I have spoken often of the need to learn with ones own children and not outsource Torah learning to others. Most of the time when I express this in a Shiur or to friends in conversation  people tell me that they have no background and therefore other people must be hired to teach and be Torah role models for their children.

What I have not told them is that I was taught by parents with no background. Both my parents became religious during their college years and yet still made the time to learn with us. Whether it was Mishnayot  (Nezikin) with Kehati in English or Navi in Hebrew with English translation , learning with my parents was an important  part of my childhood.  I am grateful to my parents for that time but also for providing schooling so that I use Kehati to learn with my own children but without English translation : )

In Parshat Veyelech we read of the Mitzvah or Hakel. We are told to gather the men, women and children (Taf) to listen to the public reading of the Torah. Even the children who were not old enough to understand were gathered for this momentous occasion. While the classic answer given for why the children were brought was to give a reward for their parents for bringing them, I would like to suggest another approach. Telling your children that Torah is important is nice but demonstrating it to them is even better. Making Torah part of their home education shows them how important it is to you and not because of a grade. When it is part of your life from before you can even understand its importance it becomes the most important.

Taf (Toffee) Ice Cream

This ice cream has many more steps than usual.

Vanilla Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups of soy milk

3/4 cups sugar

1 can coconut cream

1 TB vanilla

1 shot of bourbon

Heat Milk and Sugar over stove until sugar is dissolved

Turn off flame. Add vanilla, cream and bourbon.

Chill Ice cream mixture overnight. Churn as per manufactures instructions

While ice cream is chilling make the Toffee

Toffee (from damndelicious.net) 

  • 1 cup whole almonds broken into pieces- not almond slices
  • 1 cup unsalted butter or margarine , cubed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup pecans, chopped

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. Spread almonds in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes; set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter/margarine, sugar vanilla and salt over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted and mixture is almond brown in color, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Immediately spread the hot caramel mixture evenly over the almonds. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. After 1-2 minutes, spread the chocolate chips in an even layer until smooth. Sprinkle with pecans.
  5. Let cool completely, about 2 hours. Break into small pieces

Once pieces are broken add into newly churned ice cream and then put ice cream in the freezer for 3 hours before serving