That Jewish Chanukah Moment by Sari Kopitnikoff
For the past 5 years, JewishMOM Sari Kopitnikoff has been posting her “Thank-God-I’m-Jewish” moments for her (as of today, almost, wow!) 20,000 Instagram followers (instagram.com/thatjewishmoment). I just read through Sari’s new book, a collection of her posts, called That Jewish Moment: Positive Thoughts and Moments from Life as an Observant Jew. And so many of […]
Read MoreAlways on Time? Giving Birth at 28 Weeks by Chany Zagury
I was expecting baby number 4. A great pregnancy, going through some personal struggles, but a recent visit to my doctor confirmed that everything was going well. I had just entered my 28th week of pregnancy. That morning I went to work as usual. As soon as I came home, I felt great pain and […]
Read MoreThe Rape of Dina: A Surprising Perspective from Rebbetzin Malki Friedman
This Shabbat, we read the horrible story of the rape of Dina. Why did this have to happen to Dina? Why didn’t Hashem protect her? The Torah doesn’t provide us with the “why”s. But every story in the Torah does provide us with pillars of faith to integrate into our own lives. And the pillar […]
Read MoreBeing a Jewish Mother is Not a Waste of My Time! by Sivan Rahav Meir
Whoever brings children into the world “wastes” his free time. Whoever keeps Shabbat “wastes” one-seventh of the time he can earn (and spend) money. Whoever learns Torah “wastes” time that could be spent learning a practical profession. Opposite this utilitarian perspective, there is a verse in this week’s Torah portion that expresses a completely different […]
Read MoreMourning Jersey-City Victim, 33-Year-Old Leah Mindel Ferentz
My heart this morning is with the families of all the Jersey City victims, among them 33-year-old mother Leah Mindel Ferentz, who co-owned the JC Kosher Supermarket with her husband, Moishe. Before the shooting, Moishe had gone to the shul next door to daven mincha. Moishe’s mother, Victoria, told the New York Times: “After a […]
Read More
3 Tips to Protect Kids from Sexual Abuse (3-Minute Important Video)
I’ve seen a bunch of videos on this topic, and this is the best I’ve seen. It’s a great idea, I think, to watch it together with your kids. I’m definitely planning to:)
Read MoreThe Dream I Dreamt About a Movie Theater
Thursday night I woke up around 4 AM worrying about one of my kids. So I sat down in the living room, drank a cup of tea, ate a bowl of oatmeal, and had a real conversation with Hashem, for the first time in a while. A one-sided conversation, I guess. Around 5, I went […]
Read MoreDread Erev Shabbos? Read this!
From Rebbetzin Malki (Twersky) Friedman Shabbos is called a “matana tova” a wonderful gift. It’s not a bother, not a burden, it’s a gift. It can be challenging. We work so hard cooking and preparing for Shabbos, and by the end of Shabbos all the food we worked so hard to prepare is gone and […]
Read MoreHere’s Why I Don’t Go to Shul (25-Minute Podcast)
Last week, I was interviewed for Deracheha.org about my unconventional approach to prayer. Deracheha.org is a new site, initiated by Yeshivat Har Etsion, dedicated to exploring the topic of women and mitzvot. I think my interviewer Rachel Weber Leshaw did a fantastic job, prompting me with her great questions to speak out publicly for the […]
Read More