Tisha B’Av Reflections: Hashem, Let’s Go Home
On Tisha B’Av, there is a lot of pressure to feel sad. For some, this mourning comes naturally, but for those where it doesn’t, guilt can creep in and become the mainstay of the day when you’re trying so hard to get into the zone. This year, I banished the guilt.
10 Movies to Watch This Tisha B’Av
Tisha B’Av is a hard day. Full stop. We’re not eating or drinking, we’re atoning for all the past sins of the Jewish people and we’re attempting to show Hashem how desperately we want Moshiach. Some need to get through the day in bed in a quiet, dark room while others watch Holocaust films as a way of connecting with the utter hardships the Jewish people have endured throughout our long history.
6 of the Best Fasting Tips We’ve Learned From Experts…and Experience
The minute the Three Weeks begin, I start to get nervous for Tisha B’Av. I’m trying to get into the essence and meaning of the time, but also I’m just so scared about how I’ll make it through a long summer fast. Over the years, I’ve learned that preparation is key. While Hashem is in charge and determines the outcome, doing my hishtadlut (effort) physically can help me get through the day a bit easier. Here are some tips I’ve picked up.
Av 5781: Calling on Our Father
The month of Av is officially upon us. We begin it in a state of mourning with nine intense days that culminate in the 9th of Av, also known as Tisha B’Av. Tisha B’Av is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It’s hard to feel excitement about entering the month of Av when that’s what’s approaching, no?
15 Easy and Sustainable Swaps You Can Make Today
Overhauling your entire life to be more eco-friendly and conscious can be a really overwhelming task. When you’ve lived one way your whole life and are now trying to make a change, you may be thinking, “Where do I even start?” At times like these, when it’s hard to know what to do, it seems easier to just do nothing at all. That mindset ends here.
How to Go Green with Yehudit Refson of Neve Yerushalayim
Some people are born with a passion deeply embedded in them. They know from when they’re children what they’re drawn to and what they want to do with their lives in some capacity. For Yehudit Refson, that pull was — and still is — nature.
Tammuz 5781: Taking Care of the World Around Us
They say the only thing we have when we leave this world is the mitzvot we did while were in it. It’s not the clothes in our closets or the money in our bank accounts. We all have limited time on this earth and it’s a constant balance figuring out exactly where we should put our efforts and live. To counter that feeling, I’ve been trying to just look at the small moments, the granular breakdown of life that feels so much more approachable and manageable in the day-to-day.
Turning Pain Into Activism and Style with Elisheva Rishon
Growing up as a Black woman in a primarily white, Orthodox Jewish community wasn’t always easy for Elisheva Rishon. Despite Judaism being a religion that prides itself on acceptance, negativity and discrimination can unfortunately exist beneath and on the surface — even among the attitudes of the most upstanding Jews. While the Torah is perfect, humans are the ones who carry it out, and often, we falter.
7 Ways to Feel More Confident Right Now
A healthy confidence level can only lead to greater things in the world. True humility doesn’t come from feeling like nothing. It comes from knowing all your strengths and doing your part to bring them out into the world yet being humble in understanding that they come from your Creator.
How Amanda Thum Infused Her Life with Confidence and Now Helps Others Find Their Own
Confidence is a muscle — one that ideally grows over time. It’s often a daily challenge and lifelong process. There are so many reasons one might struggle with confidence. Even those who grew up in idyllic homes may still struggle based on societal influences or difficulties with friendships. That’s what Amanda Thum, 28, founder of The Confidence Class, is working hard to reverse.
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