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Many books have been written about the Warsaw Ghetto in the 66 years since its destruction. There have been reports, memoirs, studies, albums and movies of all kinds that have tried to tell the story of what happened. But to date for the English speaker the story was never complete.

Many books have been written about the Warsaw Ghetto in the 66 years since its destruction. There have been reports, memoirs, studies, albums and movies of all kinds that have tried to tell the story of what happened. But to date for the English speaker the story was never complete.

When you lose your spouse, whether s/he was sick or healthy, whether it's through divorce or death, the transition period into the next part of your life is a difficult one. Many new singles find that they no longer fit into their old friendships. They are no longer part of a couple, so associating with couples can be uncomfortable.

As the summer gets underway there are many events throughout Poland connected to Jewish history and culture. It usually kicks off with the massive Krakow Jewish Festival and ends with the Singer Festival in Warsaw. Also many Jewish groups come to Poland during the summer to visit their hometowns, work in the cemeteries and look for connections to the pre-Shoah past.

As the summer gets underway there are many events throughout Poland connected to Jewish history and culture. It usually kicks off with the massive Krakow Jewish Festival and ends with the Singer Festival in Warsaw. Also many Jewish groups come to Poland during the summer to visit their hometowns, work in the cemeteries and look for connections to the pre-Shoah past.

Last week I wrote about how female caregivers are affected by the role reversals that take place as they care for husbands with chronic illness. As the husband's illness progresses, and he is able to do less and less for himself, his wife ends up doing more. And, as she continues to take on the traditional male roles, her loss of femininity may escalate. When this happens, it is reflected in how she cares or perhaps in how she stops caring and taking care of herself.

After years of planning, and two years after the initial groundbreaking ceremony, construction has begun for the Museum Of The History Of Polish Jews in Warsaw, Poland.

The other day, while schmoozing with a friend, the conversation (as chats often do) turned to food. My friend talked about a delicious dish she had eaten as a guest during Shavuot. She mentioned how she planned to replicate it in her kitchen, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

As I have reported many times over the past 12 years that I have been writing this column, one of the major problems in Poland today, even greater then anti-Semitism, is the poor condition of Jewish historical sites. Many of the cemeteries are overgrown and synagogue buildings are in disrepair.

For most women, care-giving means taking on many of the roles that were routinely filled by their husbands, in addition to those things they were already responsible for. For many of these women, this has been hard to deal with. Not just because of the difficult physical nature of these new, additional roles, or even the tremendous emotional burden that has been added to the women's daily routine.

Virtually all of the rabbonim who came to America during the latter part of the nineteenth century did not speak English. A few did master the language and become proficient at speaking and writing it; one of these was Rabbi Simon Joshua Glazer, who did more than just learn to speak and write in English - he also acquired a substantial secular education.

Recently, as I exited my car in a crowded parking lot, I saw an elderly woman approach an elderly man as he was getting out of his car. Wagging her finger in the man's face, the woman yelled. "Do you know why I'm here? I'mhere to tell you that you are not a very nice man!"

Like most people on this planet whose abodes are wired to electricity, I have a computer and go online. It is amazing to me that information on any subject or on any matter can be instantly retrieved with a few clicks of a mouse.

The Museum Of The History Of Polish Jews is proud to announce the launching of the Virtual Shtetl website, which is devoted to the local history of Jews. Although at the moment of its launch the portal is primarily a source of information, its future is based on the interaction of web surfers using Web 2.0 technology. The medium created will constitute a bridge between the history of Polish Jewish towns and the contemporary, multicultural world.

The Museum Of The History Of Polish Jews is proud to announce the launching of the Virtual Shtetl website, which is devoted to the local history of Jews. Although at the moment of its launch the portal is primarily a source of information, its future is based on the interaction of web surfers using Web 2.0 technology. The medium created will constitute a bridge between the history of Polish Jewish towns and the contemporary, multicultural world.

Who are all these ladies with the gray hair and/or sheitels? We are all looking into each other's faces for a glimmer of recognition. Thank goodness everyone has a nametag; it makes it so much easier to identify each person.

For the last two weeks I have shared your responses, suggestions and experiences about marrying into a family wherein there is a parent who has a chronic illness. This was prompted by a letter I received from a woman who wrote that her daughter is having difficulty getting dates because her father has Multiple Sclerosis. Below are more letters from readers who wanted to share their experience and offer help.

The 19th Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow will be held between June 27 and July 5. As always Janusz Makuch, director of the festival has organized an exciting program with all the usual performers and many exciting new exhibits, lectures, tours and musical artists.

The 19th Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow will be held between June 27 and July 5. As always Janusz Makuch, director of the festival has organized an exciting program with all the usual performers and many exciting new exhibits, lectures, tours and musical artists.

These letters are in response to a letter written by a woman whose daughter is having difficulty getting dates because her father has a chronic illness. She also pointed out that there is an assumption that life in their home is depressing because of the illness. These responses deal with both issues, but how they contradict the myth of depression is particularly interesting.

Przemysl               On June 22, 2009 a tablet commemorating the former Scheinbach Synagogue building (today the town library) will be unveiled in Przemysl. The ceremony...

Human nature is such that we tend to procrastinate the attainment of important milestones and goals, such as an education or a shidduch. This is so because we delude ourselves into thinking that we have all the time in the world.

Last week I shared a letter from a concerned well spouse whose daughter is having problems getting dates because of her husband's illness (Multiple Sclerosis). She indicated that there is an assumption that her house is depressed because of the illness. I asked for comments and suggestions from those who have experience with this situation. Below are responses that every shadchan and parent without experience with chronic illness should read.

In 1927 Captain N. Taylor Phillips1 delivered an address before Congregation Shearith Israel in New York in which he recalled some of the history and traditions of early New York American Jewry. His recollections give fascinating insight into Jewish religious life in America when the community was still in its infancy.

Dear Ms. Novick, I would like to thank you for your thoughtful column. The information you provide has helped me through the ups and downs of living with a spouse who had MS.

The Jewish community in Ostroleka Poland was first established in the 17th century and like all other communities in Poland saw good times and bad. At the beginning of the 20th century the community numbered 6,219. During WWI the Russian Army destroyed the town while retreating and many Jews left for other cities, especially Warsaw. But after the war, Jews returned to Ostrolekaand by 1921 they numbered 3,352, more then a third of the total population.

The Jewish community in Ostroleka Poland was first established in the 17th century and like all other communities in Poland saw good times and bad. At the beginning of the 20th century the community numbered 6,219. During WWI the Russian Army destroyed the town while retreating and many Jews left for other cities, especially Warsaw. But after the war, Jews returned to Ostrolekaand by 1921 they numbered 3,352, more then a third of the total population.

I wait at the airport for the arrival of my youngest son, along with his wife and baby. Upon arrival, they will rent a car and make their way in an unfamiliar city to his oldest brother's house.

Dear Young and Not Pressured: I am responding to your letter from two weeks ago. I take issue with both your general message and with...

I have spent the last two articles discussing some common joys and problems we face as the holidays come and go. Baby Boomer women, growing up in the era (or should I say, "with the error,") of the self imposed attitude of "we can do it all" without help, have for the most part not discussed the difficulty of the holidays with anyone except other boomers.