Humanity disperses, then coalesces into language-identified communities, at least until each learns another’s language.

Hallel is the collection of Psalms that we add to our morning services on Rosh Chodesh, the three major festivals and Chanuka.

My recent posts...No Guarantees My heart pounded as our four-year-old racing along the sidewalk on her big wheels. I worried: would she turn the corner or end up in the middle of the street? I can’t watch! She made the turn. Whew! She always made the turn. Yet my...

My recent posts...leven days and counting. On that Thursday evening, Ellie and I did the final clearing, cleaning, toy locating and bed-making for four of our grandkids and their parents who would be arriving on Sunday. And for their aunt getting...

Around this time one year, “The holidays are coming!” was the headline on an ad for a Jewish-style restaurant/caterer. It’s a brilliant line, because, especially from the Jewish perspective, there’s ALWAYS a holiday (holy day, commemoration, etc.) coming!

Every art medium — from music to oratory, sculpting to calligraphy — requires negative spaces. Pauses, rests, breaths, openings, unpainted areas add nuance, definition; without them, there would be much less there.

Months before her installation as Shirat Hayam’s new president, Karen Pollock, started planning a community block party at our shul. The Bayside Bash, an outdoor festival, is meant to promote our vitality and our location, to introduce ourselves to those who don’t yet know us and to give everyone a fun afternoon.

The New York Times has been delayed this week, meaning that we get yesterday’s news tomorrow. I mentioned that, when I was a teenager, I discovered that you could get the Sunday NY Times on Saturday night — tomorrow’s news today?! How could they know?

Ellie and I got to spend too little time with each of our Massachusetts families (delightful), and we played tourist in Boston for a couple of days (recommended). And it goes so fast, yes, it does!

More than a year and a half since we were able to hug and kiss our grandchildren. Until today!

Israel and Hamas are, at this writing, holding to a cease-fire. Israel is expected to negotiate with Hamas. Could there be anything more challenging?

Rockets were heading toward Jerusalem, air raid sirens sounded. The adults grabbed some snacks and toys for Or and headed to the hallway that served as a (relatively) safe space in the apartment building. It was “baby’s first” air raid!