Celebrating Our Matriarchs This Mother’s Day

Last week was Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, a day for remembrance and reflection, a day to listen to testimonials from survivors and heroes, a day to be grateful for the many blessings in our lives. The next day I also spoke at my aunt's funeral where I celebrated the blessing of having had Aunt Bea in my life. Like Steven Spielberg's USC Shoah Foundation, which videotapes and preserves the memories of Holocaust survivors and witnesses, we owe it to ourselves and future generations to … [Read more...]

The Mother’s Day Gift That Will Keep On Giving

Recently, my younger brother found out that my mother, who had been a concert pianist, had really wanted to be a lawyer.  He was stunned by that revelation. It  got me thinking about how well we know any of our parents.  With all of the advertising for Mother’s Day, and all of the possible gifts and flowers that you can buy, I wondered if there was a more appropriate gift – really getting to know your mom, not just as a mother, but as a person in her own right.  What questions could you ask that … [Read more...]