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.
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.
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.
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.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur sermons from Rabbi David Kosak and Rabbi Eve Posen
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?
I have an organizational system that I’m guessing many of you are familiar with. It’s often referred to as organized chaos. I have piles and piles organized throughout my workspace, and to the untrained eye they might just look like piles, but to me it makes complete sense.
