Dear Dawn: How do I encourage a do-nothing tween to want a bat mitzvah? At 11, my daughter doesn’t want to do anything except watch YouTube all day. Complains about going to Sunday school but has fun once there. I suspect as she sees friends doing their bar and bat ceremonies, she’s freaking out and…
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Kids & Family
Opinion
Using this Yiddish word is an art that anyone can master
Way back in 1828, Noah Webster learned 28 languages in order to write his groundbreaking dictionary. But “kvell” was nowhere to be found among his 70,000…
Parenting
Ahhh, the joy of offspring who can (sort of) fend for themselves
Next month, my youngest son will turn 4. We joke that he’s graduated from his probationary period. And so have we: It will be the first time since…
The Matzo Chronicles
People of the Book, yes. But which one? Britannica? World Book?
Jews are often called the “People of the Book,” a reference to our reverence for sacred writings, but in my nonobservant childhood home, the book we…
Mixed & Matched
Circumcision is still a volatile topic. Can the divide be bridged?
Dear Dawn: I came across your response to a Jewish mother who was upset that her daughter didn’t want to circumcise her son. Your response angers me. It…
Organic Epicure
She helps kids and parents eat healthier by cooking together
Food coverage is supported by a generous donation from Susan and Moses Libitzky. Michelle Greenebaum can remember the moment that her career transition…
Off the Shelf
Looking back on a decade of diverse, value-driven children's books
Books coverage is supported by a generous donation from Anne Germanacos. As a new decade arrives, one of my first impulses is to reflect on the one we…
Education
Israel, ‘chill pills’ and masculinity: the new Jewish education
The setups in the rooms were the first clue that this was a different kind of Jewish educators’ conference. At “Elevate: Inspiring New Paths in Jewish…
Parenting
My 7-year-old is a creative type. So I let him create.
One of the highlights of my 7-year-old son’s winter break was getting to visit his summer camp counselor. Cynthia, who directed the arts day camp that…