Just have to rant. Thinking about it more and more lately. Brings me back to the theater of the absurd, Your “blood pressure rising ” once the word “immigration ” comes up? Why is it at the low with the words like “rabbinate” or “Haredi”? I have just returned from a brainstorming meeting for the…
Category: me
Fish, Anyone?
I remember being intimidated by preparing fish back in Russia. But of course! You had to buy the fish and totally clean it yourself – scale, gut, etc… And, I’ve just seen that this is the way people recommend to do it now. What a great recipe! I am totally going to try this sans…
Verses of Pain, Food & D’var Torah All in One Shot
I guess we, the unfortunate souls trapped in the cement jungle of the biggest apple of the world – New York City are so used to the pollution we take for air, that once we hit the real clean air of the country, our bodies start to reject it. Right after returning from my mini…
Birthday Vacation – Made in America!
I’ve spent the last three days in Upstate New York, or more precise the Hudson River Valley. A couple of friends and I rented an Airbnb in Sparrow Bush, near Historic Port Jervis. It was so nice. peaceful, quiet, relaxing. Driving through this area makes you keenly aware of the beauty of the scenic routes all around, as well…
My Birthday Shavuot
Shavuot was always my favorite holiday. I was always thinking that it was because of my bad relationship with winter and my love of warmth that always arrives with this holiday. I also preferred dairy over meat all my life. And then I found another reason: my Hebrew birthday! I was born on the 7th of…
Songs that I Love
Being at Limmud FSU reminded me again that Jews come in all colors, speak different languages, have diverse backgrounds and like a variety of things. Music is probably the one thing that brings us together regardless of what specific kind of music we love. At the conference, we heard the very talented singer from Israel, Ninet. We…
Limmud! What a Great Idea!
Limmud is a really neat idea!I have been going to Limmud in New York area for years, was involved with the Limmud NY chavruta project and Limmud FSU for quite some time now. I have just returned from yet another amazing weekend celebrating Jewish life in all its incarnations. The energy of the place filled with a…
Sad Anniversaries in My Life Paving the Road for the Better.
Last year, on this day I wrote something: Pain, scream, blood, night – again and again in my family How many times, G-d? Loving eyes asking me silently “why this torture?” – again and again How many times, G-d? Sparkles of hope come and go – again and again How many times, G-d? Girls of…
Parshat ha Shavuah Verses – Achrei Mot-Kedoshim – אחרי מות־קדשים
So, this is it. Two parashiot that are read this Shabbat in Diaspora mark the end of the year since my father’s passing. I don’t have the words to talk about this, so I am going to talk about the words in the text that resonate with me, and with this event – a turning point of sorts…
Freedom!?!
Freedom! I don’t really want you I don’t really need you Yet, I’ve chosen you. Freedom from the pain Freedom from the sadness Freedom from the doubt Freedom from illusion Freedom from the mockery of LOVE. Free to make decisions Free to go or stay Free to cry whenever Free to die or not. I…
The End of Kaddish Era
Today, 11th of Nissan marks the end of an era for me. Today is the last day of the kaddish for my father, Shimon ben Nachum z’l. Had it been just yesterday when I started? Or ages ago? Today I am looking back to my short runs to the huge historical shul near my work with a minyan (or…
Just Two Verses
Yesterday, taking a break from pre-Pesach cleaning, I decided to go to a class for some real preparation. The Community Beit Midrash project is a cooperation of several learning institutions we are lucky to have here, in New York City. This one was held at Drisha, located just a block from the Central Park. It was…
Noshing Across the Nation 