farrockgrandma

In the spirit of the day, the most hazardous activity for a woman in public is to exercise her freedom and independence.

Try squeezing some on a salad.

It’s not an issue of right or wrong. Don’t wait for your mother to ask – volunteer. Say ‘I’m going out with my friends, we’ll be back around 9.” “I’ll call if we’re running late.” Offer information. Ask her opinion. If your mother feels that you’re including her in your plans and decisions, she may relax a little. (also, if you give her more information than she asks for, she may not be bothered at the little details that are left out.)

I imagine there are some administrators that feel that a divorcee is a greater temptation to her male associates. I imagine that their imaginations are way out of control.

i like Sarah Palin too. she was just making a reference to how close her home state is to the former Soviet Union, and our MSM were flexing tiny brains to diminish any opposition to their chosen one.

Many commercial cookies, crackers, pretzels are kosher, depending on where you stand with cholov yisroel and yoshon. I remember a visit to a family member who was not too particular about what she bought or served. Her son, who was a lot more aware, took out everything they had that was fit to eat and offered it to us. Have a cold beverage, and enjoy your visit.

A girl is welcomed with a kiddush. Time and place flexible. Mazel tov!

non-jewish doesn’t mean non-human. How about ‘I am very sorry to hear about your loss.’ and ‘I hope you will know no more sorrow.’

While I am not in favor of killing anything larger than a rodent, a cat is in a category all by itself. a) it has 9 lives and b) there is a precedent that when curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back.

Ask your local orthodox rabbi.

After you tell your friends in the coffee room, of course!

You can savor the news in private for a short time, parents should be the first to share the excitement. Your close family and associates should hear from you before anyone can guess from your condition or appearance.

no, not ok. maybe in the past people were more ready to believe that a single reported case of abuse was just that, a single case. and we do have a ‘catholic priest problem’ meaning that we have difficulty believing that someone we know and trust and regard highly could possibly have done what they are accused of, especially if the accuser is someone who is younger, less reputable or credible, or ‘troubled’.

He is loyal to his family and generous to his friends.

repharim – it doesn’t hurt to be tactful – say something like, I’ll write this out to make sure I understand exactly what you want. if the boss doesn’t put it in writing, you email or write him/her and ask is “this what you wanted?”

Please try to reach out, if not in your own town, then the nearest large city with other Jews. Don’t go it alone. One take-away from the discussions here is the importance of community and support.

Ah, the beauty of a Good Shabbos! In the English language, it is so hard to see a ‘hello’ without adding a ‘how are you?’ A ‘Good Shabbos’ stands on its own. You can never go wrong with saying Good Shabbos, nodding, and continuing on your way. No need to linger and provide fodder for idle gossip. Recognizing and greeting your neighbor is a wonderful thing. (But then, I also don’t live in Brooklyn)

more – delayed bedwetting may sometime run in families, and some children do not outgrow this until their teens. it’s no fun for them or their parents. i’m no posek, but it seems that is better to wash the sheets only if you are running out of changes. ask your rav – the rule may be different if there is no place to store them where the odor will not be noticeable. also, there are disposable bedpads you can purchase. they may be too costly for you to use 365 days a year, but a supply for occasions when you can’t wash sheets is not prohibitive.

To make a man feel important.

To keep a man humble.

To serve man? Check out Twilight Zone, “To Serve Man”

Extending a brief, friendly greeting can be awkward for a few seconds at most. Ignoring someone, or pretending you don’t see them, takes a lot more effort.

Rabbi Blumenkrantz A”H, was makpid that there should always be a shalom zachor, and a kiddush for a baby girl. (The kiddush could be made up at a later time or even combined with a kiddush for another simcha.) For those who had not had a shalom zachor at the proper time, he encouraged them to make it up at the next opportunity. For the 9-year old who missed because of the Seder night, his family made a shalom zachor shortly before Pesach (used up some of the chametz).

The 40-year old made his own shalom zachor and had his mother as a guest.

So, use plastic bowls and spoons, and crumble some matzo into your soup.

Matza brei is the reward, after Pesach ends, for putting away your Pesach keilim.

Really?? I remember one young man who felt that the girls who met him with no makeup were not interested in looking their best, or not attaching enough importance to the occasion. (Just picture a man showing up at your door with a rumpled suit or in need of a haircut.) I knew another who didn’t like to see anything artificial. This is very much a matter of opinion, based in part on what one is accustomed to seeing. There is probably nothing wrong with a little light makeup, but do what makes you comfortable.

I was also a working parent, and while I appreciate all of the considerations in scheduling a school event, there are times when the school could be a little more, well, considerate. There are civil holidays that fall during the week, and the schools could take better advantage. I remember one elementary class play that took place on President’s Day – the room was packed, with fathers as well as mothers. It was very frustrating to see a school event scheduled within a few days of a civil holiday, when it would take very little thought to use the day so that more parents could attend. It means a lot to a parent to be able to participate, and the handful of times that the school calendar made it possible really stand out in my memory.

I went through years of denial, believing all of the abject apologies. But my children were never harmed, at least not directly.

Face it, he is not going to change. Your children, and you yourself, can be permanently damaged. My husband, in an angry moment, yelled and shoved over the living room couch, barely missing the 4 year old child sitting nearby on the floor. Her reaction – later that day she said to me “when I grow up, I am going to be a good wife and listen to my husband”. That was an ‘ah-hah’ moment. (By the way, she is now grown up and married, and not afraid to express her feelings.)

You can call the Shalom Task Force to discuss your situation. No one will force you to leave, but they can help you to sort things out. You can speak to them anonymously. You can pack an overnight bag with supplies for you and your family, and leave it with a friend. You are stronger than you think. Airing your problem on this forum is a first step. Take the next step, even a small one, and you will find the strength to go on.

The hardest part is making the decision. In my case, I asked my husband to leave and move out, and he did. It was many years ago, and I have never, never, regretted it. He yelled so many mean things when he was angry, I was embarrassed and humiliated, I thought anyone within earshot would believe those terrible things. What I remember, and what gave me chizuk in the weeks and months afterward, was my neighbors telling me how happy they were that he was gone, and people telling me how much younger I looked – like a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

The 5TJT this week published the latest Aliyah chronicles, from a NY resident who moved to Beit Shemesh several years ago. The article has his own eye-witness account of the harassment of schoolchildren.