He’s behind this. So there must be a reason. Will we accept that? On Thursday morning two weeks ago, after having a difficult night with intense tooth pain, I was eagerly looking forward to my dentist appointment (which I had scheduled a while back). At about 8:30 am, I got a phone call from the…
How to Really Feel Happiness
Do you think happiness is the elusive feeling for those with a perfect life? Open the fountain: happiness is there in full abundance for you too. Did you ever look at a young child and think, “I wish I would have that?” I wish I could have that sparkle in my eye, that joy and…
The Trees and You: Three Relationship Tips in Honor of Tu B’Shvat
With Tu B’Shvat around the corner, you’re probably getting into fruit mode sooner or later, planning a menu that’s centered on the bounty we reap from the trees. But Tu B’Shvat offers way more than a fruit-filled feast. It gives us an opportunity to ponder the deeper connection we humans have with trees (sounds like…
It’s Not Just Another Supper: The Real Meaning of a Mother’s Role
Did you ever imagine how much everlasting value is in every single task a mother does? When Victoria Dwek offered me the privilege of contributing to the Nshei Hasiyum magazine, I immediately knew what I would be writing about. As a magazine that was geared toward women, and distributed at an event where the men…
How to Give Your Child Positive Chanukah Memories Forever
This is one of the best Chanukah gifts you can give your children. And it’s free! The first Chanukah after I was married, we had just returned to Eretz Yisrael from visiting family in the States and I was in a very early stage of pregnancy. Couple that with the long, dark nights that came…
How to Let Your Children Know—Really Know—That You Love Them No Matter What
The one thing only you can give your child is the one thing they need to blossom in life. One evening in June of 2017, I walked into my daughters’ bedroom to catch a glimpse of them before I turned in for the night. I saw two angelic little girls, heads tilted to the side,…
It’s a Time of Mourning. But what if I don’t feel sad about the churban?
How to realize what we’re missing…and genuinely cry. The pool is closed, music speakers are stowed away, and meat is off the menu. In camp, our daughters chant, “The Nine Days, a time of tzarah; we don’t cheer, because we’re marah.” But what if we don’t feel that way? What if I’m just going through…
5 Necessities for Raising Emotionally Healthy Children
It’s not easy—raising happy children takes work—but the first step is knowing what it will take to be successful. From the moment a new mother lays her eyes on her bundle of joy for the very first time, all she wishes is for the child to live a long, healthy, and happy life. While the…
Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi’s 3 Tips for Pesach Prepping With Joy
Don’t think you can bring enjoyment to the Pesach cleaning preparation? Let’s turn that perspective around. If you read this title and thought to yourself, “What a paradox if there ever was one,” there’s hope for you. Even if the thought of scrubbing your house down doesn’t make your heart bubble up with excitement, here…
Does Your Child Want a Gift That You Don’t Want to Give?
What to give, when to give, how to give—or whether to give at all My mother is the perfect Bubby. Although my children are growing up 6,000 miles away from her, she never fails to express her love to them, whether through little gifts she sends, attention she doles out over the phone, and, of…