Jelly Donuts, a Right Wing Congressman, and Anointing Obama’s Doorway – a Taste of my Email Inbox

January 22, 2009 · Filed Under Baum's Blog 

One of the best parts of my job is getting emails from all of you. I hear from people who are literally around the world. Sometimes it’s a Jewish question, sometimes it’s feedback on the virtual synagogue experience, sometimes it’s someone seeking advice on a personal situation, and sometimes it’s really interesting and informative stuff you’ve decided to share with me.

I was just cleaning out my inbox, and stumbled upon two such emails.

One, from Jack in Texas, was a response to a question I had asked in one of my Hanukkah video podcasts… Specifically, what’s up with jelly donuts on Hanukkah? It always seemed to me any greasy donut should work, and since I’m more of a glazed, or coconut, or chocolate frosted with pretty sprinkles donut kind of person, I’ve never had much interest in jelly.

But, Jack found an article in the New York Times and wrote me to say that according to Joan Nathan, sufganiyot (jelly donuts) arrived in what is now Israel with early, German-speaking Zionists. Despite the neat Hebrew name and the reputation as the authentic Israeli Hanukkah food, sufganiyot are descendants from German pfannkuchen or Polish paczki (which is fascinating, because when I first cleaned out a Religious School closet at Beth Adam, I found a stuffed paczki (think stuffed animal donut). I had no idea what it was (thankfully, it had a label). I believe I recycled it, but, man, if I still had it it would make for a great Kodak moment on the online congregation.)  That was a lot of parentheses.

Anyway, the article also tells us that there are some great pina colada and mocha sufganiyot recipes. Sounds kind of weird, but for “religious reasons,” I’m always willing to indulge in fried foods.

Another fun email came from Yossi in Illinois who wrote me about Congressman Paul Broun and anointing (yes, anointing, using oil from Jerusalem) the doorway before the inauguration that Obama would walk through on his way to being sworn in.  First of all, have you ever heard of the separation of Church and State?  Second of all…. this is just plain ridiculous!  Third of all, right-winged Congressman Broun is the guy who compared Obama to Hitler and Stalin earlier this year.  How could anyone have voted for Broun?  He’s almost as scary, if not more so, than the Arkansas Congressman Bill Maher interviewed in Religulous who doesn’t believe in evolution and admitted and proved the point, “you don’t have to pass an I.Q. test to be in the Senate.”  Frightening.  Below is the video of the anointing, if any of you wants something to laugh about.

And Rabbi Barr spoke about the anointing in his January 20th podcast if you want to hear more about it.  Think Passover rituals and doors.  Don’t know what I’m talking about?  Tune in to Barr’s Banter to find out.

And, don’t forget to email me.  It’s how I measure my popularity.  Not really- but I do like getting lots of emails and hearing from you.

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Comments

One Response to “Jelly Donuts, a Right Wing Congressman, and Anointing Obama’s Doorway – a Taste of my Email Inbox”

  1. a_brown Says:
    January 22nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm

    I’m so appalled by the contents of this video that I don’t even know where to begin venting. Who gave them permission to do this ceremony?

    On a lighter note, I wonder whether the Israelites anointed their entrance ways by making the sign of the cross in holy oil. Hmmmm.

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