The Old Shtetl Gostynin

Posted on: March 1st, 2006

The town of Gostynin was founded in the 13th century. It is located on the Skrwa Lewa River, approximately 60 miles northwest of Warsaw and 14 miles southwest of the city of Plock.

The ‘New Jews’ Of Europe

Posted on: February 22nd, 2006

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." Marcellus, the character in Hamlet who uttered those words, couldn't have been more right.

The Old Shtetl Ilza (Drildz)

Posted on: February 22nd, 2006

Ilza is a picturesque town in a valley along the Ilzanka River in south-central Poland.

Life Cycles And Disabilities

Posted on: February 22nd, 2006

Life-cycle events, whether good or bad, bring changes to people's lives.

Smart Wrinkles

Posted on: February 15th, 2006

This column is being written on my secular birthday, February 14 (my real birthday is 11 Adar), a birthday - not surprisingly - that I share with my twin brother.

The Old Shtetl Ozarów

Posted on: February 15th, 2006

The village of Ozarów is located in the Kielce region. The Ozarów cemetery dates back almost 400 years and is one of the few remaining Jewish cemeteries in Poland.

When Compliments Hurt

Posted on: February 8th, 2006

A hurricane of mixed emotions accompanies the death of the chronically ill.

Happy New Year …Trees!

Posted on: February 8th, 2006

Until Jews began to return to Eretz Israel in 1948, noone thought of them as farmers.

New Jewish Institutions In Poland

Posted on: February 8th, 2006

The opening of the first full-time Chabad center in Poland, under the direction of Rabbi Shalom Ber and Dina Stambler, was made official at the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim earlier this year.

A Haven for Jews in New York (Part I)

Posted on: February 1st, 2006

In 1825, more than 70 years before the First Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland, Mordechai Manuel Noah startled the world by proposing a concrete plan for the establishment of a Jewish city of refuge in North America.

Self Affirmations (Part Two)

Posted on: January 25th, 2006

Last week I wrote about self talk and how negative self talk can affect your whole outlook on life and give you a negative spin on how you see yourself.

Self-Affirmations/Self-Deprecations (Part One)

Posted on: January 18th, 2006

I came out of the store last week, and there, on top of my "to do" list on the passenger's side of the car, in full view for anyone to see, were three checks that I was taking to the bank to deposit.

Self-Image And Barking Dogs (Part II)

Posted on: January 18th, 2006

In my previous column I wrote about the importance of assigning minimal value to the utterances of those who make nasty, ego-wounding comments.

The Foundation For The Preservation Of Jewish Heritage In Poland

Posted on: January 18th, 2006

After I wrote about the Foundation for the Preservation of Jewish Heritage in Poland last week, many people asked me to report more on this group and the important work they are doing.

More Phone Stories

Posted on: January 11th, 2006

Chronic illness, to the great pain of everyone involved, only ends in one way, death.

The Jewish Settlement of Savannah, Georgia

Posted on: January 4th, 2006

London, in the late 1720's was overflowing with peoples of many origins.

Self-Image And Barking Dogs (Part I)

Posted on: January 4th, 2006

Chanukah is over and we are now dealing with the repercussions of wantonly indulging in crispy, crunchy, melt in your mouth potato latkes and overdosing on sugary, chocolaty, jelly-oozing donuts.

The Niggun In Jewish Music

Posted on: January 4th, 2006

In honor of Chanukah, a time of joy, I have been delving into the realm of Jewish music.

Those Darn Cell Phones

Posted on: January 4th, 2006

Whenever I have a speaking engagement, I always ask people to turn on their cell phones.

Hidden Agenda (Part Three)

Posted on: December 28th, 2005

In Canada and the U.S., the government has passed new legislation to protect us.