Bais Rivka Esther ishtah shel Avraham

06/05/2026

from our tiny out of town Chabad

06/04/2026

My controversial opinion, is that Jewish children belong in Jewish schools. For me, my Bat Mitzvah was legitimately seen, by me, as an end to many years of unwanted Reconstructionist Hebrew School that was too different from the completely secular community I lived in (which is now served by a Chabad, in walking distance from my childhood home). Bat Mitzvah was seen as something to get through, and survive, and then, I’m done!! No more forced Jewish education. My becoming Chabad Lubavitch observant is a very unexpected miracle. I was so rude in Hebrew school because we were the minority, and kids don’t know how to be in a minority.

This article is part of a series expounding on key ideas raised at AJ2026 on March 4 in Miami, one of an ongoing series of conferences organized by Reut USA focused on the future of American Jewry. For decades, the American Jewish community has debated the future of Jewish continuity. We have invest...

06/04/2026

I am sharing this from my Meaningful Minute paid account to encourage other Jews to look into supporting the work of this team that creates incredible and unique kosher content.

I have watched many videos about Kiryas Joel because I’m interested in learning about different Chassidishe groups. This video is working to counteract the negativity from secular vloggers (one in particular who people can figure out themselves) who create inaccurate smear campaigns.

I personally think that Kiryas Joel is a beautiful community. While I don’t agree with everything in the Satmar world (women shave their heads after marriage as a standard, women don’t learn how to drive, and the Satmar are not Zionist, which is really huge for me, personally, and in my community and region), they deserve respect like all other peaceful religious groups.

Also, their protection of their privacy, is enviable, and staying out of content creation. I’m constantly back and forth with myself internally, about how much unique content I feel comfortable creating about my religious life. For instance, should I share pictures of my very tznius workout outfits, and plug the brands that deserve credit for creating tznius workout outfits? Once my husband and I get our dining room table, should I share pictures of our Shabbos and Yom Tov tablescape (taken before candle lighting, of course🕯️ 🕯️ 🕯️).

To me, being Chabad Lubavitch means sharing a certain amount of my own unique content as part of our Rebbe’s charge to reach out to all Jews, and try to inspire motivation for Yiddishkeit and frumkeit. Maybe that answers my question that I should work on more content.

I need to constantly remind myself, that Chabad Lubavitch is different from Satmar in our approach to outreach in the secular world.

Inside the New York Town Revitalized by kindness addicted Jews

05/21/2026

05/15/2026

nailed this request! This is based on my non-frum Bat Mitzvah luncheon photo. Our synagogue was Reconstructionist, and we didn’t hold by Kosher laws. I didn’t even know what kosher food was when I was growing up. My party was at this family favorite Italian restaurant in Acton, Massachusetts (it’s since closed). The kids had unlimited pizzas. Pizza is still one of my favorite foods, but it’s very rare that I get it anymore because of needing it kosher *and* vegan. I can probably count on one hand how many times per year I will get pizza now that I’m shomer kashrut.

Also, I wish I had that black Chanel flap bag (not in this lifetime).

05/12/2026

I’m attempting a daily AI adaptation of pictures from my life growing up non-frum, in the Reform/Reconstructionist world. This is exactly what it says it is, with my zayde and grandma (she did not want to be called bubbe, because people wanted to assimilate in her world). Non-frum girls learned to read their parsha from the Torah, plus give a Dvar Torah, and often had their Bat Mitzvah at age 13, the same as boys, as an egalitarian practice. My mom’s Conservative community did not do Bat Mitzvah’s for girls, so she never had one. My Bat Mitzvah was in the 90’s, before social media existed, and grew the Chabad movement.

My check-in is my childhood synagogue 🕍, in my hometown.

05/08/2026

Central Mass Chabad