A SAD WEEK, BUT THE KITCHEN GOES ON...

We obviously were all hoping for good news, but it wasn't to be.  In the middle of the weekly big buffet lunch for the campers and staff ( a ball-breaker for us to prepare and run- extensive salad bar, potato and sweet potato bar, and pasta bar, with all the accoutrements and sauces) we were told, in between the two shifts of lunch, about the tragic news of our 3 boys' bodies being found.  Us and our Israeli mishlachat workers. We heard 1/2 hour before the news even broke in Israel.
So here is the epitome of the surreal nature of life- here we are sobbing in the kitchen, in between mounds of pasta and mountains of baked potatoes, and---- well, the kids have to eat!
This really is such an amazingly Zionistic camp. The director and rosh mosh spoke so wonderfully to all the kids and the staff, stressing how Jewish life is filled with so many different emotions, how in Hallel even when we thank Gd for joyful things, we still say "אנא השם הושיע נא "  , how just because we pray our kishkes out doesn't mean that Gd necessarily will answer, etc. it was very strong and I saw how so many of the kids were deeply moved. I so missed this week being home in Israel so I could talk and connect to my own kids and friends and neighbours- I always get strength from that. (of course I also miss tomatoes and cucumbers that taste like tomatoes and cucumbers, Turkish coffee, good yogurt, good cheeses, good olive oil, silan, and sushi rechavia).
And of course being here in Honesdale, Pennsylvania is less fun when my son is dodging missiles while trying to simply write his exams at Sapir College in Sderot...
Anyway, this past week we had a Chinese lunch- egg drop soup, deep-fried eggrolls, and stir fried vegetables. That was the easy part. The mess was the lovely, fresh lomein noodles that Morrie got me for the meal- only I put the whole lot into the giant soup pot- not realizing that it was way too many at once, and they clumped and got stuck in the spout and we couldn't get them out of the pot....it basically required 3 people to do surgery from above and below to get out enough noodles to serve. Oops.
Marvin has learned to cook 2 things- he's been doing the scrambled eggs, and he made pancakes on the griddle .
My 2 exciting tastings this past week- local baskin robbins pralines and cream ( i cannot believe how absolutely magnificent this still is- it was my favourite flavour growing up, and i think it just still might be...) , and the other thing is- jelly bellies! In 40 flavours! In the same bag! I even got Marvin hooked on them... So many yummy tastes on the tongue, except for this one awful soapy one I keep getting and I can't seem to locate which one it is...
Here's wishing the world a Shabbat Shalom, a nechama from above for the grieving families, and peaceful quiet in Eretz Yisrael.

 pancakes on the griddle

Would you like some pasta? How bout some pasta with your baked ziti? (its true). Or some pasta with your mac and cheese?