jewishfamily

What is the difference between living and existing? We all exist. Everyone and everything in this world exists.  But existing does not mean we are living. We can go through all the motions of life: we can pray, we can work, we can do our responsibilities and duties as parents, spouses, friends, children etc. But […]

Chanukah commemorates the victory of the small group of Jewish fighters, the Maccabees, against the Greeks who defiled the Beit Hamikdash. After winning, the Jews then entered the Beit Hamikdash to kindle the menorah and found miraculously one flask of pure oil with the seal of the Cohen gadol still on it. But how does

This year there are two months of Adar because it is a Jewish leap year. And we know when there are two months of Adar, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, the idea of simcha is even stronger. The Rebbe said that simcha poretz geder, breaks barriers. And since there is a concept of botul bshishim

The first days of Pesach (Passover) emphasize the redemption from Egypt (Mitzraim).  But the emphasis of the last two days Pesach is on the future redemption with the coming of Moshiach.  We eat a Moshiach seuda on the eighth day of Pesach (before nightfall we gather our family and we drink four cups of wine

I have been thinking a lot lately.  As the Lubavitcher Rebbe said over thirty years ago on Chaf Ches Nissan: “Do all that you can to bring the Geula in actuality.”  What does that mean exactly?  Of course we need to learn about Moshiach and redemption. That is first and foremost. We need to get

Every person sometimes has doubts in faith. We are only human: this is normal .  But, there is a person who uses doubts to seek his creator and turn his eyes and heart to the heavens, and then his faith grows stronger. And there is a man who takes advantage of doubts to justify his distance

Finally Adar! This is the month when everything changes around. It is the month of laughter. Through laughter you can change everything. So laugh your way through Adar. this year we have two Adars! Double opportunity. 60 days of joy. And as the Lubavitcher Rebbe taught us, when there are 60 days of Adar, all

We are now in the month of Adar 1, coming soon to the holiday of Purim in Adar 2.   So let us discuss a very inspiring thought from the Megillah. We know that in the Megillah reading, when we get to the part that says “the King’s could not  sleep …” the reader raises his voice

Today is the special day of Gimmel Tamuz, the day that our Rebbe, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was concealed from us until the coming of Moshiach.   But what can we do to connect with the Rebbe? We can learn the Rebbe’s teachings of chassidus, follow the Rebbe’s ways and fulfill the Rebbe’s directives. Perhaps the most

Humor is one of the greatest gifts G-d has given to mankind.  With humor even difficult situations lighten up. Once we realize we can still laugh even during hardships, it helps us to overcome challenges with greater power. And in fact simcha poretz geder: simcha, joy, breaks down barriers. Why is that? Because when we