A ‘Your Mother’s Guidance’ post by Rebecca Masinter When school starts, fads tend to pick up. Remember fidget spinners? Deuteronomy 17:14 gives mothers a perspective on trends and fads that we may find helpful. It says, “When you come to the land that Hashem, your God, is giving you, and you inhabit it and settle
But Everyone Else Does Read More »
The impetus for this Musing came from two disturbing clips I heard on National Public Radio’s This American Life program. Each on its own is minor, but I wonder if, together, they do represent a larger issue. A little background. My preferred exercise class is a twenty minute drive from our house. This travel time
Love Yourself – Forget the Neighbor Read More »
Not even 20 years have passed since our country was viciously attacked on September 11. I think it safe to say that 18 years after Pearl Harbor, the date of December 7 meant something on college campuses, in Hollywood and in all corners of the United States. Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that September
No Memory; No Future Read More »
Hello! Please comment on a USA Today article claiming the Jewish faith teaches that abortion is permitted. The article was published on July 27, 2019. Are they accurately quoting the teachings of the faith? From: Carole P. Dear Carole, Thank you for bringing this shameful, painful and misleading article to our attention. The short answer
Is what I read about abortion and Judaism correct? Read More »
Prawns, shrimp, lobster and crab; as a long-time underwater diving enthusiast, I’ve seen them all in their natural habitat and they give me the shudders. Even while wearing rubber gloves I’ve never liked handling them. From once living in Africa, I remember the huge Goliath beetle—not at all fondly. I know children who keep large
They Give Me the Creeps Read More »
Thank you to our son, Ari, for reminding us of this quote by Alexander do Tocqueville (1805 -1859) in his magnificent book, Democracy in America. “There is in fact a manly and legitimate passion for equality that spurs all men to wish to be strong and esteemed. This passion tends to elevate the lesser to
Nothing New Under the Sun Read More »
Today’s Musing is actually a triple-header. It was inspired by an Ask the Rabbi question. In order not to make that answer too long, I intended to follow up with a Practical Parenting column. Finally, I decided to bundle all my (our) reflections into one Susan’s Musing. Here is Dave’s Ask the Rabbi question and
What about Socialization Read More »
Co-education mean girls and boys taught together in one school. This subject is relative and it depends on societies, but in general it is useful educationally. It creates more devotion to studying as boys will be more serious because girls in general like to be serious which inspires the boys. Also it helps more cooperation
Should schools be co-educational or single gender? Read More »
A ‘Your Mother’s Guidance’ post by Rebecca Masinter Leviticus 19 opens with the words: “And God spoke to Moses saying. Speak to the entire assembly of the children of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I, HaShem, your God, am holy.’” Let’s not get into what exactly we are supposed to
Holiness with a Side of Cheerios? Read More »
I did not expect to enjoy, let alone agree with, Esther Wojcicki’s book, How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results. I was wrong. If her difficult-to-pronounce last name sounds familiar, it may be because two of her daughters are well-known business leaders (Youtube and 23andMe) while the middle daughter is an anthropologist
Book Review: 2 Thought-Provoking Reads for Parents Read More »
