I know that news headlines are designed to catch our attention, but I recently came across two headlines that really struck a chord with me for a variety of reasons. The first was published on 13 July and read ‘Sydney has been ranked as the third-worst city in the world for making new friends.’ The … Continue reading Is it really so hard to make friends in Sydney?

Parenting in the 21st century comes with many blessings as well as many challenges. The easy access to information, and 24/7 guidance on how to be the best parent to your "profile" of child, is empowering and valuable, but the challenge of raising the Generation Alpha child, currently populating our Primary Schools, remains significant. The one … Continue reading Parenting, Pornography and Pre-teens

We find ourselves amid the period known as “Bein hametzarim” or the “Three weeks”. From 17 Tammuz until 9 Av, (17 July - 7 August), we observe various customs of mourning. We refrain from weddings and celebrations, we don’t play music or attend concerts and we don’t have haircuts or shave. These practices are intended … Continue reading Positivity during difficult times

Welcome to Term 3! I had the honour and privilege of being in Israel over the term holidays. It was so special to see the abundance of Australians walking the streets, sitting in cafes, and soaking up the spirituality and the sunshine. The juxtaposition of the opening of the borders and ease of travel, the … Continue reading Jewish leadership; Hasidism, Zionism and how Israel is the great unifier of today

At the outset, I would like to dispel the notion of allowing our children to explore the world and discover their own values by trial and error, by hook or by crook, from their environment, be it their peers, media, social media or societal trends. The self exploratory model is the antithesis of the traditional … Continue reading Instilling values in our children in a valueless world