Yael Nehama

I am in pain, much like most of the United States is in pain. It is of a surety that every parent hugged their dear children tighter yesterday. My heart exploded from the heart ache and tears flowed this morning for the parents who lost children and all the families and friends affected. Life will simply never be the same for them. Never. And there are no answers. None to satisfy at least. And then I see this. An offering of, I imagine, a very well meaning person trying to make a statement. I have to be honest and tell you how much I dislike this saying every time I have seen it. I dislike it with a passion and anger that makes me feel like I want to scream at the person quoting it and shake my fists at the  heavens. There are many levels of absurdity to me in this statement  but I am going to simply rant about what I see. Regardless of whether G-d is 'allowed' in schools or not,  to have Him saying violence occurs because He is not allowed in, strikes me as a ...

I hate you. I really do. Could you close your stupid greedy store for one day so people can be home with their families or at least have a day off. It's friggin' Thanksgiving, but the only people in your company who get to give thanks are the people in upper management who I am sure will have the day off but will benefit financially nonetheless from you 24 hour sales. You care nothing for your employees. It is painfully obvious when you make people work on a day they deserve to have off. Yeah, I know all about your holiday pay and I know that is why most them will work on Thanksgiving (not that you give them a whole hell of a lot of choice.) You don't pay fairly to begin with or provide them with decent benefits, but you dangle money in front of them so your employees don't feel like they have a real choice but to work. Most of them are simply trying to make ends meet, pay bills, or save money. So they sacrifice a day in their lives, a day that it should be anathema to...

This morning I read this article which states that four nursing students, who posted pictures on Facebook of a human placenta, have been kicked out of nursing school. I then learned that Facebook deleted the page titled: " The Leaky B@@b " as it was considered offensive. Uh, yeah. This coming from a Social Network that has a plethora of hate groups and pages devoted to prejudice. (obviously not devoting a link to any of them) They have time and time again removed nursing babies photos, birth and placenta pictures but that wide array of drunken ass photos, not too worry, they are still proudly up. Apparently stupidity and ignorance is not deemed offensive.

This morning I was making my healthy low calorie breakfast, (why yes, I am on the eat well/lose weight New Year's bandwagon) and getting quite excited about it! New year, new beginning blah, blah, blah. I was even planning to enjoy a bagel because I have decided to stop demonizing carbs and simply learn to eat like a person and not two. So, there I was happily cooking away when suddenly from the back room I hear my daughter cry out, "Oh my g*d!" I leave my stove top and quickly run over to the hall where I ask her what happened. Daughter: "The Dog!" Me: "What?!" Daughter: "The Dog got into the fridge and ate the bagels." Me: "WHAT?!?!" Daughter:"He got into the fridge and ATE the bagels!" I simply cannot believe it! Even as she is bringing me the empty bagel package I still can't believe it. Ah, but there is indeed the rub, because you see I should have believed it. We had recently just began to store the bagels in the...

Finally, finally, Ms. Steinman has called a spade a spade and spoken the words I have been longing to hear! In an article titled Feminist Ideal: A myth she states: "Women are told they can have it all, that they can do anything, as long as they also keep doing everything else they were doing before." I am doing such a happy dance over here you have no idea!!! This was one of the main points that would infuriate me so much about the Feminist Movement. I could support equal pay for equal work, respect for women in the workplace, gender equality and such, but what I could not support is the fact of that women were still expected to "Bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never let you forget your a man!" GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! It seemed to me that women simply were making more work for themselves and men were either becoming emasculated or lazy! Horrible words I know, but that is what I witnessed. Women who wanted to stay home and keep house or raise their children w...

I love my neighbors, I really do. They are super kind and incredibly helpful folks. If ever I needed anything, they would be right there for me, I know it. In the past they have helped me move furniture, taken me to a laboring momma on shabbat, trimmed my hedges,etc., I could not have asked for kinder neighbors. But when it comes to plants and Earth Care, let's just say their considerations fall short. I went out to cut my lemon balm to perhaps make some tinctures. I had thought maybe they might not be good for medicine because they are close to the road but since my street is not terribly busy and I thinking about personal or family use, I thought it might be okay. When I went to cut them I noticed a terribly noxious smell, like gas type fumes. My neighbors daughter was on her porch and greeted me. I said hello and asked her if she knew what that smell was. She replied with "What smell?" and came off the porch to chat with me. As she got closer she noticed the smell and ...

Today the discussion came up of when school should start next year. The problem to be addressed is do we start at the end of August or after Rosh Hashana. My administrator said, "I think it's important to start in August so that the children can learn about Rosh Hashana." Immediately my gut reacted. I thought to myself, "What are you talking about?! The is a religious Gan! All of these children come from 'frum' families. Of course they will learn about rosh hashana...from their parents!" I felt anger rising up and a lot of frustration. I realized it came from my homeschooler mentality. Let me explain what I mean. As a homeschooler, and yes even though my children are all grown I still think like one, I do not understand this idea that the school needs to teach the children about rosh hashana at all. I expressed my feelings to my administrator, admitting that I am coming from a homeschooling mind set. I explained that I taught my children my beliefs and ...

You know, I really don't care how Earth day started and why. Just like I don't care that Mother's day and Valentine's day are Hallmarks tricks to guilt you into buying lots of presents and acknowledging the one you love. Y'know why I don't care? Because if it gets some folks to OPEN their eyes and take a moment to become AWARE then I am all for it. If a person never calls their mother or visits her except on mother's day, well shame on them, but at least there is that one moment in time that they have. If you never say I love you except on February 14, well you're a fool, but at least your sweetheart has that moment in time. If you already do what is right, forget Hallmark and continue on, for you are blessed! That is why I am benevolent about Earth Day. For sure it is our duty to take care of our planet. I give thanks for the beautiful planet I live on! I bless her by caring for her. I try not to make excess waste and live consciously. But there are man...