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As my son’s Bar Mitzvah passed and we kindled the last lights of Chanukah, a sadness came over me. Monday I took my amazing parents to the airport and came back to a quiet house -- deflating balloons on the floor, serving trays waiting to be put away, menorahs adorned with empty oil cups and … Continue reading Turning the Light Back On

        It wasn’t what I always thought of when I heard the term Bar Mitzvah. Without much fanfare, as it became the second night of Chanukah, our son’s 13th Hebrew birthday marked his official transition into this new world. He attended mincha/maariv (back-to-back evening prayers) at Chabad of Jacksonville with one of … Continue reading A Reason to Celebrate

By Mindy Rubenstein This Shabbos I spoke about my Jewish journey to the lovely community at Young Israel of Tampa, run by Rabbi Uriel and Dvorki Rivkin. The Rivkins have opened their home and adjoining synagogue to the community for more than a decade, giving of themselves selflessly to anyone who reaches out for advice, … Continue reading Going Back Home and Seeing the Good

I sometimes feel so alone. Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, I chose to take on a Torah life 11 years ago, after I was was already married for seven years and had my first two children. My husband was not in agreement in the beginning. While I had fallen in love with Judaism from an emotional … Continue reading Serving G-d with all my limitations and gifts can feel like a lonely endeavor

4 - THE INDIVIDUALIST Enneagram Type Four: The Sensitive, Introspective Type A dear friend of mine is a deep and emotional "Four." Her daughter struggles with severe anxiety, and she often finds herself advocating on her daughter’s behalf. She wants teachers to lessen her daughter’s workload so that the girl won’t become too stressed out or … Continue reading Change is Hard

My daughter stayed home sick today, so we spent some time getting ready for Shabbos and talking about the parsha. I asked her to share some things, and she pointed out that much of the Tetzaveh talks about what the kohen gadol wears. It's also about the decor in the Mishkan. Seems a little dry … Continue reading Tetzaveh – Noisy BTs and Elevating the Mundane

I was a flaming baal teshuva. Until I wasn’t. I had hit a wall. Yes, I continued to keep kosher and Shabbat and dress modestly, implementing what I had struggled to learn the previous 10 years. But in my heart, I didn’t feel the love of Torah, the light that had initially been sparked. I … Continue reading Performing Miracles

B"H (Note: B"H is a shorthand version of "Baruch Hashem," or blessed is G-d, used by frum [Jewish Orthodox] people. In other words, all that I write, say, do and am should be a blessing, as long as I am connected to my Creator. These two letters, whether in English or Hebrew, is the way … Continue reading Just Write