Presence

This Pretty Much Sums Up Judaism

Q. Did Hillel really make a sandwich in the times of the Beit ha-Mikdash?

A. No. Otherwise a ‘sandwich’ would be called a ‘hillel’ since he predated the famed Earl by over a millennium. Seriously, though, Hillel had it right. He wrapped (‘korech’) his matza around some marror and some korban Pesach. Clearly, his matza was soft and flexible. The Mishna’s marror was lettuce. Thus, he basically took a lafa and put on some lettuce and roast lamb, wrapped it up, and chowed down. We commemorate this by eating horseradish on a cracker and saying “This is what Hillel did”, on the very night that we ostensibly preserve and transmit our collective memory.

From AddeRabbi’s Pesach FAQ.

Erev Pesach on Shabbos

For those of you who missed part one of R. Gottlieb's Shabbos HaGadol drasha, check out R. Alfred Cohen's article from the RJJ Journal entitled Erev Pesach On Shabbat.

Baltimore Hatzalah Makes The News

Baltimore's Hatzalah made the news yesterday responding to an accident near Fallstaff and Reisterstown Rds. A woman was trapped between her minivan and another car, and was later rescued by fire firefighters. Hatzalah was first on the scene and provided support. The woman suffered minor injuries, everyone else is ok. WJZ has a story on the incident, including brief video footage; the Baltimore Sun has an article as well.

Kosher Subway Opens Today

Baltimore's Kosher Subway is open today. A private preview gathering was held last Thursday night, Peninah and I were fortunate enough to attend along with mostly Star-K employees and friends of the owners, and I got a chance to sample some of Subway's sandwiches. I was very impressed, especially by the breads and the selection of toppings.

Many people have remarked to me that they think Subway will have a tough time competing with other local delis like Accents and The Knish Shop. While I agree that they will face competition, from what I've seen Subway does have some unique aspects to it that set it apart:

• parve cheeze


• a wide assortment of breads and toppings (the garlic bread is amazing)


• the Subway name (which doesn't matter much to frum Jews, but will bring non-frum business)


• a very nice and spacious location, with free wifi


• items not available at other locations, such as the meatball sub with cheeze

As such, I think there's plenty of room for a kosher Subway in the local market.

In the interests of full disclosure, I'd like to make it clear that I've received no compensation from Subway (other than the free samples I got last night). I like the food and I like the fact that mainstream American franchises are going kosher. I had kosher Cinnabon and Subway this week; I think it's a signal of where things are going, and I hope it continues.

View Larger Map

Kosher Bed and Breakfast Opens in Ocean City

Steffi's Place is a new kosher Bed and Breakfast located in Ocean City, MD. The B&B is owned and operated by Stephanie and Andy Becker of Baltimore, and is located one block from the Chabad of Ocean City, and is open year round. Service includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, certified by R. Y. Zvi Weiss of Baltimore. The menu looks quite diverse, and there is mention of scotch on Shabbos, which is always a plus.

A one-day stay at Steffi's Place is $109 per person; they also have a Thursday-Sunday Shabbos package which is $325 per person (keep in mind this includes all meals). For reservations, visit their website.

Letter to Yeshivat Rambam Parents

The following letter was sent out to the Yeshivat Rambam parent body today. It contains a more complete outline of the evalution process and the work of the visioning committee, along with a summary of the conclusions and decisions. It's a very clear and concise summary of what was presented at the meeting; it does not address any of the questions that have been raised since the meeting, but does lay out the process and rationale behind the decision that abrogates some of those questions.