An eye for detail

Two paths diverged in the wood…and David Braude wound up taking both of them By Ilan Preskovsky Even after just spending a couple of hours with them in their home, it’s hard to deny that, as Dulcie Braude herself puts it, she and her husband of nearly sixty years, David, “are not your average couple”. Dulcie, along with proving to be an impeccable hostess, is clearly the talker of the two; quickly taking charge and – pre-empting most of my actual questions – unspooling what are, no doubt, just some…

Read More

Buried treasure

Childhood tales of a famous relative lead to the discovery of just how great the man actually was, along with some newfound cousins By: Juan-Paul (Paysach) Burke To reimagine the past can be a challenge, especially the distant past with a dearth of ready information. So, to stumble across a relative who you never knew you had and to discover more about a rabbi of note that you share as a great-grandfather is a brilliant surprise and a present from above. The Friends of Jewish Dokshitsy[1], comments and stories. 13…

Read More

There’s more to the party than just the balloons

Girls celebrating their bat mitzvah year have so much to choose from to help them find meaning from their special day. By Chandrea Serebro Roots “Suddenly, as she becomes bat mitzvah, a girl begins to hear the voice of her soul. The needs, yearnings, and feelings of her spiritual inner self are allowed to emerge. She begins to seek meaning, fulfilment, connection, and inspiration. She meets a side to her personality that she never knew existed – a deeper side.” This is both the goal and the mission statement of…

Read More

Celebrate the good times

You don’t have to look far for a reason to celebrate By Chandrea Serebro Life is short. It’s too short to get lost in the details. It’s too short to get caught up in the daily grind. There are too many things to worry about. Paying the bills. The next deal that is waiting for us to close before someone else gets there first. Getting the kids to school on time. Getting the kids to varsity one day. Living a good, long life in good health. Every day we could…

Read More

The consummate teacher

Paying tribute to the man who has steadfastly held a diverse and unique community united for decades By Chandrea Serebro It might sound incongruous for a judge – not just any judge, mind you, but the head of the court – to state repeatedly over a career spanning 40 years that he is not in the business of judging. But hearing Rabbi Moshe Kurtstag – recently retired from the position of Av Beth Din after taking up the position as Dayan in 1976, a giant of a man who at…

Read More

Esther

Prophetess. Queen. Redeemer…Orphan. By: Robert Sussman What would you be willing to sacrifice to save your family? What about your entire nation? Would you be willing to give up everything that you hold dear and to live in virtual isolation in order to save everyone else? In essence, that’s exactly the choice that Queen Esther faced. One of the most famous – and most dramatic – moments in Megillas Esther comes when Mordechai sends a message to Queen Esther informing her about the evil decree that Haman has just had…

Read More

Mazel Tov!

We say it so often, but what does it really mean? And does saying it actually make any difference – can we really change what’s been written in the stars? By: Robert Sussman No matter the simcha (joyous occasion), be it a wedding, bris, or bar mitzvah, we customarily greet each other by saying, “Mazel Tov!” In fact, it seems that any time we hear good news – a new job, a new car, a new house – we wish the person sharing that good news, “Mazel Tov!” We say…

Read More