The Eternal Bond
Thank you so much, Rabbi Eli Mansour, for your inspiring and enlightening articles. I enjoy reading Community Magazine each week. Your column is one of my favorites. Last month’s article about how a married couple’s relationship should be “binyan adeh ad – an eternal bond,” was particularly powerful.
As you stated in your column, from time to time, relationships will be tested and put under strain. One piece of advice that I would like to share with your readers is to avoid criticizing your spouse. No one likes criticism, even “constructive criticism.” I’m speaking from experience. When I stopped criticizing my wife, my marriage improved. The side effect is that my wife (and children) criticize less. It’s a win-win for all members of my family!
Eddie T.
Mental Wellness
My family and I really appreciated reading and learning about the founding of SIMHA (SIMHA Ushers In a New Era in Sephardic Community). To say that this organization is badly needed would be a gross understatement.
When a teenager or young adult has a mental health problem, the entire family is affected. Our daughter has been suffering from OCD and panic disorder for over seven years and this illness has consumed her life. Mental illness is a very real and serious problem. From the outside you see nothing, but inside there is real turmoil. We pray that Hashem will have mercy and cure all who are ill. Amen.
Sharon B.
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Firstly, I would like to shout “Bravo!” to Rabbi David Sutton and Marc Adjmi – and every person involved in this new and much needed community organization aptly named SIMHA.
The article said it very well. Mental illness is just as real as any other disease and must be addressed in our community.
Up until now, the main roadblock was getting the public to understand that mental illness is just that: An illness. Often, it’s a chronic illness, too. Would you ever suggest to a person with hypertension that he should just learn to calm down? Or to a diabetic: you could make more insulin if you really wanted to. You have to want to do it and then you’ll get better. Too many people think that these mental problems are bad habits, bad middot, or a temporary setbacks in life that if the person had the right tools, they would get out of.
Hopefully, the SIMHA organization will be able to take mental illness out of the realm of the taboo and put it in our daily consciousness. Hatzlacha!
Dave F.
Woman to Woman
I found last month’s “Woman to Woman” interview so interesting. Ellen’s conversation with Sophia Cohen, founder of Urban Pops, was so much fun to read. Now that I know the history of how Urban Pops came about, it make me appreciate Sophia’s frozen treats even more!
Judy L.
Garlic Roasted Chicken
Thank you very much for including Susan Zayat’s food column (@HungryMom’s Food Diary) in Community. I enjoy all of her recipes. I especially enjoyed last month’s recipe – Garlic Roasted Chicken. It was scrumptious! I made it for my family for Shabbat and they all loved it.
Raquel H.