HOME & FAMILY

Ears they have but cannot hear.

Not only `idols.' There are people who have ears that don't hear, eyes that don't see and hearts that don't beat true in sync with other people.

Breaking the Window
by Altee Waldman

Sima Mayer poured the last soapy bucket over the porch floor. She scrubbed the corners with the sponga stick and watched as the dirty suds streamed toward the hole in the center.

The Virtue of Patience
by Bayla Gimmel

Last Thursday evening at about 8 p.m., I was returning home from a simcha. I boarded the bus near the beginning of the run, found a seat and settled in for a ride which I expected to take about forty-five minutes.

This is a prayer we should always express.

The Counter-Curse
a story in two parts by Shira Shatzberg

Part I

The way Tzippy figured it, the world was created to revolve around her, much the way the earth and its fellow planets orbit around the sun. She had always reckoned it, simple as a scientific phenomenon, in plain view for all to see. A dry fact against which no argument could arouse, a Heavenly decree embedded in the laws of nature.

Unexpected Expenses
by Rosally Saltsman

They're the bane of meticulous budget keepers. Expenses that crop up unexpectedly, demanding immediate attention and throwing the best planned budget into chaos.

Fault Finding
by L. Raffles

WALKING

When we study the nature of walking, we see that it's not a simple matter of `can' and `can't.' The ability to walk is a combination of many skills, and a young child can walk with varying degrees of skill, which develops over time.

From Window to Window
by Adina Mayer

Simchas haTorah, Israeli-style. Joy in the Torah. Any day. Every day.

SCIENCE SURPRISES
Water
by Tova Robinson

Have you ever placed a can of cola in the freezer, hoping to make it get colder faster? Great, but I hope you didn't leave it there overnight. If you did, the next morning you would have found a can that had exploded, with shards of cola slush all over the freezer.

Seeing Fireworks!
by Rosally Saltsman

Wishing Rosally and Josh a belated Mazel Tov. But good wishes are never too late.

CREATIVITY CORNER
A Shoebox House, a Tree and a Person
by Devora Piha

A keep-busy project for the hectic pre-Yom Tov days or for future rainy days. Make this project without a roof for the meanwhile, so it can serve as a succa-home to begin with.

Why Can't You Sleep?: Understanding Sleep Problems
by Dr. Reuven Bruner, Ph.D.

Getting a good night's sleep is critical to feeling refreshed during the day, but unfortunately not everyone is able to get the sleep they need. Different factors can contribute to lack of sleep: a noisy bedroom, stress or illness. When the problem persists help should be sought. Experts can suggest a wide range of treatment options, including finding ways to change bedtime behaviors, and in some instances, medication.

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

This article will be dedicated to some eye-opening statistics on a subject of interest to all of us, that appeared in the prestigious journal the New England Journal of Medicine of February 26, 04. The subject is obesity in childhood and adolescence. POET'S CORNER
Koheless -- That time of the year which is a time for...

Emotions
by Nechama Emmett

A time for reflection
A time for sorrow
Sadness comes to an empty head
Tied down and heavy with load
Scared of the future
While fearing the past
A desire for new
Attachment to old.

Where am I going?
When will I arrive?
Questions, no answers
Emotions overwhelming
Too much to control.

Torah is the solution
Understanding it gives
The freedom to choose
The truth to decide
A `lot' to be happy with
For we know that is best
A world that is waiting
So that we may finally rest.

Lost and Found

by Nechama Emmett

Lost in the madness
Found there is hope
Lost in the maze
Found I can cope
Lost in the struggle
Found the open door
Lost in the tears
Found there is more
Lost in the darkness Found in the light
Lost in the pain
But found -- it's alright.

These two selections were produced in the Pri Hadash Women's Writing Workshop, which anyone is invited to attend. Discover your hidden writing and expressional talents. Meets at Israel Center, 22 Keren Hayesod, Sundays from 17:20 - 19:20. Call Ruth for more details: 02-6287359.

And while we're on the subject of talent self-scouting, here is a marvelous occasion to clear your brain and produce some good writing, or just enjoy what others have to offer.

THE THIRD ANNUAL TSFAT WRITERS' CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN

sponsored by the TSFAT WOMEN'S WRITING GROUP and SOFERET and the JEWISH WRITING INSTITUTE

DATES: 26-27 Tishrei / Oct. 11-12, Monday-Tuesday

LOCATION: Beirav Shul in the Old City of Tsefat

Includes workshops, meals, evening program "Merging Arts" including theater, dance, singing, art and writing

REGISTRATION: email: mommyrg@walla co.il or by phone: Rifca Goldberg 04-697- 3255.

Hope to see you there -- in person and in writing!