HOME & FAMILY

My husband's parents were visiting England in the early 1950's at the time that the British were busy preparing for the coronation of their queen. Wherever one went throughout the country, one saw a frenzy of activity related to the upcoming spectacular event.

"And Who By Fire..."
a story from the newly published book, The Kiruv Files, by Rabbis Dovid Kaplan and Elimelech Meisels, reviewed in this week's family section

There was no logical reason why the destruction of the mezuzos should bother him, a secular Jew, yet he felt violated, as though he had been attacked in a very personal way.

BOOK REVIEW
The Kiruv Files --
The stories, the drama, the humor... an inside look
by Dovid Kaplan and Elimelech Meisels
reviewed by Chava Dumas

One of the benefits of living in Israel is that many of the authors of important contemporary Jewish works are readily accessible and approachable. After studying their book, you can just look up their phone number and call them to clarify any questions that came up in your reading. You can even arrange to meet them in person.

The Learning-Disabled Person
by A. Ross, M.Ed.

Some learning-disabled people are highly intelligent, and if they are told, "Of course you know it. If only you tried harder, you would succeed," they will give up altogether. However hard they try, they will read and /or write with mistakes.

Play Therapy and Guidance to Parents
The Importance of Social Skills
by Masha Wolff, M.A.

Research shows that there is a relationship between children's ability to get along with peers and their academic performance, mental health and adult adjustment. This is not surprising if we understand that a child who cannot interact with peers in a successful way feels very isolated and dejected.

POET'S CORNER

The Eternal Mirror

by Sara Gutfreund

In the attic, hundreds of mirrors line the walls
I walk among the shards of brilliant reflections
A little girl sitting in a classroom
A kalla with white roses in her arms
A wife kneading challa in the morning light
A mother holding a newborn baby in a rocking chair.

I pick up each of these pieces, one by one
Beautiful, shining fragments of my life
But they are not me.

For there is but one mirror that gives light to all the others
In this mirror, stands the daughter of the King of kings.
When I stare into its depths, I know who I am
A pure reflection of His Will.

This is the mirror that is full of all the light that ever was
Light that splits into hundreds of beams
And illuminates all the roles that I wear
And with this light, I create vessels for light
Words that become mirrors for His world.

Daily Dilemma

by Ruth Lewis

On the one hand, I think I should direct my energies
into making money.
That would surely help.
On the other hand, after all, I have a home to run, remember?
With dishes, laundry, cleaning -- and a family.

On the third hand, what of self-expression, creativity?
On the fourth hand, what of rest, fun, recreation, relaxation?

On the fifth hand, should I not grab a Tehillim,
so that this brief world's stay not be completely wasted?

How many hands, then, do I have?
Alas, but two.
Alas, alack, whatever shall I do?????