By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. An email from my daughter’s high school reassures parents they have hired extra security this week, and that students will be kept indoors for recess and lunch.  Federation advises Jewish schools and institutions to be extra vigilant,...

By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky. Genetics are a wondrous thing. The personalities and characteristics our children inherit from us and from their other parent make us swell with pride and drive us crazy. Usually on the same day. And also every day. When my daughter...

 By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky  Do you give your children an allowance?  Do they do chores in order to earn that allowance?  Do you withhold allowance if they don’t do all the chores every day? Money or stickers or stars or checkmarks are all tangible symbols that...

 By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky  My husband grew up going camping with his family every summer.  I did not. We went to Acadia National Park one summer - our second summer married, when I was still a good sport - and spent a few days in a tent.  Two things stick out...

 By: Deborah Abecassis Warshawsky  Oprah said, “The best feeling you can ever have is to give to others.” The play date found a package of “Frozen” Jelly Belly jelly beans, a special treat from a good friend out of town, and asked my daughter if she could have one. ...

Monday morning we celebrated my eldest daughter’s Bat Mitzvah.  As some of you may know, my daughter was born 10 weeks early - after a difficult and tenuous pregnancy - and weighed only 1080 grams, or 2 pounds, 6 ounces.  She spent 51 days in the NICU and still only...