Tonight is the first night of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. I’ve been asked so many different interesting questions lately about the holiday that is quite well-known because of its proximity to Christmas, that I thought I would repeat my answers here. 

The first night of Chanukah is Tuesday, Dec. 20, and the last candle will be lit on Dec. 28. Photo by idovermani on flickr.

Chanukah may be one of the most well-known Jewish holidays, but it is hardly the most religiously significant. Chanukah celebrates the aftermath of a military victory by Jews (the Maccabees) who fought the religious oppression of Assyrian rule more than 2200 years ago. The Jews took back the holy Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated by the Assyrians, who had used it to worship idols and allowed farm animals to reside there. Chanukah celebrates a miracle — when the Maccabees wanted to light the menorah as part of the re-dedication, they could only find a tiny flask of oil, enough to light it for only one day. A miracle happened when the oil actually lasted for 8 days.  While the message of Chanukah is a beautiful one - one that celebrates faith, miracles, and dedication to our people and our traditions — the story is not found in Jewish scripture.

Work doesn’t stop on Chanukah, nor do other regular activities. I’ve been asked several times if I am going “home” for Chanukah (ie to be with family). We typically go “home” for the “major” holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Passover. This year my extended family will celebrate Chanukah together when it’s convenient, and probably we will do some blessings together over Skype; we are grateful to have plenty of local friends with whom we will share the holiday. Unlike other Jewish holidays, work doesn’t stop for Chanukah, and it doesn’t mean lengthy services at synagogue or observance at home. The main religious observance is lighting candles each night.

Yes, some people give gifts on Chanukah, but there is no one way to do it. Presents were not part of the Chanukah tradition until very recently, and mostly it is an American construct. Probably the biggest myth about Chanukah is that everyone gets eight presents - one every night. Every family has their own Chanukah gift-giving traditions — when I was growing up, I got a gift just about every night, but they weren’t all from my parents - one night the gift would be from a sibling, the next an aunt and uncle, etc. Some families do not give gifts at all – traditionally, children receive money for Chanukah, called “gelt.” Nowadays gelt is also given in the form of chocolate coins. Gift-giving is usually centered around children.

The dates we celebrate Chanukah never change. Yep, it’s true — Chanukah always starts on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev, but because the Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar calendar, the “English” date changes every year. Sometimes Chanukah isn’t even in December. This year it happens to take place very late in the Gregorian calendar and overlaps with Christmas.

There is not one “true” spelling of the holiday’s name. The name is a Hebrew word, meaning dedication, that has been transliterated into English. That’s why you’ll see the various spellings - Chanukah/Hanukkah/Hanukah. I believe it is Associated Press newspaper style to spell it “Hanukkah” but I prefer “Chanukah”.

We get to eat foods fried in oil on Chanukah — and they have zero calories. So I made that part up, but part of celebrating Chanukah customarily means eating latkes and other foods fried in oil, to remind us of the miracle of the oil lasting eight days. And let me just say that latkes are not potato pancakes — they’re much better! Jelly donuts are very popular in Israel; my daughter is convinced that we just need to eat French fries and we’re good.

(Disclaimer: these are my opinions. Some might disagree. Happy Chanukah to all who celebrate!)

Laura Weisskopf Bleill is the co-founder and editor of chambanamoms.com. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms(dot)com.

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By Laura Weisskopf Bleill

So about that post last week. Yes, my husband and I are two of those parents (if you haven’t already guessed) going through the kindergarten assignment lottery process in Champaign Unit 4 schools.

We consider ourselves “lucky.” We have two excellent “Proximity A” schools for our daughter, and we’ve hoping we’ll be able to send her to one of them. We have, they say, an 80 percent chance of getting that school. My husband — an avid horseplayer — was quick to remind me that those are some pretty good odds.

Credit: Colin_K on flickr

That said, I have another issue in which she won’t have good odds – and that’s having another Jewish child in her grade. Did I just say that out loud? Yes, I did. The truth of the matter is, this is one of my biggest concerns when it comes to placing my child into kindergarten.

Silly? Perhaps. As much as I can “control” managing our “best outcome” as much as possible within the school lottery system — the aforementioned 80 percent — I have absolutely zero control over it. Well, I guess I do. It’s not too late to move to Urbana!

Today I saw a Jewish friend who doesn’t ever have to fret about this issue. Why? Because she has twins. So her kids will always have another Jewish child – albeit their sibling — in class together. Jokes aside, it is a concern to both of us. And a conundrum not solved easily. Of course there are only so many of us in the community; I know of less than a dozen Jewish children who will be entering kindergarten in the fall throughout greater Champaign-Urbana.

So why am I worried about that? Well, there’s strength in numbers. But really, sometimes it’s hard enough to fit in without having to worry about being singled out because of something that makes you very different from everyone else. Not that she’ll be the only who is different, of course. And perhaps this is just an “insert your difference here” kind of issue. We’re not so unusual.

I know that my daughter is very proud of who she is, and has no problem telling the world. I guess I’m worried about the world not accepting her for who she is. Really it’s the fear of the unknown. As a child, I never had such problems. I went to a public school where Jews were the majority – an anomaly, to be sure.

You might be thinking, if it was so important to me that my kid have Jews in her class, than we should have moved to a bigger Jewish community. Of course, the odds would be better. But that’s not our reality. So I’m trying to work through these issues.

Perhaps they’re just a proxy to the deep-seeded uncertainty that many of us who are going through this process are feeling.

We all have the one thing that keeps us awake at night.

Now you know mine. What’s yours?

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, is already dreading next year’s winter holidays — and it’s not even March. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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By Laura Weisskopf Bleill

My dad’s family history is fascinating. Among the many interesting relatives and connections he has is a cousin who married an Indian princess in New Mexico’s Acoma Pueblo, and became the only known Jewish Indian chief in American history.

True story.

Solomon Bibo found a tribe that accepted him, but never lost sight of the tribe from which he came.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Solomon Bibo lately, about a man who managed to be secure and proud of his Jewish identity in the Wild, Wild West.

Some of the Bliss Mitvah girls. I promise we didn't all wear the same shirt.

OK, so I’m not about to compare my situation to Solomom Bibo. Champaign-Urbana has multiple thriving Jewish institutions and new babies (Mazel Tov) being born (two just this month!). We have a bounty of Passover food on the grocery shelves (any day now) and we don’t have to make our own gefilte fish (no carp in my bathtub, thank you).

I’m not exactly a pioneer. There have been Jews here for almost two centuries; I have a wonderful circle of Jewish friends here I love; and we have a rich Jewish life together. Anytime I get to be with my Jewish mom/female friends, it is incredibly energizing. (Boo to the snowstorm for forcing us to cancel our mom’s night out.)

But I have something Solomon Bibo didn’t have — the Internet. I have been able to extend my tribe wider than I could have ever imagined. I have met amazing Jewish women — mostly moms –through Twitter (you can find my personal Twitter at @chambanalaura), blogging, and other mediums. And many of them I’ve met “IRL” — in real life.

And if I’m perfectly honest about it, knowing that these women are out there helps immensely whenever I feel a twinge of isolation or need an outside opinion. They have enriched my life many times over.

Last week, many of my online Jewish mom friends had the opportunity to be together in one place at the same time, at the Blissdom Conference in Nashville. Last year when I went to Blissdom, I managed to find most (if not all) of the Jewish bloggers there. And afterwards, two of decided that we were determined to bring all of these women together this year. And we did.

We threw a party — with tons of food and wine — and called it our “Bliss Mitzvah.” Women from Seattle to Phoenix to Kansas City to Chicago to Austin to West Virginia to greater Washington to New York (OK, a lot of New Yorkers) gathered in one room and although some of them were complete strangers — it didn’t feel that way when we walked out the door.

Because connection, in this day and age, is rare. I’m of the opinion that the bigger my tribe, the better.

Have you found your tribe?

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, will be throwing her hat in the ring as a tribal chief soon.  She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

The Christmas season is a funny thing when you don’t celebrate it. On the one hand, it can be irritating. People constantly wishing me to enjoy a religious holiday that is of a contrary faith, no matter where I turn … at the grocery store, at the flu clinic, at the coffee shop …

Santa and the Bleills, Christmas Eve 2008

On the other hand, the hoopla is fun. I love the lights. People are in better moods. There is good food to eat and people have lots of parties. But what I love most is the true spirit of giving that is pervasive … a generosity of time, resources, and good cheer. There are stories like this one, where are a blogger decides to give out a few gift cards to random people who needed them — and how her readers stepped in to donate more than $40,000 and helped more than 450 people. It is heartwarming, indeed.

In my old age I don’t mind when strangers say “Merry Christmas” to me anymore. Depending on the situation, sometimes I’ll nod and say, “Same to you.” If I have any sort of relationship with a person where I know I will see them again, I will tell her or him that I am Jewish. Much of the time I just smile and walk away.

When the children are with me, it’s a fine line. It is still confusing to my 4-year-old that people would wish us a Merry Christmas — or ask her what she wants Santa to bring her — when we don’t celebrate the holiday. It’s kind of like asking a woman if she is pregnant: if you don’t know for sure, don’t ask.

I’ve written about my child’s questions about Santa before. This year she’s a year older and she sees it a bit differently. One day she asked me: Mommy, why does Santa wear the same thing every day?

The next day it was: Is Santa real? So, I answered: Santa is real to the children and adults who believe in him. But we don’t celebrate Christmas, so we don’t believe in him.

I do believe that Santa has the power to do good, and I have proof. If you’re wondering what that picture above is all about, let me tell you. It’s the only time I’m aware of that I’ve had my picture taken with Santa.

My youngest daughter was born on Dec. 22, and we left the hospital on Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve. Santa and some of his elves – firefighters from a nearby community, I can’t remember which one now — were on the maternity floor at Carle Foundation Hospital passing out gifts to newborn babies, and any siblings that happened to be around.

It was a happy yet stressful time for all of us, getting ready to bring a new baby home, in the very cold night of winter.

But Santa provided some comic relief. And, very generously, my elder daughter’s very first Barbie doll. Every Christmas Eve since, I have thought of that special Santa, and how he helped us that night.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, wishes Santa a safe trip down many Chambana chimneys this Christmas. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

So, let’s get this straight, people. I’ve heard some friends of mine — whose children celebrate Christmas — say that they’re jealous of my kids, who get eight days of Chanukah. Well, that’s some fuzzy math. I mean, what happened to the 12 days of Christmas? Isn’t there a song about that?

Well, I didn’t get much for Chanukah this year. My husband and I don’t exchange gifts, preferring to spend our money on nice meals out together or, preferably, a vacation to Florida over the winter. So I’ve been thinking about the 12 days of Christmas song … and what I would want, of course, if Santa came down my chimney (uh-oh, I think I’m mixing up traditions).

The 12 Days of Christmas, a wish list

A trip to Florida sounds just lovely right now. Photo by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … an iPad with 3G.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … Five Golden RINGS! (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Starbucks gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love game to me … Six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … Seven Saints fried cheese, six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … Eight maids to clean my house, Seven Saints fried cheese, six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … Nine ladies nights out, eight maids to clean my house, Seven Saints fried cheese, six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … 10 lunches at Luna, Nine Ladies nights out, eight maids to clean the house, Seven Saints fried cheese, six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me … 11 Krannert Center concerts, 10 lunches at Luna, Nine ladies nights out, eight maids to clean the house, Seven Saints fried cheese, six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me … 12 Spa Envy facials, 11 Krannert Center concerts, 10 lunches at Luna, Nine ladies nights out, eight maids to clean the house, Seven Saints fried cheese, six trips swimming in Florida, five GOLDEN RINGS (why change that one?), four bowl game tickets, three French cheeses, two Aroma Cafe gift cards and an iPad with 3G.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, swears that no geese were harmed in the writing of this post. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

On Monday night, we achieved a first in the Weisskopf-Bleill household: Chanukah candelighting by Skype.

Although we enjoyed a family Chanukah party complete with cousins and grandparents while we were in the suburbs for Thanksgiving, it wasn’t the same as we weren’t together during the actual holiday (I giggled through our faux candlelighting, sorry Mom). But thanks to technology, we were able to bridge the 160-mile gap this year.

Lighting candles while skyping with the grandparents: a new Chanukah tradition. Photo by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

Through the computer, we sang the same prayers (off-key, of course) and the grandparents watched the children’s eyes light up as the candles went aglow. It was the next best thing to being next door — or something like that.

Technology was a major part of our Chanukah celebration this year. Who hasn’t seen the amazing Maccabeats song “Candlelight” on YouTube (up to more than 2 million hits and counting)? Of course last week I already wrote about our affinity for Chanukah music on satellite radio (oddly enough, we never heard the Maccabeats song there)!

I doubt that our Skype candlelighting had as much of an impact on my daughters, especially the little one. In her world, Skype is a household word, a regular occurrence. Sometimes it’s a bit jarring for her to see certain people in real life that she usually only sees on a MacBook screen. She’s not yet 2, but she knows the cast of characters we chat with on a regular basis — and often takes the time to make it known who she wants to see.

But our impromptu sharing of candlelighting via teleconference really made the holiday for me. We were able to share our joy — and our children’s joy — with two of the people who love them most. We shared a moment, but more importantly we made a memory — a memory no different than one if we had been in their living room.

Really, that’s what the holidays are all about — sharing them with the ones you love, no matter how far apart you may be. These days, we’re a little closer than I ever imagined possible.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, has been known to Skype friends across the country — and across Mattis Avenue.  She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

“This is a song, that uh, there’s a lot of X-Mas songs out there, but not too many about Hanukkah, so I wrote a song for all those nice little Jewish kids who don’t get to hear any Hanukkah songs–here we go…” – Adam Sandler, intro to The Hanukkah Song

A few years ago my husband got hooked on satellite radio. At first, it was a holiday gift, but it has remained in our cars ever since. My husband gets to listen to Reds baseball games wherever we are, and I get to play decent kids music that doesn’t make me want to cause bodily harm — without having to upload it to my iPod.

But I’ve learned that the best part of being a satellite radio subscriber — in my opinion — comes around for eight days every year. For the eight days of the Jewish Festival of Lights, satellite radio co-opts one of its channels and renames it “Radio Hanukkah.” It is all Jewish music, around the clock for the duration of the holiday.

This might seem strange. After all, there isn’t one single Chanukah television special for kids being broadcast nationally, while there are multiple Christmas specials on the boob tube every day though the end of the month. Aren’t there a lot of Jews in Hollywood?

Radio Hanukkah is on XM Radio Channel 28 from now until Dec. 9.

Well, there may not be a lot of Chanukah on TV, but there is certainly plenty of music to fill the airwaves of Radio Hanukkah. It is a hodgepodge of genres, from traditional melodies to rap to choral to pop to even Gospel.

Of course as you know Christmas music is ubiquitous. You can’t fall down without hearing it in restaurants, stores, and even the doctor’s waiting room. You can find it locally on 92.5 The Chief, 24/7 over the air.

Now we have a channel all our own — if only for eight days and nights. And I can say that it is having a lasting impact on my 4-year-old daughter, and it’s only been on for one day. She is well aware of the difference between the radio and music we play. To have a channel on the radio playing Chanukah music, for her, is no big deal. And that’s the way it should be. Of course to me, it’s still — after five years — a novelty.

Last night, as we pulled into our driveway after coming home from a synagogue Chanukah party, she asked me in her sweetest voice, “Mommy, can we stay here and finish this song?” I have a feeling I’ll be spending a lot of time in the garage over the remaining days of the holiday. And I’m more than OK with that.

Thank you Radio Hanukkah, for helping our family create lasting holiday memories in my minivan.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, swears she doesn’t work for Radio Hanukkah. If she did, it would be spelled CHANUKAH. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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By Laura Weisskopf Bleill

I don’t remember hearing anything about a conflict between being Jewish and celebrating Halloween as a child. But these days, we get an earful about how celebrating Halloween isn’t compatible with being Jewish. One rabbi who put this very succinctly wrote: “Halloween, unlike Thanksgiving, plainly has in its origins religious beliefs that are foreign to Judaism, and whose beliefs are prohibited to us as Jews.” I know there are other religions or sects that raise objections to Halloween celebrations as well.

But as someone who views Judaism through a more liberal lens, I don’t subscribe to this opinion. I enjoyed another rabbi’s take on the holiday, who believes that rather than abandoning the secular holiday, we “infuse it with some meaning of our own.” When it comes down to it, I can’t think of a good reason to prevent my children from taking part in the annual festivities. I mean, who doesn’t love dressing up and getting free stuff?

Earlier this year I wrote about Purim, a spring holiday which celebrates religious freedom. It also involves dressing up and getting sweets. Although Halloween has very little in common with Purim other than costumes, I think about it when I am faced with these sorts of “dilemmas.” Purim is all about how the Jews come to survive living, pardon the cliche, as strangers in a strange land. Consciously or unconsciously, we make decisions about how to instill meaningful Jewish values into our children’s lives that sometimes means going against the grain of what’s popular, traditional or socially acceptable.

Ironically, I believe that my daughter’s choice of a costume for this Halloween shows how she has absorbed some of the lessons she has learned from religious school and from home.

A superhero by any other name? credit: nestor galina, flickr

She will be Fire Girl, a superhero she “invented” who is her alter ego at school. (We believe she is actually a take off on Firestar, Spiderman’s girlfriend, but we’re not correcting her – she’s 4.) Fire Girl is not violent and doesn’t hurt people with her unique power. Rather, she helps anyone in need — literally putting out fires.

One of the highlights of my daughter’s  religious school classroom is talking about mitzvot, or good deeds, that the children performed during the past week. That Fire Girl is all about being helpful and giving perhaps is no accident — or at least that’s what I would like to believe! As it turns out, many of the most ubiquitous superheroes were created by Jewish people (Superman, Batman, Captain America, and Spiderman among others).

On Sunday, Fire Girl will be waiting at home until the afternoon.  There won’t be a costume parade, a “trunk or treat” event or (G-d forbid!) a haunted house at religious school. Halloween, we’re reminded, just isn’t Jewish. And you know what? That’s OK. For a few hours, we’re going to forget all about it while we go about our typical Sunday morning activities of art, music, stories, and giving tzedakah (charity).

But later in the evening, we will attend a Halloween party and go trick or treating with friends. The party host and many of the guests are Jewish.

So I guess we’ll have a “Jewish” Halloween after all. And you know what? That’s OK, too.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, will be dressing her as her favorite Jewish superhero — Golda Meir — for Halloween. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

It was a sunny but crisp fall afternoon Sunday — the kind of day you wish you could bottle up and clone during the long winter ahead.

There we were, my family and I, gathered in a park-like setting all together – a rarity these days. It was a fitting day to honor a beautiful, remarkable woman.

Over the weekend we observed the graveside ceremony to “unveil” my grandmother’s headstone and formally dedicate it — another custom that is part of the Jewish burial traditions. It typically occurs within the first year following a death.

The brief ceremony includes a literal “unveiling,” as the marker is covered by a cloth or shroud. The ceremony begins with the actual uncovering of the headstone by one of the close family members, most often a child or sibling. It includes the recitation of psalms; family members are invited to speak, and the kaddish (memorial prayer) is chanted.

It has been six months since my grandmother died. By some measures time has stood still; I still feel her presence with me.

By other measures it feels like an eternity. We have observed many milestones in that time – our first Mother’s Day without her.  Her birthday. The Jewish High Holidays.

And then there were just the random family gatherings where her absence was felt just by counting — and re-counting — the number of chairs we needed at a meal.

I have gone through most of the “standard” stages of grief — denial, anger, sadness. But I also have endured another one — guilt and self-flagellation.

If I’m honest with myself, I know that I have repressed a lot of my grief. For one thing, I felt like a spoiled brat. How lucky was I to have had such a wonderful role model and loving, caring, engaged grandmother in my life – for so long?

So the unveiling served another symbolic purpose, one I hope that I’ll remember for awhile. I know that it’s time for me to stop hiding my grief, for my own sanity — and to be a good role model for my own children. I also know it’s time for me to stop feeling guilty for that grief.

Another Jewish custom is to leave a marker when one visits a grave. Typically it is a rock or a stone, but we leave pennies — a family tradition since my grandfather passed away. Before we left her graveside, I placed four pennies by her name, one for each member of our family.

Seeing those pennies together was reminder of how much she loved all of us — my daughters, my husband, myself. As I turned away, my heart felt lighter than it has in months.

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, is feeling guilty for being such a Debbie Downer. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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by Laura Weisskopf Bleill

So last week in my column about not eating, I teased that this week I was going to feature the challah french toast casserole dish that I usually make for break the fast. But first, let’s explain Break the Fast — it is a communal dinner that customarily follows the end of Yom Kippur.

Voila! (Photos by Laura Weisskopf Bleill)

Most healthy adult Jews will fast on Yom Kippur, (that might be how they observe the holiday); kids, the infirm and elderly among others are exempt. So the break the fast dinner is just how it sounds – it’s a dinner where everyone breaks their fasts — or goes to hang out even if they didn’t fast.

Since we are breaking the fast, it is a custom to have breakfast-type fare. That often means bagels, lox and cream cheese; sometimes it is more of a brunch-style menu, although there’s no one way to do a break the fast meal.

Several years ago I was at a break the fast where someone had brought a french toast casserole. I made it my mission to find a recipe for this yummy brunch dish. I found the original recipe for the following dish on allrecipes.com, but I have tweaked it somewhat. This is a great dish for when you’re having company over for brunch or even if you have to feed a lot of kids sleeping over – make it the night before and put it in the oven to bake the next morning.

Most of the ingredients for the challah french toast casserole. (Not pictured: Nutmeg)

Challah French Toast Casserole

Ingredients:
1 large challah (I get mine from Great Harvest in Champaign)
3 medium/large apples (I used honeycrisp from Curtis Orchard)
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk (skim or 2 percent)
1 T vanilla extract
8 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Optional sauce (you don’t need this, but it makes it extra sweet and gooey)
ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 t vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Cut the bread into 1 inch slices and layer in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan. In a large bowl, beat egss with 1 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup white sugar, and 1 T vanilla. Pour mixture over bread slices.

2. Peel, core and slice the apples. Arrange the apple slices on top of the bread. Combine the cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle over the apple slices. Cover with foil. Refrigerate if not putting in the oven right away.

I use this little device to peel, slice and core the apples.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake toast covered for 1 hour 20 minutes. Meanwhile, if you want to do the optional caramel sauce , combine all the ingredients into a small saucepan and heat until thick. Serve casserole hot with warm sauce (if desired).

Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, is feeling guilty for not writing about this week’s Sukkot holiday. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.

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