After 80 Years, Brooklyn Store Owner Closes on Shabbos: “This is What the Jewish People Need Now!”
Dovi Weiser, the customer featured in this video, shares the incredible back story behind his friend’s dramatic decision: “Jeff Cohen of Top’s Liquor on Ave U and I have been friends for 30 years… Over the years I have had many conversations about Yiddishkeit with Jeff, his wife, and parents. They have been to my […]
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 MoreAfter 180 Days on Duty, Soldiers Choose Manhunt for Lost Girl Over Fun Day
Yesterday was supposed to be a day of rest and relaxation featuring a performance and barbecue for this company of Golani reservists released after more than 180 days serving on the northern border. But instead of their much-deserved fun day, the soldiers and commanders of the company decided to join the hundreds of volunteers searching […]
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 MoreA Tiny Baby Girl with a Mighty Name
I just delivered some Shabbat food to my neighbour who had a baby girl on Sunday. When I arrived, her 7-year-old daughter was enjoying herself holding the baby on the sofa, a precious pink bundle. “So cute. Does she have a name yet?” I asked my neighbor. “Yes,” with a smile that was almost bigger […]
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Video of IDF Soldier with 6 Kids in Brooklyn Reunited with Family
(For those of you who missed it, here is the incredible story behind this wonderful video, as told by Miryam Swerdlov) My friend Sarah’s son served in the IDF when he was a teenager. Since then he got married, they had 6 children and moved to Crown Heights. When the war broke out on October […]
Read MoreThe Real Reason the Red-Headed Girl was Crying
Yesterday I posted about a young girl who cried at a bar mitzvah I attended when the names of the hostages were read. This morning, my friend Ilana (whose son, David, was the bar mitzvah boy) informed me that this red-headed girl (in photo) is 13-year-old Dariel Bardach-Goldstein, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin (better known since October […]
Read MoreThe Red-Headed Girl Who Made Me Cry
Today I attended the bar mitzvah of the son of my dear friend and learning partner, Ilana. After her son David read (so beautifully) from the Torah, Ilana stood up to read the names of all the hostages as we sang Acheynu, “As for our brothers, the whole house of Israel, who are given over […]
Read MorePro-Israel Africans Sing: Bring them Home Now!
Over recent months, people from Malawi have been working in agriculture in the Gaza envelope. They arrived in Israel following the departure of the workers from Thailand. These Malawians are pro-Israeli and the issue of the abductees touches their hearts. Their friends back home who are in an acapella band filmed this in support of […]
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