Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? I certainly do. I can tell you ever moment of that day and the next. Do you remember where you were on: January 1, 2001 when car bomb exploded in Netanya? Or on February 8, 2001 when a car bomb exploded in Jerusalem? Or on… Read More The List Continues….

There is simply no better day each year than Purim – and there is nowhere in the world like it in Israel. It is hard to convey what Purim is like here to someone who hasn’t experienced it, but I’m going to give it my best effort. I think Purim may be one of the… Read More Hands-Down, the Best Day of the Year

Since last Saturday night, when I heard about the Fogel massacre, I have found myself living two lives. My children are getting ready for Purim; they are excited and full of anticipation. We laugh, we bake, we put together costumes and we prepare for the big day. Each afternoon, when I arrive at Gan (nursery… Read More It’s Simply What We Do

I am Ruth Fogel. With breasts full of milk, I sat down to nurse my newborn baby on Friday night. The beautiful candles were aglow, the house was clean, and the fresh smell of challah wafted through the house. My oldest asked to join his friends for the traditional Bnei Akiva festivities in preparation for… Read More I am Ruth Fogel…

It’s a dreary, stay-in-your-pajamas-under-the-covers, type of Friday here in Neve Daniel. When we finally got all five older boys bundled, scarved, and out the door with lunches in hand, it was time for me to start the clean-up routine. Since there’s no work on Friday, I’m able to stay in my pajamas a bit longer… Read More Dancing on a Friday Morning

Amichai had his Mesibat Chumash tonight. He is in an amazing kindergarten program called Mechinah and the kids learn to read during the first part of the year. By this time of the year, they are getting ready to venture into the next level of reading – reading the Chumash (the Torah). It is absolutely… Read More Mesibat Chumash

You’ve certainly got to hand it to the kid for his impeccable timing. Yakir started to flip yesterday, and he seems to have perfected the skill overnight. He’s quite tickled with himself, as are his brothers (as you’ll see in the video below). What makes his timing so perfect? Well, yesterday and today mark the… Read More Flipping Over Purim

Today, as on most Shabbat mornings, we found ourselves at the park. There I was, cradling the baby in my arms, pushing the 2 year old on the swing, and keeping an eye on the crazy 4 and 6 year olds so they didn’t get in too much trouble. I could faintly here the davening… Read More Talking to Hashem in Different Ways

Today, when I went to pick Eliav up from his friend’s house, I was struck by this little group of boys. Up until now, Eliav hasn’t really had many play dates or been that social. He’s only four, after all, and his mommy is terrible about arranging play dates and social outings. I tend to… Read More The Ties that Bind

The other day, Josh made omelets for the boys. He made absolutely enormous ones for himself and for Matan, pretty big ones for me and Yehuda, and smaller ones for the smaller boys. Watching Matan devour his enormous omelet, Josh kept looking at me and laughing in amazement. Was Matan really finishing the entire thing?… Read More The Growing Food Bill