 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Small Miracles
By Orly FuerstIt is impossible to turn on the TV or open a newspaper without being bombarded with tragic news. But the miracles, they are a little harder to notice... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sara's Tent In Memory of My Mother-in-law
by Bat SaraTrue to her word, when Bubby came to Canada there was always delicious kosher food for anyone who visited her home. Despite long hours of toiling in a sweatshop, she always managed to turn flour, potatoes and other simple ingredients into delicacies... 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Blowing In the Wind Welcoming Redemption Into Our Lives
By Chanah PoltorakKnowledge can be snobbish, leaving me feeling inadequate in the shadow of abstractions that remain separate from me. Experience, on the other hand, gives confidence and grace to my next step... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Dance With Me
By Rafaella LevineThe little boy was so excited—his face shone, he laughed, and then he began to dance: jumping and skipping, lifting his legs all about the room... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
System Restore The Time Machine
by Chagit RimlerBeing that my job requires me to work on a computer, it's naturally assumed by my family members and friends that I'm an all around computer maven, one that will certainly be able to save them from any PC related bug or disaster... 4 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Me and My Computer
By Sara Esther CrispeThe thought of endless hours in the evening without internet access is actually not a relaxing thought. It makes me nervous. It means I will need to be present, completely present, in my life and not my virtual life. And that is scary to me. 5 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Bagels and Locks
By Aliza HausmanIt is a tradition in my family. The women have always been obsessed with hair. They learned this from their mothers, who learned it from their mothers and on it went—sometimes skipping a generation until someone was lucky enough to be born with "good hair"... 7 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Purpose of Prayer
by Sarah MartinI am struck by the stark contrast between my view of G‑d when I was younger and the close and intimate relationship I feel with G‑d today... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Privilege to Give
by Chana'le FelligThere are three passengers standing just a few inches away from me. They're rolling their eyes and spewing frustrated comments at this man's audacity... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Heroes In Life
By Shula BryskiThere is something extraordinary about the figures that actually live in your life. They are the heroes and heroines in the things that go unnoticed... 2 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Birthday Presence Recognizing the True Gift
By Ariella Sunny LeviI'm not interested in looking back over my life and wondering where the time went, slapping myself in the head saying, "time really flew...". I want to look back and account for all my years with a feeling of completion... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Collector's Syndrome
By AnonymousSo am I eccentric? Too extreme? Maybe, but I have learned to value things and my children have learned to value things, too... 9 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
To Bake Or To Buy? My Purim Question
By Miriam KarpA few years into the "mothering thing" my enthusiasm for these homey projects was on the wane. I opted for the clean and easy way to do the mitzvah of Shalach Manot: a trip to the kosher bakery for store-bought hamantashen... 5 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Our Daily Bread Thoughts on Shabbat Shira
By Miriam GoodmanI remember thinking, "Is this what it was like, when the Jews
were walking through the desert and their only food was the manna that fell
from the sky each night?" Waiting and looking for your daily ration is a
humbling experience... 2 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tatte, My Father
By Devorah Leah MishulovinThrough his example—
his sincerity, his devotion to G‑d, incomparable wit, and unassuming ways
Tatte has taught me many important lessons... 5 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Meeting An Old Friend For The First Time
By Bracha GoetzOver the years, Wendy and I have learned, over the years, a couple of works on the Torah portion of the week as well as several other
books, and we have shared many hours of the best kind of joy... 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Samantha the Gerbil Looking Beyond the Surface
By Hinda SchryberIt was after Shabbat,
and my husband and I were taking our usual stroll around town, but that night we saw a sight which touched us both- and reminded us not to judge other people so quickly... 6 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Turning Fifty Hitting Middle Age
By Edith BrownBut nothing could stop my body from progressing on its natural path of womanhood – nothing. After crying for two days straight, I realized I was in perimenopause... 16 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
On the Power of Being Yourself
By Vanessa PalomaOnce upon a time, a baby girl was born to a man who came from the world of the earth, and a woman who came from the world of the skies. They wandered the earth in search of their happiness and dreams... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Back-Up Generator
By Ruthy ShalomInstead of going about my day automatically flicking on switches that would give energy to my actions, I was left to find alternative tasks to occupy my attention. I floundered in a feeling of desperation at this possibility, for such is my reliance... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Pass the Birthday Cake, Please
By Devorah Leah MishulovinSince there are so many things I like to do on my special day, I now give myself two days to celebrate. n my actual birthday, an auspicious time when my good fortune is dominant, I concentrate on connecting to my Creator. The day after, I take time out to do fun things... 5 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Inner City Dweller
By Rifka KaplanIt is like a battle between conceit and humility that is happening in my soul. I think in one way, only to recognize the absolute delusion of my estimation.... 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Tutor
By Katie BeckerThe student is frustrated. She has been going in circles for forty-five minutes trying to figure out one line. And the tutor, she is at a loss. Part of her knows that feeding a student her thesis is not what she is there for, but is also not to the advantage of the student... 2 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Brownies
By Devorah Leah SandhausIt had been eight long months of running between my parent's house and the hospital. Eight long months of not knowing what new challenges awaited us day in and day out... 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Moving
By Elana MizrahiI can't believe I find myself in the same position, doing the same task: packing. Again, we're moving. We've moved five times in seven years... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Fleeting Thought
By Ruth SternShe seemed to always have it together while I was always falling apart. And so it was no wonder that I felt a twinge of satisfaction upon hearing that something was going wrong for her... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Yes Syndrome
By Edith BrownI was always so busy saying "yes" that I forgot to ever ask myself if I wanted to be the chair of a committee, if I had the time to become a "taxi" service, if I was able to volunteer for another fundraiser... 9 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Back to the Garden
By Gwendolyn DavisI thought redemption was really here — now. A single tear escapes, and a little bit of my heart breaks. I can't help it. It was such a good dream... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Edge of Time
By Patricia HuffHave you ever stood on the edge of time and beheld the wonders that could only be found in you? 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Twenty Questions
By Devorah Leah MishulovinAfter Twenty Questions, the toy tries to guess the word that you had in mind. No one is looking, and I take this piece in my hand and think of a word. I choose, "G - D"... 7 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Open Eyes
By Patricia HuffI am here in my own bed but at the same time, I am standing on a distant mountain side. Bushes growing wildly all around, a place deserted and ever so still... 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Coming to America
By Miriam ShieldsThat night, my grandmother slept fitfully, distressed and uncertain about what to do. How could she compromise the values with which she had been raised? |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Light Within
By Patricia HuffDon’t you feel it deep within the spaces of your soul? Awaken and come forth for I have called you back once more to reveal a message of life and love... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Carry Me
By Sara HechtSome days I feel as though I'm carrying years on my back. I never thought about it much before; you see, I believed it was my duty... 2 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Light The Ultimate Metaphor of G-d's Expression
By Joy KrauthammerToward the end, the candles were as if souls returning to the Creator with their last breath. No longer reaching upwards in a dance between heaven and earth, they were a fragment of their former selves, returning to their grounding wick... 4 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
What Kind of Person Are You?
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose... 5 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Second Chance
By Sara Esther CrispeHe asked me how much I was owed, and then started to take $8 out of his wallet. It still hadn’t sunk into my thick skull when he said, “For $8 you were screaming at an old man? 2 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Pillar of Salt
By Sara Esther CrispeI read how Lot is saved and his wife turns into a pillar of salt. And I search to see my life in these words. I'd rather not see it, of course, as the connection is too intense, too real, too true 26 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Supernatural High
By Patricia HuffIt begins with desire. A desire to know more. A desire to be more. Surely I
can do something on my own is what I would say. Surely my life is worth
something just for me being me. It is then that the door begins to open... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Yom Kippur Reflection
By Melody Masha PiersonHow was I going to stop doing these things when at this very moment of remorse, I was also filled with anger, toward myself and towards others who had harmed me? 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Our Soldiers
By Chana (Jenny) WeisbergIn Lebanon our soldiers, some of the best young men of our generation, are being hunted and slaughtered like animals. And here I am, inspecting lemons as though nothing is going on? 6 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
David and Goliath
By Adele HattinghAs women, we share a collective identity. We often struggle to overcome the same mountains, and we find peace in cool streams of the same valleys. We seek our identity in the piercing bareness of the same wind... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Pallor Behind the Unexpected
By Tovli SimiryanIt was his first day of retirement. Suddenly, after all the financial planning and midnight talks with Behira, his wife of forty years, he had no plans... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Faces of a Nation
By Chana LewisThese are the faces of a nation, comprised of opinions and moods, attitudes and deep feelings. Each person is absorbed in the narrative of his own life, yet somehow, in some omnipotent way, I attempt to find myself in their story, to recognize our similar struggles... 3 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Lessons from an Ant
By Tzvia EisenbergI can only imagine that from the ants’ perspective, having a human hand descend upon it is a horror of unspeakable proportion... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Life
By Ester PotashLife is like a book. Flipping through its pages, yellow with age, we are transported to different places all over the world... 2 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Daffodil Principle
By Jaroldeen Asplund EdwardsWe walked up to the house. On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline. The first answer was a simple one."50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was... 5 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Face of a Hero
By Chana WeisbergIt is a name that until a few days ago held no meaning to me. He was a complete stranger, about whom I had never heard and whom I had never met... 17 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Why Do I Pray?
By Jerry FarrisMy father, of blessed memory, had been in one of the first American battalions to enter Auschwitz during WWII. What he saw there seemed to haunt him for the rest of his years... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Sad Glad Week
By Lauren GrovemanThe truth is that joy usually has both a sad and glad component. Many times, it's the sad part that provides the treasure that conceals the glad part, just waiting to be revealed and experienced... 1 Comment |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A Grain of Sand My Daughter's Bat Mitzvah
by Rhona LewisA young girl's bat mitzvah is a milestone in her life. A milestone that should be imbued with a message that will escort her into her future. This was the goal tonight... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tateh: My Father
By Shirley ColesI lost my father when I was ten-- his only child, his only daughter. It is only in recent times that I have pondered the importance of having a father... 7 Comments |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Boats on the Dock
by Lysa AppletonI began thinking about what we as individuals need in our lives to stay buoyant and keep ourselves protected from the dangerous and harmful "rocks" of life. I know that there was a time when I lived my life at low tide... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Survivorship
By Elana MizrahiI knew very little about their past. I was told bits and pieces of their stories. I knew that my little Bubbie had escaped from death's door and had been a Partisan fighter in the forest... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Just for Today
Every year Rosh HaShana comes at me like a speeding train. I wasn't ready and I didn't see it coming. Suddenly I am jumping and running alongside, trying to get aboard... |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |