Phyllis Glazer made aliyah from New York more than 40 years ago. Today she is one of Israel’s culinary stars as a journalist, television personality and spokesperson.
So when we were invited …
Jewish Ledger
On Shavuot, savor the dairy, but don’t forget the grains
By Ethel G. Hofman
(JNS) Historically, Shavuot is the celebration of the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai more than 3,300 years ago. It begins seven weeks after the first day of Passover. Agriculturally, it commemorates the time when the first fruits were harvested and brought to the Temple, thus deemed the “Festival of the First Fruits” (also called the “Harvest Festival” and “Festival of Weeks”).
Since Shavuot takes place at a time when animals give birth and there’s an abundance of milk, the most familiar culinary custom are dishes made with dairy products. Growing up, my brothers and I ate bowlfuls of thick creamy rice pudding studded with plump raisins–and not just for a dairy meal dessert. We ate it for breakfast instead of the usual porridge and as a snack after school.