There was a time when I would mark the beginning of the Three Weeks by going to the library and checking out an armful of Holocaust books. By the time Tisha B’Av came around, I would be appropriately sobered by my reading. That was back when I was single, and had little demands on my… Continue reading What to Read, Watch or Listen to on Tisha B’Av
Disclaimer: I did lots of linking to the glossary this week, as this post is pretty heavy on the Yiddish and Hebrew vocab. I usually make an effort to use English where possible, but this week’s subject matter didn’t really allow for that. I’ll try to make next week’s post more English-based. Dating. Did you groan when you… Continue reading A Segulah to Get Married
We’re in the thick of the high holidays now. Rosh Hashanah is behind us (hope you had a good one!), Yom Kippur is awaiting us, and we find ourselves in the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, the Ten Days of Repentance. Some of us may even be fasting today, since it’s Tzom Gedalia. This is the time of… Continue reading Divine Intervention and a Stuffed Animal
Every Friday slightly before sundown, I light five candles. One for me, one for my husband and one for each of my children. I cover my eyes and say a blessing, and with that action, usher in 25 hours of rejuvenation, connection and rest. It’s like a spiritual spa every week. And boy, do I… Continue reading Top Five Reasons to Keep Shabbos
It’s starting to feel like crunch time over here (and I’m not talking about all that matzah we will soon be eating). It’s that time when I’m no longer purchasing chometz. I’m getting creative with my dinner ideas, using up whatever is hanging around my pantry (and still edible). And, of course, I’m cleaning and… Continue reading Crowdsourced Pesach Tips
We didn’t live near any relatives when I was growing up, and since my mother doesn’t particularly enjoy cooking (I think her motto is something like “cook to survive”), Thanksgiving wasn’t ever a big to-do for us. However, when my family moved to St. Louis twelve years ago, we found ourselves close to family, and… Continue reading Our Thanksgiving Shabbos Tradition
Rivki Silver ~ thoughts & music 