I am reading essays in the Rabbi Jonathan Sacks hagaddah, and am struck by another recurring theme: hope. I have been thinking a lot about hope over the past year, what it is and what sustains it and how to help it grow. The following are beautiful words from Rabbi Sacks z”l:
How is it this week? What, where, when? Between now and candle lighting I need to grade about 30 essays for my teaching job, and don’t get me started on Pesach cleaning (yikes), BUT at the same time I am delighted to be heading into a three-day Y”T. Moments I am looking forward to:
If you’ve been here for any length of time, you probably know I enjoy visiting art museums. I savor the creative stimulation, the layers of history, and the peace and quiet. Here are a few fun ways to enjoy an art museum (some from The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker, others from this article by Gretchen Rubin, others my …
I enjoy learning about myself as an adult, getting to understand my likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, etc. in a more nuanced way. I finally put my finger on the sense of dread that creeps up for me when the weather warms up — even though it’s the nicest weather! It’s the spring wardrobe change that makes my heart sink. …
None of us knows quite where we will find ourselves when we meet the right person, and what that process will look like, and how the pieces will fit together. But I’ve definitely absorbed the word on the street about what that process looks like for “older singles” (which I suppose I am): it’s lengthy, it’s complicated, it gets hard …
Awhile ago I read of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which I do not understand, but from what I gather refers to our inability to know for certain both the speed and position of a quantum particle (the smallest building block of matter). In other words, there is a limit to how much we can possibly know about the world around …
My friend recently got engaged, which reminded me that yes, it does happen. When it does, I want to be able to look back and be proud of myself for how I conducted myself through this process. When something is so painful, it’s hard to stay in command at all times, but these are some things I want to work …
Last night I synced something with something on my phone, and just like that, 150 notes from my Notes app disappeared. After searching for a solution and trying a few suggestions (including restarting my phone twice), I had to admit that the notes were gone. I set about writing a list of the notes I had lost and trying to …
I read this article by Dr. Shira Kessler with interest, on emerging adulthood and frum women. I was struck by the sense of pressure felt by emerging adult women in the frum community — to choose a career path, to look put-together all the time, and of course, to get married ASAP. None of this is exactly surprising to any …
This winter felt long and felt short. The first days of warm weather always catch me by surprise; I can’t get used to not wearing a coat and gloves all the time. Nissan comes from the word nitzan, bud. Spring is a time of gentle renewal and fresh beginnings, warm sunshine, and green grass. It’s a time that will …
