Holidays, family gathers and other risky social situations

By Rabbi Idit Solomon Holidays can be wonderful. Meaningful traditions, connecting with family and friends, and symbolic foods. Family gatherings sometimes are the highlight of the year. They can also be trigger-filled stress fests that have you walking on pins and needles and wanting full body (and soul) armor to protect yourself from the shrapnel […]

How to Cope During the High Holidays

Facing Tefillah, Community, and Family as a Couple Struggling with Fertility Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is a time of reflection, a time of spirituality. For many people, tefillah, community and family feel like a warm embrace. To others, such as those experiencing infertility, these can feel more like a straight jacket. I always ask my patients about […]

Shana Tova – Wishes for a Good New Year

Rosh Hashanah 5774 Hannah: A Modern Interpretation וַיְהִי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד מִן־הָרָֽמָתַ֛יִם צוֹפִ֖ים מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמ֡וֹ אֶ֠לְקָנָ֠ה בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֧ם בֶּן־אֱלִיה֛וּא בֶּן־תֹּ֥חוּ בֶן־צ֖וּף אֶפְרָתִֽי:  וְלוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֔ים שֵׁ֤ם אַחַת֙ חַנָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פְּנִנָּ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י לִפְנִנָּה֙ יְלָדִ֔ים וּלְחַנָּ֖ה אֵ֥ין יְלָדִֽים (1Samuel 1:1-2) Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was […]