We’re Still Waiting For A Better Memoir About Infertility
We have become a nation of oversharers. And yet, even in the Era of TMI, it’s rare for women—or couples—to broadcast their struggles with infertility. In this regard, the publishing world largely mimics real life. If you’ve been searching for a book that personalizes the excruciating pain of infertility or repeated pregnancy loss, you’ve likely … Continue reading
Finding Personal and Jewish Significance in ‘This is Us’
In watching the heart-wrenching pilot for NBC’s This is Us, I connected with Mandy Moore’s Rebecca Pearson. Hugely pregnant with triplets, Rebecca was a woman whose life is on the verge of transformation. I identified with Rebecca as a wife and mother, who also happens to be pregnant with my own third child. However, since then, … Continue reading
Words of Wisdom on Adoption
Are you considering adoption or fostering (potentially leading to adoption)? If you’re curious but don’t know where to start, here’s some collective wisdom from various experts I’ve interviewed in the course of researching adoption: Former Family Law Attorney in Florida Be persistent. Be an advocate for yourself. Know your rights. It’s well worth spending money … Continue reading
Jewish Adoption Embraces the World
What does a Jew look like? Woody Allen famously played with stereotypes in Hannah and Her Sisters, when his secular character imagined himself through others’ eyes, complete with a black hat and beard. Of course, there has never been one right answer to that question. The American Jewish community has become ever more varied, as intermarriage, conversion … Continue reading
melissa langsam braunstein 
Go Ahead, Congratulate the Newly Engaged!
Posted by melissa braunstein on November 28, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Writing in Redbook magazine, Ashley Mateo recently pronounced, “I absolutely hate wishing people congratulations on their engagement, and I won’t do it anymore.” It’s a free country. Ms. Mateo, like everyone else, is entitled to speak (or not speak) as she likes. But let’s run through some of her objections to “congratulations,” a word most people would consider … Continue reading →
Filed under Clips, Cultural Commentary · Tagged with Couples, Engagement, Marriage, Parenting