God as Matchmaker: A Reflection on Adoption
One Jewish mother’s letter to the Divine: “Before I looked upon my babies in real-life, or even in photos, I knew You were the matchmaker.”
Related Blog Posts on Engaging Families with Young Children, Family Activities, Father's Day, Interfaith Family, Mother's Day, Parenting, and Youth Engagement
Why Parashat Vayeira Speaks to Me About Challenges in My Life
I always wanted children, so I took parashat Vayeira as a good omen. Maybe I, too, would be a mother later in life - but now I’m 43.
A Conversation with Authors Helen Kiyong Kim and Noah Samuel Leavitt about Their Shared Values and Raising a Family
In their new book JewAsian: Race, Religion, and Identity for America’s Newest Jews, scholarly husband/wife team Helen Kiyong Kim and Noah Samuel Leavitt examine the intersection of race, religion, and ethnicity in the increasing number of households that are both Jewish American and Asian American (like theirs is).
Why Infertility is a Jewish Issue - and What We Can Do About It
Just how is infertility a Jewish issue? Our community has always placed a value on raising Jewish families.
A Letter to My Son on His First Day of Jewish Summer Camp
Having been a sleepaway camper myself for every summer of my childhood, I know camp will change you. I can't wait for you to come home and teach us what you have learned.
"I Belong at Jewish Camp": Celebrating a Diverse Community
URJ Crane Lake Camp, a Reform Jewish summer camp in Stockbridge, MA, recently released this beautiful video about what it means to be a Reform Jew, both at summer camp and beyond. In sharing the video, Crane Lake posted, “We are all different and unique and yet so similar. Being Jewish isn’t about what you look like or where you come from. It’s about how it makes you feel.”
My Son May Be Sheltered Now, But That Won’t Last Forever
For better or for worse, my son doesn’t yet know how scary this world can be – and I’m not eager to break it to him.
My Kids Have Lots of Questions about God
My little guy and his siblings, like so many children, are full of questions about God. All day, every day, their inquiring minds want to know: Where is God? Why is God? Who is God? And the most oft-heard question of all: Is God a boy or a girl? Or neither? Or both?
When the Rabbi's Kid is the Bar Mitzvah Boy
“So what’s the theme of your son’s bar mitzvah?” It was such a simple question that it’s difficult to explain exactly why it stumped me. How was it that, when I was on the other side of the table, I had no idea how to respond?
What Being Jewish and a Girl Scout Have in Common
Scouting promotes so many values we want for our daughter: love of nature, respect for the environment, equality and teamwork, and responsibility for our fellow humans. Judaism, of course, imparts these same teachings.
