Jack Gindi

Grief has a way of reshaping our priorities. After my son Shaun passed, the first eight weeks were a blur. I focused on shiva, family duties, and seeking spiritual understanding. Taking care of my body became the last priority. Comfort food replaced healthy meals. Wine helped me through tough nights. Exercise disappeared from my routine. While focusing on Being and Balance, I neglected the vessel that carries us through life’s storms.

This imbalance demonstrated an important truth: We can’t fulfill our purpose when we neglect our physical body. The Torah commands, “You shall guard yourselves very well” (Devarim 4:15), teaching us that caring for our bodies is not vanity – it’s a sacred duty.

After years of building, I know the best buildings need good care to thrive. Our bodies deserve no less care than the buildings we construct or the businesses we run. Yet, how often do we treat our physical selves as an afterthought?

The following eight thoughtful ideas emerged from this realization:

Respect It – Your Only Vehicle

Like a luxury car, your body needs premium fuel and regular maintenance. During grief, I forgot this principle, treating my body like a junkyard car running on fumes.

MoveIt- Rust or Run

A door that never opens becomes stiff. Our bodies need movement to sustain strength. My morning walks, once routine, became sporadic. Now, they’re my time for reflection and renewal.

Fuel It Right – Quality Matters

We wouldn’t use harmful materials to build, so we shouldn’t give our bodies poor nutrition. Those extra pounds taught me that comfort food offers only temporary comfort.

Rest It – Essential Restoration

Buildings need maintenance. Our bodies need proper sleep. Without it, everything – emotional resilience, mental clarity, physical health – suffers.

Listen to It – Warning Signs

When constructing a building, we heed every warning sign. Our bodies communicate through pain, fatigue, and stress. The question is: are we listening?

Challenge It – Mindful Growth

Like testing a structure’s integrity, we must challenge our bodies to maintain strength. This doesn’t mean running marathons; it means consistent, progressive effort.

Protect It – Your Living Temple

We secure our buildings against damage. Shouldn’t we protect our bodies from bad habits and harmful influences?

Love It – Your Faithful Partner

Your body carries you through every triumph and trial. Even when neglected, it tries its best to serve. It deserves not criticism but gratitude.

The interconnection between body and spirit becomes obvious when we’re out of balance. Neglecting my physical health for weeks showed me how it affected everything else. Simple tasks felt harder. Social interactions became draining. Even my clarity of thought suffered. As I dove into spiritual practices and family ties, I thought I was making up for physical neglect. But in reality, I was harming my ability to be present.

It’s simple to explain this imbalance. You might think, “Business demands are too intense right now,” or “I’ll return to exercise once things calm down.” Your body doesn’t care about your excuses. Ignoring its signals will make you pay attention -often with pain, injury, or illness that stops your life.

Preventive maintenance is cheaper than emergency repairs, which is true in construction and in life. Yet, how often do we postpone taking care of ourselves?

Low energy makes us cancel plans. Fatigue steals the joy from things we once loved. Feeling unwell keeps us from connecting with others. But these aren’t just physical setbacks – they’re barriers to the life we’re meant to live.

It’s ironic: when we sacrifice our health for other goals, we undermine the very support we need for them. No matter how noble its purpose, a broken vessel cannot protect its precious cargo.

As I embrace healthier habits, I realize that caring for our bodies is key to spiritual growth. Every mindful meal, every walk, every good night’s sleep becomes an act of healing and respect.

Consider: How well are you maintaining your sacred vessel? What one small change could you make today to honor your body? Rebuilding: Whether in daily life, work, dreams, or health – begins with recognizing where we are now. Then, we must choose one small step forward.

I BELIEVE IN ME

Jack Gindi helps families face life’s challenges with the I Believe in Me Foundation. If you would like to show your support for the organization, or for further information, please contact Jack at: jack@ibelieveinmefoundation.com.

Michele Shrem

We all have many recipes that we make every week. Some people I know never veer off that path, and others, like myself, are always looking for a new dish. But, with many women working in today’s world, it has been harder and harder to find recipes that are easy to shop for, very easy and quick to cook, and yet also look beautiful on the table.

There are so many recipes to be found on the internet, or passed along through friends, but it would be great to have them readily available for the coming weeks for use during special meals with the upcoming holidays approaching soon.

The recipes below all have ingredients that can be found in local supermarkets as well as in our community specialty grocery stores. They are all very easy to put together, and they all make a wonderful presentation for a Shabbat table that you can be proud of showing off to your family, friends, and guests. Some of these recipes can even be used for Passover.

Crock Pot Brisket

From Sofia Sutton

Ingredients:

• brisket
• 1 large onion
• Goodman’s onion soup mix – 1 envelope

Instructions:

• Add water about half way up in the crockpot.
• Place a crock pot liner (bag) over the water. I don’t like the Reynold’s brand liner, since it has ripped on me in the past, and then the water is able to enter the food.
• Slice one onion into rounds, and place on the bottom of the bag.
• Wash the brisket, add salt and pepper to taste, and lay it flat directly onto the onions.
• Add one cup of water and one packet of Goodman’s onion soup mix to the top of the brisket.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
• This is so easy, especially in the summer months, when you don’t want to cook a roast or brisket in your oven.

Mongolian Beef

From Nathan Rudy

I make this recipe often, since it’s a family favorite. It’s a classic Chinese restaurant item, and it’s always my first choice. There are a few different ways to adjust this recipe as well, so check the notes section.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. beef tenderloin/beef chuck, cut into strips
• 1/2 tsp of meat tenderizer
• 1/2 cup cornstarch/corn flour
• oil, for deep frying

For the Sauce:

• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp hoisin sauce (optional)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch, diluted in 3 tsp water
• 1 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Instructions:

• Start off by tossing the beef strips in cornstarch mixed with meat tenderizer. Make sure the strips are coated evenly. Allow it to sit for 10-20 minutes to get to room temperature.
• Deep fry the beef strips for 4-5 mins, drain the oil, and set aside.
• In a saucepan, heat oil on high heat setting. Quickly add in the ginger and garlic.
• Stir quickly for 10 seconds. Immediately add in the soy sauce, water,rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce. Bring the sauce to a quick boil.
• Add in the brown sugar and cornstarch and mix thoroughly.
• Now add in the beef strips and let cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the green onions and cook for an additional minute.
• Serve hot with rice.

Notes:

• To make this recipe spicy, I add 1 to 2 tsp of red chili flakes.
• You don’t need to marinate the beef beforehand in this recipe, unlike the
• other recipes for Mongolian beef. It’s the quickest and most delicious way of making it!
• Add an additional teaspoon of corn flour/cornstarch diluted in two teaspoons of water if you want it to be slightly thicker and stickier.

Rosemary London Broil

From Shiri Zimmerman

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lbs. of London broil

Marinade:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed (can use the frozen squares)
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• Salt
• Black pepper

Instructions:

• Score both sides of the London broil in 2 directions, making diamond shapes in the meat.
• Mix marinade ingredients together and place meat & marinade in a gallon size Ziploc bag.
• Marinate for 2 to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to Broil. Take meat out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Remove meat from marinade and broil on both sides for 10-15 minutes, for medium rare meat. (It will cook more if re-warming lateron.)
• Baste meat with marinade while cooking and discard the rest of the marinade. Can also grill meat on barbecue.
• Slice meat thinly against the grain and enjoy!

Chicken with Caramelized Onions& Chestnuts

From Guila Sakkal

Ingredients:

• 7-8 onions, thinly sliced into crescents
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp Silan (date syrup)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 packages chestnuts
• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (skin-on, bone-in)

Instructions:

• In a large pan, sauté 7-8 sliced onions over medium heat until translucent.
• Add paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper, bunch of chopped parsley (or 5-6 cubes frozen), 2-3 tbsp of soy sauce, 2-3 tbsp of Silan, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Stir well and continue cooking until the onions caramelize and have a nice golden color. (Add a little water to caramelize.)
• Mix in 2-3 packs of chestnuts, coating them with the onion mixture.
• Add the chicken pieces, turning to coat them fully in the sauce.
• Cover and cook on low to medium heat for about 2 hours, allowing the chicken to release its own liquid.
• Avoid stirring – gently shake the pan or spoon sauce over the chicken as needed. The sauce should thicken up.
• Cook until most of the liquid has reduced and the chicken is tender.

Chicken & Peppers

From Michele Shrem

Ingredients:

• 4 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 peppers, one red, one yellow, and one orange
• 2 onions
• Hawaage (or, you can use soup spice)
• Salt, pepper

Instructions:

• Cut the onions and peppers into slim slices and add hawaage, salt, and pepper.
• Sauté the onions and peppers in olive oil, and then line them on the bottom of a casserole.
• Then, spice and sauté the chicken pieces on each side until browned.
• Layer the chicken on top of the onions and peppers and re-spice again. Add a little water.
• Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until done, about 30 minutes or so. Cover after 15 minutes.

Roasted Lamb (can use roast or shoulder)

From Guila Sakkal

Ingredients:

• Lamb roast
• Fresh garlic
• 2 oranges
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt, pepper
• Garlic powder and cumin

Instructions:

• Sear lamb roast on a hot pan (only if using roast, not shoulder).
• Make slits with a knife in the lamb and stuff fresh garlic SLICES (I make 10-12 slits) into the slits.
• In a cup mix juice of 2 oranges, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin.
• Add mixture to the lamb and marinate in a cooking bag overnight.
• Cook for 2-3 hours in the bag at 350 degrees. Poke a small hole on top so bag doesn’t explode.
• Once cool, slice up and arrange in Pyrex with sauce.
• For a side dish – serve with jasmine rice with ground beef.

Jasmine Rice with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

• Chopped Meat
• 1 onion
• Salt, pepper, and cinnamon
• Roasted, slivered almonds

Instructions:

• Sauté 1 chopped onion and 1lb of chopped meat.
• Cook until cooked through, and add 2 tbsp of water.
• Season with salt and pepper, and a dash of cinnamon.
• Add cooked rice and mix well.
• Sprinkle roasted slivered almonds on top when ready to serve.

Easy Baked Chicken and Eggplant

Rachel Mizrahi

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants, sliced into ½-inch rounds
• 1 package boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp garlic powder, divided
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare the eggplant:

• Lay the eggplant slices on a paper towel-lined surface and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
• Let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.

Roast the eggplant:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit..
• Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil.
• Sprinkle with ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, and allspice. Toss to coat evenly.
• Bake for 20 minutes until tender and lightly golden.
• Season the chicken:
• In a bowl, toss the chicken thighs with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp garlic powder.
• Assemble and bake:
• In a roasting dish, arrange a layer of roasted eggplant slices.
• Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top, then cover with another layer of eggplant. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.
• Crisp the top (optional):
• Uncover the dish and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until the top is golden and slightly crispy.

Serve:

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy on its own or with rice.

Stuffed Eggplant and Chicken

Yola Haber

Ingredients:

• Eggplant
• Oil for sautéing
• Chicken
• Chopped meat
• Rice
• Allspice, cinnamon

Instructions:

• Slice eggplant, sauté it, and then add to the bottom of a roasting pan.
• Make stuffed eggplant  and add it to the top of the sautéed eggplant.
• Spice chicken with your choice of spices, and layer it on top of the stuffed eggplant.  Cook slowly on low until golden.

Yemenite Soup

Michele Shrem

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lb. of flanken on the bone
• 3-5 potatoes (preferably Yukon gold)
• 2-3 onions
• Hawaage and salt
• Schug

Instructions:

• Fill a pot with water, add the flanken, and bring to a boil.
• Cut the potatoes up, and the onions into halves.
• Once the water with flanken comes to a boil, take a large spoon and remove the fat from the top.
• Then add the potatoes, onions, salt, and 2 heaping tbsp of hawaage.
• Simmer for one hour.
• Serve with fresh lemon and schug. Goes great with Syrian/pita bread.

Note:

You can add carrots and/or celery, although I prefer not adding.

For Passover, you can crush up matzah to add to the soup. The Yemenite soup recipe is very special to me. I got the recipe from my mother who made it for my father, may he rest in peace. The recipe was passed down through the generations, and is a family favorite. My father once admitted to me that I made it even better than my mom, and it was as good, or better than, my grandmother’s recipe. It does not have any color, or cilantro, as many of the recipes contain. However, I promise you will love it, and it is so easy to make, too! I hope you will try all of these recipes and keep me posted!

Is Yawning Contagious?

Absolutely! It’s one of the body’s most contagious, uncontrollable actions.

In fact, yawning is so contagious that seeing a picture of someone yawning can make you yawn. Not only that, but even reading or writing about yawning can make you yawn! (Are you yawning yet?)

Scientists continue to research the “contagious yawn” phenomenon, but they have yet to discover what exactly causes people to yawn simply because they see another person yawning.

One theory is that yawning may be an unspoken form of communication, and “contagious yawning” is related to empathy (the ability to recognize, understand, and share the feelings of others). People with higher levels of empathy yawn more often when someone else yawns, compared to people with lower levels of empathy or those with emotional disorders.

A recent study discovered that yawns are most contagious among close friends and family members. Apparently, the closer you are to someone genetically or emotionally, the more likely it is that you’ll “catch” his/her yawn. Research has also shown that children under the age of five, as well as older adults, are less likely to yawn in response to somebody else yawning.

What Exactly Is a Yawn?

Everybody yawns on a daily basis, from infants to great-grandparents and everyone in between. But, have you ever wondered what exactly is a yawn?

A yawn is a big intake of air. The mouth and jaw open wide. Through the mouth and nose, there’s a deep inhale, followed by a slow exhale. Sometimes, people close their eyes when they yawn; often they stretch their arms or legs, too. Although we yawn more often when we’re tired or bored, scientists have ruled out sleepiness or lack of oxygen (which would cause sleepiness) as causes for yawning. Then why, exactly, do people and animals yawn?Scientists still do not know for sure, but they do have a few theories.

Animals Yawn Too!

Did you know that dogs, cats, and other animals yawn, too? In fact, nearly all vertebrates, from fish to reptiles to primates, yawn. What’s even more amazing is that research has proven that yawning is contagious among some animals as well. Examples include dogs, chimpanzees, and bonobos. Experiments have shown that dogs will even yawn after a person yawns!

Inventions are the ingenious gadgets and machines that have made our lives a little more fun, interesting, and easier. Real inventions are the things that we did not think were possible yesterday, and yet, it would be difficult to live without today. From the tiny paperclip to the massive jet engine, every month we will explore the history behind our world’s most famous inventions and learn about the innovators that designed them.

This month we explore the history behind an invention that most of us likely just take for granted…

The Post-it Note

Post-it Notes are one of the world’s favorite office supplies. Here’s a little fact about those sticky notes that might surprise you – like many of today’s great inventions, they were invented by accident!

In 1968, 3M researcher Dr. Spencer Silver had the job of developing adhesives for 3M. Although his mission was to create a stronger, more reliable adhesive for the aerospace industry, Silver ended up with something else. He created a weak adhesive that could be removed easily without leaving behind a residue. The glue also kept its stickiness when applied with pressure and was reusable. “At the time, we wanted to develop a bigger, tougher adhesive,” Silver said in a later interview. “This was none of those.”

For a number of years, Silver had a solution on his hand looking for a problem. He presented the adhesives at numerous business meetings and proposed their use for bulletin and message boards, but his proposals were rejected.

In Search of a Bookmark

In 1974, fellow 3M scientist, Art Fry, recalled one of Silver’s presentations when seeking out a way to solve a problem he was having with his bookmarks. Fry would use pieces of scrap paper to mark places in his books. However, it seemed like they always fell out. He dreamt up a bookmark that could stick to the pages, but that could also be easily removed without damaging the paper. That’s when Fry remembered the adhesive invention of his colleague. The adhesive would be perfect, he thought, and Fry then started developing the notes using Silver’s adhesive for 3M.

Using Silver’s adhesive, Fry was able to produce reliable and reusable sticky notes, but it became quickly apparent that these sticky papers had much more potential than just bookmarks.

The Color Yellow

Yet, still, one more accident would help shape the future of the Post-it Note. When Fry and his team began developing the product, they could only find yellow scraps of paper to experiment with. The signature Post-it Note yellow of today can be traced back to this “accident.”

After developing the product, 3M released the Post-it Note during a 1977 test run in four cities in the United States. At the time, they were called “Press ’n Peel” notes, and sales were discouraging. Eventually, 3M decided to pull them off the shelves.

The Launch of the Post-it Note

However, in 1979, 3M re-marketed the Press ‘n Peel notes as Post-it Notes. To re-launch the product, 3M gave free samples to offices throughout the Boise, Idaho Metro Area. It was a huge success as more than 90 percent of offices that received a free sample re-ordered them!

And the rest, as they say, is history. 3M released Post-it Notes nationally in 1980, and expanded distribution into Canada and Europe the following year. Since then, Post-it Notes have become a nearly universally-known office supply item, and today, 3M produces and sells more than 50 billion individual notes per year.