The Short, Great Lives of our Fallen Soldiers
Today I came across a quote from an unlikely source that brought me comfort in this week of funerals for so many young soldiers.Author Tom Stoppard puts this quotation into the mouth of a nineteenth-century Russian philosopher as he struggles to come to terms with the death of his son, who drowned in a shipwreck […]
Read More3 Big-Hearted Israelis by the Lebanese Border
My daughter spent Shabbat in a gorgeous community 50 kilometers from Lebanon. She was surprised to see that life continues there pretty much as usual. There is on average only one siren a week. And the residents have mostly stayed put. But there have been certain difficulties, including the fact that the kids can’t attend […]
Read MoreA Hard Few Days
This past Friday, the nephew of my dear next-door neighbor, Hillel Eliyahu Ovadia, was killed in the war.And so was the grandson of my daughter’s guidance counselor.And another neighbor’s husband (Guy ben Chana) seriously injured in Lebanon, is fighting for his life.I am exhausted. Partially because I was at the funeral of my neighbor’s 22-year-old […]
Read MoreMeeting Iris Chaim, Mother of the Hostage Mistakenly Killed by IDF
Meeting Iris Chaim, Mother of the Hostage Mistakenly Killed by IDF The highlight of my Succot, and my thoughts on this complicated Simchat Torah.
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I Lift My Eyes to the Hills by Ora Baranes Lilintal
This psalm has been sung to so many melodies, and this one, which I first heard 18 years ago, is my absolute favorite. This year I’ve been playing it often. It’s ancient words feel so current since October 7th: A song for ascents. I lift my eyes to the hills, from where will my help […]
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