The praises for Rebbetzin Dr. Aviva Weisbord, a”h – affectionately known simply as Aviva – pour in from around the world. They paint a picture of an extraordinary personality. Steeped in Jewish values, Aviva also had incisive intelligence, insight, good judgment, and empathy. What can we at the Where What When add? Indeed, Aviva was one of those people for whom no amount of praise will suffice. And so we decided to let Aviva “speak for herself.”

You see, aside from being so many things to so many people, Aviva wrote for us. She was generous with her time and her wisdom, and her monthly advice column, “Growing up Is Hard to Do,” ran for many years. The articles she submitted were models of clarity that seemed to flow effortlessly from her orderly mind. Not a misspelled word or a misplaced comma was to be found on the sheets of paper covered with her neat, curvilinear handwriting. (Yes, in the early years, the columns came by mail.) Aviva always grasped the essence of the problem. At the same time, she was full of kindness and encouragement. Here are some short excerpts from her writing:

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