Orlah Update: Sivan 5778

This post is a follow up to the Kashrut for New Olim post. If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out -- there's important information there! 

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES in Israel - Specific Kashrut Issues

Unlike in other parts of the world, in Israel, fruits and vegetables are NOT automatically "kosher" - here we need to make sure that they are not "orlah" fruits (harvested during a tree's first 3 yrs, with other rules applying to year 4) and that trumot and ma'asrot have been taken (from both fruits and vegetables). 

If you shop at a market that doesn't have an ishur kashrut (kosher certification) on their produce, you'll need to investigate these issues further, if you are interested in adhering to the halachot of the Land of Israel OR if you regularly host people who assume the food in your home is kosher! I must say that it's important to familarize yourself with these special halachot, as they are part of keeping kosher in Israel! (If you say you keep Kosher in Israel, everyone assumes that you have taken care of these issues; and if you don't, then you may be unwittingly putting someone in a situation they don't want to be in!) 

It's definitely possible to take trumot and maasrot on your own (I do it often), so vegetables are easiest to buy without a teudah, as that is all you need to do (and very often, it would be without a bracha). Some of the fruits on the market may be ok to purchase even from a non-certified establishment and just take trumot and maasrot, because of the extremely low percentage of orlah fruits being sold, but those lists change frequently, so you'll constantly need to stay up-to-date.

Other fruits can be a problem, because of a high possibility that they are orlah (from the first 3 yrs after the tree was planted). I have recently begun to post a monthly update on my website, with a list of the fruits where the percentage of orlah fruits on the open market is greater than 0.5%. These fruits should only be bought from a reputable source that does not sell orlah fruits (i.e. a place with a teudah):

ORLAH Update for Sivan 5778

Fruits to AVOID buying without a teudah:

• Avocado - Haas, and Reid varieties
• Blueberries
• Peach - Flat Yellow, "White Spring", Oded, Large Round White
• Lemon
• Apricot
• Nectarine - several varieties of yellow and white
• Seedless grapes: Green
• Seeded grapes: Black, Muscat
• Papaya
• Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)
• Prickly Pear (Sabra Fruit)
• Starfruit
• Passionfruit
• Plum - Wickson variety
• Valencia Oranges

Please be sure to speak with your personal Halachic Authority about purchasing fruit in Israel without a teudah. Not everyone holds by the 0.5% threshold, and there are differences of opinion about certain fruits and whether they are subject to Orlah. This information is just for informational purposes and is not a halachic psak! Even if you follow a psak that relies on the 0.5% threshold, you still must take trumot and maasrot on all produce grown in Israel (or be sure it has been taken), in order to fulfill your halachic obligations.

Also, be aware that this list does NOT apply to fruit grown by an individual. If your friend has a fruit tree, you'll need to find out how old it is! 

I hope you find this helpful! Please follow my Facebook page and don't miss out on updates and other posts!

Extra iHerb Savings!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!  I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current deal: Get ready for summer with a 10% extra discount off your next order! Please note that this coupon is limited to one order per customer and ends May 23rd at 10:00 am PST. Don't miss out! Be sure click on this link to activate the discount! If you see that it's not active, just add these two codes to your cart: QEJ101 and ISTEN to activate your one-time 10% discount. If you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method, it arrives really quickly)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the left-hand side of the page. Check out my Shipping Saver suggestions, too! Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense? I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above. Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb: Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge) Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!) Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!) Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive) Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in! EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!) Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying") Witch Hazel (it's really difficult to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products) Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town! Brown Rice Pasta (I only buy these when they're on sale though. Great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale going on) Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!) Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)! Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child) Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!) Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative. I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice. Let me know what your favorite deals are! Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!

Housewares,Toys, and Gifts from Iwoot!

(This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!)

Iwoot is an awesome site to shop, especially for those of us here in Israel. They ship internationally from their UK site, and international delivery fees are generally very cheap - often just 99pence. Heavy items may be more expensive to ship, though, so check before you buy!

Here are some of my favorite Iwoot deals. Please keep in mind that sales are subject to change, so if you're catching this post late, prices posted here may not be accurate.

Keep in mind, that currently you can order up to $75 worth of items from overseas tax-free. Today, that comes to approximately £55 (May 14, 2018 - check before you buy for the up-to-date exchange rate!).

7-piece Towel Sets (100% cotton) for £16.99

9 piece towel sets (100% cotton) for £21.99

Brio Magnetic Blocks for £14.99 - a really excellent gift!

Gift Items 3 for £20.00 - this list changes all the time, and some things are super kitchy. But other things are super fun! Check it out!

Kitchen gadgets and appliances from the UK are all the right voltage for Israel, and IWOOT has great prices for items when there's a sale! Be sure to compare with local prices before buying - some will save you as much as 50%, and others won't actually be different. But it's always worth a look!
Take this French Press Coffee Maker as an example - it's £12.99, and here you'll be hard pressed to find one for less than 99 NIS, and it won't be as nice as this one!

Legos are always a favorite, and the prices on IWOOT by and large represent HUGE savings over the prices found here in Israel. It's definitely worth checking them for Lego deals if you're planning to buy any!

I know that Playmobil seems to be really popular with young kids here, so be sure to check Iwoot's Playmobil deals! It could save you a LOT!

I hope this post helps you find some great deals when you're shopping!
Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you're ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!



--- Retrieved from https://www.kosherfrugal.com/ ---
Have a great day!

Shabbat Menu

I haven't blogged a Shabbat Menu in a really, really long time.

I don't even know if I should be blogging Shabbat menus... but one of my children said it was really good back when I blogged menus, because it helped them prepare. (My kids don't exactly like surprises!)

And this week we had enough things that threw us off and disrupted our routine, even though we didn't actually have sirens in Katzrin, just lots of commotion. We had just enough tension in the air that no one felt like anything was normal and everyone was just waiting to find out what surprise awaited ahead...

So I'm having some mercy on my surprise-averse, need-to-know-what's-coming children, and I'll give them the Shabbat Menu. Since it is, after all, one of the very few things I can actually control in life. Despite the fact that kids often ascribe superpowers to their Moms, I have come to realize that there is almost nothing I can control around here...

Like: I cannot control when there will be a siren alerting us to incoming rockets (read: missiles) headed our way, and I cannot control the fact that the skies sometimes get filled with military aircraft... and on a more normal level, I can't control my kids' friends, who can sometimes act in a not-so-friendly way, and I can't control who wins a contest, or who missed the bus, or who caught a cold, or who got a mosquito bite in THE most annoying place.

Heck, I can't even control the a/c - it died a sudden death last week. And it took a bit of time to get it fixed and even then, for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to reset the remote control! (Talk about not being able to control things...)

So, back to the one thing I can control.

The Shabbat Menu

This week's Shabbat Menu is heavily influenced by whatever we happen to have in the house, as it was a "not doing much shopping" sort of week. Because last week I may have bought too much food, and as a result, I minimized the shopping this week.

Spelt Challah (using a variation of this recipe, only I'm going to use White Spelt Flour, because I cannot control my family's preference for White Challah AT ALL, and I am giving in - they can have whole grain breads during the week and I'll indulge and make them White Challah for Shabbat!) - and some challah rolls for seudah shlishit 

Orange Vegetable Soup I scored a piece of pumpkin and butternut squash and carrots for 2 shekels/kg, so why not?

Spicy Roast Chicken with Rice (for Fri. night and for lunch. Who needs variety on a week like this anyway?)

Vegetarian Rice for my favorite vegetarian teenager

Roast Sweet Potatoes - probably the spicy kind (for Fri. night)

Potato Kugel recipe here (for Fri. night and for lunch. Because despite what our friend Shimshon says about kugel, because he has something against kugel, MY kugel does not give people heartburn! And for certain members of my family, kugel is THE flavor of Shabbat - not zchug, Shimshon. Just not! Yeah, I guess that makes us very, very Ashkenazi. But I think you might have known that already!)

Cut Veggies

Cabbage Salad

Black Bean Cholent vegan, but non-vegans like it too! (to be served at lunch)

Cinnamon Cake  made the easy, vegan way (for desserts)

Banana Coconut Cake the best way to use up overripe bananas (this will be served at kiddush - we host a minyan in our house - and yes, it's the Ashkenaz minyan. Don't tell me you're surprised, please!)

I usually also make hard boiled eggs, a pot of pasta or a pot of boiled potatoes, for turning into egg salad and pasta or potato salad for seudah shlishit. If I don't get around to that, we'll have whatever we can find (peanut butter and jelly, anyone?)!

What's on your Shabbat menu? Anything exotic? Or are you also sticking to the familiar to make sure you feel like your feet are on the ground?

Extra iHerb Savings!

This post contains my iHerb referral link. You'll save money using it (even existing customers), and I may be compensated by iHerb. It won't cost you extra - but it WILL save you money!  I've promised to share iHerb deals whenever I hear about them, so none of you will miss out on the extra savings! So here's the current deal: Save 10% off any iHerb brand item with this "unpublished" sale when you click on this link!! Or enter these two codes at checkout to take advantage of this sale: QEJ101 and HBTEN -- this sale is good from now until Wed, May 16 at 10am PST. Don't miss out! If you use Shipping Savers, you can get really affordable shipping, even if you choose DHL Express shipping (I highly recommend this shipping method, it arrives really quickly)! You can sort for Shipping Savers on iHerb by clicking the Shipping Saver checkbox on the left-hand side of the page. Check out my Shipping Saver suggestions, too! Not sure if shopping at iHerb makes sense? I shop there pretty often, as you may already know. I find it makes life easier for me - not only do they make it easy to find some "hard to find" products my family needs (like fragrance free shower products), but I save a significant amount of money on things like vitamins and probiotics. So many products are definitely less expensive at iHerb than at my local stores, and shipping is VERY affordable as I mentioned above. Here are some of the things I like to buy at iHerb: Palm Oil (this eco-friendly version is not available in Israel at all, and is perfect for making frosting or fudge) Magnesium Tablets (these and many other supplements are quite pricey in Israel and iHerb is a great way to save!) Stash Teas (I buy these when they are on sale, as the sale price comes out to less than the lowest price I can find herbal teas for locally, and these are just SO MUCH HIGHER quality than teas I can find for an affordable price!) Vitamin D (so many people are deficient, it turns out! And my doctor prescribed a rather high dose, and what's sold here is very low dose and more expensive) Probiotics are far less expensive from iHerb than any I've found in Israel, and they don't weigh much! Many of these are "shipping savers" - so they'll lower your shipping costs for the whole order if you add them in! EO shower gel (we like this kid friendly all-in-one shower product that doesn't irritate our skin!) Ricola throat drops (these work out to be only slightly less expensive than the local price, so I use them as a "filler" product, never as my "reason for buying") Witch Hazel (it's really difficult to find witch hazel products locally, and if you love witch hazel, you'll be thrilled with iherb's price. This one is a toner with alcohol in it - some people like the alcohol in it, but if you don't, they also have plenty of no-alcohol witch hazel products) Coffee Filters (unbleached) - I can find the #4 size locally, but I use the #2 size, and can't always find unbleached, and it's so easy to order it, rather than running around town! Brown Rice Pasta (I only buy these when they're on sale though. Great for people who don't eat wheat! The local equivalent is more expensive unless there's an amazing sale going on) Grapefruit Seed Extract (similar product, 1/4 of the size, cost more than twice as much at my health food store, and many people are convinced this keeps colds away,!) Essential Oils (I use them in homemade cleaners) - for a fraction of the price here in Israel! Yes, they are real and natural (and very importantly, not an MLM)! Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (for my soy allergic child) Calendula Cream (so soothing and wonderful for eczema!) Aquaphor Ointment - impossible to buy locally! When it's not available, you might find CeraVe to be a good alternative. I also regularly check the Specials Page to see if products I use are on sale and work out to a better deal thru iHerb during a sale, and I also occasionally will order a hard-to-find spice. Let me know what your favorite deals are! Don't get surprised by import taxes! If you are ordering items from overseas, be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent personal import regulations!

Attractions - Indoors, Outdoors - EVERYTHING Discounted!

(This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission when you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!) 

Kosherfrugal.com has teamed up with Janglo to bring you all the best savings in the country! I love being able to bring you the best of Groupon's deals - this post is all about Entertainment and Attractions - SAVE big with Groupon deals!

Terms and conditions can change at any time, so if you want a deal, buy it right away! Vouchers vary from slight discounts to 50% off or more:

U-pick:

Strawberry Picking (Kadima)

Strawberry Picking in Hod Hasharon

Giv'a Farm Experience (includes strawberry picking, tractor rides, and more!)


Museums:

Neanderthal Museum


Water Fun:

Chof Gai Water Park (Teverya)

Shefayim Water Park

Yamit 200 Water Park + Spa Package

Kinneret Water Sports

Top Rope Park and/or Kayaking in Kfar Blum

Dag-al-HaDan Kayaking

Sailing in Eilat

Water Sports Combo tickets (Eilat)

Leonardo Club, Eilat Water Park

Swimming Passes at Yaar Yerushalayim for 40% off 

Beit Taylor Swim Passes for up to 38% off

Breakfast & Swim Pass for the Jerusalem Yearim Hotel

Swim, Spa, and Eat (choose breakfast or lunch) at the Crown Plaza Jerusalem

Spa Day and Swim at the Ruth Rimonim in Tsfat, (optional meal package)

Extreme Fun (Ice skating, Ropes Courses, Rapelling, Paragliding, and More):

Paragliding (Sharon Region)

Top Rope Park and/or Kayaking in Kfar Blum

Extreme Park at Montfort Lake (Maalot)

Ice Skating (Maalot)

Ice Skating in Eilat 

Urban Climbing in Rechovot (does not include rental fee for climbing shoes)

Urban Climbing in Kiryat Malachi

Hot Air Balloon Rides in TA 

Zoos & Petting Zoos:

 Agam Chai Yiron

Giv'a Farm Experience (includes strawberry picking, tractor rides, and more!)

The Monkey Shelter

Reptile Center, Katzrin

Havat Gan Eden, Be'er Yaakov

Haifa Zoo


Indoor Play:

My Jump Haifa

2Jump in Ashdod

SkyJump in Ra'anana

JumpPark in Rishon

2Jump in Netanya

JumpPark Netanya

Shachmatipus -- Climbing Wall in Kiryat Malachi

Urban Climbing in Rechovot (does not include rental fee for climbing shoes)

The Green Bear Club Jaffa Port

Hachalal Hamuflah, Netanya

Astrokid, Gan Shmuel (toddler play)

Astrokid, Gan Shmuel, Arcade games

Partyland in Atlit, up to 61% off

Kids Land in Karmiel - Up to 44% off admission

Bowling (8 different locations)


Nature/Outdoor Activities:

Hot Air Balloon Rides, Tel Aviv

Neot Kedumim Park

Donkey-drawn Carriages (Eilat)

Agri-Circus

Beit Oren "Fun Day" (Horseback Riding, "Tomcar" ride) 

Ein Gedi Botanical Gardens

Agam Nitzanim (Ashdod)

Park Timna 

Pedal Boating at Park HaYarkon

Yacht Outing from Tel Aviv

Segway Tours in Jaffa/Zichron/Ashdod


Shows:

Touch The Magic: Safranov Brothers. Choose your dates carefully - some dates listed are on Shabbat or Shavuot!

Stand Up Factory in Tel Aviv (choose carefully, and click on "more options" to see all of the available options. Some deals are for Friday night and some are for after Shabbat)

HaBimah Theater tix (choose which show)

Virtual Reality:

Funtasy Goal + 7D movie in Eilat

Virtual Reality in Kiryat Motzkin

Virtual Reality in Ramat Yishai


Group Fun (Karaoke, Escape Rooms, Laser Tag and More:


Target Tag (Ramat Gan)

Airsoft Game in Eilat

Beat Box Karaoke Room (Kfar Saba) 

Speak On (Karaoke in Rishon)

Discount games at Laser Tag Planet, Haifa

Maimonides Puzzle Room (book with code Kosherfrugal for 10% off)

"Out of the Box" Escape Room (Tel Aviv)

"Stargate" Escape Room (Jerusalem)

Spa Day:

Spa Day at Gai Beach Hotel in Tiberias

Spa Day at Spa Village Resort at Hamat Gader

Spa Day at the Teverya Hot Springs (Chamei Teverya)

Spa Day at the Crown Plaza Jerusalem

Spa Day at the Crown Plaza Dead Sea

Swim, Spa, and Eat (choose breakfast or lunch) at the Crown Plaza Jerusalem

Spa Day and Swim at the Ruth Rimonim in Tsfat, (optional meal package)

Spa Day and use of the health club at the Ramada Netanya

Spa Day at the Carlton Nahariya

If you're planning a vacation, check out these tips before you get started!

Be sure to check eLuna for discount restaurant vouchers AND click here for Groupon restaurant deals!

Be sure to follow my blog on Facebook to get more deals!

Enjoy!