Devorah Brous News Today

Etrog soda, jam, and even vodka — there are lots of uses for the holiday staple.

Delicious and heart-health crackers made from flaxseed.

Flax lowers cholesterol, eases menopause, makes linen and art canvases — so did the ancient rabbis consider it a source of impurity?

Mallow leaf “The Jewish Herbal: Mystical Reflections on Food, Nature and Urban Farming” is a regular column by Devorah Brous charting the ways we can use mystical Jewish wisdom, earth-based practices and herbal wellness to reconnect with ourselves in harmony with nature. Dev is an urban homesteader, lifecycle ritualist, and green consultant in Los Angeles. Find her her online offerings at @Dev.Brous When I lived in Israel, Palestinians taught me to forage for mallow, to roast the seeds, and...

beckoning “Remember the darkness at the center of the wick, and reflect on the light.” The Remedy: Olive oil balm Over Chanukah on our homestead, we make remedies with infused olive oil that has been sitting in the cupboard over the past six months, since Tisha B’Av. This week I made 400 jars of herbal voice balm to soothe the scratchy winter throat as a donation to the BIPoC-led Dignity and Power Now! for distribution through Alma Backyard Farms in South LA. For this remedy, you’ll fi...