Laughter
One important factor in helping us laugh is not taking yourself too seriously.
The One Who Stopped
Everyone knows the feeling you get when you want to do something you can’t do. There is always that temptation to do - especially because you know you can’t. Or sometimes it’s because you want to prove you can. Sometimes it’s because people expect it of you. Sometimes it’s a combination.
The Match That Set The World Ablaze
Watching people a few hundred feet up in the air, walking or bicycling on a string has always astonished me. Regardless of the science behind it (using a long pole as a means of forcing one's center of gravity onto the string) does nothing to subtract from the magnificence of the act.
Beat
I hear a beat,
I know the sound
I feel a skip,
One that I’m used to
I see a picture,
But this one is new
I cry of pain,
Because I know this is real.
What is Calling Me?
When I was fourteen years old I understood that I might never return to Moscow and live at home with my parents. While I had lived the bulk of my life in Moscow, at the start of high school I was going to assimilate into the American system of education and the world of American teenageism. I was excited.
A Trip Through History
A week- seven days. That’s how long I spent in the dustbin of Jewish History that is Poland. I went there to learn about, and to see first hand, the country that housed the absolute horrors of the Holocaust, but I also went to see the places that had once housed such rich Jewish life. As such the trip focused, in my opinion, on three aspects of Jewish life in Poland: pre-war, the Holocaust years and then post-war.
Good Bye, Coney Island
Prepare for something that will change the lively atmosphere of Coney Island forever.
Casinos may be coming to your neighborhood! This must be stopped!
The Stages Of Life
A small shoe
a rusted silver bell
a worn blanket
a sign of the glory it once had
The First Stage of Life
Individuality Is Overrated
Every child wants to "fit in," and not be the “uncool kid." This is why teenagers steal, from a high-end store or a schoolmate. Some kids even get bullied for their appearance. So they just make believe they are too sick and not have to suffer what they call “torture."
Connections Built By Disconnections
I look into the flickering flames of the Shabbos candles and I am thankful for the warmth and light that emanates from them and illuminates our home.
Rosh Hashanah
This Holy Day comes once a year
With prayers and begging and pleading and tears,
Taken
You’ve been taken from me my child
I’ve been alone for many years,
That you will never return
Is my deepest hidden fear.
The Power of Human Interaction
Four stories, four sets of relationships, four life lessons. In one short week from January 15-22, 2012, my world was altered forever by the stories, relationships and life lessons experienced on the Center for Jewish Future mission to help build an irrigating tilapia farm for the small Mexican village of Muchucuxcah.
Too Fragile a Dream
A dream,
A shining ball of brilliance
Held lovingly in my palm
Its sparkle shone with
The edges of my tears.
Thoughts On Synagogue Terror
I am naive, but only in an optimistic sense, seeing the good in the world like only a 20-year old can.
The Intruder
My sister went to take a shower. I really didn’t appreciate being alone. As I waited for my turn to shower, I suddenly heard voices coming from my parents' bedroom, down the dark hallway.
A Life Of Music
“I was so inspired by the beautiful lessons I learned and by the holiness around me that I just couldn't stop writing songs!” she says.
Come Sit With Me
At first I thought I wouldn’t be able to use it at all.
I had thought the concept was perfect. A rose-colored background, surrounding black encroaching from all sides. It would be a cave of warmth, a hiding place within the darkness.
Thank You Notes
I knew I wasn’t supposed to do it. They specifically warned us not to, and you don’t mess with the army. But how could I not? I peeked over my shoulder and saw the olive drab back of the supervisor. Good. I dropped the paper into the box along with the chocolate spread and watched it continue down the conveyer belt. A minute later the box was sealed. No sirens went off, no soldiers rappelled down the walls of the warehouse, fixing their guns on me. I exhaled. And then laughed. My note was just one of several that had snuck their way into the food packages that day. And the IDF had no clue…
One Year Later
The wind whistled outside my house, as the lights flickered but thankfully didn’t turn completely off. Being in this situation reminded me of the terrible week and a half in late October when my family and community lost all electrical power due to Superstorm Sandy.
Walking Up 45 Flights On Shabbat: Being a Jew in Hong Kong
I was entering 3 months in which my connection to my Judaism would be up to me, and I feared I would lose everything.
It’s My Birthright
It is ours. It has always been ours. We can always return because it is a right that we have possessed since birth.
To Be Jewish
Growing up, I remember my father’s Rosh Hashana ritual. He read the story of Rabi Amnon of Mainz, who had his tongue, hands and legs cut off for refusing to convert to Christianity – for choosing to remain a Jews. I would run away from the table sobbing in terror. Even at the tender age of six, I knew that being Jewish made oneself a member of an endangered species.
The Truth About Fat And Health
Let's not forget that we come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
Turbulence
Turbulence.
There is
Turbulence
Up here.
In the air.
Looking Up
In the hustle and bustle of New York City, it’s nearly impossible to stop and slow down - even for a second. The gulps of coffee, swish of a lipstick, and the tying of your shoelaces need to be accomplished in a matter of minutes. The clock is ticking. Everyone is perpetually on the go, not appreciating the present because the future is waiting impatiently. Though I am a New Yorker through and through, I’ve never stopped to ponder this hasty way of living.
Let’s Have A Conversation
Have you thought about this? We will be tomorrow’s leaders, parents of the next generation. What will we do differently to ensure a more prosperous, accepting tomorrow? What are we doing today to prepare ourselves for tomorrow’s new responsibilities?
Audiologist in Training Writes
It's time for finals and I've been studying hard for all of my exams. My favorite class this semester was audiology, and studying more about the field has solidified my decision to pursue audiology as a career.
The Fortress
These monsters constantly attack
When we dare to try to fight back