HOME & FAMILY

It has been said that contemporary times lack the element of overt miracles. Where does one undeniably see the guiding Hand of Providence nowadays? Through Shidduchim!

When to bypass conventions and customs, when to ask, when to answer...

Erev Pesach Secrets
by S. Levy

It was chilly this morning, the day after Shushan Purim. The windshield was covered with condensation. Shmuel pulled the choke and flipped on the defogger, waiting for the car to warm up. Reuven, twenty years his senior, sat next to him. He seemed uncomfortable.

The Intense Child
by Masha Wolf, M.A.

Most children have times when they become emotionally or physically highly charged, but some children are `intense' by nature. "Intensity," according to M. Kurcinca, author of Raising Your Spirited Child, "includes strong emotional reactions as well as an over- abundance of uncontrolled physical energy." This may include loud emotional reactions to many situations.

PARENTING WITH MENUCHA
Failures and Victories
by Menucha Fuchs
Parenting expert, counselor, author of dozens of books for children and adults

Success has many parents, as the saying goes in Hebrew, while failure is always an orphan. Our society loves a winner, while we are much less tolerant of losers. However, if you think about it, you'll realize that the greatest winners built their success out of a heap of failures.

TIPS TO SPEED YOUR PESACH PREPARATIONS
compiled by M. Rosenzweig

LAUNDRY AND IRONING

Decide which clothing and linens you will need for the week of yom tov. Then wash and iron only these items, and set them aside in a safe place for Pesach.

Money is Everything
by Rosally Saltsman

According to Chazal, money is fire, money is a ladder, money is tremendous potential. You may not agree with Rosally, but your attitude to it may need readjustment. (Especially right before Pesach...)

Keeping Time
by Rosally Saltsman

Did you ever realize that our daily time allotment and what we manage to accomplish within it is a gift just as much as the money we have to spend?

New insights from our time-and-money consultant...

Your Medical Questions Answered!
by Joseph B. Leibman, MD

No doubt about it, the ocean is fun. Snorkel diving in the Red Sea -- the warmest sea in the world -- is an unforgettable experience. But in the waters lurk many dangerous biting animals.

Poet's Corner

A Pre-Pesach Poem
by Mrs. K., London

The table is decked -- white as snow,
Candles are burning -- a shining, bright glow.
Freshly baked matzos, smell just divine,
Goblets laid out in a shining line.
The crystal is sparkling -- a beautiful sight,
The table is set for a memorable night.
There's salmon and carp, an assortment of dishes,
Rich chicken soup -- it all smells delicious.
Father stands tall and looks like a king,
The sons are like princes, helping him sing,
Mother and daughters watch candles in a trance,
There is peace, there is calm, in the K. residence.

*

This picture's in my mind as I wait for the day
When the chometz and dirt are all cleared away.
The cleaning, the scrubbing, my hands are so sore,
The cooking, the baking, the frying and more,
And the shopping, the shopping! I wish it were done,
There's so much to buy and it isn't much fun.

There's meat, fish and groceries, ever so much stuff,
As much as you buy, there's never enough.
There's still so much washing which never gets done,
And ironing and mending, the pile weighs a ton.
I'm feeling so breathless, I'm red in the face,
To get done on time is like running a race.
I'm tired, I'm weary, I'm hungry and sore,
I'll just drink a `cuppa', there's no time for more.

*

But what keeps me smiling, what keeps me alive,
Is that picture in my mind of Yomtov arrived,
I know it'll come and I'll hold on to it fast,
'Cause before you turn 'round -- Yom tov has passed!