Blog
Elkana’s Beloved Dirt as told by a Brother of Elkana Newlander HY”D
[I spent tonight, Tisha b’Av eve, at the Heroism Tent, where I, along with several hundred others, heard the Book of Lamentations followed by some chapters from the Book of Lamentations 5784: family members’ heartbreaking stories of their own fallen IDF soldiers. One of the presenters was Yedidya, a brother of Canadian-born, 24-year-old Sergeant Major Elkana Newlander of Efrat. Elkana was a Bar Ilan law student who was drafted on October 7th to manage supply logistics in Beeri. Elkana had spent 10 years volunteering as a medic with...
read moreA Manicure with Mummy
Today Josh and I were at a cafe when 2 older sisters with their elderly mother sat down at the table right next to ours. The daughters treated their mother to a tower of finger sandwiches and petit-fours in honor of her birthday. At one point, I overheard one of the daughters saying, “But Mummy, we can’t go this week because Tuesday is Tisha b’av and Wednesday we have nails.” If I was holier than I am, then in my minds eye this possibly perilous Tisha b’Av would be mixed with comforting visions of Moshiach, of...
read moreMy Naughty Yard-Sign Plan
I spent most of my time in the US staying in my childhood home where I grew up from the age of 3. My father has many Jewish neighbors, but on my daily walks around the neighborhood I detected not a single external sign of Jewishness or support of Israel. Not a single Israeli flag. Not a single “I Stand with Israel” sign. Not a single bumper sticker. I didn’t notice anyone wearing a star of david or a Chai or a hostage dog tag.However I did notice many other yard signs: “Don’t Kill the Mosquitoes! Mosquito Sprays...
read moreThe Third Bridal Gown by Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi
What a time. We’re all on alert. Hashem seems to be giving us that constant reminder, after we told Him we can’t wait any longer, to simply look: you certainly can. Look how you sit in anticipation of evil. Would that you did the same for redemption!What’s happening right now? אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּתְמַהְמֵהַּ – Even if he tarries – it didn’t come on Shabbat when we were all tense about it; it didn’t happen on Sunday when were even tenser; and we’re still waiting as the days pass, בְּכָל יוֹם,...
read moreThe Iranian Attack: All the Facts:) by Avi Gisberg
[Translated by JewishMOM.com][One of the ways we Israelis have been coping since October 7th is by maintaining our sense of humor. Dark humor, like in this post, helps too:]Let’s set a few things straight with everything that’s going on now, according to the news outlets and political commentators.Iran will attack tonight.Or tomorrow.Or on Tisha B’AvOr on Purim as revenge for Achashverosh.Iran will attack on its own.Or with Hezbollah.Or with Iraq.Or with the Houthis.Or with Hamas.Or with Syria.Or maybe all at once.Israel will attack...
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Revealed Miracles Since October 7th by Rebbetzin Rena Tarshish
[B”H, I arrived back in Israel this morning. I am SO happy and relieved to be back home with Josh and the kids and the people of Israel. At the same time, it is undeniably jarring to move from serene American suburbia to a country facing war on one front, two fronts… maybe three fronts, more? On the flight over I listened to an incredible class by Reb. Rena Tarshish about how Israel and the Jewish people are a sheep surrounded by 70 wolves, and Hashem is the faithful Shephard that guards over us day and night. This made me feel calmer...
read moreThis Sandwich is Me
Tomorrow (unless my flight is canceled because of a war) I return home to Israel after almost 3 weeks in the US. I have an elderly father in the US who needs his daughter. I have a house full of kids in Israel who need their mom. I’m a member of the Sandwich Generation. But like so many olim with aging parents outside of Israel, I’m not a standard peanut butter and jelly or tuna salad. My slices of bread are not only divided by thousands of miles and astronomically expensive flights. One of my slices of bread is in a war zone, and...
read moreMy Name is Ben and I’m Looking for a Shidduch
[Translated by JewishMOM.com] A graffiti “conversation” on the stairs leading down to the Western Wall. Just a little something to make you smile in these challenging times. ✡👩🍼Join the JewishMom.com WhatsApp group, where we strive to make every Jewish Mom smile every day 👨👩👦👦 💌 https://chat.whatsapp.com/BkHRYpqamymCOY7RQ3ly6C
read moreA Wife and Mother of 4 Combat Soldiers
A proud husband writes: I want to give a shout out to my wife, Keren. Since our daughter joined the IDF’s Search and Rescue Unit this morning, she has 3 children who are serving in the IDF as combat soldiers (in Sayeret Givati, Duvdevan, and Search and Rescue), plus me, a husband in the Beeri battalion who just got out of Gaza yesterday. And still, out of all of us, she is the one doing things that are of true importance for the Jewish people. Easy enlistment to our daughter the fighter! You are an amazing family♥️ [originally posted...
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