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Since the moment God gave the Torah to the Jewish people, keeping kosher has been an essential part of the Jewish home. Accordingly, the home is an essential part of a Torah lifestyle. What goes on in the home directly affects what goes on in the rest of one’s life. The question is, why kosher?

Rigidity around food, fear and anxiety around eating, purging, restricting, overexercising, and bingeing… those behaviors can happen to people in all size bodies.

I was with my daughter visiting the Natural History Museum in Boston, and we saw all these beautifully cut, crystalized stones. I was so drawn to them, the gradient of colors, and the workings of the stones on the inside

Everyone was relieved when the first shipment of new and improved Shpielmans was delivered in time for Chanukah 2016 and sold under the Glatt Play brand.

I love them all and they are all winners, but if you ask me for my favorite, I will have to go with our simple elastic headbands. They are so simple, yet different, and are flying off the shelves.

Believe it or not, some schools actually have therapists or guidance counselors on staff.

Playing a musical instrument can help build faith in yourself as you observe yourself do something splendidly.

I would be amiss if I did not mention the old classic, chalk. There are so many ways to combine chalk with a city sidewalk.

Getty Images Israeli tank sits between a mosque and a church during exchange of gunfire with Palestinians in the middle of Beit Jala.

In what Israeli officials were calling the first artillery attack on greater Jerusalem since the 1967 Six-Day War, Palestinians in Beit Jala fired a mortar shell Tuesday night at Jerusalem?s Gilo neighborhood.

Police told reporters that the shell landed in the center of Gilo, which previously was thought to be beyond the range of Palestinian armaments.

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.

You know what I noticed since I started writing this column? That people don’t write in to ask questions so much as they write in to complain.

Virtually everything we know about Yeshiva Or HaChaim comes from the pamphlet “Torah Or,” published anonymously in 1895 in Hebrew.

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.

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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.

I was in Brazil, speaking to the Jewish community of Sao Paulo, when the sad news of the petira of Irene Klass reached me. Many memories, many scenes, many conversations and experiences flashed through my mind. With Irene's passing, a whole era - a whole way of thinking, of values, of goals, of idealism - disappeared. Irene had a sense of mission and never allowed politics, petty jealousies or territorial considerations to influence her.

Dealing with chronic illness when planning even the most joyous of occasions is very difficult, even when there is no crisis at the moment.

My first thought after driving my last official carpool was to get up and do a happy dance, or at least celebrate with a batch of freshly baked cookies or something really decadent from my secret chocolate stash.

One of the most popular tourist destinations in the American South, Savannah, Georgia is a world of exciting history and activity. Rich with landmarks from over 275 years, the city boasts unique architecture, Civil War commemorative tours, and a long list of beautiful squares and parks. In addition, Savannah’s Tybee Island provides a beach atmosphere for those who want to relax on and off-shore. Interestingly, Savannah also hosts a small but thriving Jewish community. The Savannah Jewish Federation offers family services and community resources, and there are a number of places to find kosher food. The city has three shuls: one for Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform congregations, respectively. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak with Rabbi Avigdor and Rebbetzin Rochel Slatus of the Bnai Brith Jacob Synagogue.

There are judges and lawyers both in secular and religious courts who ignored the facts so as to curry favor with the more prominent party in a financial or custody dispute. They frame their actions as being halachically justifiable.

When the train has departed the station, Fresh of food and of saturation, The journey ahead excites, With all the could bes and the might's,

Most well spouses live their years as care givers without any one giving a care about them.

The blade of the penknife sliced cleanly into my thumb and a thin stream of crimson blood appeared immediately, getting thicker by the second. I dropped the penknife onto my lap and reached for the green hem of my school skirt. I pressed it tightly against my thumb. Only then did I glance up at Sister Giovanna who was standing, as usual, slightly to the right of the black board. I raised my hand and hoped that she would call on me soon.

He stood his ground despite the intense pressure to do what everyone else was doing. His integrity was more important to him than "fitting in."

I find that the best way to get things done is not to push things off.

With Chanukah - the Festival of Lights quickly approaching, Jews the world over are busy planning get-togethers, preparing or buying latkes and donuts, shopping for gifts for children and adults alike and generally looking forward to having fun and a much welcome break from the daily grind of life.

Last week, to my deep distress, my cell phone disappeared from my purse. I don't know whether it somehow fell out, or if someone on the very crowded street purposely brushed against me and slipped a hand into my purse.

You’ve been taken from me my child I’ve been alone for many years, That you will never return Is my deepest hidden fear.

The Jewish population of the United States in 1860 was somewhere between 150,000-200,000. Approximately 3,000 Jews fought on the Confederate side in the Civil War while 7,000 were found on the Union side.

Recently I wrote about the partial desecration of the cemetery in Bilgoraj, by a construction company, despite the promises of local officials that no defilement would take place.