We can only win by playing the roles Hashem originally intended for us. Whether a woman is married for a day, a decade, or half a century, there’s nothing she wants more than for her husband to love her. We know this not from the plethora of marriage books on the mainstream market. We know this…
I’m Really Sorry: How to Teach Your Child to Apologize Sincerely
Sorry doesn’t help if a person mutters it quickly and walks away. There are better ways to make one person feel better and the other regret it. Yom Kippur is the one majestic day of the year on which we’re absolved of all our sins. But, the Torah cautions that only one who sought and…
The One Most Important Thing to Pray for This Rosh Hashanah
What does Hashem want us to ask for on Rosh Hashanah as we start the new year? When we think of the many things we want for ourselves and our loved ones this coming year, the prayer checklist can become ridiculously long. Besides, our Sages teach that the theme of Rosh Hashanah is not about…
Ruth’s 3 Lessons on How to Treat Your Mother-in-Law
While Ruth, the heroine of Shavuos, serves as a role model for us in many ways, it’s interesting to explore her greatness when it comes to the contentious arena of mother/daughter-in-law relationships. Ruth not only afforded her mother-in-law Naomi great respect; she actually clung to her fiercely, refusing to part ways. How does that happen?…
3 Things Kids Need Most For Emotional Wellbeing?
Satisfy your children’s emotional needs with love, respect, and security. Sounds too simple? Read on. I was once asked to answer the question, “What’s the best parenting advice you ever got?” by a fellow writer who was compiling an article on the topic. Here’s an excerpt of the response I gave: “The one statement that…
Women and Real Empowerment: 3 Things to Learn from Yehudis
What does it mean to be a truly empowered woman? Let’s learn from Yehudis Empowerment is a buzzword today. It’s the term people use when they want to do as they please, when they please, how they please—but it may not necessarily be pleasant. The emphasis placed on “women’s empowerment” in championing for equal rights…
4 Things to Be Thinking About When the Shofar Blows
We hear the sounds, and we look down, trying to concentrate. But what should we be thinking about during tekias shofar? The children are busy with their snacks and the baby has thankfully drifted off. As the shuffle on the men’s side quiets down and the ba’al tokeiah readies himself to blow the shofar, the…
BFF: 5 Ways to Help Your Preschooler Make Friends at School
Even if you’re not there with her, your interactions with your child could encourage her to form new relationships and make friends At my daughter’s kindergarten orientation this year, she was surprised to discover that, due to a grade rearrangement, some of her friends from the year before wouldn’t be in her class anymore. In…
Of Pasta, Pools—and Pain. 3 Ways to Make the Nine Days Meaningful
How can we truly mourn the churban nowadays? Some nine days inspiration. I remember the summer I was head counselor at a sleepaway camp. Know which days needed the most spectacular program? The same days that need the best dairy menu. The famous Nine Days. If you think about it, the Nine Days have become…
You’re Never Too Old for Mommy and Me
Don’t have the relationship with your mother that you crave? You can still get it—and even nurture yourself when she’s no longer here Every human being, especially every woman, has an inherent need for a deep, fulfilling relationship with her very first primary caregiver, her mother. While some may admit it and others will deny…