Happy Day-after-Pesach!

I spent much of the day leaving smug messages on friend's in the states voicemails about the fact that we were already eating bread and going out for pizza over here. Not really, but I thought about it.

What I did spend much of the day doing is baking Shlissel Challah. This is the challah that is baked for the Shabbat after Pesach. Tradition says that if you put the key ("shlissel" in Yiddish)to your front door in one of the challahs, it is a "segulah" [good omen?--trouble with an exact translation for that one] for parnasa, or income for the year.

I have a feeling lots of us will be baking challah this year.

Isaac and I are very blessed. After his company went belly-up in November, he [Thank G-d] recently began working again. But we have several friends and many acquaintances who are looking for work; we hope and pray that they will soon rejoin the work force as well.

And so this year I participate in this endeavor with a bit more contemplation.

May G-d continue to help us all earn our daily bread with dignity and pride.

(Now if only I could remember which challah has the key...)