My Daughter’s First Wax
I kept the secret for nearly two years. Because I didn’t want to give my daughter a complex. Or in any way influence how she sees herself. For nearly two years, I averted my gaze. I did my very best to...
View ArticleNetflix’s New Unlimited Parental Leave Was the Jewish Thing to Do
One of the positive compliments I often hear from non-Jews is how much emphasis we place on family and tradition. I love hearing that because I believe that these two things have contributed to our...
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My Son Has Tourette’s But He’s Not Broken, So Stop Treating Him That Way
When my son, Ben, was a kid, a few times a year, he would get these funny twitches. It was kind of cute, actually. Like a bunny, twitching its nose. Sometimes it would be accompanied by some...
View ArticleA Letter to My Daughter on the Moment the Glass Ceiling Was Shattered
Dearest Lil, As we’ve discussed many, MANY times, I don’t usually miss you when you are at camp. You are in your happiest place, and that makes me so happy. And I have the chance to chill and recharge,...
View ArticleHow Do I Know If My Kids Are Old Enough to Leave Home Alone?
A mom on vacation in Delaware was recently arrested for leaving her 9-year-old and 8-year-old alone for less than an hour while she went to pick up dinner. Arrested!?! As it turns out, while there is...
View ArticleShimon Peres Was the Kind of Israeli Leader I Wish My Kids Could See
Dear kids, Sleep evaded me last night. The news of the death of Shimon Peres, z”l, weighed heavily on my mind. The melancholy has stayed with me all day as I read the myriad tributes from those who...
View ArticleWhat Betsy DeVos’ Confirmation Means for My Kids with Special Needs
When my 13-year-old daughter got home from school last Tuesday, I drew her close to me and apologized. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry the grown-ups have let you down. We tried; we really did.” She pulled...
View ArticleMy Son Has Autism. We Reviewed Netflix’s “Atypical” Together.
[This piece is co-written by Rebecca Einstein Schorr and Ben Schorr] There is nothing like watching television with my kids. Over the years, I’ve learned a great deal about them: their likes and...
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Should Jews Celebrate Valentine’s Day?
I’ve never had a theological problem with Valentine’s Day. It was never a big deal in my family and my husband and I never really made a big deal about it in our relationship (though on Valentine’s Day...
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What God & Sex Have in Common
This post is part of our month-long series featuring different ways that parents of various religions have talked to their kids about God. God and sex have a lot in common. Yes, you read that...
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My Daughter’s First Shave
“You are not allowed to shave until you are 16.” “Because once you start, you’ll never be able to stop.” “And never–no matter what–never shave above your knee.” I know, from the unscientific surveying...
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My Daughter Got Busted Wearing a Bikini
I am pleased to report that Lilly, our 10-year-old, is enjoying her time at overnight camp at this very moment. In fact… she looked ever-so-happy in a picture posted on their site yesterday… in a...
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My Son Had a Rosh Hashanah Meltdown but That’s Not What I Remember
The High Holy Days are difficult for everyone. The services are long. The liturgy relies heavily on theological notions that are often in conflict with our modern day beliefs. There is a lot of Hebrew....
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The Jewish Prayer That’s Never Let Me Down
Parenting has been compared to many things. I like to compare it to playing darts while wearing a blindfold. Because so often, it really does feel as though it’s just a stab in the dark. Except when...
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A Rabbi’s Take on the Whole Celebrating-Christmas-and-Hanukkah Thing
And now the Kveller Rabbi weighs in on what is most likely the most contentious issue on the calendar: Can you do both? Can one family celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah? It is not a neutral issue....
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The Blessing for Milestones Also Helps When Things Go Wrong
My daughter decided to learn how to ride a bike on Sunday. Strange wording. Not “my daughter learned to ride a bike” but “my daughter decided to learn how to ride a bike.” Because that is precisely...
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I Downloaded Israel’s “Red Alert” App & This is What Happened
For the past week and a half, my phone has been emitting siren sounds thanks to an app called Red Alert [also called Color Red in Hebrew]. While it is meant to alert Israelis to the very real danger...
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When “Meet the Teacher” Night is Scheduled on Rosh Hashanah
Sitting at my rising 6th grader’s middle school orientation, I was reminded, once again, that rearing our kids in a secular society can be a tricky proposition. There it was, up on the PowerPoint...
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A Day in the Life: Rebecca Einstein Schorr, Mother of a Child with Autism &...
Rebecca Einstein Schorr became a reluctant stay-at-home-mom when her son Ben (14), who is on the autism spectrum and has Tourette’s Syndrome, and his two adorable sidekicks, Lilly (11) and Jacob (7),...
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How I’m Talking to My Kids About the Violence & Racism in America Right Now
The Jewish tradition teaches that while weeping may abide in the night, joy will come in the morning. Yet for three consecutive mornings, our country has awakened to sorrow. And anger. And fear. Fatal...
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