Alignment and Boundaries

Our focus in yoga class this week was on standing postures and the alignment of the body. Sivan said that aside from how the outward posture looks, even the misalignment of our mat on the ground can signal trouble with our inner alignment. I noticed that my lower back was sore, and realized that it …

Returning to Routine

No one seems to know what day it is at the moment. I checked my calendar to confirm that it is in fact October now. Getting back to a “normal schedule” is a challenge after an entire month of holidays. Here in Israel, the kids attended school for a total of 11 days in September. …

A different kind of fast

Last year, when we first arrived to Israel, a friend in my ulpan (Hebrew class) told me that he was planning a business trip to London during Rosh Hashanah because he didn’t want to miss Yom Kippur in Israel. I thought that was strange – why would he want to miss a fun food-filled holiday …

Redemption on Two Wheels

I don’t think I was prepared for the experience of Yom Kippur in Israel. I heard little things here and there, but never the full details. On our last visit to Israel a few years ago, my mom’s cousin told me that they found a conservative synagogue they really liked, but they couldn’t get there …