This past year is coming to an end, at least on the Jewish calendar, and that means I have been reminiscent, as one does when they assess their lives before the chagim, or holidays. For us, for Israel, this past year has been tinged, if not saturated, with sorrow and grief. Since October 7, our lives have never been the same. There have been days where my grief was near inconsolable, where I wandered through the day like a phantom, feeling more a shadow of myself than anything real or ...
Israel
WOMS: The Gentleman’s Gambit
There are few books, especially works of fiction, I read where I desire to annotate little notes or underline sentences because of how deeply they resonate with me. I can only think of five books where I have done so, and they are my five most favourite and beloved novels. I have now read another I would add to that list. Evie Dunmore's The Gentleman's Gambit possessed every bit of charm and passion as her other books in her League of Extraordinary Women series. However, this book felt ...
Good Intentions
This past [Gregorian] year has been one of the more challenging I’ve experienced, and I say that even after my husband’s and sister’s unexpected health issues which transpired and dominated most of 2020 and 2021 for us, respectively. Needless to say, I’ll be thrilled to say goodbye to 2023 this coming December 31. I’m looking forward to 2024 and all it has to offer, especially since 5784 has started off to be a much needed improvement. One of those improvements has come—shockingly—in the ...
Dare to Linger
I miss the kittens. Beyond that I’m thinking and feeling so many different things right now it’s ridiculous. I woke up today [Tuesday] and during my morning commute when I take time to talk with Hashem and prepare for my day, I discovered how enraged I am. What has me particularly perturbed at the moment is the acceptability of "ghosting" in today's culture. It is so degrading to put yourself out there, to be vulnerable, with someone only to receive silence as a response. I know ...
The Kitten Invasion
It feels weird to have both the time to sit down and write again. Not when the world is in upheaval. Not when there are still babies in captivity, stripped away from their mommies. Finding the courage to write, to put thought to paper, has been difficult this past month. (Yes, that's how long it has been since H@mas stole away so many lives with their heinous cruelty.) How can I write when the world is not whole? When so many lives, families, are broken? When the nations rage against ...
