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  I march down West End Avenue in New York City and swing right onto 72nd Street early on a Sunday morning. I am volunteering with what is called the National Council of Jewish Women’s “Back 2 School Store” on Manhattan's west side. I thought it would be a great opportunity to interact with young kids and their families and possibly meet some new people in my adopted city after moving from St. Louis two years ago. It is a glorious day. Cloudless and cool. The bright blue-sky glistens as I enter the four-story NCJW building on a busy street...

As my older daughter neared the end of her first pregnancy, I began to think about what I might cook to feed her and her husband when they brought the baby home—to nourish them and friends who would be visiting to greet their new arrival (vaccinated and masked, of course). Food plays a starring role at gatherings in both of their heritages—one Jewish and one Irish Catholic. And my daughter has become more sentimental about our family food traditions, even those she didn’t like as a child. But her taste buds and culinary standards have advanced beyond my kitchen. She...

Note: It's starting to get chilly and what better way to warm up and ward off colds and flu than a steaming bowl of chicken soup? A different version of this blog with the same recipe appeared recently on the website Eat, Darling, Eat--Mothers and Daughters, Stories and Recipes (eatdarlingeat.net).  It’s a Monday morning, and my elder son calls. He’s coughing and complains of a sore throat. He’s about to get on an airplane for a business trip. “I think I’m getting a cold,” he says, as he coughs again. He has done the required COVID-19 testing to make sure he...

Neither of us is a technological whiz. What an understatement! We know what we have to know to do our writing, Zoom, use our Smartphones to email and text with friends and family. In Margaret’s case, she can operate certain tools to tutor virtually. Barbara can use a tablet to enlarge and see photographs well for her watercolor paintings. Before the pandemic, we both would say frequently, “We hate technology” or “It’s definitely not our friend,” as one person we knew urged us to do, as we fumbled to learn a new technique or download an app.  However, during the...

On her website for her Born This Way Foundation, singer Lady Gaga posted a challenge to BeKind21 and practice kindness toward yourself and others each day, from September 1 to September 21. We jump at the chance to be kind every day but especially now since it’s right after the Jewish New Year when we are thinking more about doing good deeds for others and trying to be better people.  The pandemic has upended many people’s lives with deaths of loved ones, illness, loss of jobs, separation from family and friends, heartache and great stress. It’s difficult to feel good and giving....