Since joining Facebook, I’ve signed into a few of its many groups. One of the most rewarding is People Who Went to Catskill Bungalow Colonies, started by Trudy Gewirtzman Malmut, now 10,000 members strong and growing fast. On April 28, another member of the group, Jan Shapiro-Shandler posted, “I have been holding onto this cookbook

Many people in my neighborhood have welcomed dogs into their families this winter, during the weeks of quarantine. Whether for entertainment, companionship or having a walking buddy, dog ownership has spiked. This generation of puppies has been labeled “COVID dogs.” A couple of months ago, one of my neighbors brought

Step #6

Part 3

“The ways of the Torah are ways of pleasantness, and all its pathways are peace.”

(Mishlei 3:7)

So far, we have discussed the importance of a mentsch acting in a pleasant fashion that creates a kiddush

I miss working with my clients face to face. I miss the interaction with the client, helping them transport items to new “homes” other than the trash, hearing their stories and really listening to what’s going on in their world to know how to orient the organization session. I really miss the usual life of

אלו דברים שאדם אוכל פירותיהם בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לעולם הבא: ואלו הן, כיבוד אב ואם, וגמילות חסדים, והשכמת בית המדרש שחרית וערבית, והכנסת אורחים, וביקור חולים, והכנסת כלה, ולוית המת,

This cleaning marathon I’ve been on has me reacquainting myself with a wide variety of once hidden family treasures. It all started during the lockdown to combat the world coronavirus pandemic, which coincided with the time for an extensive spring/Passover cleaning.

Step #6

Part 2

דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום

The ways of the Torah are ways of pleasantness and all its pathways are peace.

(Mishlei 3:17)

Last week we celebrated Passover in a new way. For the first time, we sat alone at the Seders due to social distancing policies imposed by the government. We shared the rest of the eight day holiday with only those living in our home. As usual, however, our Seders were conducted using the highly

As a Jewish organizer, there are a few events I look forward to each year between Purim and Pesach.

I. One of my favorite services that I offer my Jewish clients is to carry away their shaimos. Shaimos may be defined as holy writings or objects that are no longer needed or

The internet can be a dangerous place for kids. What can start off as an innocent YouTube video viewing session can rapidly devolve. With so many links, suggested videos, and active users there to lure kids away from safe viewing material and into the darker, scarier portions of the web,

Within the Jewish community, which includes numerous levels and nuances of observance, children are sometimes raised with the tacit understanding that their parents may eventually leave not only the marriage, but also their level of religious observance or even the religion. This creates difficult-to-navigate issues regarding the

If there was ever something to be thankful for, it’s for being part of this amazingly tight-knit Jewish community. Yes, that might be the reason why COVID-19 spread so fast among us, but it is certainly also the reason that after only two hours post isolation, I found myself part of an enormous group of parents navigating this uncertainty