Secure attachment (something only 38% of Americans report having) is a term I was vaguely familiar with, but have learned about in more depth through my work in Makom. Our go to book at Makom was recommended by our Director of Member Services, Ben Madsen, PsyM and is called “The Emotionally Absent Mother: How To Recognize and […]

Modern Orthodox Jew Dena Abergel has struggled with balancing dance with her observance from the time she was a student at the School of American Ballet. From staying with a family in Manhattan over the weekends instead of her home in New Jersey, to timidly requesting three days off for the first days of Passover, […]

Cleveland-born physician Ira Mosen recently made aliyah with his family and is proud to serve patients from any background, but it is his new job as an acclaimed debut author with a breakout novel about Israel that truly breaks down barriers. His book, First Among Nations, puts an ultra-Orthodox Jew, a secular Jew and an […]

Hi JITC- Can I cover my sukkah if it rains? I heard there is something called schlach? Thanks, Aidel Dear Aidel- Thanks for your question. You’ve created a portmanteau of two words. Schach is a mass noun (i.e., a thing whose discrete components are not counted); the roof of your succah is made from schach. […]

Rabbi Avraham Bekhor of Chabad of Randolph, NJ inspired his congregation to do more mitzvos, but his speech to them about it a few months ago made only a part of the impact. It took him almost dying a few hours after giving the speech for them to take it to heart. Struck by a […]

The most common question I get at our weekly community Shabbos meals is, “You must have spent all week cooking for this!” I always explain that in fact, I only cook on Friday mornings because I don’t like to spend my entire week cooking. To make this possible, I’ve adopted various tricks and methods over […]