Magazine

The story of Jacob Mayer is one of the most bizarre in the annals of American Jewish history. In order to understand how such a thing could have occurred, one must keep in mind that for many years America was a Jewish free-for-all.

The first half of the following poem is loosely based on a true situation as shared with me by a very close friend whose family "culture" was to "good- naturedly" tease one another or make gentle fun of each other's looks and actions.

Last week I wrote about the Bilgoraj group that traveled to Poland last year and had a somewhat good experience.

Last week I wrote about the Bilgoraj group that traveled to Poland last year and had a somewhat good experience.

Miriam and Judy were close. Even though their ages and lifestyles were very different, they connected.

For the last few weeks, I have been writing about the efforts of survivors and second- generation Jews from Piotrkow in going back to their hometown to preserve/restore the remnants of the town's Jewish history.

For the last few weeks, I have been writing about the efforts of survivors and second- generation Jews from Piotrkow in going back to their hometown to preserve/restore the remnants of the town's Jewish history.

We live in a time where there is a great need for kiruv (outreach). Many Jewish children are growing up with little or no knowledge of their Jewish heritage.

When my oldest grandchild, Penina Bracha, was born three years ago on Yom Kippur, the fact that there was now a third generation in the family - two after me, didn't really have any major impact on how I viewed myself.

Last week I wrote how important it is that the second generation of Holocaust survivors begin to take over the work of preserving the memory of Jewish life and culture in the many towns and cities that had been mostly destroyed during the Shoah.

Question: For whom will you be voting in next month's presidential election?

Last week I discussed whether a close friend has a right to expect to know everything that is going on in our lives in order for them to be supportive of us.

In just a few weeks we will commemorate the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the day that, for many people, marks the beginning of the Shoah.

I had a very wise friend who once told me that when her kids were young, she wanted them to tell her everything that went on in their lives.

Every year as we sit in shul during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we make a chesbon nefesh - a reckoning of our actions and reactions.

We are bombarded with requests for Tzedakah (charity) and it is our responsibility to give.

It is customary before the Yamim Noraim, the High Holy Days, to look back at the past and strive to do better the following year, through Teshuvah.

There are those who have the foresight to establish institutions that leave a lasting impression on Klal Yisrael. One such man was Rabbi Abraham Nachman Schwartz, who founded Yeshiva Torah ve-Emunah Hebrew Parochial School in Baltimore.

Americans who tried to rescue Jews from the Holocaust - and those who tried to interfere with the rescue efforts - were the subject of a major conference in New York City last week.

Once you have accepted that a care facility is the only way to proceed if both you and your spouse are to survive the progression of the chronic illness, and you have chosen a facility that is appropriate for your spouse, the next step is to adjust to your new role as care giver.

It's hard to believe Rosh Hashanah is just days away. It seems like we were just putting away our Pesach dishes and hoping that the looming summer months would not be too unbearably hot and humid.

Question: What are your hopes and wishes for the new year?

It is our fantasy, our illusion, our wishful thinking (supported by the movie industry and our own values) that as we age or become ill, we will be cared for by our ever-smiling and patient spouses and children, surrounded by our loving, laughing, cherubic grandchildren whose sole wish is to hug and kiss us and listen to our stories.

The first national conference of non-Jewish Poles, who care for Jewish heritage sites in Poland, has just taken place.

For numerous reasons the most active time for Jewish events in Poland is the summer.

I have been writing about the need for caregivers to acknowledge the changes in themselves as their physical and mental capabilities change.

According to the Talmud (Ta'anit 30b-31a), on the 15th of Av unmarried girls would dress in plain white clothing, so that those from wealthy families could not be distinguished from the poorer ones.

According to the Talmud (Ta'anit 30b-31a), on the 15th of Av unmarried girls would dress in plain white clothing, so that those from wealthy families could not be distinguished from the poorer ones.

I have often written about the importance of acknowledging someone's pain and showing appreciation for what they have done for us.

"In 1901 a few individuals who wished to give their own children an intensive Jewish Talmudical education, engaged one Hebrew teacher and one English teacher, and opened a school under the name Beth Sefer Tifereth Jerusalem (Glory of Jerusalem School).