We had a great Sukkot and said goodbye longingly to the sukkah (and to my in-laws who were visiting) recently. While we had great fun in many locations, one event sticks out in my mind as so typically Israeli. The first Friday of our vacation, we decided that it would be fun to take the… Read More Woof Woof on the Lightrail
Thank Gd for my sense of humor. I think that it might not be a good idea to make Aliyah without one. Yesterday, while at the beach, I needed to try to find a sun umbrella for my mother-in-law to rent. I couldn’t remember the word for “umbrella,” so I asked Matan. Then, two minutes… Read More Mushroom Shades
I’m often amazed by what I learn from my children, rather than the other way around. Today, towards the end of Shabbat, Yehuda came running in from playing. I was engrossed in a book and Josh was reading the paper. We were both enjoying a few quiet moments while all of the kids were entertained… Read More The Sunsets of Our Lives
I am often struck by the ways that so many people’s lives intertwine. Last night we were honored to attend the bat mitzvah of our dear friends’ daughter at Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi (two hours from our home). Moshe and Chaviva Speter were part of the Torah Mitzion Kollel in Washington D.C. while we lived there.… Read More Challah, Health & The Bat Mitzvah Girl
Today, when I went to the kitchen at work to make lunch, I leaned into the refrigerator and broke into a huge smile. I pulled out a jar of green pickled tomatoes, and found myself instantly transported into my Nana’s kitchen. It was 1977 again in Los Angeles, and there I was, sitting at Nana… Read More Green Pickled Tomatoes & My Nana
Last night I had the opportunity to enjoy a special parenting moment – and a great reminder for myself. After heating up a piece of chicken for dinner that had gotten cold, Matan exited the pantry exactly as Zeli was walking by. In what appeared to me as a comedy of errors (but wasn’t funny… Read More Flying Chickens and the Lessons They Teach
I’m sure most of us remember where we were 10 years ago today. I was teaching in Potomac, Maryland and had gone into the teachers’ lounge during my free period to get some work done. The first reports of the towers being hit were just being heard, and someone had dragged a grainy T.V. into… Read More 10 Years Ago Today…
I’m sure most of us remember where we were 10 years ago today. I was teaching in Potomac, Maryland and had gone into the teachers’ lounge during my free period to get some work done. The first reports of the towers being hit were just being heard, and someone had dragged a grainy T.V. into… Read More 10 Years Ago Today…
As I took a walk this morning, I started to reflect on the summer. It’s certainly been a difficult one for us in many ways, but, as I realized during my reverie, it’s also been quite a productive one for the children. Here are some of the things we’ve learned in the last two months.… Read More Lessons Learned from a Long Summer
Many people over the last two months have asked us what they can do for Stella. We’ve tried to answer, as best we can, when we have ideas. Others, however, haven’t asked – they’ve simply done. And these interactions have truly been amazing. A number of weeks ago, I was walking in the yishuv when… Read More Ignoring the Big C for an Evening
