Thursday, November 18, 2010

Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce and Cornbread Stuffing

Some people who live in Southern California may remember that many years ago we had a natural foods market called Mrs. Gooch’s (later bought by Whole Foods). When I was first learning to cook, I picked up a little booklet from Mrs. Gooch’s entitled simply, “Thanksgiving Dinner Menu.” I tried the recipes for cranberry sauce and cornbread stuffing, and they were so good and so easy that I have made them every year since then. For my family, Thanksgiving would not be the same without these simple but delicious dishes. This year, when I took out my now old and tattered copy of Mrs. Gooch’s Thanksgiving Dinner Menu, I thought it would be fun to share these recipes. I hope they will become well-loved classics in your house, as they have in mine. Happy Thanksgiving!


Marla



Cranberry Sauce (Pareve)

1 pound fresh cranberries
¼ cup water
¾ cup honey



Mix honey and water, add cranberries and cook over low heat until cranberries have cooked down (you will hear them pop). Pour into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.




Cornbread Stuffing (Pareve)

1 small pan baked cornbread (any recipe will do. I follow the recipe on the cornmeal box substituting milk with soy milk)

1 small loaf whole wheat bread, cubed
1 ½ cups chopped celery
1 ½ cups chopped onion
3 cups vegetable broth, with 1 ½ sticks margarine melted in it
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 ½ teaspoons salt



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crumble the cornbread in a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Stuff your turkey, or place in a well-oiled 9x13 pan.


Bake for 30-45 minutes covered, then 15 minutes uncovered.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Shop, Shop, Shop!

Adat Ari El Sisterhood is having their annual Hanukkah Boutique tomorrow. Hard to believe Thanksgiving is only two weeks away and the shopping craze gets under way. Every year I have great intentions to shop early, only to be in the mad rush with everyone else. The Hanukkah Boutique is a perfect place to shop for all your friends and family. So, don't delay any longer and do your holiday shopping with us!

In the cooking arena you will find The Chocolate Traveler, Pampered Chef, Tupperware, bamboo kitchenware, table linens, gourmet latkes to order for your Hanukkah parties and items in our very own Gift Gallery.

Join us for lunch as Lena and I, along with our team of extraordinary volunteers, offer the "Famous" Lentil Soup and Sour Cream Biscuits inspired by Paula Deen.

We hope to see you there!

Christine

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Pad Thai Time

As our Southern California weather finally turns cooler and a little rainy, I find myself spending more time in the kitchen and heating it up. My cool weather favorites are pasta dishes and soups since they are comfort foods and use the fewest pots! I love cooking, but not the cleaning.

This week we announced the registration for the Creative Cooking Classes and it reminded me of a dish brought to us by
Chef Dadi Revivo at last Spring's cooking class. Chef Dadi prepared a Thai meal consisting of Green Papaya Salad, Pad Thai ("Dadi Style") , Red Curry and Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango. All very delicious, but the Dadi's Pad Thai was my favorite and a big hit with the class. I consider his Pad Thai comfort food and perfect for our fall weather. So, with Dadi's permission we are sharing his recipe with you. This Pad Thai recipe is versatile and can be made vegetarian and enhanced by adding your favorite vegetables or proteins (see serving suggestions below). The presentation is beautiful and is perfect for family style eating and entertaining.

Enjoy!
Christine




Pad Thai -"Dadi Style" (Pareve

1 Tablespoon oil
2 medium onions, sliced
6 garlic cloves, smashed
4 inch ginger, cut into thin slices
3 small red chili, sliced and seed removed (keep seed if you want super spicy)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound linguine or spaghetti
2 Tablespoons fish sauce*
1/4 cup tamarind paste**
2 large eggs, beaten


Garnish:

1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

A handful of bean sprouts

Over medium-high heat, heat oil in a large, heavy bottom pan or a wok.


Add onions, garlic, ginger, chili and cinnamon sticks. Season with salt and pepper.


Mixing occasionally, cook until onions are soft and brown (do not burn the onions...)






While onion mixture is cooking, cook pasta to al dente and drain. Set aside.

At this point add your optional protein (except eggs, that comes later). Though not in the recipe, we added chicken during this class.




Once onion mixture is soft and brown, add the scallions and the pasta. If pasta is dry, rinse with water to bring back to life.






Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until pasta is well mixed with the onion mixture and the pasta is getting darker, about 2-4 minutes.


Add brown sugar and cook, mixing constantly. The sugar should be caramelized and not burnt.


We were introduced to tamarind paste, which is made from the fruit of the tamarind tree. Tamarind adds a sweetness to the dish. If tamarind is not readily available, Dadi suggests a substitution with prunes (see below).



Once the sugar is caramelized, add soy sauce, fish sauce and tamarind paste. Stir until liquid is absorbed and reduced.





Next, drizzle eggs over the pasta while mixing, until eggs are cooked, about 4 minutes.




Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

As we know, cooking is a lot of fun! Smacking peanuts with a rolling pin is sure more fun than chopping them!





Discard cinnamon sticks and transfer to a large platter and garnish with cilantro, roasted peanuts and lime wedges.

*To make this dish vegetarian use 2 more tablespoons of soy sauce instead of fish sauce and add your favorite vegetables to the onion mixture.

**Instead of tamarind, you could use prunes. Cut 5 prunes into halves and cook them with 3/4 cup of water until they are soft. Transfer to a blender and puree.



Serving suggestions:

For those who love peanut butter- mix 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter, unsalted and smooth to the soy sauce before adding to the dish.

Add chicken (as pictured above), turkey, beef, tofu. Sear small pieces of selected protein to the pan after you add the pasta.

Creative Cooking Classes



Adat Ari El's Sisterhood is Celebrating! Multi-Interest Day (M.I.D), our adult education program, is celebrating it's 50th year. Adat Ari El's Sisterhood proudly presents this program to our members and to the community at large. Among the classes offered throughout the year is a Creative Cooking Series.

Creative Cooking Classes meet four times throughout the year and include culinary field trips. Cooking students meet in private homes to learn from professional chefs, as well as accomplished home cooks. Over the years, menus encompassed fare from all over the world: Thai, Moroccan and Italian. Thanksgiving and baking are on the menu this year, as well as a tasting tours of Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The classes are informal and interactive.

The classes will meet on November 17, January 19, February 16 and March 16 from 9:30 to approximately noon.

Join us for a couple classes or all four. For more information regarding registration, please contact Deborah at Adat Ari El (818)766-9426 x 207.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Cookies, Kids and Home

Today we welcome our guest blogger, Marla. Marla is currently the Vice President of Service for the Adat Ari El Sisterhood, overseeing the Kiddushim and Sisterhood Kitchen. She is also the Religious School Cooking instructor and volunteer extraodinaire!



I love to cook and bake, and when my children were small, we always had a lot of fun baking together. Of course baking with your mom is something that a kid can only do if mom has a house and a kitchen. What about kids whose families are homeless? A lot of homeless families live at L.A. Family Housing in North Hollywood California, and I started thinking about how much fun it would be for them to have a chance to bake. So, this summer I went to L.A. Family Housing once a week and baked with the children who live there. There were kids of all ages, from 4-15. Some of them had spent time in the kitchen with their parents when they had a home, and others had never cooked or baked at all. We had a lot of fun making cookies, cupcakes, cobblers, and for the finale, Strawberry Shortcake! Now that school has started, the baking at L.A. Family Housing has ended, but you might want to so some baking with your children. They will love making something sweet and delicious that they can take to school in their lunchboxes or have for an afternoon snack. Here is an easy and delicious recipe that is perfect for little hands.



Disappearing Delights (Dairy)

This recipe can also be found in California Kosher.


Bottom Crust:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
4 oz melted margarine (not butter)

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add egg and melted margarine to form a course meal. Pat into greased 10x15 jelly roll pan. Then make topping.

Topping:

2 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional) (my own addition, not in original recipe)

Mix topping ingredients and spread over crust. If using coconut sprinkle a little over the top. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack and score for 2 inch bars. To avoid crumbling cool thoroughly, cut into bars and remove each one carefully.

Notes: I leave out the coconut and walnuts and add chocolate chips when baking with children because kids usually don't like coconut, and if you use walnuts you may run into nut allergy issues. Although it is easy and fun for the kids to pat down the dough for the crust, you may want to help them spread the topping because it tends to stick to the crust if you spread it too much. Although it won't change the taste of the finished bars, they will look a little messy if the topping and crust get mixed up. In any case, this is an easy and fun recipe for kids to make, and it will taste delicious even if it doesn't look perfect in the end. The children will be so proud to help you put the cooled bars on a plate and then hand the plate to mom or dad and say "look what I made!"

Don't forget, anyone can cook!

Marla

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Gefilte Fish? The Results Are In...

It was a close one! The winner of our gefilte fish poll is...the fish! Surprisingly, the results were split with 42% "Loving it" and 36% stating "It should be banned!" I side with the latter. However, I will go out on a limb and guess that my sister-in-law will make a case for the presence of gefilte fish at our Passover Seder this year! (You can read her comments on the Gefilte Fish? post.)

So, I will continue to request your help. Keep submitting your jarred fish makeovers and your original homemade recipes of all fish varieties. I will be looking for the advice as Passover nears.

Christine

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Swedish Pancakes

Breakfast for Dinner has always been my favorite. My children agree, nothing beats pancakes, eggs and juice any time of the day. Sometimes that Sunday morning breakfast just isn't enough to satisfy the pancake craving. So, when my oldest son started weeknight Hebrew School I decided to make those nights "Breakfast Night". After a long day, the menu is easy for me and he, along with his brother, look forward to pancakes, scones, waffles or bagels when they come home. Every week I make something different, but one of their favorites is Swedish Pancakes. These crepe-like pancakes were my favorites growing up, too. On Sunday mornings my dad would make "Sunday Breakfast". Nothing got me out of bed faster than the wonderful smell of pancakes permeating through the house. He didn't limit his Sunday Breakfasts to eggs and toast. We were treated to Freach Toast, German Pancakes (aka Dutch Babies) and these wonderful Swedish Pancakes. In Oregon, there is a restaurant that serves them with butter, powdered sugar and lingonberries...yummm!

When the kids ask, "What is for breakfast night?" I get the fist pumping "YES!" when the answer is "Swedish Pancakes".

I hope you enjoy them too.

Happy Cooking,
Christine






Swedish Pancakes (Dairy)




4 eggs*

1 2/3 cup milk*

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons sugar

2/3 teaspoon salt


In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in milk and then dry ingredients. Batter may be lumpy*.

Pre-heat 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Using a cube of butter, lightly coat the bottom of the skillet.



Pour 1/3 of a cup of batter in the skillet. Tilt the pan as necessary to cover the bottom of the skillet with batter. Cook until the edges and a majority of the pancake is dry on top. Turn the pancake over and continue cooking another minute or two.




Turn the pancake onto a plate, roll up and sprinkle powdered sugar over pancake.


Re-coat the skillet with butter and continue the process with the remaining batter.


Makes 10 (10-inch) Swedish Pancakes.


*Notes: No matter how much you beat the batter, it will be lumpy. However, the flour will dissolve in the cooking process. You can reduce the amount of flour lumps by starting with the eggs and milk at room temperature.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Min's Place






Over the years the Adat Ari El Sisterhood has made thousands of kiddush lunches, cakes and cookies in the dairy kitchen, also known as the Sisterhood Kitchen. However, one special Sisterhood woman has made her mark in the kitchen, Min Leonard. At the Board of Directors Meeting last month Sisterhood honored Min with a tile plaque for her 60 years of volunteerism! The plaque hangs on the wall of the kitchen and reads: "Min's Place...Min Leonard, 60 years of Volunteerism". Sisterhood President, Karen Gale, also expressed our widespread regard for Min, " We hope you know you are a treasure to us". Min continues to spend hours making cakes and offerring Wednesday buffet lunches for our M.I.D. (Multi- Interest Day) students. However, Min is most known around the synagogue for her noodle kugel that is served at many kiddush lunches. Min's has many recipes in California Kosher, including her famous noodle kugel. Let us know your favorite Min recipe.






Congratulations Min!!










Min and Lena

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Indian Summer Strawberry Shortcakes




The stacks of cake mixes in our pantry have been calling our names for some time, but Emily(my youngest teenage daughter who loves to bake) and I just can't bring ourselves to make yet another plain vanilla cake. It's technically Fall in most part of the United States, however, those of us in the western region of the United States are once again preparing for a week of 9o to 103 degree weather. Its an Indian Summer out here ya'll ( I can say ya'll "cause I'm from Texas)! Indian Summer Strawberry Shortcakes are a great solution for this cake mix dilemma and the scorching temps. Simple, easy, and refreshing, these mini cakes will be your favorite dessert recipe. The last of the the juicy, red strawberries are showcasing the produce sections on the Pacific Coast. So run, don't walk and capture the lasting memories of summer with this yummy recipe.

Have Fun Ya'll,

Lena



Indian Summer Strawberry Shortcake (Dairy)

2 quarts fresh strawberries, chopped
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 package (about 18 ounces) yellow/white cake mix
1 cup non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
3 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (or to taste) *
Whipped Cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place paper cupcake liners in 24 standard (2 1/2- inch) muffin cups.
2. Combine strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate until needed.
3. Beat cake mix, yogurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer at low speed 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.
4. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Cut each cupcake into four pieces and place on small plate. Top with strawberry mixture and whipped cream.

Variations:
Replace non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt with sour cream.
Balsamic vinegar can be omitted.
Replace 3 eggs with 1/3 cup egg whites plus 1 egg.
Whipped cream can be replaced by whipped topping.

* When you combine the strawberries with the powdered sugar and the balsamic vinegar a lovely syrup results. If you want that syrup to have a stronger balsamic flavor, add more than the recipe recommends. The syrup will be a bit thinner and more plentiful. Its really a personal choice here. No right or wrong!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Casseroles and Sukkot

Can't think of what to make for Sukkot? Casseroles are a great way to serve a delicious meal rolled into one. Fewer serving dishes means less schlepping from kitchen to sukkah and back again. Chile Relleno Casserole, from the 1973 edition of "Flavored With Love", is a tasty recipe that I think you will enjoy under the palm fronds. This would pair nicely with a fresh salad, some fresh fruit and a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio.





Chile Relleno Casserole (Dairy)



1/2 lb. jack cheese

1/2 lb cheddar cheese

2 cans (4oz.) mild green chiles

2 tsp. flour

1 can (8oz.) evaporated milk

2 eggs

1 can (8oz.) tomato sauce


Dice cheeses in large cubes and combine (shredded would also work). In a 9'x9'x2' casserole, place a layer of cheese, a layer of chiles and a layer of cheese. Mix flour with a small amount of the milk and add to slightly beaten eggs. Add remaining milk. Pour over cheese and chiles.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Pour tomato sauce over casserole; bake 10 minutes more. May be served hot or cold. Freezes well. Serves 6.



Other serving suggestions:

To make this casserole lighter in calories and cholesterol, replace one egg with two egg whites and use lowfat cheese.



Bon Appetit,
Lena

Monday, September 13, 2010

Gefilte Fish?

Every month our Sisterhood has a morning breakfast meeting prepared by a group of Sisterhood members. Among the wonderful spread this month, gefilte fish was served and the question arose, "Does anyone serve gefilte fish at Erev Yom Kippur dinner or Break Fast?" Well, the responses were interesting. The question was not answered directly, but instead elicited a slew of responses regarding the like or dislike of gefilte fish in general.

I assumed gefilte fish was an acquired taste. I never had gefilte fish growing up and though I enjoy most fish dishes, I simply do not like it. Much to the dislike of my sister-in-law, I omit it from my Passover seder. Gefilte fish lovers have suggested methods to make the jarred gefilte fish more "homemade". I have been told gefilte fish from scratch is not the same as the store bought.


What is your opinion of gefilte fish?


Take our poll and leave your suggestions and comments. Do you have a gefilte fish recipe that you want to share?

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

L'Shana Tovah

Happy New Year! Thinking outside the traditional Rosh Hashanah dinner fare, I thought this Apple French Toast Casserole would be a nice way to add sweetness to your celebration. We have served this at breakfast meetings throughout the year and it received great reviews. Please note that you need to prepare it the night before and bake in the morning. A great way to start off the morning- no clean up and the aroma of apples and cinnamon permeating the house!

Let us know what you think.

Happy Cooking!
Christine




Apple French Toast Casserole (Dairy)


1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 cup butter
2 or 3 green apples peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
12- 14 slices white bread, cut in half
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a saucepan, heat brown sugar and butter until melted.
Add water, apples and cinnamon; cook until apples are slightly soft and the sauce is foamy.
Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Pour mixture into baking pan and let cool.

Cover with bread slices. Combine eggs, milk and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake in a 350 degree oven uncovered for 40 minutes (cover the last 15 minutes of baking, if the bread is browning too quickly).

Friday, September 3, 2010

Beat the Heat


Summer heat has finally arrived and with it comes the dilemma: how to prepare dinner without heating up the kitchen! In past summers my family has resorted to blending fruit smoothies paired with crackers and peanut butter! Not a bad combo on a day that is so hot you do not feel like eating anyway (but not something I want every day). So, I started making couscous salad since I prefer vegetarian cooking, especially when it is hot. Couscous salad is a perfect main or side dish and it uses only one pot for 5 minutes on the stove! This salad is light and fresh for that hot summer day, while satisfying hungry appetites and providing plenty of protein.

Recently, my niece, Kate, from Philadelphia stayed with us for a few days, so I served this couscous salad to fit her vegetarian diet. My children give this salad a thumbs up. However, my youngest child states he would give two thumbs up if it was minus the "green things" that he proceeds to pull out. He now knows that the "green things" are called basil and is now more apt to try them now that they grew in our garden.


Let us know what you think!

Happy Cooking (without too much heat!)

Christine



Summer Couscous Salad (Dairy)


2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups dry couscous (preferably whole wheat, if available)

16 ounces (approx. 2 cups) cherry, pearl or cherry heirloom tomatoes
8 ounces fresh mozarella (I use cherry size)
1/2 cup basil thinly sliced
1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Method:

In a medium sauce pan, add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add 2 cups of couscous. Stir well and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

Cut tomatoes in half.

Cut mozarella the same size as the tomatoes.
Thinly slice basil by stacking the leaves one on top of the other, rolling up and slicing across the leaves to make thin strips.

Add tomatoes, mozarella and basil to cooled couscous. Add olive oil and lemon juice to taste.

Serve at room temperature. Leftover salad from the refrigerator may need additional lemon added for moisture.

This salad is easy to adjust to your taste. For a variation, add toasted pine nuts.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Chocolate Cream Cheese Swirl Cake (Dairy)

Believe it or not, it has been forty-nine days since the first day of Passover and it is time to celebrate Shavuot. Traditional fare includes cheese blintzes, sour cream and cheesecakes, honey cakes, garden fresh vegetable soups or salads, and fruits, commonly the beginning of the season's best strawberries with whip cream.

A wonderful addition to your Shavuot dessert selection this year should include a Chocolate Cream Cheese Swirl Cake (page 218 in California Kosher ). I am quite fond of this delectable cake and its author, my beloved mother-in-law, Trana Labowe. She is truly a remarkable human being, an experienced Adat Ari El Sisterhood board member, and baker extraordinaire. Trana has served this memorable bundt or 9x13 at many a Labowe Rosh Hashana open house, Newport Beach Fourth of July celebration and will make it upon special request for her granddaughters, Jodi and Emily, who adore the incredible combination of chocolate and cheesecake.

What could be better than chocolate and cheesecake? I personally can't think of anything at the moment.

Enjoy!

Lena :)


Chocolate Cream Cheese Swirl Cake (Dairy)


1 package devil's food cake mix with pudding

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces




Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease or spray a bundt pan or 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.



Prepare devil's food cake batter according to package directions.

In medium mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, eggs and sugar. Add chocolate pieces.

Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Swirl cream cheese mixture into batter with a knife.

Bake 5 minutes less than package instructions.

Serves 10-12.



Wednesday, May 12, 2010

California Kosher

California Kosher was first published in 1991 with recipes submitted by members and friends of Adat Ari El.

All recipes and complete holiday menu suggestions comply with the laws of kashrut regarding the prohibited foods, restrictions on permitted foods, the preparation of meat, and the separation of meat and milk. Each recipe title carries a "Meat", "Dairy" or "Pareve" (neutral) designation to help the reader plan menus that comply with these laws. All recipes have been tripled tested and most are easy to prepare.

California Kosher reflects a merging of cuisines from everywhere in the world that Jews lived, combined with the dazzling variety of fresh foods available in California- while observing the traditional Jewish dietary laws.

Food has always played an important role in Jewish culture, for it is at the center of the Shabbat observance in the home each week and is equally important in celebrating the Jewish holidays.

California Kosher contains the Jewish "culinary classics" that are permanently woven into our collective culture and have been handed down from generation to generation. Whether you are beginning your odyssey into the rich heritage of Jewish cooking or have mastered the classics and want to branch out, this cookbook will serve as an inspiration and guide.

California Kosher is the fourth cookbook we have published; it follows Food for Goodness' Sake (1955), V.J.C.C. Cooks Tour (1959) and Flavored with Love (1973, 1977, 1980, 1987).


Share with us your California Kosher stories.

Welcome

Welcome to California Kosher Cooks!

Our blog stems from our successful cookbook California Kosher and a desire to share our community's love of cooking with others. Through our talented members and friends, we hope to bring California's unique cuisine style- lighter, healthier fare as well as our "Classics". All kosher, tasty and delicious.

Around here there isn't an event or meeting that doesn't involve food! Food plays an important role in our Jewish culture from Shabbat to holidays to making those school lunches. Our goal is to create a community that is passionate about food and has a desire to help each other make our everyday meals as meaningful as our celebrations.

We will share our events, special people and tips with you. However, as with any successful blog, we need to hear from you. Tell us your favorite recipes, comments and stories. If submitting a recipe, please follow the laws of kashrut and designate whether the recipe is "Meat", "Dairy" or "Pareve".

We are excited to enter this culinary journey with you,

Christine and Lena

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Who We Are

Adat Ari El, the oldest Jewish Congregation in California's San Fernando Valley, was founded in 1938 as the Valley Jewish Community Center. In 1939, a womens' auxiliary was organized. In 1948 the womens' auxiliary affiliated with the Women's League of Conservative Judaism, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of Jewish ideals and traditions. We now refer to ourselves as Adat Ari El's Sisterhood.


We have an active and vibrant Sisterhood with a membership of over 200 women. Our Sisterhood's creates fund-raising activities to support our synagogue's religious functions, Early Childhood Center, Day School, Religious School and Youth Department. We also support youth and adult education programs and for 49 years a weekly adult education program offering a selection of classes. Other important beneficiaries of our efforts include the state of Israel, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, the American Jewish University here in Los Angeles.


Our most successful fundraiser is California Kosher. We have sold over 65,000 copies worldwide! We thank you for helping us support our children, future rabbis and the state of Israel.