Krembo Chocolate Treats - How They are Made!

A biscuit on the bottom... a mixture of sugar and egg-white on top of that (read: marshmallow), neatly molded, with a layer of (pareve) chocolate surrounding it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you haven't been in Israel long enough! If you're a new Oleh/Olah or a veteran, you'll know about this tasty chocolate treat - called Krembo! It's a composite of two words - "קרם" meaning "cream" and  "בו" meaning "in it". In South Africa, the equivalent treat (not to be confused with knowing it's state of Kashrut) is known as a Sweety Pie, or Beehive (for it's shape apparently!) In Israel there are a couple of manufacturers of this tasty treat, producing it in a few flavours - vanilla and mocha being the most common.

You best keep your eyes out for these delicious chocolates because you'll see them for only around 5 months of the year - during the winter season. They come out around September/October and are stocked up until around the end of February. You can always stock up for another 7 months or so if you have extra room, but don't expect them to be as fresh!

Would you believe that some 50 million of them are consumed each winter?!

If you've ever wondered how they're made - wonder no more! Watch the delightful video clip below and see how your treats are brought to their final form!

Enjoy! And don't forget, if you've bought a box of 40 and found it's not your taste after all, please do send them my way!

Disabilities, Israel and Olim

Being an Occupational Therapist, I am used to working with the disabled population. Did you know it is not so easy to get information as to the rights of disabled Yidden to make Aliyah? Well, if you know someone who has a disability and has made Aliyah, you stand more of a chance of obtaining the information you require. For me, I tried emailing certain offices that I would think should provide this information only to discover after several emails I still had no reply. The one reply I did receive was a Shaliach admitting that probably the offices are avoiding the question in order not to have to take responsibility. 

Is that acceptable? Is that how we as Yidden treat those who have a more difficult path in this life? Surely if they are Jewish with a Jewish mother, then they have a right to live in Eretz Yisrael?

If you do know someone who is disabled and made Aliyah, please do write in. We would like to know how your Aliyah is going, what your process had been like and any other tips you can offer to other disabled Yidden who want to make Aliyah.

Of course, we would prefer that we have Moshiach and all Yidden are fit and healthy, but in the meantime, do send in any useful info or comments.

In this series of posts, we hope to post information about Disability Grants, information on disabilities in Israel.

Level of the Kinneret

Can it be a whole month has gone by since we last posted regarding the Kinneret? Amazing!!

I took a look at the last post and the level of the Kinneret was -213.67m. The level I found for today is -213.66m. That means that the level of the Kinneret has risen by 1 cm. Not much in a month now is it. The level is still higher than it was last year, it is 36cm higher than it was this time last year to be exact. Is that enough?

NO!!

We need more rain and we need the level of the Kinneret to rise. What can you do??

Pray hard for more rain. AND, send us ideas so that readers can learn how to help use the water in Eretz Yisrael in the best possible manner. Here are a few ideas to get you started:  Fix your leaks, repair leaking toilets. If you have an urn you use on Shabbat, don't just throw out the water, use it to fill a hot water bottle or to clean the floor.

How else can we save water or help the Kinneret?

If you have ideas, do let us know, AND keep up those Tefillos.

Shavuah Tov

Shoshanah