After months of recovery from an infection that almost did me in, and trying desperately to act as a normal human, I take pen (or pencil in this case) in hand to write for Rabbi Rubin's communal educational paper. I love to reminisce about our wonderful Jewish holidays and the stories they tell.

Passover is gone, and we count the Omer, waiting for Shavuot, probably the least understood and unrecognized holiday on our Calendar. This holiday celebrates the offering of the first fruits, and the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai. It marks the end of a 49-day period (7 x 7 ) between Passover and Shavuot. The Israelites offered a measure of barley as appreciation and thanks. This was called an OMER, and even to this day, the omer is counted every day until the holiday. It is customary to observe this period as a time of mourning, (we lacked love) and no weddings are held.

It is also customary to study the night of Shavout, be it the Bible, or the Mishna, or any other books. This practice continues to this day, and I have been to some exciting and lively discussions in days gone by.

Holidays are assoicated with certain foods, and Shavuot is no exception. Shavuot involves dairy products, especially blintzes. In my youth, Ma would roll out the blintz dough and prepare cottage cheese to roll into the blintz. Since Ma was Polish, she added raisins for sweetness and aesthetics. Then she placed the raw dough on the ever-present "fry pan" to cook. She always garnished the dish with sour cream.

As I have written in the past, we've come a long gastronomic way since then. Most people now buy ready-made blintzes filled with every imaginable filling and covered with all sorts of toppings. I've even seen chocolate-chip blintzes!

To me, a blintz is a blintz, and tradition holds on for me. If I want a different filling, then it is not a blintz, its a "sweet." And if I want a different topping, I'll go to the ice cream store and buy a sundae!

So, get out your sleeping bags, bring along texts, learn with your friends, and prepare to gorge yourselves with blintzes. I'll write again soon- for now, let me dream of days gone by and wish you all a Chag Sameach and happy eating!