The Arab Selling KLP Ice Cream
My 11-year-old Yaakov has been complaining since Purim about not being able to eat Kitniyot on Pesach like his Sephardi friends do. His friends are feasting on bamba, caramel corn, and rice, while Yaakov is left, as he puts it, ‘With the 3 words that because of them I hate being Ashkenazi, ‘Gefilte, fish, and […]
Read MoreMy Year of Cleaning Quietly
Before October 7th I would listen to lots of Torah classes, at least one a day. Rabbi YY, Rabbanit Yemima, Shira Smiles, Rabbi Fischel Schachter. I would go about my day listening to classes, and it infused my daily life with a lot of deeper meaning. But since October 7th I just haven’t had the […]
Read MoreOn my Way to the Corner Store to Stockpile Water
Tonight, on my way to the corner store to stock up on water in case the Iranian attack damages Israel’s water system, I saw double-parked cars on both sides of the street. Everyone else, it turned out, was coming to stockpile water too. And then I saw a young couple walking by the corner store. […]
Read MoreMy Daughters’ Arab Election Day
Two of my daughters spent last Tuesday as poll supervisors in Arab communities. One daughter was placed in a poll in East Jerusalem serving 450 Arab residents. My daughter and 3 other poll officials were there from 7 AM until 10 PM, and only one voter showed up. This kind of turn-out is typical in […]
Read MoreAsleep in My Crib 50+ Years Ago
On Friday morning, at the end of pilates class, our teacher dimmed the lights, turned the music down soft, and told us to lie down on our sides on our mats. Lying there, I was transported back to Rochester, New York in 1971, lying asleep with my blankie in my crib, mom and dad looking […]
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. יהי רצון שתמיד נוכל לבשר ולהתבשר רק […]
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