(Credit Photo: RDNE Stock project via https://www.pexels.com/photo/scared-man-on-the-wooden-floor-6003316/)
August 6, 2023
Two Ways to Make Someone Feel Worthless
(Credit Photo: RDNE Stock project via https://www.pexels.com/photo/scared-man-on-the-wooden-floor-6003316/)
July 23, 2023
Teaching Cartwheels
Teaching Cartwheels
June 14, 2023
Awesome Father's Day Card and Early too!
Thank you to my wonderful children and to Hashem for all his mercy.
(Credit Photo: Minna Blumenthal)Awesome Father's Day Card and Early too!
November 26, 2022
Chutzpah Dating
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Chutzpah Dating
June 12, 2022
Why I Cry At Circumcisions
Circumcision reminds me of Abraham, our forefather, who was tested and told to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, to G-d. It is truly counter-intuitive for a parent to hurt or sacrifice their child. Yet, this is exactly how G-d tested Abraham before the angel of G-d told him not to raise his hand to Isaac, and instead Abraham then offered to G-d a ram that was caught in the thicket. However, when it comes to circumcision, we are also tested and actually are commanded to surgically remove the male child’s foreskin and as the baby cries out, every parent, no matter how faithful and religiously devoted, winces and feels deeply inside for their child’s pain, even if it is only momentary and soothed by a sip of kosher Kedem Concord Grape wine.The rite of the circumcision is an incredible transcendental religious experience, where our very faith is tested and we go against our own physical instincts to protect the child, no matter what, and instead we submit ourselves to G-d Almighty, the Master of the Universe to perform the circumcision, because He told us to. Whether there are medical benefits or not, G-d commands, and we obey. We are His people, and his thoughts and plans are infinitely greater than ours. At the circumcision, in an act of complete faith, we graciously give over our male children and ourselves—in body, mind, and soul to G-d. We renounce our desires, our gratification, our very instincts, and put ourselves in G-d’s merciful hands. In that moment of selfless giving, we fulfill our covenant of generations with G-d and we affirm our holiness as individuals and as a nation.
(Photo Credit: Avital Pinnick; https://www.flickr.com/photos/spindexr/4678468852/)
Why I Cry At Circumcisions
April 24, 2022
Food Child Abuse
Food Child Abuse
April 2, 2022
Teaching Our Children To Be Good Jews
What happened to genuine faith in G-d, belief in the holy Torah, our duty to abide by the 613 commandments, and generally doing right in this world by our fellow man and before G-d Almighty? Maybe I’m being too literal here but being a “good Jew” has got to mean something important. We are keeping alive the tradition of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents, spanning back thousands of years to our Forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to G-d delivering us from Egyptian servitude, and His giving to us the Torah on Mount Sinai, and to His bringing us to Israel, the Land of Milk and Honey, and keeping us from being wiped away by one great empire after another. Being a Jew means being part of an important important and yes, “chosen” for a special mission of being a “light unto the nations” and that means action on our part: thinking, saying, and doing what’s right all the time!We are tested daily to do what’s right, even when it’s not convenient, easy, enjoyable, or popular. What is a Jew? We need to really ask ourselves that question. It’s not trivial and neither should the answer be. Our lives in this world and the next are depending on how we live up to the high bar that is set for us each and every day of our lives that Hashem mercifully grants to us.
Teaching Our Children To Be Good Jews
March 21, 2022
Boy in Tree
Parents looking on.
"Come down please before you get hurt!"
Every parent worries. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Michelle Blumenthal)
Boy in Tree
January 23, 2022
Not Terror But Hugs
While standing up for the Torah to be brought back to the ark, a little boy comes up to me and just gives me a big hug. I learned afterwards that the boy “makes the rounds” in shul giving everyone a beautiful Shabbat embrace. This simple symbolic act of caring and loving others, mainly many older people in synagogue, by this innocent child gave people an uncommon sense of happiness and even hope in our future despite the anti-Semitism and hate of too many others outside.The love of G-d is our secret for life and for our perseverance throughout history. G-d loves us as His children, but also punishes us as His children. As children, we are always learning and growing, but as adults we have to act in a way of righteousness and holiness, so that we will merit the former, and not the latter. With G-d's mercy and blessings, hopefully, we will have peace in our synagogues and our lives, wherever we reside in the world, to worship and live as Jewish people free of bigotry, hate, and terror, once and for all.
Not Terror But Hugs
December 18, 2021
The Surprising Secret To Becoming Your Best
Even while we are each different and should become our best selves, we still all need to make sure we are driving towards good healthy goals.There is no one-size-fits-all mold for us. Hashem has a destiny in mind for each of us, and we need to find out what that is and work to become it. As parents, we need to see our children for who they are and not who we may want them to be. Truly, it’s a blessing to be able to be ourselves! As long as we and they are doing good in the world and by our Creator, we are each and everyone on solid Jewish ground.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
The Surprising Secret To Becoming Your Best
October 23, 2021
Love Your Family As The Stranger
When it comes to strangers, it’s almost easier to put on a face, act all proper, and do what’s right because they aren’t our family, thus Avraham could run to help the strangers. Yet, when it comes to our own families, we don’t feel it necessary to keep up pretenses. We sometimes say and do things to family that we would likely never say to or do in front of strangers, like Avraham telling Hagar and Ishmael to get out! We may even betray and hurt the ones we love, like when Avraham said Sarah was his sister putting her at jeopardy with Avimelekh. Further, we “sacrifice” our children and spouses by putting our work (sometimes 24/7), social media, and our own brand and needs first, and don’t adequately pay attention to what’s really going on with our families, their needs, aspirations, and troubles; for example, Avraham was going to sacrifice Isaac, his and Sarah’s only child and “the son of her old age.” We take for granted and even advantage of our families, because we can. And some at the further bad end of the spectrum, “go home and kick the dog!” Yes, the pictures that everyone posts on Facebook and Instagram are what people want you to see and think about them (their personal brand): that everything’s all rosy and they have the perfect lives and families, but I venture to guess that often, it’s far from the reality of what goes on “behind closed doors.”All of us need to pay attention and do what’s right not only when we want to look good in front of others, but knowing that even in our own homes, G-d is watching what we do and how we treat each other.
Love Your Family As The Stranger
September 1, 2021
Vase With Tongue Out
Very creative, but also a little gross.
I remember some crazy elders who used to say to put that tongue away or you'll get it cut right off.
At least the flowers will still remain and grow in the sunlight! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Vase With Tongue Out
June 2, 2021
What Children Learn
What children experience at home is what they learn to become.
Sure people can change their thinking and actions.
But any negative voices of the past may still echo in theirs heads.
That is until people tell them "hush, be quiet!"
And they replace old voices and experiences with new thinking about themselves and what they are capable of positively doing with their lives and in their relationships with others.
We all need to know what we value about ourselves and our lives and then make sure that we do those things.
So at the end of days, we can answer for our lives in an affirmative way! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Etsy)
What Children Learn
December 12, 2020
Teach Your Children Well
I am grateful to write that I had my first grandchild, a wonderful baby boy, thank G-d. Now, as with all children, comes the next very exciting part which is, please G-d, to raise and teach him to live a good life of Torah, family, hopes and dreams.
We teach our children, even as we learn along the way ourselves. Two critical things we have from Hashem to help us on this journey: we have the Torah as our holy guidebook, and we have our soul and conscience as our inner voice exhorting us, right from wrong. These are the tools that we go forward with to try and perfect ourselves and the world, and to teach our children to do the same.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Teach Your Children Well
August 29, 2020
Teaching Kids To You Know What
Mini toilets to teach the kids to go potty.
The big pot can probably be scary for a little kid.
Don't want them to end up falling in and whoosh!
Ok, not funny!
Seriously though, these little training toilets are cute.
Honestly, I think there are some adults that need some potty training too.
Yes, you know who you are! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Teaching Kids To You Know What
June 14, 2020
Never Too Young To Train
The little boy holding his mom's hand and running around the track.
While many kids would cry and resist the exercise, this kid actually ran after his mom to go with her.
It was nice to see!
Never too young to train!
This is how excellence is born. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Never Too Young To Train
April 9, 2020
Synagogue or Sickness?
When I was a kid and my father would {strongly} encourage me to go to synagogue. My father was a man of deep faith and he used to say warningly to me: "It's better to go to synagogue than to the hospital." Obviously, he was implying that if I didn't follow G-d's word, then G-d forbid, he would punish me and instead of going to Shul, I would go to the hospital. Maybe not the best way to teach someone to want to go to prayer services, but I know he meant it out of complete love for me and ultimately for my best.
Yet ironically, now with coronavirus preventing us from practicing the many communal aspects of our faith, so many of us can only but wish that we could just go to synagogue to celebrate the holidays and Shabbat together once again. Unfortunately, for now at least, we don't even have the option to go to synagogue—the choice has been taken from us. G-d willing, hopefully soon, we can once again go—with willingness and love—not only to pray at synagogue, but also to the holy Third Temple in Jerusalem itself.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Synagogue or Sickness?
March 31, 2020
Children Are Our Future
It is good to see the children playing outside (even in smallish groups).
It's trying times with schools closed, many parents trying to telework, and the need to take care of the children (especially the younger ones) at the same time.
We can't lose sight that the children are our future.
They are everything in this world.
Even with the Coronavirus pounding away at our older and more vulnerable populations, we can still thank G-d that not many children have been infected.
Even in challenging times, G-d shows His mercy to us. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Children Are Our Future
March 29, 2020
Hope Amidst Coronavirus
Hope Amidst Coronavirus.
Life is hope.
The children are our future.
Love and caring is our continuity.
G-d's is the Master over it all. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Hope Amidst Coronavirus
March 11, 2020
Learning Hebrew: One Book at a Time
Start small...as in children's books.
She got a few of these from the library and it actually was fun to read these.
Aside from taking me back a few years in parenthood and bonding as a family over these, I found it useful to solidify my learning.
Dr. Seuss definitely had the right idea. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal with attribution to book בּובי בוא בובי לך by אמי רובינגר)
Learning Hebrew: One Book at a Time