Tikkun Olam

I just read my daughter's RSD Blog, and although I had spoken to her about the 4th of July barbeque right after it was held at her Tel-Aviv apartment, and knew what had ensued, I was very moved by what she wrote about it, and decided to post it in it's entirety here.  This is my daughter, in a wheelchair for a year with a so-far incurable nerve disease called RSD/CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome), whose life changed in an instant due to a relatively minor car accident from "normal," to disabled, at the age of twenty-three. Please visit her blog, My Personal Battle with RSD .  Here is her 4th of July post. Perfection, Bliss, and a `whole’ lot of Soul… This past 4 th of July, I bore witness to the most beautiful and pure thing anyone could ever possibly view.  Some people might say that that is a bit extreme of a statement. These people are right. It is incredibly extreme. But, it is true. Imagine seeing a s...

I found this wonderful picture of a tall, cool glass of Limonana , several posts ago.  And it got me thirsty for that wonderful Israeli drink: lemonade with nana, or mint leaves.  There ain't nothin' like it for thirst-quenching during hot, dry (or humid) summer days, whether in Israel or elsewhere. So here's a recipe for you.  It makes approximately a 2-quart pitcher.  Enjoy! Limonana: 1 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best, but bottled works) 1 cup sugar About ¼ cup fresh mint leaves (to taste) + some extra sprigs (optional) 1 or 2 fresh lemons, skins well scrubbed (optional) and then sliced. Grape juice, cherry juice or Grenadine (optional) Chop up the ¼ cup of mint leaves and put in small pan with the sugar and 1 cup of the water. Bring to boil. (Alternately, pour one cup of boiling water over the mint leaves, let steep a minute or two, then add the cup of sugar). Put the mint/sugar mix and the cup of lemon juice in a 2 quart pitcher and add water t...