Excellent essay. I am glad that your son is channeling his response to 7 October into deepening his understanding of Judaism. A powerful way of honoring people who have suffered.
Interesting stuff here! We’ve been working on a photo essay on the same topic—in our 70s with cancer and heart disease in the rear view mirror, where do we go from here? We’ve come up with an 8-year plan to get us to 80, and then we’ll punt from there. But it won’t include reading Moses. Already tried in our 30s, and far too complicated for our limited minds.
I never had a goal. Never knew my "life's work". Until I retired and decided to volunteer with a local hospice. At the age of 67 I finally found what I was supposed to be doing. Maybe I just got lucky. A firm believer in volunteering.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’m sure that many in your audience, including me, will feel affirmation from this essay. I also want to suggest that your sim may find Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ writings interesting. I especially like his book, “Healing a Fractured World.”
I'm in my 70s so I understand the psychology of getting old. It's not easy. I understand about reading obits. I do too. No one wants to leave this world, but no one gets out of here alive. God will take us not a minute early or late. When he wants us our soul will go, but live on. I'm glad your son is now a Jew again.
Do you write outside of Substack too? Do you write for any magazines? Or do you prefer blogs to get some engagement with your readers? When did you start writing? Thank you.
I began writing over a decade ago around 2010. I had blogs on politics and my sons' autism journey but they were deactivated years ago, except for the blog at Times of Israel, which is linked to in my profile on substack. I have written for other websites over the years under the name Elise Ronan, which is also my handle on substack. (I'm not sure how to use the handle because everything still just has my initials EKB on it.) I do not write anywhere else now except substack.
Israel is the only western nation that actually is producing past replacement numbers. Very few are even producing at replacement numbers. The US is one of those. Orthodox Jews have children past replacement numbers as well no matter where they live.
Excellent essay. I am glad that your son is channeling his response to 7 October into deepening his understanding of Judaism. A powerful way of honoring people who have suffered.
Thank you.
Interesting stuff here! We’ve been working on a photo essay on the same topic—in our 70s with cancer and heart disease in the rear view mirror, where do we go from here? We’ve come up with an 8-year plan to get us to 80, and then we’ll punt from there. But it won’t include reading Moses. Already tried in our 30s, and far too complicated for our limited minds.
Thank you. I love the idea of a photo essay. My other son is a photographer. I have just found him a new project :)
I never had a goal. Never knew my "life's work". Until I retired and decided to volunteer with a local hospice. At the age of 67 I finally found what I was supposed to be doing. Maybe I just got lucky. A firm believer in volunteering.
I am so glad you found your purpose. Yes, volunteering is very important.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’m sure that many in your audience, including me, will feel affirmation from this essay. I also want to suggest that your sim may find Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ writings interesting. I especially like his book, “Healing a Fractured World.”
Thats funny that you mention Rabbi Sacks. I just pointed him to the youtube channel with the rabbi's 5 minute videos.
I'm in my 70s so I understand the psychology of getting old. It's not easy. I understand about reading obits. I do too. No one wants to leave this world, but no one gets out of here alive. God will take us not a minute early or late. When he wants us our soul will go, but live on. I'm glad your son is now a Jew again.
Do you write outside of Substack too? Do you write for any magazines? Or do you prefer blogs to get some engagement with your readers? When did you start writing? Thank you.
I began writing over a decade ago around 2010. I had blogs on politics and my sons' autism journey but they were deactivated years ago, except for the blog at Times of Israel, which is linked to in my profile on substack. I have written for other websites over the years under the name Elise Ronan, which is also my handle on substack. (I'm not sure how to use the handle because everything still just has my initials EKB on it.) I do not write anywhere else now except substack.
In my 70’s. I say to all young Jewish people Reproduce. Have children. Have more children than you think you want. The world needs more Jews.
Israel is the only western nation that actually is producing past replacement numbers. Very few are even producing at replacement numbers. The US is one of those. Orthodox Jews have children past replacement numbers as well no matter where they live.