Jewish Holidays Abby Korotney Jewish Holidays Abby Korotney

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.

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Refelections Abby Korotney Refelections Abby Korotney

From Darkness to Light

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.

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Holidays Abby Korotney Holidays Abby Korotney

Choosing Joy

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?

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Refelections Abby Korotney Refelections Abby Korotney

The Blessing of the "Unoffended"

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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Asah | Make Abby Korotney Asah | Make Abby Korotney

Wrong Notes

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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Jewish Holidays, Recipes Abby Korotney Jewish Holidays, Recipes Abby Korotney

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.

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Jewish Holidays Abby Korotney Jewish Holidays Abby Korotney

Forgiveness

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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Refelections Abby Korotney Refelections Abby Korotney

Staying Connected During the Pandemic

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.

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Refelections Abby Korotney Refelections Abby Korotney

Staying Fit in a Pandemic

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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Jewish Holidays Abby Korotney Jewish Holidays Abby Korotney

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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Asah | Make Abby Korotney Asah | Make Abby Korotney

Making Friends, Building Trust

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.

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Refelections Abby Korotney Refelections Abby Korotney

Man's Inhumanity

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.

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Family Abby Korotney Family Abby Korotney

My Dad, My Hero

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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Create & Make
ברא ו עשה

Barah (Hebrew): To produce something that's never existed before.

Asah (Hebrew) To make something new with things already here.


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