The summer is a very expensive time of year. Between camp, supplies for camp, and requests for special treats, I and my wallet feel drained. I was excited when a friend suggested that I write about teaching teenagers how to budget as I reasoned that would give me an impetus to get a handle on the topic (keeping in mind my husband’s reminder that I should only write about what I know!).

Fortunately, our community is blessed to have the wonderful organization Mesila, which counsels families on how to stay fiscally responsible. I will leave it to them to provide the practical tips on managing the finances in our lives. Many of our local schools also teach financial management during middle and high school, and these programs should be encouraged and expanded. What I can do is provide some additional ideas that can help frame this important topic.

Watching the sunset from a lookout near Bat Ayin, a small yishuv in Gush Etzion, I was overcome by the sheer beauty of the landscape. Below me, the red-roofed homes of the yishuv were arrayed against the colorful hues of the sky, and in the distance, other yishuvim lay scattered among the brush-covered hilltops. On the horizon, the waters of the Mediterranean Sea sparkled.

I was on an outing in Gush Etzion, sweet memories floating in my mind of when I had called this place home. What an incredible zechut (privilege) it is to live and breathe the air of our holy land. In fact, in this week’s parsha, Va’etchanan, the tremendous importance of Eretz Yisrael is conveyed by the 515 prayers of Moshe Rabbeinu as he pleaded with Hashem to enter the Land. Now, having finished the Three Weeks of mourning over the Beit Hamikdash’s destruction and our national exile, let’s take its message to heart. The initial cause that led to this catastrophic period was the negative reports of the Spies upon their return from Eretz Yisrael. Let us correct that disastrous mistake by sharing some holy highlights of real life in Israel in our times.

Oh, summer, you flew by, and school is starting soon. I know because I got my huge list of supplies, and I’m hoping to find all the required colored binders and composition books (and maybe some fun #2 pencils)! As the mother, though, I’d like to add to the list what to feed the kids when they come home from school “starving.” There are two “schools” of thought on that one: serve healthy snacks until a later dinner time or feed them supper the minute they walk in the door. Let’s try out both options.

Grazing Boards

Having a healthy snack ready when the kids walk in that door has been a game changer for us. Some days, I just put out hummus with carrots and peppers. Some days, I do a larger spread. I have been doing a host of “grazing” boards lately, like the charcuterie boards I described in my last column, as well as shalashudes and dessert boards. I’ve found these grazing boards perfect for after-school snacks as well. After the huge amount of energy children expend at school – including trying not to fidget during class or run in the hallways – when they come home, it’s as though their bodies and minds take a huge cleansing breath that says, “Hooray, I’m home.” And the very first thing their bodies are telling them (whether they know it or not) is that they’re hungry. A healthy, delicious snack recharges their energy before homework, playtime, or chores begin.

It was my first day in camp, and as I sat on the floor davening with my little campers, I couldn’t help but laugh along with Country Yossi’s Modeh Ani song. It’s a cheerful ditty, one that thanks Hashem for our neshamos and giving us the gift of another day. And then it continues in a humorous way, expressing gratitude for Noskes and for Paskesz and, of course, for snow storms that keep us home from school. Obviously, yummy snacks rank high on the scale of importance for kids, and students of all ages anxiously await snow days. But does that mean that kids dread the end of these last drops of summer sunshine and the imminent start of school? Does even the deluge of crisp new notebooks, spanking new school bags, and colorful new shoes not tempt them?

Personally, I always looked forward to school. As the last weeks of summer vacation faded ever so slowly into oblivion, I spent much time peering excitedly at my school supplies, dreaming of that very first day with friends and teachers and learning. Was I alone in my excitement?

South America was on my “bucket list” of places I wanted to visit. I saw a kosher tour organized by Zvi Lapian to the Amazon rainforests, Galapagos Islands, and Peru, including the legendary Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas. It sounded exotic and exciting, so I decided to sign up. Little did I realize how strenuous this trip would be. If you’re looking to relax, don’t look here! But if you are seeking to explore the world and learn a lot, by all means go ahead! The remote Galapagos Islands, in particular, are fascinating not only because of the unusual and abundant wildlife but also because of their connection to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, which has had such profound effects on Western civilization.

I flew from Tel Aviv to Madrid with Air Europa. The flight from Madrid to Ecuador was delayed by five hours, which meant that I had to spend the whole night at the Madrid airport. There were long lines waiting at all the eateries and food stands, and I had to wait a long time just to drink some cold water. (On the way back to Madrid, they had no kosher meal for me to keep me going for the 11-hour flight – even though it was confirmed weeks before by the travel agent. Traveler, beware!)

At 5:30 in the morning, a huge line of angry people was waiting to board the plane. There was a shouting match with the staff of Air Europa. I guess the Spanish, like the South American Latinos, are emotional people.

We frequently hear that America is experiencing an opioid crisis, an opioid epidemic, or even a public health emergency. These terms generally refer to the sharp increase in opioid-related overdose deaths over the past five years. As most people know, opioids are a class of analgesic drugs that provide pain relief and euphoria. These drugs include commonly prescribed painkillers (Codeine, Percocet, Vicodin), heroin, and synthetic variations (Fentanyl). Last year, about 70,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, and about two thirds of these cases involved the use of opioids (often mixed with other drugs or alcohol). The rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in 2017 was six times higher than what was observed in 1999. In Maryland, about 2,000 deaths over the past year were attributed to opioids.

Arizonan Robin Meyerson jokes that her husband Charles saves bodies while she tries to save souls. He is an electrical engineer who creates pacemakers and other lifesaving medical products. She, the mother of their five children (and a grandmother), is a former corporate marketing whiz and, most recently, a motivational speaker, teacher, and author, who has made raising awareness about Jewish burial her life’s mission. How did she make that drastic leap? Robin shared her inspirational story of Divine Providence when she came to town to be a featured speaker for Project Inspire.

Can they vacuum your carpet? Check. Can they check out your grocery items? Check. Can they collect your toll fees? Check.

Robots: They’re everywhere, threatening to overtake our lives with their calm efficiency, swallowing up thousands of manual jobs. They seem so simple yet so complicated, smoothly doing what they are preprogrammed to do.

Robots are fascinating, yet we often do not see what goes on behind the scenes: the tedious job of building and programming these metallic “creatures.” Six girls in Bais Yaakov high school, supervised by Mrs. Ora Attar and Mrs. Sarena Schwartz, set out to do just that: build and program their own robot. Practically from scratch.

Driving on Park Heights Avenue towards Seven Mile Lane, I saw a familiar figure directing traffic around a stalled car in the middle of the street. Later, I asked my son-in-law, Yair Friedman, how he came to be standing there surrounded by orange cones and looking very official in a fluorescent yellow vest. I was fascinated to hear that this is part of his role as a “unit” for Chaverim. As a member of the Baltimore community I have heard about Chaverim, of course, but I was interested to hear how this organization really works and what it does. 

Yair joined the organization in January of this year and has already taken 155 calls. He was prepared for my interview with a list of statistics. Between January and April, he did 37 jump starts, 28 flat tires, eight pop-a-locks, four gas calls, six air in tires, five pull outs, and some shiva minyanim.

If the WWW hadn’t asked me to write an article about an upcoming chamber music concert – where a Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Dovid Lipson, would be playing piano – I more than likely would never have considered attending, even if I had noticed the advertisement. Although I have enjoyed classical music occasionally in the past (Dvorak comes to mind), and I have a fairly eclectic taste in music, classical music wasn’t something on my usual “playlist.” But because music itself has been on my mind these past few months – I have been preparing various articles on the subject – I was eager to speak with yet another musician, particularly one who is a Rosh Kollel, who would surely offer unusual insights. What a privilege it was to even speak with such a person!