By Nina Fondiller Woldin Today is Labor Day, marking the official end of summer. For some, it’s time to go back to school, for many, it’s a time to get ready for Rosh Hashanah. It’s a time to look back on where we’ve been and think about where we’d like to go. It’s a time Continue Reading »
The new school year is upon us. Can someone tell me why the summer seems so much shorter when you are an adult? It is a time of new clothes, new shoes, freshly sharpened pencils, and brand new notebooks… Making plans with friends and the new things you are going to learn about. As adults, Continue Reading »
by Audrey Lichter What is it about the human being that craves a leader? I just returned from an African safari, and learned that animals, too, crave leadership and will fight to maintain it. Scott Shay, in his seminal work on the defense of monotheism, warns us against ascribing power and authority to finite things, Continue Reading »
by Nina Fondiller Woldin On Thursday night I wrapped up a wonderful 10XSTRONGER virtual class, marking the end of this session. The group included both familiar faces and new members, and we shared our experiences of what it means to be recognized as Jews today. The next morning, I visited the Anne Frank exhibit at Continue Reading »
By Rabbi Debra Smith Every day I wrestle with my personal angel. She is the angel of Patience, savlanut, and she is with me as I struggle through my frustrations of daily living: traffic delays, extended waiting on “hold” for business calls, technological challenges with all of my devices, interpersonal annoyances of many kinds, broken Continue Reading »
by Nina Fondiller Woldin What are the most transformative moments that you remember? Life cycle transformations are referred to as liminal moments because we emerge from them in some way permanently changed and transformed. The planning and preparation leading up to these liminal moments push us to acknowledge and find meaning in the transition as Continue Reading »
By Michalee Merritt I heard about Chai Mitzvah years ago. It took me some time to decide that I wanted to bring the idea to my synagogue and friends. It was the kind of program that interested me, and I liked the easy-to-use sourcebooks with supplemental materials. Questions for discussion were right there for us Continue Reading »
by Nina Fondiller Woldin “Would you like to have more children?” my obstetrician asked me at a checkup decades ago. I thought about it seriously. My three girls were then 5, 10, and 14. “If I had unlimited time and unlimited money, I think I would,” was my answer. “Oh,” replied my doctor, “then you Continue Reading »
by Rabbi Debra Smith As I enter my 73rd year today, I am reflecting back on the trajectory of my life in the Jewish world. Years ago, my mother gave me a mug that I still have. It says, “Love what you do, do what you love.“ That quote has shaped my professional Jewish journey Continue Reading »
by Michalee Merritt On June 17th, I was honored along with my husband Mark at our synagogue. We were being honored for our deep commitment to the Greater Hartford Jewish Community. I am not going to list all the Jewish organizations that we’ve been involved with. Instead, I am going to tell you why! During Continue Reading »
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