Hi Reader,

Welcome to the first Copper Mirror Monthly. Once a month, on Rosh Chodesh, I'll send one letter: the month's intention, a free guide to go with it, and a few things I've been loving, reading, and cooking. That's it.

THIS MONTH · CHESHVAN

Unfinished: the quiet month

5787 is a shana shleima, a complete year: 385 days, the longest the Jewish calendar allows, exactly 55 weeks from Shabbat to Shabbat. A year like this won't come again until 2053. So instead of resolutions, I'm using it to finish things, one month at a time.

Cheshvan is the one month with no holidays, and this year it runs a full 30 days. It's the month to name what's unfinished, sort it, and clear one space completely. The free Cheshvan guide walks you through it in three simple steps.

THINGS WE LOVE

The Think Good Ring $24.99 · Girls Day Miami "Think good and it will be good." The Rebbe's teaching, engraved inside a simple silver band in English and in Hebrew: חשוב טוב ויהיה טוב. I bought this ring a few months ago to wear as a reminder to myself to "think good and it will be good". Simple, affordable, and a quiet reminder you can wear every day in stainless steel so it won't tarnish. ​Shop the ring →​

Nessa Evil Eye Necklace $58 · BaubleBar Growing up in a Moroccan-Jewish home, "Hamsas" were everywhere. I only have two in my collection that I have worn regularly -- one gifted to me from my parents and the other I purchased while visiting family in Israel, but something about this one from Bauble Bar caught me eye. Three little gold evil eye charms and semi-precious beads on a dainty ball chain. Wear it alone or layer it. I own this one in both turquoise and tiger's eye. ​Shop the necklace →​

SHAVUA, by Dalia Youngerwood A journal for the year In a year of 55 weeks, here's a journal with 55 weekly entries. Each week pairs a short Jewish teaching about the parsha or a holiday with a few questions and a blank page for your own thoughts, about ten minutes a week. No Hebrew required, and you can start any week. It also makes a beautiful gift. If you own a Copper Mirror Weekly Planner, it makes a great companion. Use code COPPER18 for 18% off. ​Find SHAVUA →​

The Tribe Post From $12/month · Patreon Real mail, on the Jewish calendar. Each Hebrew month, The Tribe Post sends an envelope of stickers, postcards, and other little treasures tied to that month. Hand-made and curated every Hebrew month, it's a great little gift for yourself! It also comes as a gift subscription for others. ​Join The Tribe Post →​

THINGS WE'RE COOKING

Harira for long Cheshvan nights

The nights are getting longer, and nothing fills a quiet house like my family's recipe for a pot of Moroccan harira soup: tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon at the end. It's was our traditional soup for the eve of Yom Kippur, but it's delicious on any cold day.

You'll need

• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 large (29 oz) can whole tomatoes, chopped (save the liquid)
• 1 bag dried lentils
• 1 can chickpeas, with their liquid
• Chicken broth and water
• Rice
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 lemon (or ¼ cup lemon juice)
• Salt to taste

How to make it

1. Heat the oil in a large (8-quart) soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook 10 minutes on low-medium. Don't let them brown.
2. Add the parsley and cilantro and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook 10 minutes on low-medium, stirring occasionally.
4. Rinse the lentils in cold water and pick out any foreign pieces. Drain and add to the pot, then stir in the chickpeas with their liquid.
5. Add the chicken broth, water, and the reserved tomato juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally, then lower to a gentle boil and add the rice. Simmer 30 minutes. The soup thickens as the lentils and rice absorb the liquid; add a little water if it gets too thick.
6. Pour in the beaten egg while stirring the soup. It cooks as soon as it hits the hot soup.
7. Stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste.

Hit reply and tell me one thing on your Unfinished List. I read every one.

Here's to a year to be used, not wasted.

Micheline​
Copper Mirror Press