March 18, 2012
It was somehow fitting. On the anniversary of my brother’s death on the Jewish calendar, I walked side by side with my mother up a South Carolina road.
March 7, 2012
Beaming, our 3-year-old son marched in our temple Purim parade last year in his homemade Halloween costume – a cow. This year, I could have once again grabbed his latest Halloween garb, a store bought Superman costume. But a 20th century super hero and Purim seemed like a dissonant combination.
So my son, now 4, and I talked about it. What could he dress as for Purim? It was a quick decision. We talked about and settled on King Ahaseuras, a name I butchered as my husband tried … Continue reading
I grew up ignorant of the structure my religion offers mourners. Singing in temple choirs and attending Shabbat services gave me my first lessons about Jewish remembrance. I noticed the people who stood to hear the names of those they had lost – spouses, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. Today, I am no longer so ignorant of my faith’s rituals. But, I confess, it’s not always easy to stop life and remember. Continue reading
Jewish children today are luckier than many of their parents. They have a growing library of Jewish books to pick from, books that educate them about their faith but at times also give them a reality check. We live in a diverse world. Continue reading
Teaching young children the importance of helping others in need is never easy. In her latest blog post, Linda K. Wertheimer writes about how her son’s penchant for giving is growing – albeit slowly. Continue reading
Religion is a touchy subject in America. It’s a touchy topic within families. It’s just plain touchy to talk about religion whether you’re a Jew, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or atheist. I look back at 2011 and realize that it was the year when I found the courage to write more deeply and publicly than ever before about my own Jewish faith. Continue reading
Looking for books to give Jewish friends and relatives as gifts? Linda K. Wertheimer, a voracious reader and writer, offers nine suggestions, one for each night of Hanukkah and that ninth candle, the shamash. Continue reading
Author Linda Cohen becomes the conscience for us all in her new book, 1,000 Mitzvahs, about the acts of goodness she performed and logged in memory of her father. She reminds us that even changing a roll of toilet paper in a public restroom is a good dead. Read about her project in this wide-ranging interview. Continue reading
Building a sukkah taught lessons about communicating as a couple. It reminded my family of the importance of always making our child feel included even if it means slowing up a project. It showed us, too, something we already knew: how better life is when we take the time to build something as a family and with friends Continue reading
September 28, 2011
Rush, rush, rush. Husband has a new job. I have a new job. Our toddler goes to day-care three instead of two days a week. To top it all off, the High Holy Days are upon us.
I’m trying, really, really trying to get into a High Holy Day state of mind.
Rosh Hashanah was not an automatic day off at either mine or my husband’s workplaces. He began his new job less than two weeks ago. I started mine, a part-time teaching gig, three weeks ago. … Continue reading
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