Jolie Greiff

When someone deserved commendation for a job well done, my mother made a practice of telling the boss.

What am I doing on Yom Kippur reading kiddy books? I ask myself. Is this what G‑d wants from me?

I was due to give birth in less than a week, and I still didn’t know the exact name to give our about-to-be-born son.

Did I not get it right? Didn’t I listen well? Didn’t I positivize him properly?

Late Friday afternoon, the sun begins to set behind the San Francisco Bay…

I had heard from a friend in Los Angeles that all religious girls were straight-laced, cliquey and snobby. Since I wasn’t observant, I was told that religious girls wouldn’t want to have anything to do with the likes of me. And I was assured that I wouldn...

At dinner I found myself sitting across from David. He was smart, not bad looking, and had a real British sense of humo(u)r. After the meal ended, we continued talking for over an hour.

I did go to graduate school, got married, had children, and accomplished many important things. But I came to realize that, indeed, my own worth was determined by G‑d and not by letters after my name, or anything else.

“You’re going to sit home ALONE instead of driving to shul to be with other Jews at Shabbat services?!” my parents demanded.

I am human, and sometimes my mind wanders. So I’ve developed a few methods that help keep me focused during prayer.