A Validating Experience (Part II)

Posted on: January 6th, 2010

How does one comfort an individual mourning the loss of a loved one? What does one say so that the grieving person will feel consoled?

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 1/08/10

Posted on: January 6th, 2010

.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 1/01/10

Posted on: December 30th, 2009

.

Investing In Your Relationship

Posted on: December 25th, 2009

As many parents discover, building a good relationship with a teenager is not easy. Often teenagers are reluctant to be close to their parents, and at times they look to distance themselves as much as possible. If so, how can parents see beyond the daily power struggles of homework, keeping curfew, staying out of trouble, and succeeding in school?

A Validating Experience (Part I)

Posted on: December 23rd, 2009

Her tone of voice was no different than usual: demure; calm; in-control. And then she shared with me a couple of ill-conceived statement expressed to her by some "loving" individuals: "Don't think of her suffering as something bad." If she suffers now then at least she won't suffer in The Next World." And the next one, well, that just went over the top (mind you, this communication took place a couple of months after the High Holidays): "It looks like you didn't daven too well this past Yom Kippur."

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 12/25/09

Posted on: December 23rd, 2009

.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Involving Young Children in Hands-on Chesed Activities

Posted on: December 23rd, 2009

One of the goals we all share as parents and educators is to instill an appreciation for the mitzvah of tzedakah (charity giving) in our children. I have found that one of the most effective methods of achieving this is to present young children with hands-on opportunities to participate in charity projects that are child-centered and age appropriate. There are those who take the attitude, especially as far as school-based programs for boys are concerned, that these are a distraction from limudim.

Keeping Your Relationship Strong When Money Gets Tight

Posted on: December 16th, 2009

During these difficult financial times, many couples, usually without ever noticing it, start dealing with life as individuals. They begin to recede from each other and allow a distance to develop. They stop talking. They find their feelings to be too intense and too difficult to face, so they don't share them. They don't want to share that they are scared, so each partner says nothing and goes into a deep and lonely place within. They don't fight for their relationship. Instead they fight over money and who's at fault for the situation. They blame each other for not making enough money, for spending too much money, for not saving money, or for not spending enough time doing the things that will bring in more money.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 12/18/09

Posted on: December 16th, 2009

.

Relationship Centered Parenting

Posted on: December 12th, 2009

Building a relationship with your children is often one of the most overlooked aspects of parenting teenagers; yet clearly, as the evidence suggests, the relationship is key to managing a teenager’s at-risk behavior and restoring confidence in the family unit.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 12/11/09

Posted on: December 9th, 2009

.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 12/04/09

Posted on: December 2nd, 2009

.

A Torah Perspective On Educating Our Children About Sexuality (Part X)

Posted on: November 28th, 2009

As we have been discussing, it is essential for parents to take an active role in teaching their children Torah ideas in regards to sexuality and modesty.

The Magic Pill

Posted on: November 27th, 2009

Life is full of stories about teenagers having difficulty making it through adolescence. However, parenting teens – even teens who are at risk – doesn’t have to be such a daunting task when parents are willing to focus more on the relationship and less on getting immediate results. Building the relationship is the key to reaching teens who are at risk.

The Marriage Meeting Program

Posted on: November 25th, 2009

The morning blessings provide a daily reminder of the mitzvah to bring peace between a husband and wife. However, most couples can maintain sholom bayis on their own with a practical, easy-to-implement system: the Marriage Meeting Program.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 11/27/09

Posted on: November 25th, 2009

.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 11/20/09

Posted on: November 18th, 2009

.

BT Parents/FFB Kids (Part II)

Posted on: November 11th, 2009

In Part I (10-30-09) I responded to a question posed by a ba'al teshuvah (BT) who wanted to ensure that his frum-from-birth (FFB) children become well-integrated, healthy and normal, frum Jews.

Chronicles Of Crises In Our Communities – 11/13/09

Posted on: November 11th, 2009

.

Righteous Shunning – or a Curse on those who Shun?

Posted on: November 4th, 2009

Have you joined with other women in your community to punish someone who has behaved badly? I have seen several instances of shunning, where women banded together to cut someone out of the social life of their synagogue and neighborhood in order to punish her for wrongdoing. Women shunning another woman, often feel they are participating in a positive act, but it is one they do not discuss with their rabbi. This is a modern, informal version of cherem.