I’ve been doing a lot of contemplating lately. In particular, I’m thinking about my column and how much Judaism and parenting go hand in hand. I’m also racking my brain to figure out where I put my cell phone, again. I’ve searched everywhere: my purse, my coat pockets, the key hanger in the laundry room, the front seat of the car, and even in the freezer under the cheese pizza. Seriously, I’ve found car keys in there before. Read the rest of this entry »

As if the holiday season isn’t stressful enough with shopping, baking, decorating, spending, overeating, and overall frivolity, I impose yet another to-do list on myself—New Year’s resolutions. Read the rest of this entry »

As the first decade of the new millennium approaches (writers are always looking for a hook), I can’t help but contemplate how the wish lists of my children reflect today’s warped generation. Sari, almost 11, wants a cell phone. I didn’t own one until I was engaged to be married. Jack, a freshman in high school, yearns for Dr. Dre headphones that cost more than my auto insurance deductable.

Parents are to blame for their children’s spoiled behavior, and I’m certainly no exception, especially when it comes to high-tech toys. To start with, we stick our youngsters in front of the computer way too young, while they’re still in diapers, and we practically give them a username and password by the time they get a social security card. No wonder today’s youth have a constant need for stimulation and immediate gratification. When a recent Wal-mart television commercial advertises how Nintendo DS promotes family bonding, the situation is obviously out of control. Read the rest of this entry »

The other day I’m sitting in the vet’s office waiting for Luci to get her vaccines, and I start to feel antsy and bored. A talking parrot imitates the meows of a sick cat, and I’m about to lose my mind. Even Luci paces the room like a prisoner in a jail cell.

It’s times like this when I’m desperate to pass the time in a productive way. The only thing I can think of is to clean out my messy purse. Read the rest of this entry »

As all of you loyal readers know, “Mitzvot of the Heart” showcases boys and girls who use their unique skills and interests to help others and make a real difference in the community. It’s only fair then to praise our four-legged friends who do their part in making the world a kinder place as well. After all, a dog can perform a variety of good deeds, such as boost confidence in a child who struggles with reading, enable a disabled adult in a wheelchair to push open a door, and offer companionship to a lonely elderly person. It’s about time we give these mitzvah muts their well-deserved moment in the spotlight. Read the rest of this entry »

I can’t imagine life without Luci, my apricot toy poodle who comforts me when she lays across my lap and warms my body and soul like a cashmere blanket, who pulls the sock off my foot and then tries to put it back on, who knows just how to cock her tiny head and peer at me with her chocolate brown eyes to get whatever she wants, who rests her chin on the corner of the Monopoly game board without ever knocking over a hotel piece on Boardwalk. Read the rest of this entry »

I can’t think of a braver act, especially for a woman, than to step on a scale (without a blindfold) and get weighed on network television. If that’s not gutsy enough, imagine being videotaped as you sweat bullets on the treadmill and then posting your progress, pound by pound, on the World Wide Web for everyone and their mother to witness.

Perhaps the only thing more terrifying for me is to don a swimsuit in the dead of winter and stand before a live audience in a crowded lecture hall without a podium to hide behind. Then again, that’s just me. No wonder I’m in awe of the women on KSDK TV’s “Lose a Ton Challenge,” especially Carrie Zuhler, a 45-year-old Chesterfield mom, whose emotional rollercoaster ride to shed pounds is an inspiration to us all. Read the rest of this entry »

Every mother dreads her child getting seriously sick, so when Rita Worth’s daughter Kim Goldenberg was diagnosed in February 2004 with a very aggressive form of breast cancer at the age of only 33, she was devastated. She desperately wanted to help her daughter get better but felt helpless. Then she got a call to action. Read the rest of this entry »

The runway shows in New York, London and Milan aren’t the only places to preview fall fashions. It’s much easier to go to high holiday services at your nearest synagogue. There you’ll discover what’s really hot, aside from the eternal flame burning at the ark.

Think about it. Jews are born trendsetters, and our culture remains influential in so many ways. The clothing industry is no exception. For example, Jewish fashionistas have worn scarves since the days of Moses, and just recently this modern versatile wrap is getting rave reviews in exotic animal prints, geometric patterns, gorgeous textures, luscious colors, and tie dies with fringe. Read the rest of this entry »

The older I get, the more I feel that life is on fast forward, and the pause button on the reality remote control doesn’t work. For example, how can it be back to school time already when I barely have tan lines? Even though summer is not officially over, it sure feels like it when bags of Halloween candy corn hoard the store shelves that are still scattered with rejected spiral notebooks and pocket folders. Read the rest of this entry »