I realize that right now most of us will not consider going on a cruise – anywhere. And justly so. We will wait for the pandemic to end and the coronavirus immunization to be in place first. I totally get it. A few years ago, my husband and I took a cruise to Alaska. It…
Linda Cohen, author of 1,000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire and Change Your Life shares ways to cultivate kindness during this challenging time.
Shalom bayit is the Jewish religious concept of domestic harmony and good relations between husband and wife. In a Jewish court of law, shalom bayit is the Hebrew term for marital reconciliation. It’s understandable if we all have moments when we’re heartbroken, frustrated and scared, but sometimes under extreme stress situations worsen. If you or…
Dear Helen I help writing a speech. I am an adult woman (45 in November) who decided to fulfill her lifelong dream of being b’nai mitzvah. Long family drama short: my father died before my 13th birthday and my grandparents and mother were in such shock that the whole celebration was cancelled as inappropriate. In…
A Nosh of Jewish Wisdom: Worries go down better with soup than without. Dear Helen: I may have insulted a dear friend. Long story short she is a wonderful person and a terrible cook. Her mom didn’t learn to cook (a child of privilege) so she didn’t teach her daughter. My friend has always been…
A Nosh of Jewish Wisdom: For the ignorant, old age is winter. For the wise, it is harvest. Dear Helen: I’m the middle of three girls. The youngest lives in Australia and is too far away to be useful, except to vent my frustrations. The elder is retired (I still work) and just moved…
Dear Helen: We’re pretty liberal family except for one loud, curmudgeon uncle who seeks out ways to annoy everyone. For Hanukkah he sent us a box of bright red slogan hats; I’ll let you fill in the details. We opened it and looked at one another in frustration and anger. I’m trying to raise my…
A Nosh of Jewish Wisdom: Every wedding has its worries, but let the joys be more. Dear Helen: I am the youngest of four sisters; one lives near me, the other two back East. Eldest Michelle has always been bossy, controlling and opinionated, the self-designated queen. At 23, her twins, Sarah and David, are far…
A Nosh of Jewish Wisdom: Truth rests mostly with God, and a little with me. Dear Helen: This may seem a strange place for a confession, but I was raped in high school. Assume a bad combination of cheerleader, football team and beer in a culture where “rocking the boat” by a young woman was…
Photo: Helen Rosenau signs a copy of her new book, The Messy Joys of Being Human, at a book launch event in Eugene. A Nosh of Jewish Wisdom: Friendship is the greatest gift. Dear Helen: I’m very concerned that my aging mother is being groomed by a con artist. Long story short: my sister was…
