I just listened to an interesting shiur about Parshas Shekalim by Mrs. Shira Smiles (free registration on Naaleh required for access to the entire shiur). I really enjoy Mrs. Smiles’s shiurim. Her style is a combination of intellectual and inspirational; she usually teaches a deeper understanding of the mitzvos with lots of textual sources (source sheets available in the Naaleh sidebar). Here …
I wanted to take ballet lessons for the longest time. A few months ago, it occurred to me that there was no reason I wasn’t taking them already. After all, I wasn’t busy with college work anymore and my evenings were generally flexible. I mentioned my interest in ballet to a friend and she was on board right away. We …
I read a short story printed in this past week’s Family First, “The Gardenia,” by Shayna Friedman. My younger sister (also shidduch-age) read it first, and she wasn’t sure if I should because it made her so sad. (Well, I did anyway). Briefly: the story is a vignette about a (self-described) older single who goes to the wedding of a …
It can be so hard when someone close to you starts dating someone seriously, and then suddenly there she is, putting a ring on it. In the midst of everyone’s excitement, you’re left feeling lonely and unsure of how to navigate your relationship. A change in dynamics can trigger a waterfall of emotions. You might be feeling insecure and anxious …
My nephews lived around the corner from us until about a year ago. Then they moved to a city a plane flight away. I would love for my nephews to always feel close with me, so though they’re quite young and far away, it’s a priority to me to be a presence in their lives. After almost a year of working at this, …
Earlier this month I had a day off of work and went into NYC to visit the Neue Galerie. I wanted to see Klimt’s Woman in Gold (if you must know!). It was such a nice, peaceful outing. The museum is beautiful and interesting, and small enough that you can take it all in in one relaxed visit. I spent about …
I have been keeping a running list of people I am going to invite to my wedding. I started this list about a year after seminary when I decided to be organized. The list began as a Word document which became an Excel spreadsheet. I realized what a project it can be to track down addresses after I helped …
