Family Dynamics
Shira’s Story: Behind the Scenes of the New Layers Book
(1/6) Some of you may already know parts of my story. This next part I’ve been keeping to myself for…
Maybe A Little Brighter, Tomorrow
After my second son was born, I struggled with mild postpartum depression (PPD). It was bad enough to be struggling…
Persistence, Perseverance, & Triumph
May 2, 2020, I felt really sick. I went to my local emergency room and I was screened for COVID…
In the Eye of the Storm
My father is in the hospital sick with COVID. It has been many months since words like “coronavirus” “quarantine” and…
My Conversion Journey
I’m standing in front of the Jewish ritual bath, the mikvah, wearing only a white cotton robe and clear plastic…
The Gifts of Hands and Hope
From a very early age, I loved anything that involved art. My father is very artistic and I would watch…
Surviving & Thriving After Emergency Hysterectomy
It has been four years since I was wheeled into the operating room not knowing whether I was to come…
Sixteen Years.
This is the one I was dreading the most. Every year, as I’ve counted and commemorated each yahrzeit, I realized…
Stopping to Surrender
It’s so hard for me to be far away from him, not to be able to hold him through this,…
How Far I’ve Come
Twenty years ago today, I was in Israel in seminary for about twelve days when right before Rosh Hashana, my…
Living and Breathing in the After
We tend to remember exactly where we were when we hear news that forever changes our lives. I’ll never forget…
The Darkness Behind My Smile
I am laying against the wall with my fingers in my ears. My eyes are closed shut. I feel the…