You have an extra day to reflect and bring the lessons of Purim home. This is a good start. As if Purim isn’t a short enough day, packed as it is with so much to do and not a second to spare, this year poses the additional challenge of an even shorter day. I don’t…
inspiration
How to Keep the Lights of Chanukah Burning
Yes, we can keep the inspiration that lifts us up over Chanukah along with us in the months ahead. As you read this, I hope you are enjoying a beautiful and meaningful Chanukah, full of light and love and laughter, strengthened in your emunah, in your family bonds, and in your appreciation for the miracles…
Are You a Mother Who Is Endlessly Giving?
Even if you don’t always feel so noticed, this is our essence. And there is Someone keeping track. It’s time that you know it! The proof? is in the olive oil. Last week, one of my sons was sick in bed for a few days with a wintertime ailment. On the morning that his appetite…
This Is the Time of Hashem’s Hug
Sukkos is the time when we are literally sitting in Hashem’s arms. How can we bring the comfort of this protection to all our days (even the scary and painful ones)? (Print and read over Sukkos!) On erev Rosh Hashanah, we Yidden in Eretz Yisrael experienced the special feeling of consummate protection and unparalleled love…
We’re Commanded to Be Joyful on Sukkos. How Do We Attain It?
We search for things to make us happy, but sometimes it’s elusive. These are the true sources of joy and how to really find that happiness this Yom Tov. On Wings of JoyAttaining True Joy on the Zeman Simchaseinu Sukkos is a holiday dedicated to mastering joy. We are commanded in the Torah explicitly, “V’samachta…
Rosh Hashanah Strategies to Unlock the Shefa and Bring the Brachah
7 ways to accomplish what Hashem wants from us this Rosh Hashanah. As the sun sets on the past year, a sense of awe and trepidation fills our hearts. We know that this is the moment that Hashem passes each of us under His staff and determines our fate for the coming year. It’s frightening…
How to Increase the Feelings of Gratitude in Your Home
Do you want to create a place where everyone is genuinely happy, for the good things and the seemingly bad? How can you handle such a difficult situation with grace, dignity, and emunah? That was the question I asked a special woman who had lost her beloved adult child after a prolonged illness. Indeed, this…
5 Things I Learned from Teens
Often, even adults can feel enlightened by the fresh perspectives of teenagers. Recently, Victoria shared an insightful line one of her children told her, “Parents don’t only raise kids. Kids raise parents too.” The goodness and sincerity of children and teens can be so fresh and inspiring. Several years ago I began collecting stories for my…
10 Small Acts That Make a Big Impact
These are things you really can do! They may seem small and simple, but even just that little thought can really make a huge difference in someone else’s day…or life! I recently met an old friend. I hadn’t seen her in over a decade, and it was a lot of fun to catch up. Then…
Tzipisa LeYeshua?
Each one of us is instrumental in bringing about the Geulah. The question is: Do we want it? And why do we? Some years ago, I read a story by Etka Gittel Schwartz. The narrative started out describing a mother who was preparing for a family trip – packing a lunch of pita and yogurt,…
