What exactly does LOVE even mean? The English word "love" is just too vague. The Greek language, on the other hand, offers a bit more precision.
Read MoreCelebrating Love on Valentine's Day
in Holidays
Let Us Now Praise A Strong, Courageous, and Brave Black Woman
in Refelections, Holidays
Until the day comes when we live in a truly just society, we owe it to ourselves, our countries, and most of all, to our Black brothers and sisters, to take the time to keep learning.
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New Year of the Trees
Trees are powerful symbols of life, even eternal life. In fact, it's considered a mitzvah (a good deed) to plant trees in Israel to commemorate loved ones who have died. To do so on Tu BiShvat is especially fitting.
Read MoreA Hopeless Romantic
in Asah | Make
For me, the allure of Romantic music is its gracefulness and character. It is often praised as the poetry of music.
Read MoreFrom Darkness to Light
in Refelections
We all know that after the solstice, the daylight gradually stretches, as the hours of darkness shrink. But, this year, many of us feel trapped in that shrinking darkness, struggling with pain, loss, and loneliness.
Read MoreWhat to Serve with Potato Latkes
This recipe for Moroccan Chicken will bring a delightful, tangy-sweetness to your Hanukkah holiday table, and a perfect pairing for those crispy latkes!
Read MoreChoosing Joy
in Holidays
How can I complain the way I really want to without being that “Karen” everyone wants to avoid? To varying degrees, COVID has knocked all of us off balance. Would a little kvetching be so terrible?
Read MoreThe Blessing of the "Unoffended"
in Refelections
After sharing my exasperation at the craziness of this past election, she encouraged me to "claim the blessing of the unoffended." At first, I thought she was joking. But, then I realized the blessing she was referring to was really just our attitude.
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My brother Grant (who died in 2014, the same year as my mother), me, and our cat Snowball, on the streets of Philadelphia outside my grandmother's store.
For the Love of Pets
in Refelections
I went through hours of training, learning how to handle even the most skittish cats. But, for me, it wasn't just about caring for the cats—it was about caring for me.
Read MoreWrong Notes
in Asah | Make
I often watch YouTube videos of professionals playing whatever piano pieces I'm about to learn. But, listening to outstanding musicians also reminds me of my own shortcomings. Perfectionist that I am, playing the wrong notes sends me into quite a tizzy.
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Post-Atonement Kugel
Jews spend the holiday of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) praying, meditating, and abstaining from both food and liquid. At sunset, most people are so hungry they'd happily sit down to a nice bowl of carrots. But no Jewish mother would put up with that.
Read MoreForgiveness
Before we can ask for forgiveness, we need to know where we went astray and try to understand why. Before we can ask to be written in G-d's "Book of Life," we need to know how our choices have brought more pain, and even death, into the world.
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Staying Connected During the Pandemic
in Refelections
An old Irish proverb tells us: "It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.” Being a people-person, myself, the first few months of lockdown made me just a little crazy. We all know that Zoom just isn’t the same as face-to-face time.
Read MoreStaying Fit in a Pandemic
in Refelections
I come from a long line of Jewish mothers who equated food with love. My family used to joke that for my grandmother if you weren't "as big as a house," you were too thin. Find out how this stuck-at-home 60-something is re-writing that script.
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Between the Straits
The three-week period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av is referred to as Bein Hametzarim, which means “between the straits" in Hebrew. The phrase is taken from the Book of Lamentations: “…all her (Jerusalem's) persecutors overtook her between the straits.” (Eichah 1:3)
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Dear Dad
in Family
Dear Dad, when it comes to fathers, I won the lottery.
Read MoreMaking Friends, Building Trust
in Asah | Make
Imagine not being able to read medicine labels, directions, street signs, environmental warnings, food labels, and so much more. There is no way to exaggerate the devastating impact illiteracy has on income, health, and social connections.
Read MoreMan's Inhumanity
in Refelections
Right now, we are "plagued" by a virus that goes beyond COVID. We are plagued by prejudice, violence, and the disintegration of our culture. Our Black brothers and sisters have suffered for centuries by the hands of white people, and in more recent events, by law enforcement.
My Dad, My Hero
in Family
Memorial Day commemorates the soldiers and military personnel who have died in our wars. For me, the day brings with it memories of my father, who served as a Marine during WWII.
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Braised Veal Shanks
Braised Veal Shanks
in Recipes
You can still be a great cook during this difficult time, even though some items are hard to come by. I was able to order veal shanks from my local meat market.
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