Anachrobama Purim

There was once a king in a not so far away land whose name was Lomusag. He generally ruled on his whims and was surrounded by other men who pleased, teased and entertained him. One day while at leisure, the king was admiring how his kingdom was growing in size and population. His advisors chided […]

Group Power

Over six combined years, I experienced infertility.  Mostly I muddle through by myself. So much of it was not good. Some would label the experience a success because I had children and I understand that way of thinking. But there were other failures along the way that cast a long shadow. A couple of years […]

Practice #SelfForgiveness this #YomKippur

Yom Kippur, Hawaii and Infertility Self-blame is often an uninvited guest at an infertility experience. It sometimes tags along with curiosity. Is this because I was on birth control pills? Sometimes it just walks in the front door. I waited too long. I didn’t take care of my body. I didn’t eat well. Other times […]

Do I really have to answer that?? #FertilityQuestions

The debate about questions and their stupidity is on-going. Dumb is subjective. Thoughtless or insensitive is a little more precise. Questions about people’s family planning are often in that category. In the Jewish tradition, the Talmud guides a lot of our behavior and provides guidelines for prioritizing situations. However,  Rav Abby, sister of Rabbi Landers, […]

What Would You Give Up To Have A Baby?

Some things are just human and it doesn’t seem to matter much where you live. Facing challenges to building a family might be one of them.  A recent survey in England got the following stats from people struggling to become parents. 90% say infertility feels like a trauma. 94% don’t think their friends, family or […]

The Human Right to Have a Child

Published by Truah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights Commentary on Rosh Hashanah Torah and Haftarah readings September 4, 2018 By Rabbi Idit Solomon Reproductive rights have been hijacked. When someone mentions the phrase “reproductive rights,” the first things that usually come to mind are either birth control or abortion. However, the ability to prevent […]

The Big Freeze

Is egg freezing a good thing? A recent article in the Forward by Amy Klein explores the personal stories of a growing number of Jewish women considering egg freezing. Egg freezing  is empowering for some, a relief for others and scary for others. For cancer patients it ought to be a given option.  For the […]

Infertility and the Unknown

When couples struggle with fertility challenges, things can feel more unhinged. We are told by our faith to “go forth and multiply” or that sex on the Sabbath is a mitzvah. The frustration and self-doubt that creeps in when couples try to honor these teachings, and are unable to create new life can be deep. Inherently, there is a sense of shame that many couples experience when they are unable to fulfill their dreams of parenthood, and often times, this struggle is kept silent.

When Isaac speaks – Infertility and a Spiritual Awakening

In today’s speak-up, tell-it-like-it-is, immediate response world, the power of what is not said and the context in which messages are delivered can sometimes be overlooked. This is especially true when someone is carrying a silent burden such as infertility. This week’s Torah portion (Toldot) provides a vivid example of how noticing those nuances reveal […]

#MothersDay Message

On the last night of Passover, the participants at the retreat I attended shared reflections on Passover themes. What were our journeys? What made us feel liberated? One woman, while describing the diversity of participants in our newly formed community, referred to me as a nursing mother. Me? Ironically, moments earlier I had leaned over […]