As in many families, we found that the grip of electronics in the lives of our children was becoming tighter. This was not a good thing. In the mornings, our children would claim that they were not hungry for breakfast so they could watch TV.
I am an illustrator and/or author of books for children, many of them for URJ Books & Music. Because I am a storyteller, I thought I would – you guessed it – tell the story of how my book Noah’s Swim-A-Thon came to be. Once upon a time, I lived in the suburbs with three young children
I grew up watching "Leave It to Beaver," and was always a little jealous that my family wasn't so perfect. When I got older, I realized the days of the Cleaver family were long past - if they ever were.
“Who’s that guy?” I asked my mom.
“He’s the rabbi,” she answered. I stared up at my mom, with a blank gaze on my face.
When I was eight years old, my family joined a synagogue for the first time.
Even before then, we always had a fairly strong sense of Jewish
In the 20th century, three new holy days were inserted to the Jewish calendar based on the massively significant events of the Shoah and the Establishment of the State of Israel: Yom HaShoah v’Hagveurah, Yom HaZikaron, Yom HaAtzmaut.
On the first Sunday of the first day of religious school, I challenge my seventh grade students: How do you have a conversation with God in the 21st century? Do you have a conversation at all? How do you come to God when life is good?
It is said that, “All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” (Havelock Ellis) It is, to be sure, a balancing act for every parent.
Together, we will champion the lessons of Passover by bringing greater wholeness, justice, and belonging to our world.
