Rabbi Hanoch Hecht is the spiritual leader of the Rhinebeck Jewish Center in Rhinebeck, NY; the director of Chabad of Dutchess County; and the administrator of Camp Emunah, one of the largest girls' camps in New York State.

A member of an extended family of notable rabbis in the United States and around the world, Rabbi Hecht is the son of Rabbi Shea Hecht, a well-known activist in the Lubavitcher community in Brooklyn, NY, and the grandson of the late Rabbi Jacob J. Hecht, who was the assistant and translator for the famed Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Rabbi Hecht is also known as the Six-Minute Rabbi, and is the innovator of the renowned Six-Minute Torah, a speed series of classes on Judaism geared toward businesspeople with busy schedules.

A recipient of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce's 40 Under 40 Shaker Awards, Rabbi Hecht has taught Kosher cooking at the Culinary Institute of America and was the first rabbi to appear on The Food Network's Chopped, competing with a priest, a nun-in-training, and a pastor. His recipes exploring Kosher and modern Jewish cuisine have been featured in publications all over the globe. Rabbi Hecht lives with his wife Tzivie and their family in Rhinebeck, NY. This is his first book.

Contents

Introduction xiii

Part 1: Stories and Teachings

The Mystery of Kabbalah 3

The Mystical Cakes 5

The Mysterious City 10

Four Sons, the Feast, and the Godly Spark 16

The Tzaddik's Evil Spirits 20

King David's Psalms 23

The Three Worlds 28

A Seder without Spiritual Powers 30

The Miser's Thirst 35

Coffee to Keep Me Awake 37

Drinking Medicine 41

The Yearlong Indulgence 43

The Shabbat Recipe 45

The Joy of the Chassidim 49

Why the Rebbe Laughed 51

A Taste of Eden 55

A Gift for the Rebbe 57

Sitting in My Plate of Food 60

Bringing Healing through Food 62

Stale Bread and Water 65

Herschel the Goat Lover 67

Bring the Tea 70

Dancing with the Food 72

The Greatest Seder 75

The Substituted Matzah 77

The Power of Religious Faith 81

The Sukkah Guest 83

The Tutor, the Prince, and the Bagel 87

Kosher Matzah for Passover in the Ukraine 91

A L'Chaim to God 93

A Glutton for God 95

The Choicest Pieces 99

But This Meat Isn't Kosher! 101

Chofetz Chaim and the Challah 105

The Prodigy and the Butcher 107

But Is This Food Kosher? 110

Food Comes from Heaven 112

The Untouched Whiskey Distillery 115

Mitzvot! 117

The Bread in the Ark 119

The Holy Drunk 122

The Hungry Neighbor 127

Feeding the Poor 129

When Fasting Is Not Holy 131

The Loan That Led to Spiritual Delight 134

The Vinegar-Flavored Cholent 136

Is It Better to Eat a Little or a Lot? 139

A Messy Mensch 141

Part 2: Recipes

Cooking (and Eating) to Connect to God 145

The Jewish Holidays at a Glance 150

Shabbat 153
Passover 175
Shavuot 181
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 185
Sukkot and Simchat Torah 190
Chanukah 192
Tu B'Shevat 196
Purim 199
Breakfast Dishes 202
Dips and Salads 208
Desserts 219
Year-Round Family Favorites 223

Recipes Index 231

A Glossary of Jewish and Chassidic Terms 233

Acknowledgments 237