Lori Palatnik is a writer and Jewish educator who has appeared on television and radio. She is the Founding Director of The Jewish Women's Renaissance Project, an international initiative that brings thousands of women to Israel each year from 18 different countries on highly subsidized programs to inspire them with the beauty and wisdom of their heritage (www.jwrp.org). She is a much sought-after international speaker, having lectured in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Central America, South America, South Africa and Israel, including featured talks at Yale, Brown and Penn. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Palatnik, and is the busy mother of five children, ages 25 to 15.
Follow Lori on Twitter: @LoriAlmostLive
(9) Michael Berg, June 14, 2007 6:07 PM
loaded gun
I smiled when I heard the analogy of the loaded gun. It is the same analogy I learned in Tanach class, where it was said that lashon hara is like a bow and arrow, as opposed to a sword. Once you let that arrow go, it is impossible to take it back.
(8) esther, March 22, 2007 7:31 AM
men
First of all,in every study done,you will see that men gossip just as much but i realized that just from going to shul. It is rediculous to say women do it more.Next-I do believe some gossip is actually helpful and malicious. I am so so tired of being told how bad it is bec I wish I had known a few things before I hurt people.In one instance I asked a mother how her daughter was since that wonderful marriage-she had a pained look on her face and said it was over.In another I kissed a kallah to find out she was no longer engaged.The individuals were hurt and I hurt for them.Oh people knew but nooooo,they couldn't possibly warn me.So I am so tired of hearing it already.They were ok since they knew and did not have to embarress or hurt anyone but Gd forbid let someone else know.Please spare us the speeches-
(7) Anonymous, March 20, 2007 8:02 AM
Thank you Lori
Thanks, Lori, for saying it like it is.
No psychology, no semantic acrobatics, just simply the unadorned truth; a nugget of wisdom that can enrich our lives if we are open and accepting to a new perspective.
(6) Kelly Woo, March 20, 2007 12:53 AM
Thank you, Lori....
for encouraging women to better themselves. Not gossiping is so challenging. As women, we connect and develop intimacy with other individuals through language. I would love so much if you could do a video on practical ways to combat gossip in our day to day lives. It is one thing to recognize intellectually how wrong gossip is and quite another to actually take action.
(5) Anonymous, March 19, 2007 12:40 PM
I beg to differ with Mrs. Palatnik
Maybe at one point, that notion may have been true and prevalent for women to talk more than men, but not anymore. The quanity of a man's speech sums up to as a woman. At least the men I know are now are male versions of yentas. The gender differences in gossip is merging into a commonality.