Finally, a book for mothers of Jewish boys! And not just a handbook, but an engaging, lively read that covers just about every topic that is Jewish and boy-related from bris to bar mitzvah. From the first page to the last, Beily Paluch connects to you in her humorous yet down-to-earth style, presenting a seamless blend of information, tips, anecdotes, and inspiration.
Can you help a baby with jaundice have his bris on time? Which homework papers are shaimos? How can you keep track of learning hours over a yom tov and chol hamoed? What should you serve at the vachnacht? Bring along to the pidyon haben? What should a mom know if her son is a bechor? A kohen? A levi? A lefty? At what point is a pair of tzitzis no longer kosher? What are the parameters of peyos? Can you save a yarmulke that’s been through the wash?
These are just some of the questions addressed in the book, which also includes a full chapter on mothers and sons in the Talmud, as well as segulos for having a boy and for raising righteous sons. Other chapters discuss boys around the year (volunteering at the kapparos center, selling aravos and lulav rings, matzah baking, staying up all night on Shavuos), running a Chevras Tehillim, and organizing a fundraising carnival.
Interspersed along the way are insights and observations, ideas and ruminations. They resonate in a way that leaves no doubt: The author is a member of our club!
“That’s really the way I see it,” says Beily. “When I meet someone and we discover that we are both mothers of boy families, there’s an instant connection. We automatically share our laughs and struggles from our boys’ whacky collections to how to deal with long yeshiva days. To me, the book is an extension of those conversations, like a membership to the ‘mother of boys’ club.”
For added chuckles, empty spaces throughout the book have been filled with a collection of favorite boy moments from mothers near and far.
Boy Oh Boy! has universal appeal; it hones in on the common threads that bind us, no matter our backgrounds or geographic locations.
The book is highly informative, yet maintains a light, upbeat voice. As you read, you segue naturally from sections of tips, to paragraphs that clarify halachos, to stories that make you smile.
Mothers of one boy or a dozen, whether they are still young or have flown the nest, will find themselves in this book; it is at once both a reference… and a friend.
Get into the spirit by visiting Beily’s new blog, inspired by the book and the wonderful women she’s met since the book’s recent release, at www.boyohboyblog.com.
