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  1. What Do We Want?

    Everyone always asks us for more. Everyone wants more. But what is the ONE thing we all seek and truly need?

    This year, the one thing we truly want is to be together. We want to dwell, share, pray and sing. We want to be with each other.

  2. Towers, Floods, and Leaders (Noach 5780)

    We must be the leaders, not because we want some kind of authoritarian control, and not because we’re the best of the not-so-great, but because it’s the right thing to do.

  3. Tikvah (Hope) in the Mikveh

    While it hasn’t always been easy, I’ve spent most of my married life attending the local mikveh in my small town.

    Originally published on the Mayyim Hayyim Blog 11/13/2013

  4. Will You Love My Son?

    I suppose it’s every mother’s dream and nightmare all tied together in one shiny package: that one day someone might love her son (insert “daughter” here if it applies!) enough to capture his heart. We worry that our son might return this person’s affections, loving us a bit less, or a bit differently.

    Originally published by The Ruderman Foundation 11/20/2014

  5. 5 Ways to Raise a Jew-By-Choice

    Remember those peanut butter commercials from the 90’s that told us “choosy moms choose Jif”? What does it mean to be “choosy”? Choice is not just about having options; it’s about exploring, engaging, and eventually committing to something that is meaningful.

    Originally published on Kveller 6/10/2016

  6. Why I’ll Send My Son with Fragile X to School on Sukkot

    I am sending my 5-year-old son to school on the holy days of Sukkot. It will be the first time we’ve ever done this, and the decision is killing me.

    Originally published on Kveller 10/14/2016

  7. What a Candle, Spice Box, and Grape Juice Can Really Do for Your Family

    I’ve always been a big believer in the family Shabbat experience. In our family, we light Shabbat candles together every Friday night in our dining room (a room our boys so rarely eat or play in that they actually call it the “Shabbat room” since that’s what we do there). We sing “Shabbat Shalom” and give high fives and kisses to everyone.

    Originally published on Kveller 12/18/2015

  8. Fragile X Awareness

    In our world of parenting a child with special needs, all you have to do is say "Holland" and everyone knows you are dealing with challenging days and lost dreams.

    Originally published in the Jewish Week 7/2/2014

  9. Don't Mourn the End of Summer

    The conversations I’ve been hearing lately all seem to sound the same:

    How was your summer? Nice, but too fast! I know! I can’t believe summer’s already over!

  10. Shabbatoween 2014: Keeping it Neighborly and Making it Jewish

    How do I undo what I've done to Halloween? I don't want him to participate in trick-or-treating, but there should be joy in helping others to celebrate their holidays (like wishing other people a Merry Christmas). Perhaps it's time to start a new Halloween tradition -- even in this rabbi's home.