(22) dina , January 10, 2008

wish i had heard this when my kids were younger

you speak so eloquently and to the point. even though my children were raised, more or less, frum, i truly wish i had heard these words when they were younger. you are so right that although going to shul is important, it is what they see that ties them to yiddishkeit
i have sent this to my children so that they have this "in time"

(21) Anonymous , January 9, 2008

You are wonderful. Your commentaries speak straight to me from your heart. You evoke images of my grandfather..and stir pride in my heritage. Thank-you!

(20) Anonymous , January 9, 2008

my eyes didnt just well up with tears, i cried out loud!

frum woman, age 50, always frum. But sooo moved by your message. May your talent for communicating effectively, with your heart, soul, intellect and charm, bring more and more Jews back. Home.

(19) Anonymous , January 9, 2008

Incredible!

Im already orthodox, but you still made me cry. You speek so beautifull.
I love your speaches...
Dont ever ever ever in youre life stop!

(18) Annette , January 8, 2008

Great to hear this

good reminder that home is the essential place to lead by example!
Thanks Lori.

(17) Marc Shapiro , January 8, 2008

The Guy You Met On the Plane

I was moved by your blog. I already had mezuzos on all of our doors and I still agree with #1 and #2. Must have forgot to mention that with all of the turbulence going on. Stay in Touch.

Marc

(16) ruth housman , January 8, 2008

what's most powerful

For me, what is most powerful is Lori herself. Obviously Lori loves being a Jew and all that Judaism connotes, that goes deeper than tradition. I totally respect her comments but I am coming from a different place. I see that there is a spirituality of being, which for me, she radiates, but which I find everywhere I find truly spiritual, compassionate, caring people. Now I was told that the underlying spirituality, the basis of Judaism can be found in all religions as the substrate and this is the bedrock I draw from in teaching my children. I am a Jew. I identify this way. But for me, the choices my children make are less important than their spirituality, and that is about caring and loving and yes, knowing their roots but those roots can spread and for me yes, there is a danger in the loss of "this", being a Jew but also a deeper danger that comes from the non recognition of that commonality and a hope for world peace, that we are all in this together and that ultimately the roots have a common Source, namely HaShem.

(15) Nechama , January 8, 2008

Help!

We did all of the suggestions, including keeping kosher, and being shabbat observant and my daughter who is turning 20 wants to marry her goyishe boyfriend. Now what??? HELP!!

(14) Uri Yitzchak , January 8, 2008

great!

...love your comments-wish I could have a child to teach all these wonderful lessons

(13) Jennifer , January 8, 2008

Tefilin left an impression on my father's arm - & my soul.

I busrt into tears when you said, "Tefilin." I remember listing to my father, zt"l, daven when I was small. I learned those tefilos as one melodious word. I loved ducking under his tallis with him. Later on I'd run my fingers over the lines the tefilin left in his left arm. At his unveiling I spoke of how my father was now under Hashem's tallis. "Children learn what they live," to quote the popular poem, and we live at home. What we DO in our homes is what they LEARN and what we teach them their first precious years is indelible. We didn't observe Shabbos but I remember my mother lighting candles during my early childhood. We were fairly kosher in the house, and I even attended yeshiva for 1st grade. As my parents' marriage disintegrated, so did much of what remained of our Jewish practice. I walked down many paths for about a decade before coming home as a ba'alas teshuva, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that these earliest experiences helped keep the embers of my pintele yid aglow until they could be stoked back to a flame. Thank you for your weekly inspiration.

(12) Anonymous , January 8, 2008

Thank you for your advise. I was not brought up Jewish. After, I was married and had children of my own I found out I am indeed Jewish. Since then in our home we have begun doing these very things you talked about: lighting the shabbas candles, saying the shema and reading the torah. It is not only a blessing but it's transforming our lives. Thanks again for confirming what we should be doing.

(11) Sara Rigler , January 8, 2008

This was great. Lori's love for and acceptance of every Jew shines through her airplane encounter. How could anyone resist?

(10) Anonymous , January 8, 2008

Beautifully thought out and movingly delivered.

Beautifully thought out and movingly delivered. Keep up the good work.
Regards to your husband. Toronto misses you all. Be well.

(9) sharon , January 8, 2008

I enjoy your shirum weekly. I agree with the mezuzahs, and how about kashrus? Learning for 15 minutes a day to strengthen his Jewishness? Listening to an aish lecture on his MP3 while he's driving?

(8) Anonymous , January 8, 2008

Dear Lori,
I knew someone by the name of Yan Palatnik a long time ago. He emigrated to America in 1974 from Odessa, Ukrain. I wonder if he is related to you.

On a different note, my husband and I are baal teshuva. We discovered Jedaism 5 years ago and became orthodox. The problem is that our 3 daughters are all adults now, between the ages of 24 and 30 and they do not share (to put it mildly) our love for Jedaism. Everything you've said on your video is so true but it's too late for us. I hope that other Jews who have children of a younger age heed your advise and bring yidishkait into their home.
I recently bought your book, "Friday night and Beyond". My husband and I read it on Shabat and we love it.
We do a lot of kirruv, we opened a shul in our neighborhood as well.
We'd like to buy a dozen or so of that book and give them out to people who are starting out on the path of Torah.
Is there any way to get it at a discount? We are not very rich and supporting a shul is a costly undertaking. We think your book is perfect for a newcomer.
Please send your response to valerieguttman@yahoo.com
Thank you in advance,
Rachel.

(7) Melech Michaels, Sofer , January 8, 2008

# 3 for single Jewish mom

Rachel, for a single Jewish mother such as yourself,number three should be to put kosher mezuzos on all of your doors.

(6) Rachel , January 8, 2008

?

I am sitting here crying after watching this, remembering my Papa and his tefillin. I always saw strength when I watched him pray. What would number 3 be for a single Jewish mom who already does the first 2, but obviously can't do number 3?

(5) anonymous , January 8, 2008

I listen to your shiurum weekly. This is greatly on point. I recently married and recoil from the Yidlach who say "...as long as you're happy.." to a child in regard to intermarriage at a young age. The metamessage is you won't necessarily be happy in a Jewish marriage. We need, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, to make a Jewish home, with books, shabbos and pride that will foster the same in forging elements for a healthy decision in marriage and lifestyle.

(4) Ilene , January 8, 2008

so true

This brought me to tears as I remembered the image of my recently departed mother every Friday lighting the Shabbos candles. Lori is right, that image is burned into my hard drive.
Thank you Lori for your all your wonderful presentations.

(3) yael mermelstein , January 7, 2008

This was beautiful- made me cry with happiness for what I have and what I can give over to my children,ache for those who don't know the beauty of Shabboss and Torah, and injected me with optimism that everyone can attain a connection to G-d with these small simple steps. Lori- you are really something special!

(2) Anonymous , January 6, 2008

Hi Lori!
I must say, I am a HUGE fan of your shiurs!I was so excited to see that you put up a new shiur just now. It's your little words of wisdom that push me forward and remind me that Hashem loves us. Thank you.

(1) Aaron , January 6, 2008

very nice story

These are things that I currently do today. But when I hear this story it inspires me to observe these mitzvot with even greater kavana(sincerity/commitment).
Thanks