friends · Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · marriage · rabbi · Rabbi Avi Weiss · Rabbi Haskel Lookstein · Riverdale · services · teaching

On the list

Rabbi Lookstein, who happens to have been the head of the beit din that converted me, is not too happy with the RCA’s new stance on conversion. I guess I should be happy, that according to an article in Jewish Week, Rabbi Lookstein is “on the list.” I think that means my conversion is “100%… Continue reading On the list

art · dreams · food · marriage · prayer · teaching · writing

Portrait of an artist

Hubbie’s cousin is a Radio City Rockette. And last night, she almost became my creative guru. If it were up to her, I’d be giving art lessons, painting and writing up a storm…oh, and taking some risks. I am not a risk taker. I have never had enough stability in my life to be willing… Continue reading Portrait of an artist

art · chronic pain/fibromyalgia · culture/multiculturalism · friends · hair · Hispanics/Latinos · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · marriage · prayer · rabbi · teaching

It’s in his kiss

Before Hubbie and I got hitched, our rabbi had us read a book by Maurice Lamm, The Jewish Way in Love & Marriage. I had already read books on taharat mispacha, the Jewish laws of family purity, and the laws and the mindset behind tzniut, the laws of modesty, and shomer negia, observing the rules… Continue reading It’s in his kiss

art · Beverly Hills · food · Hispanics/Latinos · Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · marriage · rabbi · teaching

Just one of those days

Oy, another deadline missed. I mean, if I can’t make a self-imposed deadline…! My husband is grumpy. It’s 12:22am and he wants me to come to bed. Something about me being a workaholic. Lots of guilt, etc. I woke up this morning and ran to the post office, then the bank and then off to… Continue reading Just one of those days

birthday · chronic pain/fibromyalgia · marriage

Fun at the Orphanage

There are many problems with being the orphan of parents who are very much alive. None of my siblings has ever had the luxury of a safety net in the way that people who have supportive parents do. For a long time, my hero was my 8th grade English teacher to whom I owe about… Continue reading Fun at the Orphanage

marriage · teaching

My students cannot write a paragraph

Last week was a wreck. I wanted the students to figure out how to write a paragraph by using math: Title+Author+Controlling Idea+Literary Device=Sentence 1. That didn’t really work out so this time I gave them a sample paragraph with the code underneath: In passage I, To My Dear and Loving Husband, a poem by Anne… Continue reading My students cannot write a paragraph