Two years ago, the week before I was receiving my smicha (ordination) as a Mashpi’ah Ruchanit and Spiritual Director, two great lights in the Jewish community died suddenly at a young age. Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfeld wrote and taught many beautiful songs which I still use for Shabbat and healing services. Alan Lew taught Jewish meditation in a way that ( Read more... )

I'm not sure why I find this website so funny - probably it evokes many strange and wondrous memories of my family. Be warned: it includes some profanity - words and gestures - but nothing, I'm sure, that you haven't heard (perhaps even used, heaven forefend!) yourself. The only problem: some of these "old Jews" aren't much older than I! Do you ( Read more... )

Our grandson turned six last month, and already he's on his way to either a successful political career or to become the world's greatest lover. sproutntad had her eyebrows shaped yesterday. "Hey, Z," she said to him, "you didn't say anything about my eyebrows." "I wasn't looking at your eyebrows," he answered. "Why not?" she countered. "Cuz I was too ( Read more... )

sproutntad arrived from FL today. I wanted to surprise my grandson, so I didn't tell him we were going to pick her up at the bus station. "Let's go do some errands," I said. We got into the car and headed for Logan Express. As we pulled into the terminal, I said, "Do you see anyone you know?" "Auntie Lee-lee!" he called, excitedly. "Are you surprised?" I ( Read more... )

Our six-year-old grandson is staying with us for a couple of days. He is a very active and bouncy Tigger and sometimes has trouble settling down. D - loving grandpaw that he is - gave him a chocolate donut in the late afternoon. Sugar is no sedative, especially for little children, and I was concerned that he wouldn't be able to get to sleep. D ( Read more... )

one for each year we have been married

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So David and I had our passport photos taken at our local photo-video store. The photographer took 4 digital shots of each of us, put the memory card in a fancy machine, blew the photos up, chose the one shot with our eyes open, took out the red eye, cropped it, and printed it. What a painful experience! Talk about reality in print. Every wrinkle, ( Read more... )

My birthday is next Friday. To celebrate my birthday I usually hold an annual birthday ritual with my women friends. I talk about how the past year has been, make intentions for the coming year and take on a mitzvah (a commandment, a Divine Directive) to do for the year. It is the one day that I take just for myself. I make everyone at the birthday ( Read more... )

When I think of ___________ I can taste ___________ ( Read more... )

I've been so busy lately with paper, homework, classes, work, that I haven't been able to visit my mother. I used to visit her every couple of weeks or so. But now I only see her at family functions, such as Thanksgiving dinner or my brother-in-law's birthday party, when she is busy talking with other people and doesn't have a lot of time to spend ( Read more... )