by Jill Maidhof Would you go to a bank in which the employees will talk to you about your tennis game, your favorite recipe, the car you drive and the age of your children — anything, that is, except money, because that’s too personal, or too forward, or outside the bounds of polite conversation?? Contemporary Continue Reading »
By Reb Deb I have been thinking recently about how important “community” is in my life and how being part of different communities impacts my sense of well-being. During this season of gratitude, I want to express how grateful I am and how fortunate I feel to be part of the Chai Mitzvah community, both Continue Reading »
by Audrey Lichter From our inception in 2009, Chai Mitzvah has always had as one of our core missions that of community engagement, both on an individual and communal level. This core value has distinguished our work from many excellent Jewish educational programs. So today, at our weekly staff visioning meeting, we were discussing how Continue Reading »
By Michalee Merritt Living in New England it seems that the weather goes straight from hot and humid summer to cold dark fall. These past first weeks of November have been surprisingly warm. I have been taking long walks listening to the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet. As I’ve walked, I’ve thought about Continue Reading »
By Nina Fondiller Woldin I don’t need to remind you that tomorrow is election day! Media – social and otherwise – is filled with people telling me how they feel, and trying to convince me to agree with them. Most people agree that everyone these days disagrees, strongly. Do you have friends or family who Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof When is the last time you had a deeply self-reflective thought such as “Where am I and what direction is my life taking?” or “Am I a trustworthy person?” and “What do I really, truly believe when bad things happen people?” When did you last confront your own vulnerability, question your ethical compass Continue Reading »
by Reb Deb It has been a fulfilling and very busy month of Tishri with all of the holy days and holidays. During Tishri (and leading up to it with the introspective month of Elul) we listen to the daily blast of the shofar, waking us up to the process of reviewing the past year Continue Reading »
By Nina Fondiller Woldin Wandering across the country visiting family and Chai Mitzvah friends in my 19-foot RV, I can’t help but draw the comparison between my journey and that of our ancestors in their Sukkot. I can’t help but draw the comparison between my journey and that of our ancestors in their Sukkot. In Continue Reading »
By Nina Fondiller Woldin This morning as we were drinking our coffee my husband clicked on a link that said, “Lifespan Calculator – Test Your Life Expectancy.” It seemed like fun, answering questions about diet and exercise to find out how very healthy and fit we are for people our age… but the calculation that Continue Reading »
by Jill Maidhof Do you ever feel like a telling people “STOP–my brain is full! For every piece of information you put into my head from this point forward, another piece will fall out. And I won’t know what piece that is until I need it, so STOP! (Please!)” For every piece of information you put into my Continue Reading »
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