HOME & FAMILY

It was Thursday evening. Batya was pleased with herself; the house was clean, the challos were baked, she had managed to bake a cake as well and the salads were just waiting to be seasoned in the morning. She had left very little for the relatively short winter Friday.

TRUE TALES OF YESTERYEAR
The Pogrom of the Year 'TaRaP'
by Yisca Shimony

A young woman was walking down the road in the Old City of Yerushalayim, looking fearfully to the right and the left. Though she was assured by a British officer that there was nothing to fear, she felt unsafe in the dark and empty streets. . .

KEEP SMILING
Inspiration pieces by Avrohom Tzvi Schwartz, author of several inspirational works

Hashem's Guests

If we can remember that we are Hashem's guests, we can move on to Step 2. This also, is part of the hidden challenge — the special pleasure — the buried treasure of our lives. What is Step 2? Crown Hashem.

Welcome to Bedrest
by Raizel Foner

Welcome to the city of Bedrest, located in the Land of Lowered Standards. You probably didn't choose to be here, and hope that you won't have to stay long. The scenery here is OK, but after a while you find it getting pretty boring. The population can be incredibly limited or not; partly it's up to you.

So How Can We Mourn?
by Batya Jacobs

The Chofetz Chaim tells a story of a businessman who suddenly realized that he was getting on in years and hadn't started learning yet. He decided to go to the beis midrash instead of to his business but he neglected to tell his wife. The businessman's wife found out that he had not arrived at his business.

Just Go for a Walk
by Dena Newman

With all my walking, a new opportunity opened up to me. A pick-up and delivery service!

A Nine Days activity to get you into the habit.

Help! I'm Drowning!
by E. M.

Now that summer has arrived, you're planning to just sit back with your feet up and a cool glass of lemonade at your elbows. You can sip your lemonade and R-E-L-A-X.

Our Silent Cry
by Sara Gutfreund

Comfort us, O, comfort us

POETS' CORNER

He shall sit in solitude, dumbly . . .

Solitude
by Yehudit

There's a place in my heart that I go to sometimes
When I'm home all alone and there's no-one around,
Only to escape the noise of the day: the buses and phones,
and people who don't want to leave me alone.

And when I am there, I feel I've come home . . .
There's a quiet I've found, with no need to impress
Or to be what I'm not, or to feel pain or stress,

When I'm alone in my heart, it's Hashem that I've found,
And I feel Him so closely I don't want to come round.
And I don't want all the movement and pace of daily life
I need Him to give His divine balm, His mercy and calm
To personal — or universal — pain and to strife.

All alone where I am, I am now my best friend,
And I don't want this feeling ever to end,
And I don't want to let anybody else in,
To that place in my heart, to the place I've just been,

There's one in yours too — have you ever been?

Improving our Ahavas Chinom

The Mirror

by Chava

I look in the mirror
And what do I see?
It's my neighbor's eyes
Frowning back at me.

Could she be frowning
Because she saw
My darling toddler
Spill juice on the floor?

I peer at her closer -
There's a smirk on her face.
Oh, no! It's my shoes:
They're not to her taste.

It's lucky I remembered
To shut the door.
Or else, me scolding the kids
She'd have heard before.

When I flagged down a taxi
Just earlier today,
I bet she was thinking -
With what does she pay?

The funny thing is,
Different faces appear
Each time I happen
To glance in the mirroråÌ

It's either my neighbor
Or friends on the street,
That lady in the shop,
Or strangers I meet.

I used to worry and wear
Myself down to shreds,
What this one was thinking
And what that one said!

Till one day I realized
It's all my imagination,
It's ME who's out spinning
A web of fabrication!

Since then, I've become older,
And think differently,
It's only me who's imagining
That `she's smirking at me.

Now I look in the mirror
And am glad to see,
My very own face
Smiling back at me!