The Matzo Chronicles
An unexpected email brings joy. I’ve got mishpocha!
It’s been a tough couple of months. Politics and pandemic have taken their toll on me. Like many people, I have lost loved ones this year. And almost a…
Mixed & Matched
Can my baby have an Orthodox conversion?
Dear Dawn: I was raised Reform, but am now a nonpracticing Jew married to a non-Jewish woman. We were married by my Reform rabbi and are expecting a baby.…
Parenting
A talk with my dad, screenwriter of ‘My Name Is Sara’
In this column, I usually write about my kids and my experiences as a parent, but this month I decided to interview my own father, David Himmelstein. He’s…
Parenting
My kids want to know: Are fairies real? Are Jedi? What about bats?
We’ve been watching a lot of family movies over our extended winter break, and my children have questions. Regarding “Home Alone”: Do the robbers really…
Kids & Family
Pandemic babies sweeten an uncertain world
She’s stuck at home during a pandemic, but Chabad Emeryville rebbetzin Menucha Blank doesn’t mind. She’s got something to keep her occupied. “The best…
Parenting
As I exit J., here is what I’ve learned about everything
Our youngest, now in his senior year of high school, recently turned 18. He’s spending his year thinking about his next chapter, and, in many ways, I am,…
Hanukkah
Take on the Hanukkah goblins in Oakland designer’s new tabletop game
If you’re looking for something to do during the long nights of Hanukkah under lockdown, how about becoming a goblin with a sufganiyot launcher? That’s…
Parenting
Since when are the Berenstain Bears evangelical Christians?
At our local library, they have stowed away all the toys in the children’s section and ended in-person story time. But they still let you in for half an…
Talking With ...
Q&A: A writer who helps kids calm racing minds
Whether giving presentations to students or workshops for teachers, Susan Katz, 49, strives to convey the transformational power and joy of reading. The…