Category Archives: holidays

Why is this night different from all other nights?

Posted on November 27, 2020 by rglw

Why is this night different from all other nights? It is a question we ask during our Passover Seder. The seder is a night unlike other nights with a set of rituals honoring our cultural history and celebrating emancipation. The … Continue reading →

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November update

Posted on December 4, 2017 by rglw

November. It happened. The front half of the month was work-focused and the back half was family-focused. We were surrounded by good energy most of the time. So the year is winding down and I’m getting ready to round out … Continue reading →

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I wear my heart on my sleeve (except on Valentine’s Day)

Posted on February 13, 2016 by rglw

I’m not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. I don’t like Valentine’s Day for completely rational reasons, things I know bug other people about the holiday. Sure, I spent many (okay, most) of the Valentine’s Days of years pre-marriage by myself or … Continue reading →

Posted in everyday life, family, holidays, kids, lessons learned, love, marriage, parenthood, personal, romance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

I need a little Christmas right this very minute…

Posted on December 24, 2014 by rglw

By the end of the academic and calendar year, I am burnt out. I might be independently driven on most days, but as the end of semester to do list starts to pile up, and as people start decking their halls, I want to hide … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, everyday life, higher education, holidays, lessons learned, new year's eve, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

I reject the Mensch on a Bench and you should, too

Posted on December 8, 2014 by rglw

There are many things about Christmas that perplex me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t love the Christmas season. And I primarily love this most wonderful time of the year because I don’t celebrate Christmas. I have no halls to deck, no … Continue reading →

Posted in being jewish, everyday life, family, holidays, kids, parenthood, personal, religion, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Thanksgiving redux

Posted on December 1, 2014 by rglw

December starts on a Monday? I hardly feel caught up from the crush of work before Thanksgiving and here I am, typing this post, wondering how it became December. That’s pretty much how I always feel about the passage of … Continue reading →

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I’ll say it: Halloween is not a big deal

Posted on October 31, 2014 by rglw

I’ve been thinking about Halloween a lot lately because as a parent with two small children, I’ve been sucked into this nostalgia that I simply don’t share.  Growing up, Halloween was just not that big of a deal to us. In the Leventhal house, … Continue reading →

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Why being a modern American Jew is so hard

Posted on February 25, 2014 by rglw

Our local, family-owned Kosher supermarket was on the verge of closing this week when some angel investors rescued the business. Our Jewish community was temporarily devastated at the prospect of losing this local institution. For many, the Crown is more … Continue reading →

Posted in being jewish, blogging, community, culture, everyday life, food, holidays, religion | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

If you ask me what I need, I’ll tell you nothing

Posted on November 27, 2013 by rglw

Too often, I’m writing about how quickly time passes and how incredulous I am that another month has gone by, that another semester is nearly over.  There is a seasonality to being an educator that is both comforting and confounding. … Continue reading →

Posted in being jewish, culture, economy, everyday life, family, food, holidays, hunger, kids, lessons learned, personal, writing | Leave a comment

On social media: [sometimes] you say it best when you say nothing at all

Posted on September 25, 2013 by rglw

With so many channels for communication, it is incredible if anything stays private. News, no matter how big or small, travels quickly.  Is it possible for the thinking brain to internalize, recall, or reflect on so much information?  What about … Continue reading →

Posted in being jewish, blogging, community, family, holidays, lessons learned, media, personal, social media, work, writing | 4 Comments