I seem to have surprised my readers with the fact that we don't eat gebrokt. Forgive me for a Pesach post after Pesach, because it reminds me a bit of stale matzah.In the mid to late 1700's, chassidim began observing the custom of not soaking matzah in water. The idea was that if any flour from the … [Read more...]
Pesach scenes
April 5, 2007 by
Like many Israelis, we have spent a good deal of our chol hamoed in traffic jams. As a diversion we spotted this girl, approximately four years old, standing halfway out the roof of a car nonchalantly driving through Bnei Brak traffic. We honked several times with no response. Enjoy the pictures … [Read more...]
New Book on Babies and Sleep
March 28, 2007 by
I have written quite a few posts on the benefits of cosleeping and the negative effects of allowing babies to cry. James McKenna, PhD., probably the foremost researcher on the topic of mother-infant cosleeping, has written Sleeping with Your Baby: A Parent's Guide to Co-Sleeping. In this interview … [Read more...]
Unofficial Guide to Pesach Shopping in Israel
March 22, 2007 by
When my aunt first shopped for Pesach after making aliyah, she was excited by the huge assortment of kosher for Passover products. When Pesach was over, she learned that all those products contained kitniyot (legumes), which Ashkenazi (European) Jews avoid on Pesach. Israel has a much larger … [Read more...]
Lazy mothering
March 13, 2007 by
I once had a neighbor whose children didn't like to take medicine, so she forced it down. If they threw up, she gave it again "so they would learn." It didn't matter whether it was a life-saving medication or a painkiller. Apart from my oldest, who stopped screaming at the excitement of seeing a … [Read more...]
Purim Costume Fail?
March 6, 2007 by
Image by Getty Images via Daylife I might have given the whole costume problem more thought had my husband not been working 13-hour days for the last two months. Or more likely not. I have a bag of costumes and accessories, and usually the kids can come up with something from there. My 5yo … [Read more...]
Dads Who Don’t Change Diapers
March 1, 2007 by
Recently, while I was out with a group of women friends, "G" got a call on her cell phone. She told the caller that she was on her way. It turns out that her grandson needed a change, and her daughter had gone to a concert with friends. Her son-in-law doesn't change diapers. When one of the other … [Read more...]
My Favorite Parenting Books
March 1, 2007 by
In honor of Sephardi Lady's excellent post on parenting, or lack thereof, in the Orthodox Jewish community, I present some of my favorite parenting books. All of them promote a close, loving connection with children based on respecting their individual personalities and legitimate needs. Some people … [Read more...]
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