Illness
Learning to Rest
I never let myself rest. At some point when I was sick with chronic illness, all I could do was…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Shomea V’Oneh
When my father was diagnosed with cancer this year, despite the fact that I was someone you would rarely find…
The Waiting Game Called Infertility
After twenty months of waiting to conceive our child, we have not even begun medical treatment yet. For many, this…
What I Understand Now
Dear Abba, This past Shabbat marked 4 years since you left this world. I remember that day so well. Sometimes…