Celebrating Six Years and the Top Ten Articles from 2011

It is hard to believe another amazing year has passed, and we are here celebrating the 6th birthday of TheJewishWoman.org! Once again I want to thank you for making this site what it is through your articles, comments, feedback and support.

One of my new projects this past year has been starting a weekly blog, Musing for Meaning, and this week I dedicated the blog post to my feelings about TheJewishWoman.org, so please check out The Power of Writing.

As has become traditional, below is a compilation of your favorite pieces from the past year. Enjoy!

Sara Esther Crispe
Editor, TheJewishWoman.org

Life Lessons
	An Angel in the Supermarket Out of nowhere a well-dressed, kind-looking woman appeared. She smiled and said, “I can lend you the money, and you can pay me back at your convenience . . .” by Anonymous
Stories of Return
	The ‘B’ Word The Fear of Brainwashing “Shana, everyone’s worried about you,” she began. “You’ve changed a lot lately, and they’re afraid you’ve been, well . . .” “Brainwashed?” I asked. By Shana Guzick
	The Girl in the Skirt In a society that makes it all but impossible to change first impressions, what you wear is a sure-fire way to make a statement . . . By Rucheli Manville
Motherhood & Childrearing
	Raising Half a Dozen Our mornings can be a tad hectic in our little corner of Israel. Six breakfasts, six snacks, six lunches, six backpacks, six pairs of socks (matching, maybe) and shoes . . . By Julie Mendelsohn
Special Children
	Parenting a Child with ADHD I had no support from my husband, who was in denial, and kept on insisting that ADHD is not a real disorder. “What she needs,” he insisted, “is an iron hand!” By Anonymous
Time in Thought
	A Love Story Does my generation, witnessing skyrocketing divorce rates and illicit affairs plastered across the media, even believe that true love is possible? Do we realize what we are missing? By Samantha Barnett
	Asking Others for Money If you hold your breath each and every time you swipe your card, praying it won’t be declined, it does not mean that you lack talent, ambition, drive, determination and work ethic . . . by Sara Esther Crispe
Relationships & Marriage
	Meeting my Husband It’s funny to think back about the first time my husband and I crossed paths. We probably did not do more than glance at one another, but we were both praying for the same thing at the same place, just minutes apart from each other . . . By Mina Richler
Abuse
	Coming to Terms with an Abusive Childhood I struggled every day to see the good in my life and to feel positive. I found that it took extraordinary effort, for me, to stay focused and not wallow in negativity. But slowly I began to learn to feel appreciative and thankful . . . By Anonymous
	Things You Need to Know About Pedophilia Rather than appearing to be “monsters,” perpetrators usually try to be very charming and friendly . . . By Bracha Goetz