On the patio behind my house in Lakewood, a terra cotta urn about three feet high and two feet in diameter and filled with dirt, was waiting for me to plant something in it. Shortly after Pesach, however, a Canadian goose took up residency in my urn. I called her my tenant.

People in my development hate the geese; they make a huge mess. Everyone was urging me to get rid of my goose. But I wondered if she would ever lay eggs, affording the opportunity of performing the mitzva of shilu’ach haken. I was willing to give her time.

Good things really do come in small packages. This is especially true of blueberries. These sweet, juicy, colorful berries are not only super-nutritious but also convenient and versatile, as they are available fresh, frozen, dried, and canned.

What makes the tiny blueberry such a nutritional heavyweight? According to the book Superfoods, the extraordinary power of blueberries derives from their rich supply of antioxidant compounds known as anthocyanins. These natural chemicals are also what give blueberries their color. They help neutralize the effects of free-radical damage to cells and tissues. Citing several studies, integrative physician Leo Galland, MD, recently wrote on Huffingtonpost.com that eating anthocyanin-rich foods like blueberries on a daily basis may help prevent heart disease, stroke, cancer, and memory loss.

Which of these three mitzvos would you say is most important? Visiting the sick, comforting mourners, or escorting guests a few feet when they leave your house?

According to Rabbi Henoch Plotnik, in a recent Mishpacha magazine article, the Rambam offers these three illustrations of vehalachta bedrachav, walking in the ways of Hashem, and says that escorting a guest four amos (about seven feet) is the most prominent. Rabbi Plotnik quotes the explanation of Rav Dovid Kronglas’, zt”l: “Whereas with comforting mourners and visiting the sick you are supplying the recipient with something tangible,” said Rabbi Kronglas, “escorting someone for four

On Monday night, the 22nd of Sivan, Baltimore lost one of the pillars of the community with the petira of R’ Zelig Ellenbogen, z”l. He was a man who was short in stature but a “giant” in spirit. He was a quiet man who was content to do great things behind the scenes. The adjectives used to describe him were: “regal,” a “prince,” a “mentch,” “honest,” “aristocratic,” “genuine,” an “ish gadol,” “a tzadik,” an “anav,” and a “man of integrity.” But probably the best description was given by Tony Goldenberg, who described him as “tough and soft.” He set high standards and led by example.

A Shidduch Question:

I am engaged to a wonderful boy. He is kind, sweet, and caring, and goes out of his way to help others. He has wonderful middos, with one exception. We recently began receiving wedding presents. I was very bothered to hear his reactions to some of the gifts. He felt that some of our guests did not spend enough on these presents. I feel that is important to be grateful for receiving any gift, as it is very thoughtful and generous regardless of price. I’m beginning to worry that I am overlooking a major character flaw.

When I

So, you’ve decided to bake a quick banana bread as a healthy snack for the family. Just grab some flour, sugar, eggs, ripe bananas, oil, baking soda and spices and you’re ready to go, right? Not so fast. From a nutrition perspective, baking even the humble banana bread entails choices that affect the healthfulness of the final product. Using higher-quality ingredients will result in a quick bread or cake that is more nutritious and easier to digest.

It’s a wonderful feeling to know that each food you’re ingesting – each ingredient you’re using – is having a positive effect on

Is there a Yiddle who has not heard the word mehtseeuh? Ask any Jewish person the meaning of the word – just out of curiosity, of course – and you should get some interesting responses.

You see, mehtseeuh has several connotations, depending not only on the content but also on facial expression and body language.

For example, Yankel Zetser notices an ad for a “once in a lifetime” coat sale. He excitedly drives to Yenem’s Clothing Outlet. After entering the store, he rushes to the coat section and searches for his size. He finds a coat with the previous $200 price