“How to Travel with Parents” by My Father, Age 11
This year, my parents have been decluttering their home, which has included going through the many boxes they received from my grandmother’s home after she passed away. In those boxes, my parents discovered historic treasures–a silver engraving of the invitation from my grandmother’s wedding, my great-grandmother’s travel diary from her 1934 trip to Palestine and […]
Read MoreMourning Fanconi’s Anemia Warrior Ruthie Saunders A”H (4-Minute Mommy Peptalk)
37 years ago, Sharon Saunders and her now ex-husband, Jonathan, had no children of their own. And they decided to adopt a baby girl. Not a regular, healthy baby girl. But rather a beautiful, adorable, and also very sick baby girl with a terrible genetic disease called Fanconi’s Anemia. When Sharon and Jonathan adopted her, […]
Read MoreWhat Happened to My Big Plans?
I had big plans for today. But on the way home from Yaakov’s appointment at the speech therapist this morning, I was feeling weak, queasy, feverish. So instead of all my important and lofty plans, I crawled into bed instead. And as I fell asleep I thought of something I once heard: The most important […]
Read MoreOne Mother’s Embarrassing Secret
I’m struggling with a certain personal issue which I’m embarrassed to share. So when I saw that there would be a class this week on my exact issue at the annual Binyan Shalem conference on family and marriage, I went. To get some perspective and chizuk. On the way to the class, yikes! I ran […]
Read MoreTime to Parent
I just got back yesterday from my summer vacation in North America–so now I’m back JewishMOMing (online and in real life too). The transition from 2 weeks of dreamy relaxation interrupted only by schmoozing and eating to my regular mothering responsibilities has been somewhat sweet and somewhat jarring. A mother’s responsibilities, I’m reminded, are at […]
Read MoreThe Calm Man Stuck with Me at the Burlington Airport
This morning I was taking off with two of my children on a flight from Baltimore to Montreal when the stewardess announced in French-tinged English, “On behalf of Air Canada, I hope you will enjoy this flight to Barbados!” A planeful of confused eyes looked up at her. “Just kidding,” she chuckled. “And for the […]
Read MoreJewishMOM.com on Summer Vacation Until July 16
Shalom JewishMOM, I’m traveling to visit family for 2 weeks, so will be taking a break from my daily JewishMOM.com posting until I get back. Enjoy!
Read MoreThe Yahrzeit of Hallel Yaffa Ariel HY”D and Me
Today was the yahrzeit of 13-year-old Hallel Yaffa Ariel, who was brutally murdered while asleep in her bed 3 years ago by a Palestinian terrorist. I didn’t know that today was the yahrzeit until I looked at the news. But I should have… Something bizarre, otherworldly has been going on all week. And I didn’t […]
Read MoreThe Mother Who Doesn’t Nurse Her Baby
Yesterday I attended a special end-of-year activity at my daughter’s school, where I sat next to another mother I’m friendly with. “Mazal tov!” I told her, “I heard you just had a baby!” “Thank you! Yes! She just turned a month old.” “Thank G-d, how wonderful! How did you manage to come without her? You […]
Read MoreThe Chabadnik at the LGBTQ Pride Parade
Last night, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Tsfat, honored us neighborhood mothers with a special inspirational class. Here’s a taste of what he said: Once a man called me and said, “I am a Chabadnik, and I regularly set up a table in Tel Aviv for passersby to have the opportunity to perform […]
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