Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a Hadassah dinner, honoring a dear friend (and former Jewish Star columnist), Miriam Bradman Abrahams … more

Like others I know who had power some or much of the time these past weeks, I feel so very grateful and also a little guilty. It feels odd to have something vital while neighbors don’t. Keeping busy, offering whatever help you are able to, mitigates the feeling somewhat, but knowing you definitely don’t want to trade places neutralizes that. And the possibility of being in that position next time is both worrisome and scary. more

By the time of this printing we’re (hopefully, safely!) home sweet home, back to our New York family, after a dozen stops around Israel. We are now processing, regrouping, recollecting and washing piles of post-trip laundry. Since that tedium is not fit for print, instead I hope you’ll indulge my descriptions of our post Sukkot travels, the last leg of our trip. more

Of course I knew what a busy “break” we were in for, after all I was responsible for organizing the details of our jam-packed itinerary. more

I am coasting through the holidays this year. I’m celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot with barely any shopping, cooking or preparing. I will refrain from complaining about having to pack and fly and feel jetlagged. more

It’s always exciting to receive a gift and pleasurable to procure something new. Whether it’s big or small, expensive or reasonable, exotic, unique or even just a useful or attractive household item, acquiring a fresh new object feels good. If getting things impacts one positively, then it could follow that losing things would only be negative, but life’s more complicated than that. more

I’ve been very teary this week, reacting strongly to beginnings and ends. I’ve felt my heart expand with joy and also break a little with sadness. There are airport arrivals and departures, the start of adventures, the end of an era, loved ones leaving while others return. more

Let’s get this straight - the summer isn’t over yet, not today nor tomorrow. It doesn’t end when the kids return home from camp or when you begin back to school shopping. It doesn’t stop with school orientations or Rosh Hashanah preparations. more

Once in a while, when our kids were super stressed by school. I allowed them a “mental health day.” It sounds like playing hooky, but sleeping in and getting a little unexpected time off goes a long way in helping with focus and creativity. more

At our house, the summer thus far has revolved around packing and unpacking. Our suitcases and duffel bags are dug out of the basement and then hidden away again. They have been used and abused and look it. more