20 Seconds of Insane Courage
Shoshana Judelman mentioned during her weekly Parsha class that she’d heard this quote while watching a movie with her kids, and that it had changed her life. So I tried it out, and it’s true. It’s against my nature to be assertive, to take risks or to place myself in uncomfortable situations. But it’s not […]
Read MoreThe Jewish Food Our Chinese Shabbat Guests Loved Best
Last week, we Weisbergs were very, very busy hosting lots of large groups. Sunday, the last night of Chanukah: we hosted 2 ChefRabbiJosh.com groups: a National Geographic group for candle-lighting, and an American Catholic family for dinner. Monday: German Catholic theological students from the Dormition Abbey Tuesday: Josh’s Israeli students for a Siyum Thursday: A […]
Read MoreSad Chanukah’s Over?
Don’t be too sad, Purim’s right around the corner! I know because my neighborhood bakery’s already selling hamentaschen. I LOVE living in Israel!
Read MoreMy 20/20 Resolution
When I went to sleep last night it was 2019, and when I woke up this morning it was 2020. But except for the change in the date in the corner of my computer screen, the new year went completely unnoticed in my religious Jerusalem neighborhood. No New Year parties, champagne, greetings, etc. But, nonetheless, […]
Read MoreMy Bat Mitzvah Girl and My Bubby Fruma, a Hero of the Holocaust by Elana Mizrahi
One Chanukah morning, I attended the bat mitzvah of the daughter of my old friend, Elana Mizrachi. I’ve known Elana for over 20 years. I remember when she was my husband’s student. I remember when she was dating her husband. I remember davening for Elana Mira bat Cherna to be blessed with a child–for almost […]
Read MoreWhat Gorbachev Told One Grateful Russian Jew by Rabbi YY Jacobson (3-Minute Chanukah Video)
Every night of Chanukah, Rabbi Jacobson posts a new inspirational video. This one moved me to tears. It made me think of how many “autographs” I will be leaving behind in this world as a JewishMOM.
Read MoreA Painful Loss, and the Song I Wrote After by Franciska
“There is nothing more complete than a broken heart” – Rabbi Nachman M’breslav I composed and dedicated a new song after experiencing a painful loss. In an interview with Miriam Grunhaus on my podcast one year ago, she introduced me to the concept of kintsugi. “In Japan, when pottery breaks it is often restored with […]
Read MoreMy All-Nun Dreidl
Yesterday I went to the shuk to get all sorts of stuff we need for Chanukah when I noticed some pretty hand-painted dreidls that caught my eye. A bit pricey at a dollar and a half-a-piece. But, hey, for Chanukah you can splurge a little…So I got 4. And a bag of chocolate chips for […]
Read MoreMy Daughter’s Unusual Indian Menorah
My 2nd-born child, 19-year-old Hallel, has been traveling around India since September. Right now she’s in West Bengal, participating in a study-program learning how to build an ecologically-sound house out of mud (you can see the participants doing just that, in this photo.) Hallel is one of 4 Israelis there. So, of course, last week, […]
Read MoreMy Pre-Chanukah Gloom
This morning, after a challenging interaction with a family member, I felt so upset. LIke even the things in my family I thought were going well–well, they aren’t. So I decided to cheer myself up (or at least take a breather from crying) with a walk through the forest. Oh, it was so beautiful out […]
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