Mother of Two – Parshat Vayera 5778

It was about a year ago when our lives were turned upside down by the addition of our sweet Matan to our world. Duncan and I had planned for his arrival; we prepared ourselves as best we could for the inevitable changes that would come as we welcomed a second child in our lives.

The Chronicle November/December 2017 Edition – Read our latest edition!

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” border_style=”solid”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text]  The Chronicle November/December 2017 Edition                                 Click to view the November/December 2017 issue of Neveh Shalom’s Chronicle  Please note that the ... Read More

The Shema, Idolatry and Halloween–And Why I’ll Eat My Pumpkins

It would be hard to think of a better known prayer than the Shema. It is one of the first prayers to be taught to children, and it was part of my bedtime ritual with my mother beginning when I was barely verbal. It was always coupled with prayers for my immediate and extended family. Part of its power lies in early memories such as these and there are many similar poignant stories.

Self Preservation – Parshat Lech Lecha 5778

We all do things out of self-preservation. It’s the first law of nature, says Samuel Butler. Self-preservation as a parent means that sometimes you turn off the sound on toys or take out batteries so you don’t lose your mind over that one song that plays over and over again.

Six Degrees of Connection

Most of us are familiar with the concept that there are at most six degrees of separation between ourselves and any other person on the planet. In other words, through “a friend of a friend of a friend,” only five relationships are needed to make a bridge between any two people.

A Place to Go – Parshat Noach 5778

As the parents of two young children, Duncan and I have had our fair share of conversations about the use of space in our house, from the perspectives of safety, storage, and purpose. What areas are safe for the kids? Where do we need to be more careful?