Driving with some friends in the Binyamin region of Eretz Yisrael, just a few short minutes north of the Yerushalayim neighborhood of Neve Yaakov, we pass by the hilltop outpost of Giv’at Asaf. It consists of several houses, built using light construction materials. These structures made of panels of insulated sheet-metal are commonly known in Israel as caravanim. Though you probably won’t find this definition in an English dictionary, an English speaker in Israel who uses the word caravan is more likely to be referring to one of these than to a mobile home.

The wonderful holiday of Purim is once again on the horizon and, along with the feasting and fun, comes the yearly challenge of teenage drinking. Many of us would like to say to our teens, “If you are offered alcohol, just say no,” and if they listened, there would be no need for this article. The reality, however, is that teenage drinking on Purim is common and perhaps even encouraged (or at least accepted) in some parts of our community. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to present harm reduction strategies for teenagers who choose to drink on Purim.

There is nothing more infuriating than the feeling that someone is deliberately trying to ruin your day by saying or doing something to trigger you on purpose. Maybe you were even in a good mood (for a change) before your friend/coworker/partner decided to bring up an issue that you deliberately asked them to avoid. Life is hard enough, right?! 

There is no shortage of beautiful, interesting, and fun dating venues in Maryland, but what’s a dater to do when the mercury drops and the great outdoors is no longer a comfortable option? I polled matchmakers and daters for their best “Baltimore and beyond” winter dating ideas.* Mind you, they did include some outdoor suggestions for those more tolerant of the cold, but no worries for those who aren’t – spring is right around the corner!

Sonya was lost in a forest. There were several paths, but she was not sure which one to take. She was hungry, thirsty, and tired. She longed for some food and a place to sleep, but most of all, she yearned for somebody to show her the way out of the forest. Suddenly, she noticed a sign tacked to a tree: “Are you hungry, thirsty, tired, and lost? I will show you the way out of the forest and give you some food and a bed.” What a relief it was to Sonya! She followed the directions on the sign and was soon eating a bowl of soup while listening to instructions for leaving the forest. 

Have you ever felt that there was an emotional concern that you were facing and didn’t know if it needed to be addressed? Do you have an emotional concern or diagnosis that you want to see a mental health professional for, but don’t know whom to go to?

Find RELIEF

Relief Resources is a mental health referral service that can be of benefit to you. Finding the “right” mental health clinician can be challenging. Unlike searching for other types of professionals or services, where it is common for neighbors or family to discuss where to go, in mental health, people are often not comfortable reaching out to their acquaintances for suggestions.

RELIEF has one goal in mind, to get you to the best mental health clinician for you in your specific circumstance. What may work for another person may or may not work for you. There are many variables and considerations that make therapy successful. Just because someone else went to a clinician and was successful doesn’t mean it is the best match for you. Similarly, just because someone had a negative experience with a clinician, doesn’t mean that you can’t be helped.

Purim themes have gained a reputation for coordinating family costumes with accompanying shalach manos almost too cute to eat. It seems that every year the bar is raised, with the ideas more original and the effort more involved. You may be on “team-theme” and enjoy working out all the details. Or you may be on team-theme because that’s the team your sister is on, but you would rather just let the kids dress up how they want and buy most of your shalach manos contents at Costco.

Editor’s Note:

A shortened version of this article appeared in the Where What When print edition. Here is the complete article.

 I would like to thank the WWW for printing an article about infant tongue ties in the last issue. It was refreshing to see an article presenting the matter as a real issue and not a fad. As a mother who has personal experience with this, I feel that it is important for the readers, and the community as a whole, to know that, unfortunately, in many cases of infant tongue tie, parents go through a lot before getting the proper diagnosis and treatment for their babies. 

Your home – the space between four walls where you build a life, the rooms that are filled with messes, meals, and memories – tells the story of you and your family. It certainly needs to be functional, but we all dream of a house that also represents our personal style and aesthetic. Realistically speaking, home renovations may not be top priority when planning a budget, but we still want to enjoy the space we live in. Luckily, it doesn't take a full home remodel to love your house. We researched various options to spruce up your space while holding on to your spare change. 

I love nature and I’m also attracted to ruchniyus (spirituality). It was only natural that I made Eretz Yisrael my home, being the place where ruchniyus is natural and where nature is ruchniyus.