“I’m going to need the car tomorrow.” “It was a bad day for Golani.” This message pops up on WhatsApp early yesterday afternoon and my heart sinks. My son, my beautiful son, who has already seen and heard and smelled and done so much, is hurting again. With the Golani WhatsApp network, he knows almost… Read More The Ironed Uniform & The Tear-Stained Shirt
This sits at the entrance to my house. It’s next to the ever-present poyke pot, the bikes, scooters, soccer balls, and abandoned flower pots. Mingled among all of that activity sits a piece of a rocket, shot from Gaza on October 8, 2023 and intended to kill my 17 year old son. And it nearly… Read More The Rocket at my Door
There is a practice during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to ask forgiveness. While getting ourselves spiritually ready for the new year and facing Hashem’s decrees for the year on Yom Kippur, we are also supposed to set things right with the people in our lives. It’s a beautiful idea, but… Read More Forgive Me, Dear Children
You know you’ve got the short end of the stick for the day when you video call your husband from the tire puncture place, while watching him float down a river in Thailand. But I don’t feel envious, or jealous, or frustrated. I just feel grateful for both of our journeys today. And here’s why.… Read More Tirelessly Moving Forward
This picture captures my son’s personality like no other. He loves adventure, he loves animals, and he loves being silly. He’s currently relishing time in Thailand with Josh and his post-army brother and I look at this picture and simply marvel at where we have been; and where he is now. Let me explain… There… Read More Broken Tiles & Beautiful Elephants
Yakir graduates from 8th grade tonight. What a journey it has been, and what a change we (his parents) have coming since he’s following his brothers to a high school model where he will sleep out much of the week. I’ve been reflecting on what it must be like for Yakir to be the youngest… Read More Watch Out World…Yakir Is Heading to High School
I love my Facebook memories. They often bring back such great moments and funny things that the kids have said and done. Yesterday, however, was a different kind of memory. Four years ago, right before starting the army, my oldest son went skydiving with three friends. I was nervous, of course, and checked in with… Read More Moments in Time
On October 6, 2023 70 students from my son’s high school set out together to Sderot. Every year on Simchat Torah they go to another location to sing and dance with the residents and to bring happiness to the area. For the last few years, they’ve been in various communities in Jerusalem, but they decided… Read More Gratitude for Graduation
I woke up this morning feeling better than my poor jet-lagged body has felt since I landed Friday. And, realizing that the jetlag and prohibitive heat have made exercise tricky, I decided to veer off my normal schedule and take a morning walk. By chance, one of my friends was available and we walked together… Read More A Prayer for Laughter
I’m a writer. I love to write about the small and lovely things that happen to us in our daily lives in Israel. Sometimes I also write about our struggles as a nation and our personal struggles as parents of six present and future soldiers. But lately it’s just been so hard to write. To… Read More Terror, Tomatoes & Tomorrows
