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Hamas Took my Husband’s Life, but They Can’t Take Mine by IDF Widow Hadas Levinstern
[2 weeks ago, Hadas Levinstern’s husband, 38-year-old Sergeant Elisha was tragically killed while serving in a tank unit in Gaza.] This morning I went back to Pilates, You hear me, you wretched Hamas murderers? What you took from me you took But I do not intend to voluntarily hand over even a millimeter of the beautiful life we have Not a millimeter of my joy for life Not a millimeter of my love for Hashem, Not even a millimeter of my exercise routine I fully intend to continue living. And pilates is my victory of light over...
read moreThe Wedding Ring Lost in Gaza by Anonymous
True story โ a little slice of Israel at war. Today my friend from the States (yes, she traveled here to visit her kids, even though there is a war on!) and I were picking up some jewelry she had ordered at a jewelry store near Machaneh Yehuda. A soldier came into the store, rifle slung over his shoulder. He told the jeweler that he had lost his wedding ring in Gaza, and his wife was upset about it, so he was stopping on the way home to buy another one. When the jeweler heard this, he said, โAny ring you choose, on the house!โ The...
read moreA Surprising and Wonderful Update from the Buddhist Peace Retreat
Some of you might remember that right before Rosh Hashana my daughter and I attended an Arab-Jewish peace retreat at a Buddhist village in the Arava Desert. As you can imagine, this isn’t my kind of thing so much, but my daughter wanted to go, and spending time with my daughter IS my kind of thing, so I joined her. You can scroll down to read my original post from 3 months ago, but to summarize, aside from the fact that half the participants and all the monks were born Jewish, the environment in this village was not Jewish to the...
read moreA Charedi Boy and the Soldier He prays for
https://jewishmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2689effa-ac7d-44d7-9949-00cc428a135b.mp4 Since October 7th, the unshakeable unity in Israel is unlike anything I’ve seen since we were yearning as one to bring back our boys: Eyal, Gilad and Naftali HY”D. Like during those terrible and miraculous weeks, our hearts today are torn apart, but also bound together with every other Jewish heart, healing as one.
read moreMay the Light of Chanukah Continue to Light up the Darkness
My husband, Joshua, just sent me this photo he took of me, lit up by the candles on the final night of Chanukah. May the pure, intense Light of Chanukah continue to light up our hearts and world at these challenging times, through the weeks and months ahead. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ โค๏ธ
read moreMy Birthday Blessing to You
My birthday is this Shabbat, the 11th of Tevet. I received such a beautiful blessing this week from a woman at the gym, and this is the birthday blessing I want to pass on to you too. It’s a blessing especially for these difficult times. But not only. ืืื ืจืฆืื ืฉืชืืื ื ืืื ืืืฉืจ ืืืืชืืฉืจ ืจืง ืืืฉืืจืืช ืืืืืช! May we always be able to share and receive only good news! Good news from Gaza. Good news from Lebanon. Good news from our hostages and soldiers and evacuees. Good news from everyone who is yearning...
read moreThe Bracelet that’s Getting me Through this War by Ravital Vitelson Jacobs
A popular Israeli stand-up comedian and author shares the moving story of the verse that caught her attention during Rosh Hashana prayers (and which she engraved into a bracelet right after the holiday) that has granted her the fortitude to stay in Israel despite her fears [This is the link to a hostage prayer list which we will be updating...
read moreMother of Hostage to Soldiers who Shot her Son: “I Love and Appreciate You. I Have no Anger”
Iris Chaim, the mother of Yotam Chaim, who tragically lost his life after being mistakenly identified as a terrorist and shot by the IDF, conveyed a heartfelt message to the soldiers involved. In her communication, she expressed her love and gratitude to the soldiers, emphasizing her lack of resentment. โI love and appreciate you. I have no anger. I understand the complicated situation you were in.โ Furthermore, Mrs. Chaim shared that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu personally informed her about the decision to award her son an IDF...
read moreWhen the Siren Went Off in Tel Aviv
Today I visited Tel Aviv for the first time since the War began. The last time I visited Tel Aviv this summer, religious-secular, right-left tensions were at an all time high, worse than anything I’d experienced during my 30 years in Israel, except maybe for the months of mass demonstrations and mutual right-left recriminations leading up to the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin. Walking around Tel Aviv this summer, as an obviously Orthodox Jew, I could see the suspicion in people’s eyes. I was in enemy territory. But the enemy was...
read moreSend a Note to the Soldiers in Everyone’s Hearts
It’s too painful to even imagine.๐ The devastation of the young IDF soldiers ๐ฅท Who mistakenly, tragically shot the hostages this past Friday ๐ช These young men who are putting their lives on the line every single day to free the hostages and guard the people of Israel.โก๏ธ We want to hug them, give them strength and tell them: This Was NOT Your Fault! You are good, you are beloved, by Hashem๐คฒ and every Jewish heart in Am Yisrael!๐ค Please take even a few moments and write a note (please include the name of your city) with...
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