Sarah Litwak: A Teacher’s Reflection on the Temple Israel Shooting
Almost every job I have ever worked has been in childcare in the Jewish community. Needless to say, the attack at Temple Israel in Michigan on Thursday, March 12 hit me incredibly hard. From my first summer as a counselor at a Jewish day camp nearly 10 years ago, I have been asked to prepare for the possibility of becoming a target of violence and hatred. I have gone through active shooter training more times than I can count, and yet I still feel woefully unprepared. I can’t imagine going through something so traumatic. At the same time, I can’t stop picturing it happening to me, to my students, to my community.
Solo Mio (2026) Review: Finding Love—and Yourself—in the Most Unexpected Places
Romantic comedies often begin with the promise of love and follow the chaos that threatens to derail it. Solo Mio flips that formula in a refreshing way. Instead of starting with a couple on the verge of commitment, the film opens with a man whose wedding collapses before it even begins. What follows is not only a search for romance but a journey toward healing and self-understanding.
Security Starts With Awareness
After the recent attack at a synagogue in Michigan, many in the Jewish community are asking the same question: what can we do to stay safe? The answer is not panic. It is preparation. While no security plan is perfect, there are practical habits that strengthen any community. Many of these lessons come from a
The Mystery of the Missing Poppy Seed Filling: Part 2
From her car, hands still resting on the steering wheel, Barbara opened her phone. The synagogue WhatsApp group waited there, its familiar stream of messages offering a fragile sense of connection. Her fingers moved quickly. “Has anyone seen poppy seed filling at Kroger?” The replies arrived almost instantly. And with each message — Hyde Park
Latkes in February
The old-fashioned winter flu season has torn through our house this month.
My 6-year-old has been in and out of school as his immune system develops new skills, tampering with my ability to get work done from my home office, and then I finally got it too. Tensions are as high as our immune systems have been taxed.
I didn’t get nearly enough done today but it’s dinner time.
The Mystery of the Missing Poppy Seed Filling: Part 1
Barbara first sensed that something was wrong in the baking aisle at Kroger. The baking aisle at Kroger presented itself with its usual air of domestic orderliness. Shelves stood neatly arranged beneath the bright overhead lights, their contents aligned with reassuring precision. Pie fillings occupied their customary positions, labels facing outward in cheerful rows of
Faith, Family, and the Weight of Responsibility: A Review of “Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service”
It is a long-standing tradition for public figures to release memoirs as a way to reflect on their experiences and share the values that have shaped their lives. Where We Keep the Light: Stories from a Life of Service fits squarely within that tradition, offering readers a personal account of Josh Shapiro’s upbringing, faith, and
We Are the Story Bearers: Why Taking Student Leaders to Israel Matters Now
I just returned from Israel carrying stories that are impossible to ignore. I was there with Hillel International on a program called Sipurim, Hebrew for “stories.” The name could not have been more fitting. We were not there as tourists or observers. We were there to listen to people whose lives were irrevocably changed by October 7—and to carry their stories forward. We were story bearers, entrusted with carrying the voices of those whose lives were forever changed by October 7.
A Life Too Remarkable for Fiction: Joseph Bau in Film
Bau: Artist at War tries to be a Hollywood production on a Hallmark budget and therefore leans toward an unevenly executed film with a powerful and worthwhile story about an incredible man at its center. For those who do not know, Bau refers to Joseph Bau, sometimes known as the Walt Disney of Israel, an
David Brings a Biblical Classic to the Big Screen
David is a lively, family-oriented animated musical adventure that delights both children and adults, offering biblical lessons suitable for all ages. The historical story depicts the ongoing battle between good and evil, obedience and disobedience, through the life of David, the shepherd boy who became Israel’s greatest king.