I interned at an art museum in London, and witnessed art brought into everyday life.  Perhaps my most poignant experience was donning white gloves and joining a group of ten seeing impaired visitors, some with wheelchairs, all accompanied by aids, on a touch tour of priceless sculptures, in a bustling art gallery.  I came away with the belief that art is truly open to everyone; that with the right guidance, art held immeasurable value.

Nix those static, antiquated ideas if you had them, and come to the third edition of the Art & the City Vernissage, a perfect opportunity to add a little more art into your life!  Expose yourself to 20 of the city’s talented young artists in a suave, modern (yet casual) nightspot, worthy of any great night out.  The venue is Velvet Speakeasy, 426 Saint-Gabriel in the Old Port and it promises to deliver the same intimate and approachable atmosphere that has been a staple of the event for the past two years. We’re returning back down to the cobblestoned streets that were the backdrop for the original show held at W Lounge, which saw over 200 guests.  Last year’s exhibition brought the same art thirsty (or just plain thirsty) crew to KOKO Restaurant & Bar for another dazzling soirée.  If you can’t tell your Picasso from your Monet, have no fear; this is one event that has something to offer to those looking for what’s fresh on the Montreal scene, or simply a dose of creativity.

Art enthusiasts enjoy works on display at last year's Art & the City II

The featured artists are young adults from the Montreal Jewish community who have either made art their career, or a passion in which they dabble in their spare time.  This collection of talented individuals range from painters and photographers, to fashion and jewelry designers.  Second-time participant Kenny Stein’s tools of choice are hand-cut stencils and spray paint…but you’d never know it.   Initially he made his mark with non-commissioned street art (for instance, adding the image of the Mona Lisa onto a street sign), but now he prefers to opt for lower risk ventures.  And first-time artist and organizer Sabrina Taran draws her inspiration from people, and thus the two creations she will have on display are portraits; a painting of her siblings and a high-contract charcoal and pencil drawing of an old man that oozes vitality.  Their art is relatable, vivid and sophisticated, and, like their peers, they represent a jewel in our community that is showcased far too rarely.

Add a little spice to your Sunday night, and get out of the cocoon you’ve nestled into to fight off the recent cold spell, because everybody needs a pinch of color and inspiration at this time of year.  Mix, mingle, drink and nibble- and get your art on! 

Art & the City III takes place this Sunday, January 23, 2012, from 7:00pm-10:00pm, at Velvet Speakeasy, 426 Saint-Gabriel. Tickets are 15$ and include one complementary drink.

Welcome to winter in Montreal!

This year’s winter was awfully slow to start and as someone who loves the seasons, I found myself grumbling under my breath about how global warming was ruining everything, including my desire to stay inside and drink red wine while watching the snow fall, and my snowboarding season…not to mention the polar bears.  My groans were met with eye rolls from my friends, and promises that as soon as January hit and I found myself mid winter, facing knee-deep snow and 30 degrees below temperatures, I would deeply regret ever saying I missed winter.  I was convinced they were wrong.

Since the snow and temperatures started falling inMontreal about three weeks ago, I’ve been trying to enjoy the winter weather and prove my friends wrong.  And I think I’ve been pretty successful at it.  That is, until this morning. 

This morning it was cold.  I had turned my heat off in the middle of the night because my room was getting too stuffy to sleep (the pains of living in an apartment with baseboard heaters), and woke up in an ice box.  The tiles on my bathroom floor were so cold that my toes burned of what I could only assume was frostbite when the hot shower water hit them.  I forgot my scarf at home, slipped on a patch of ice on my way out the door, dropped my mittens in a snow…I could go on.  I was wet-mittened and cold as I slumped down in my seat in an overcrowded CLSC waiting room with hundreds of other flu-symptomed patients to begin my three-hour wait.  It wasn’t until I pulled out my waiting room reading material that I realized how much I needed a reminder that winter in Canada, or Montreal more specifically, really isn’t so bad after all. 

Montreal-born Stuart McLean, the infamous voice of CBC’s The Vinyl Cafe, puts a much needed glimmer of hope into our dark winters in his essay, “Approaching Winter,” from his book The Vinyl Cafe Notebooks.  I highly encourage anyone suffering from mid-winter blues to take a minute to read the story below.  Because upon leaving the CLSC and hopping onto the bus, I began to notice, instead of the cold, dreary weather, the amount of snow-suited kids being pulled along in sleds, laughing, and the beautiful fat snowflakes that were lightly falling to the ground.  When I arrived at work, I saw someone has posted the following video. 

Instead of watching it and shuddering, I thought to myself, with pride, “what a wonderful thing it is, that we live in a city that genuinely appreciates its seasons.”

APPROACHING WINTER

By Stuart McClean

I received a note earlier this week from Pond Inlet in Canada’s northern Nunavut territory.  My friend Ruby wrote to say that the sun has disappeared from the sky.  But my sun prisms, wrote Ruby, are still hanging in my window.  What Ruby didn’t say was that where she lives, a land of twenty-four-hour darkness, the prisms in her window are hanging as an act of faith as much as anything.

Even here in the south you can sense the days shortening and feel the darkness of winter, which has already settled around Ruby’s house, coughing its chilly way out of the arctic with little you and me in its sights.

The wind and rain battered Vancouver this week, and in the east the skies have been low and grey.  I spent last weekend with my back to winter, my toque pulled low, raking the last of the leaves off the deck.  Then I headed down to the lake and covered up the boat, something I should have done weeks ago, chastising myself as I fumbled with the blue plastic tarp.

It’s getting dark.  It’s getting cold.  It’s been windy and wet.  And we all know it’s going to get darker, and colder, and windier before this winter is finished with us.  To make matters worse, I just ate three Girl Guide cookies.  And I’m sorry, but I don’t even like Girl Guide cookies.

But, as you stand there on your corner with your umbrella blown inside out, and as I head down to my basement to see if the boots, and the mitts, and the scarves are anywhere to be found, there is something we should both remember.  Up in Pond Inlet, in Ruby’s house, that sun prism is still hanging in the window, and every once in a while, even in the dark arctic night, it catches the headlight from a snowmobile, or a water truck rumbling by, and each time it does, it gives off a brief flash of spring.

We spend our summers trying to get outside as much as we can.  These are the nights it’s good to be home.

There is still a month to go before the darkest day of the year, but with every passing day, we are not only moving loser to darkness, but to all of the festivals of light:Kwanza, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas.  And to your birthday, for that matter, and to the happy day when the sun rises just that little bit earlier, lingers a little longer.

M.A.D. (Make a Difference) Mondays is a new initiative started by BIEC this fall.  On the first Monday of every month (although time and date change often in order to fit in with busy schedules), a group of BIEC volunteers get together to give back to the community, helping out at different organizations throughout Montreal.  The goal of M.A.D. Mondays is two fold; participants are able to gain a greater knowledge and understanding of various organizations within the Montreal Jewish community, as well as devote a couple of hours each month to giving back to the community and helping those in need.  This truly embodies the meaning of tikun olam.

Volunteers get a tour of the MADA food bank

For November’s M.A.D. Monday project a group of 8 volunteers spent the afternoon at MADA Community Centre.  For those of you who have yet to visit MADA, I highly recommend you take some time to do so.  Not only will you meet amazing people, but MADA also gives volunteers a strong sense of how close knit and caring the Montreal Jewish community really is.  MADA’s mission is to “help people in need with the basic necessities of life, while preserving their dignity and helping them become self sufficient members of the community.”  They do so in many different ways, including serving free meals in their cafeteria, helping provide warm clothes to those in need, welcoming people in for holiday meals, and their Shabbat to Share program, which delivers pre-packaged “Shabbat boxes” to those unable to prepare for Shabbat on their own.  Spending time with other volunteers or anyone who has benefited from MADA’s services, you are able to witness first hand the effect that this organization has on those who are involved.  Pride, gratefulness, joy and generosity are just some of the traits that everyone is eager to share with those who are volunteering or visiting MADA for the first time.

The M.A.D. Monday crew at MADA

MADA truly appreciates and is thankful for all the work that their devoted volunteers do, from large scale to small.  A great example of this happened during our afternoon working with them.  Our group, initially set to help pack Shabbat boxes with the Shabbat to Share program, was told upon arrival that we would instead be helping out in the kitchen.  Unsure of what this meant, we were set up at a long table with plastic gloves, cutting boards, knives…and huge containers of garlic!  Although peeling garlic may not seem as though it makes as much of an impact as packing Shabbat boxes, we were quickly proven wrong.  When one of the MADA employees came to speak to us about the organization, she made sure to mention that we had one of the most important jobs at the centre.  Why, you might ask?  “Without garlic, the food we serve in our cafeteria would be bland and tasteless.  The people who come to MADA don’t only need food…they need a little spice in their lives.  By peeling this garlic, you are bringing that spice!”  With these words we were not only motivated to peel our garlic in double-time; we were inspired to hear that every single action done inside the walls of the MADA Community Centre really does help repair the world.

M.A.D. Mondays will be volunteering with a different community organization each month.  In December, we will be collaborating with the Friendship Circle for “Sufganiyot for the Soul,” making sufganiyot to share with the community.  If you wish to get involved in this, or any other M.A.D. Monday projects, or for more information, please contact Shoshi Rothschild at shoshi.rothschild@bjec.org. Here’s your chance to make a difference in your community, so don’t miss out!

Last year's Reverse Mifgash participants, Sharon and Nati, reunite with Team BIEC in Tel Aviv this summer!

As many of you know, each Birthright bus has the privilege of having a group of Israeli soldiers join them for 5 out of their 10 days in Israel.  During this time, Birthright participants get the chance to not only bond with the soldiers, but also to see Israel through their eyes.  They take us to their favourite bars and ice cream shops, they enlighten us with their own political (or apolitical) views, they introduce us to their friends and families, and most of all, they help us to understand the importance of supporting Israel.  Some of the closest relationships formed on Birthright are often through the “mifgash” program, bringing Israelis and Canadians together to build friendships that last much longer than 10 days in Israel.

The Reverse Mifgash is BIEC’s answer to making these relationships even stronger…and last even longer!  Each year, we take the opportunity to bring in soldiers who were on our very own Montreal Birthright Buses to spend one week in Montreal with their fellow participants.  After all the mifgash soldiers showed us about Israeli life on our 10-day trip, here is the chance to show them what life in Montreal is really like!

2010's Reverse Mifgash crew enjoy dinner at Schwartz's!

This year, we are happy to be bringing in 4 soldiers to spend the week with us from Montreal Buses 2 and 3. The soldiers will be spending their days touring Montreal university campuses, meeting with students, and speaking at several different day schools in order to share their experiences with as many Montrealers as possible.  Their evenings will be devoted to showing them the best of Montreal, including dinner at Schwartz’s, watching the Habs game, and even teaching them how to skate!  Not only will they be getting the full Montreal experience, but they will be doing so surrounded by their fellow Birthright alumni!

Please check out the schedule below for the events happening during the week, and find the time to come out and meet these amazing people.  If you were on either Montreal Bus 2 or 3 this past summer, contact your madrichim for an even more detailed schedule, and come out to reconnect with your mifgash soldiers!  Join us in making this a week to remember for our 4 amazing visitors!

The Reverse Mifgash will take place from Saturday, October 22^nd – Sunday, October 30^th.  If you have any questions about events or the schedule, please contact Shoshi Rothschild at shoshi.rothschild@bjec.org.

In the last year, I’ve really taken to the kitchen. Cooking Shabbat meals for friends and family, daily dinners, and weekly Sunday brunches! So far, the general consensus is that I can, in fact, cook, and no one has gone home sick! In familiarizing myself with the kitchen, I wanted to share with you some of my personal High Holiday speciality meals. The following are some staple recipes at our holiday dinner table, brisket and apple cake! Appetizers can be anything your heart desires, ranging from gefilte fish, chopped liver, a nice salad and even matzo ball soup! All of which we make from scratch – yes, even the gefilte fish. So if you want or need a recipe for any of the above mentioned appetizers, hit me up with an email at amanda.noodelman@bjec.org and I’ll send them your way!

So, keep reading to see how surprisingly easy it can be to make the most delectable holiday meal for your family!

Let’s start with my all-time favourite main dish, brisket. It’s easier than you think!

Ingredients

(3 pound) beef brisket

1 cup ketchup

1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle ginger ale

3 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces, or baby carrots cut in halves (optional)

1 small onion, sliced (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Place the brisket in a roasting pan fat side up. In a medium bowl, stir together the ketchup, soup mix and ginger ale; pour over the brisket. Arrange carrots and onion around the edge of the roast if using. Cover the roast with a lid or aluminum foil.

Bake for 2 hours in the preheated oven. Remove the cover, and cook for 1 more hour. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

And now for dessert! This is another personal favourite of mine, as it’s a bit more on the healthy side, using applesauce and raisins to naturally sweeten the recipe.  And, I absolutely love apple cake! Here’s the recipe for your very own applesauce cake.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, optional
1/2 teaspoon ginger, optional
1/2 teaspoon allspice, optional
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups thick applesauce
1 cup raisins, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, baking powder and soda in a bowl, with cinnamon and other spices, if using.

In a mixer bowl, beat together sugar, shortening, eggs and salt until very well blended. Then add applesauce to the egg mixture.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixture and mix just until well blended. Stir in raisins, if using.
Bake in a 9 x 13 pan at 350 degrees, for 40 minutes.

In the past year, I’ve been inspired and encouraged by my friends to kick it up a notch in the kitchen and branch out from basic meals like cereal or toast. Cooking is now one of my top choices when it comes to having fun and doing things together with friends or loved ones. I’ve tried so many things that I never thought I liked, I’ve experimented with spices, herbs, grains and seasonings, and, if anything, I’ve found a new hobby. I am always on the hunt for new, easy-to-make recipes, so if you’ve got one, send it my way! I’d love to try it out!

Shana Tova from Team BIEC!  Wishing you and your families a happy and healthy new year, filled with lots of delicious food to eat!