Stories Appearing on Jewsweek

Go to the Jewsweek page for Brian Blum or click the links below.

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The A-Ha Moment
Published on Jewsweek on September 12, 2004

My son's bar mitzvah provided eureka moments for everyone -- including me.

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The Last Tuck-In
Published on Jewsweek on August 27, 2004

My son may be maturing, but so is our relationship.

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A Strapping Young Man
Published on Jewsweek on August 12, 2004

Learning to pray all over again.

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Invoking Marla
Published on Jewsweek on August 4, 2004

Learning new data from losing old data.

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The Snorkeling Rabbi
Published on Jewsweek on July 27, 2004

While vacationing in Hawaii we were reminded of the realities of home.

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Putting Up with It
Published on Jewsweek on July 22, 2004

Miniature golf can mean different things to different people.

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Fast Food, Fast Camping
Published on Jewsweek on July 15, 2004

Parents' Day at camp isn't all it's cracked up to be ... for the campers.

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Cycle of Quiet
Published on Jewsweek on July 6, 2004

Is there any solace in the calm before the storm?

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2000-Year-Old Traffic Jam
Published on Jewsweek on June 25, 2004

I hoped for an Indiana Jones type adventure during a trip to the tunnels in Jerusalem. Instead, I got a traffic jam.

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Is it Real or is it Memorex?
Published on Jewsweek on June 20, 2004

If my child performed on stage and I forgot to record it, did it really even happen? An existential question on a bad habit.

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Insomaniac
Published on Jewsweek on June 9, 2004

What do you do when your ideological commitment to a place is literally making you sick?

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Camping...in Style
Published on Jewsweek on June 5, 2004

Whatever happened to roughing It?

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Mayors in our Midst
Published on Jewsweek on May 20, 2004

A chance to host visiting dignitaries allows both sides to learn lessons about the other.

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Better off Red than Dead
Published on Jewsweek on May 13, 2004

Going to the beach isn't as easy as it used to be.

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The Blessing of a Broken Heart
Published on Jewsweek on May 6, 2004

Three years ago, Koby Mandell, 13, was brutally murdered by terrorists. His mother's book describes her own religious and spiritual transformation since.

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Busted
Published on Jewsweek on April 28, 2004

Trying to weasel my way out of a ticket isn't as easy as I thought.

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443 Calculations
Published on Jewsweek on April 22, 2004

In the very real game of Middle East Roulette, you can only pretend that you've avoided spinning the wheel.

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Story Hour
Published on Jewsweek on April 15, 2004

My anxiety-ridden role as storyteller for the day.

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The Secret Life of Legumes
Published on Jewsweek on March 31, 2004

How Passover in Israel is an entirely different bag of beans.

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Up Against the Wall
Published on Jewsweek on March 28, 2004

We really should visit the Western Wall more often.

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Lost and Found
Published on Jewsweek on March 19, 2004

While my life was heading down the path of Lost in Translation, I took a detour and found myself Found in Jerusalem.

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The Note
Published on Jewsweek on March 4, 2004

Despite a possible strike, skipping school is not as easy as it used to be.

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The Jacuzzi Loop
Published on Jewsweek on February 26, 2004

Running around in circles can actually save your life.

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The Giving Tree
Published on Jewsweek on February 19, 2004

Giving blood is not as easy as it looks.

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All Shook Up
Published on Jewsweek on February 11, 2004

When an earthquake isn't that scary.

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Covenant
Published on Jewsweek on February 6, 2004

Birth and death collide on a random street in Jerusalem.

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Cold Turkey
Published on Jewsweek on February 4, 2004

Teaching my kids to stop watching television -- cold turkey.

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Mmm...Crunchy!
Published on Jewsweek on January 22, 2004

A cholent disaster leads to a lesson learned.

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Overly-Sensitive New Age Guy
Published on Jewsweek on December 26, 2003

When I go to the movies I want peace and quiet. So shut up.

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Kindergarten Pluralism
Published on Jewsweek on December 14, 2003

Defining a class and category starts at an early age.

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The Lost Jews of Jaipur
Published on Jewsweek on December 8, 2003

My excellent adventures in India.

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The Travel Doctor
Published on Jewsweek on December 3, 2003

Taking a vacation can really hurt.

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The Cooking Party
Published on Jewsweek on November 15, 2003

Planning a party for 10-year-old girls is not as easy as you may think.

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The Israeli in Me
Published on Jewsweek on November 2, 2003

Finding out that Israel was indeed our home sweet home.

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The Schmooze Factor
Published on Jewsweek on October 23, 2003

Chatting, talking, schmoozing -- whatever you want to call it, it's a tradition in our synagogue.

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Jody's Breasts
Published on Jewsweek on October 17, 2003

Lump or no lump, my wife was going to get her breasts checked out and I became anxious.

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Amir Against the Wind
Published on Jewsweek on October 14, 2003

Saving the sukkah is not an easy task.

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Sukka on the Roof
Published on Jewsweek on October 14, 2003

Sukkot wouldn't be Sukkot without a little added excitement.

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Grapefruit Jews
Published on Jewsweek on October 10, 2003

A tip from a fellow Jew leads to High Holiday contemplation.

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Yom Kippur Groupies
Published on Jewsweek on October 2, 2003

Yom Kippur is the happiest, rockin-est, dancin-est holiday on the Jewish calendar.

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Apples and Bunnies
Published on Jewsweek on September 26, 2003

The story of how we bought bunnies, sold them to someone else, and what this all has to do with Rosh Hashanah.

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Dance of the Discount
Published on Jewsweek on September 25, 2003

Traveling through Prague on $10 a day.

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How We Do It
Published on Jewsweek on September 26, 2003

How do Israelis cope with terrible tragedies like suicide bombings? Israelis are like one big family. We all feel the pain and then we move on.

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Driving Through Terror
Published on Jewsweek on September 10, 2003

I've been close to terror attacks before. But I've never tried to drive through the ensuing chaos.

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Leaving Terezin
Published on Jewsweek on September 9, 2003

A European vacation with the family turns educational -- for the father.

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Boogie Brian
Published on Jewsweek on September 4, 2003

My goal: To become a boogie boarding guru. Dude.

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The Naked Truth
Published on Jewsweek on September 5, 2003

A trip to a nude beach leads to a little surprise and a lot of fun.

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It's a Wand-erful Life
Published on Jewsweek on August 23, 2003

Traveling through airports and getting "wanded" is somewhat fun -- for a little while.

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Reverse Culture Shock
Published on Jewsweek on August 24, 2003

From Botox to breast augmentation, my visits to the U.S. are getting racier and raunchier.

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Tisha B'Av, 2003
Published on Jewsweek on August 13, 2003

A once seemingly insignificant festival gains new meaning this year.

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The Drop Zone
Published on Jewsweek on August 6, 2003

Dropping my son off at camp brings back memories, both good and bad.

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Making the News
Published on Jewsweek on July 31, 2003

A hypothetical conversation behind a true story.

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Salty Fish
Published on Jewsweek on July 24, 2003

Trying to knock down the language barrier.

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Spoiler Alert
Published on Jewsweek on July 17, 2003

A stolen car part makes a statement -- in more ways than one.

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Freedom and Responsibility at the Zoo
Published on Jewsweek on July 7, 2003

The Jerusalem Zoo, and zoos in general, hold a very special place in my heart.

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Preaching to the Choir
Published on Jewsweek on July 3, 2003

A trip to hear my daughter sing teaches a valuable lesson in "workaholism."

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Bar Mitzvah at Hogwarts
Published on Jewsweek on June 25, 2003

It seems to me that it's high time for J.K. Rowling to stage a magical but tasteful bar or bat mitzvah at Hogwarts.

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Land of the Bullies
Published on Jewsweek on June 19, 2003

Israel is full of bullies in many shapes and sizes.

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The Waiting
Published on Jewsweek on June 19, 2003

Time after time, we just hope and pray that someone we know was not killed. And wait.

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Hole in One
Published on Jewsweek on June 12, 2003

Turning a bad situtation into something more.

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Slowest Common Denominator
Published on Jewsweek on June 12, 2003

Being stuck at home is a gift. A change of pace. A moment of grace.

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Dancing with the Snakefish
Published on Jewsweek on June 2, 2003

A benefit concert to celebrate life and remember loss loved ones.

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Aviv and Ayah
Published on Jewsweek on May 29, 2003

My child's pain turns into a fairy tale.

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Eurovision and the Jews
Published on Jewsweek on May 22, 2003

Watching the admittedly cheesy Eurovision contest is a rite-of-passage in our household.

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Teenager Too Soon
Published on Jewsweek on May 22, 2003

My son is growing up, but is it too soon?

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TV Zombies
Published on Jewsweek on May 19, 2003

Getting away from the television set and into nature.

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Scouting the Normal Life
Published on Jewsweek on May 16, 2003

My daughter, the Israeli Girl Scout.

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Ankles and Hearts
Published on Jewsweek on May 14, 2003

I learned more than one lesson from fracturing my ankle.

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Independence Spray
Published on Jewsweek on May 8, 2003

Ah, the subtle joys of shaving cream on Israel's 55th birthday.

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Running the Land
Published on Jewsweek on May 6, 2003

I don't run for exercise; I run to escape.

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Addicted to Overdraft
Published on Jewsweek on May 1, 2003

A little checks and balances never hurt anybody.

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Betting on SARS
Published on Jewsweek on April 29, 2003

We can't let the terrorists, the viruses, or whatever comes next -- get us down.

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Sushi for the Passover Observant
Published on Jewsweek on April 15, 2003

"Kosher for Passover" designated foods should be appropriate for all Jews, but this is not so. Instead, custom defines what can, and cannot be eaten.

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On Cults, Sadaam and Judaism
Published on Jewsweek on April 14, 2003

The ups and downs of living in a cult

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Barenaked Birthday
Published on Jewsweek on April 7, 2003

A relative's tragic death at the hands of a suicide bomber will not stop us from celebrating her birthday.

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Here We Go Again
Published on Jewsweek on April 2, 2003

It's strike time again.

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CT
Published on Jewsweek on March 31, 2003

Going to get a CT scan in Israel is an interesting experience.

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War as Peace of Mind
Published on Jewsweek on March 26, 2003

Here's an ironic thought: the war in Iraq may actually be serving to increase peace of mind among Israelis.

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Post Purim Pirates
Published on Jewsweek on March 23, 2003

Pummeling through the post-Purim booty.

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Seal Your Room, Open Your Mind
Published on Jewsweek on March 20, 2003

My logical brain said nothing's going to happen in Israel, certainly not in Jerusalem. Yet like many others, I made efforts to seal a room in my house.

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Fear Factor
Published on Jewsweek on March 19, 2003

Dreaming sweet thoughts can only pause the anxiety we feel here in Israel. The countdown continues.

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Video Zionism
Published on Jewsweek on March 13, 2003

An ode to my ecclectic video collection during a time of impending war.

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Weapons of Mass Detergent
Published on Jewsweek on March 11, 2003

A chemical attack of another kind.

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On Being Five
Published on Jewsweek on March 9, 2003

A letter to our son on his fifth birthday.

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Chicken Little Syndrome
Published on Jewsweek on March 4, 2003

Why can't it snow meatballs instead of missiles?

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Getting In
Published on Jewsweek on March 2, 2003

Getting my son into a school in Israel was much more complicated process than I thought.

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Get My Drift?
Published on Jewsweek on February 25, 2003

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

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Duct Tape Conspiracy
Published on Jewsweek on February 20, 2003

The ins and outs of the latest in home security.

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Avril and Madonna
Published on Jewsweek on February 6, 2003

I believe that both Avril Lavigne and Madonna are closet Jews.

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Where Were You When...
Published on Jewsweek on February 2, 2003

In the face of disaster, the power of "Where Were You When?" is an integral part of the grieving process.

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The Final Frontier
Published on Jewsweek on January 25, 2003

What better symbol for a borderless world than an Israeli in space, as far from fences and demilitarized zones as one can possibly be.

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Middle Earth, Middle East
Published on Jewsweek on December 26, 2002

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Greener Grass
Published on Jewsweek on December 24, 2002

Living in Jerusalem, we often dream about the luxuries of life back in America. But, sometimes, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

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Yuppie Falafel - the Chickpea's Twilight Hour
Published on Jewsweek on December 15, 2002

Goat cheese and pesto served on a falafel? A Mexican version? What has happened to Israel's national fast food?

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