The desire to be included is universal, a feeling that everyone can relate to. From elementary school through retirement, people brighten at the opportunity to contribute to conversations, problem solving, and projects. But it is teenagers – with their budding individuality and preoccupation with social acceptance – who may have the hardest time having their voices heard and hearing the voices of others. How wonderful it would be for all teens to be able to meet their peers in the community in a safe, nonjudgmental place – and if all of them could work together on a common project.

This was the idea behind Teen Sketch, a program held this spring, in which teens worked together to create gorgeous murals that will soon enhance the walls of the JCC and the Pearlstone Center. Two programs were held, one at the JCC and one at Pearlstone, and each group met twice. The project was very successful not only in the beautiful work of art that emerged from it but also in giving the teens of various talents and abilities a chance contribute and shine, each in their own way.

Ice pops, fireflies, watermelon juice running down your chin. Summer is a magical time. Fortunately, no “abracadabra” is needed to pull magical memories out of thin – or heavy, humid – air, as the case may be, but some planning is in order to make the most of your time. Although the season is ripe with opportunities to spend quality time as a family, there is an undeniable correlation between the rising temperatures and parents’ rising uncertainty as to what exactly to do with their children.

Everyone has her own way of categorizing their summer activities. Some distinguish between free ones and those that cost money, while others differentiate between those that are indoors versus out. I don’t know about other mothers, but I divide my summer activities into those with accessible bathrooms and those without. I avoid the latter at all costs. That said, here are some places to go and things to do this summer that are fun for the whole family.

Kriah – Hebrew reading – is not like riding a bike. It is not so easy to just hop on the “kriah bike” after summer vacation and regain the balance and control that were previously there. Rather, a very common outcome of a kriah-free summer is choppy and inaccurate kriah come September. What can parents do to help keep their child’s kriah skills honed and ready to take off when the new school year begins?

As you have probably suspected, there is no magical new method. Rather, the answer is the tried and true technique of consistent practice. A few minutes of practice a day can make a considerable difference in the retention of the kriah skills learned during the previous school year. To be effective, though, parents should keep two things in mind:

The effect of positive reinforcement cannot be underestimated. Many a parent anxiously scans the comments box on their child’s report card, hoping (sometimes praying!) for a positive comment. Fortunately, creative measures are usually taken to write something positive, even for a child who exhibits negative behavior in the classroom, like driving the teacher crazy. For example, the teacher might write, “Shimon is an energetic child. His enthusiasm for learning rubs off on those around him. He inspires the class to participate in activities that go beyond the curriculum.” (Feel free to read between the lines.) But regardless of how a person behaves, the acknowledgement of achievement and growth serves as a catalyst to strive for more.

To the Shadchan:

Recently, we got a yes from a boy, so we started looking into it. Three days later, we told the shadchan that we were interested but were told that the boy was busy at the moment. That was frustrating, but we moved on. A couple weeks later we got another yes. This time, we did our research in two days, because we didn’t want a repeat of last time. We said yes and were then told by the shadchan that the boy was very busy at work but will be in touch. Two weeks later, I hadn’t heard anything, so I reached out to the shadchan again. We were told that he was very interested but was still busy with work. Also, he is from New York, so there was not so much travel involved, and I was willing to meet halfway. It has now been almost four weeks, and we haven’t heard anything from him. We are very frustrated. Any advice?

Nu, asked a friend, you have written about some interesting topics. How about writing about happiness?

What makes a person happy varies from one person to another. There are volumes written about the topic, but it is interesting to look in our “own backyard,” so to speak. With that in mind, whom do you ask what makes them happy? Friends and mishpacha (family) – who else? If you ask the “man in the street,” his response might be “to have you stop asking questions!”

Since the idea of writing about happiness began early in the morning, I went to shul and asked Reb Arnold Shear, another early morning shul goer about happiness. Incidentally, Arnold and I attend the fabulous shiur presented by my son-in-law Shlomo Horwitz. (No ad intended.)

The Holy Land beckons us as a nation, and many people answer the call by making aliyah. In this series, I have profiled many Baltimore families and singles who have made aliyah. While it is typically thought of as a project for young adults, for some, the right aliyah choice is to wait until the Golden Years. Whether their motivation is to realize a long-deferred dream or simply to live near their children, these olim join the growing number of American retirees happily settled in Israel.
Older adults do not have to worry about things like jobs and children’s adjustment and schooling, but they may wonder whether they are welcome and if there are enough resources. In interviewing for this article, I found that this is not a problem. In addition to a plethora of social, learning, and chesed opportunities, there are government programs and benefits that satisfy senior needs. Medical care is a prime concern, and it is reassuring to know that every Israeli citizen is eligible for coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions.

My oldest son is in second grade at Talmudical Academy, and this year, I went on the Chemdas trip for the first time. Last year, I hadn’t even ever heard of Chemdas. At the beginning of the year, we got a Chemdas booklet filled with learning that is good to know, even if it is not taught directly in school. Each student needs to learn and/or memorize different information and then get tested on it. If they pass the tests, they get points. If they get 400 points, they get to go on the Chemdas trip.

Every Shabbos we worked on the Chemdas booklet. At first, it was super easy, but as the year went on, the information became harder, and it wasn’t quite as much fun to memorize completely new information, so we resorted to chocolate chips, cash, promises of candy, toys, and more. Not only did we get to 400, we got to 600 points! (This is worthy of some kind of special prize.)

A young relative of mine was only in second grade when she took her first “summer job” as a mother’s helper. The pay, of course, was negligible – enough for a little girl to buy herself some extra nosh or that coveted albeit unnecessary toy. So family members were surprised when, upon inquiry as to what her plans for the “big bucks” included, this little girl immediately responded, “I’ll save it to pay for seminary!”

Laughable, but revealing. In our frum community, paying tuition – from the youngest nursery school child to the nearly-grown beis midrash student or seminary girl and every age in between – plays an enormous role in many parents’ lives. Family budgets, lifestyles, and long-term choices often take shape largely around the consideration of children’s tuition costs. Just consider for a moment, though: What would life be like if that were to change? Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Yet for some communities, this far-off notion is indeed a reality – and one whose effects ripple through many aspects of community life.

I was born Alexander Radzinski in 1934 in Warsaw. Our family was well-to-do, and we lived in Praga, a suburb on the other side of the Vistula River. My father, Yitzchok, and mother, Gittel, and my little sister, Frieda (Zosha), and I lived a happy life. When I was five years old, in 1939, the war broke out.

My father owned a furniture factory, warehouse, and store. My family was traditional, and I remember going to shul on Shabbos. We spoke Polish at home, but my parents spoke Yiddish to each other and I picked up some of it. My mother was an educated woman and taught Polish subjects in Janush Korshak’s Jewish school in Warsaw.

For those following current events in the community, there was a recent “event” concerning 529 accounts. I suspect, however, that some of you are still a bit confused. Let’s explain it, starting from the beginning.

Once upon a time, college was not expensive. Colleges kept their costs down. Their buildings were old (so old that they had ivy growing all over them – hence, the term Ivy League), and I guess the professors did not earn that much. Over the years, the price tag has risen considerably. Colleges discovered that they are big business.

The government heard about the problem with rising college tuition, and they came up with a solution: Save! Yep – start saving money when junior is a baby, and then you will have money when he’s ready to depart for the dorm. (See Genesis 41 regarding similar advice given to Pharaoh.) That seems simple enough. People would just put money in the bank or a stock brokerage and save up. But the government felt that people needed an incentive to save. So, true to form, they used income taxes to create the incentive. They passed a law that goes like this: If you save for college, all the earnings in that account are tax free. Let’s explain: Say you save $2,000 a year for 10 years. You have therefore put in $20,000. Typically, this money is invested in mutual funds that invest in the stock market, which may pay dividends and also go up in value. The account might therefore have grown and now has $30,000 in it. This money can now be used for college. However, if you withdraw the money and do not use it for college, the earnings of $10,000 are taxable (although the original $20,000 remains “your money”).