By Rabbi Hayim Asher Arking and Rabbi Ezra Ghodsi

In what ways can a Jew’s wine become forbidden?

There are four ways wine can become stam yeinam and therefore forbidden:

1.   Touching: The actual wine was touched by a non-Jew, whether by hand, by mouth (such as when drinking from a bottle), or with any other part of the body. This can apply even if they touched the wine with an object they were holding.

2. Agitating/Shaking (shichshuch): The wine was agitated by a non-Jew, even if they only shook the cup or bottle without touching the liquid directly. Since agitating/shaking wine was a form of idol worship, this action renders the wine forbidden.

3.  Pouring (kocho): The wine was poured by a non-Jew, regardless of whether it was agitated/shaken. This principle is not limited to pouring; it applies to any wine displaced or moved from its container by a non-Jew.

4.   A Connecting Stream (nitzok): The wine was connected to non-kosher wine, such as through a continuous stream during pouring.

If a waiter carried an open bottle of wine, may we still drink it?

Although wine touched by a non-Jew becomes forbidden, simply touching the outside of a bottle does not affect its status. However, one should not allow a non-Jewish waiter to move or even lift an open bottle. As previously explained, the wine can still become forbidden if it is “shaken” (shichshuch), even if no wine is actually poured. Similarly, if a non-Jew carries an open bottle or cup, the wine would generally be forbidden, as the act of walking naturally causes the liquid to shake. Due to the nuanced nature of these laws, case-specific details can make a difference, and one should consult a rabbi if such a situation arises.

What if I left a bottle of wine in the fridge and the maid moved it?

Wine only becomes forbidden through “shaking” if the wine is uncovered. However, if the bottle is covered, even if not sealed, “shaking” is no longer an issue. Therefore, as long as there was a bottle stopper or a partially replaced cork, the wine remains permitted.

This is only true if there is no concern the bottle was opened by the non-Jew. While it may be acceptable for the Jew to be in another room and leave a maid or waiter around a covered non-mevushal bottle, two conditions must be met. First, the Jew can walk back in unexpectedly (yotzei ve’nechnas). Second, the non-Jew must know they are not allowed to handle the wine, which in some cases may require them being clearly instructed not to do so.

However, leaving a non-Jew in the house alone, even with the possibility of an “unexpected” return, may no longer provide a sufficient deterrent. For instance, a maid or worker may be familiar enough with one’s daily schedule to know when they can handle the wine without any risk of someone returning. Likewise, a window might allow them to watch for someone arriving, providing enough time to handle the wine and return it to its place without being caught. In certain situations, cameras can serve as an effective deterrent, if the person knows they are being filmed and that someone is actually reviewing the footage.

What if a non-Jew poured wine into a cup?

In this case, both the wine in the cup and the wine remaining in the bottle become forbidden. The wine in the cup is rendered forbidden by the act of pouring (kocho), while the wine in the bottle becomes forbidden because the continuous stream connects it to the wine in the cup (nitzok).

Can a Jew pour wine into a cup held by a non-Jew?

The concept of nitzok applies even if the one pouring is Jewish. For example, if a Jew pours wine into a cup containing remnants of wine previously handled by a non-Jew, the entire bottle becomes forbidden. Furthermore, even if starting with a clean cup, the non-Jew may move or tilt the cup while the wine is being poured. This would render the wine in the cup forbidden because of the “shaking,” and in turn, render the wine in the bottle forbidden through the continuous stream.

What is the proper way to store a bottle of wine when it will be left with a non-Jew?

In general, there are two levels of security when leaving kosher food unsupervised. For foods that carry a Biblical prohibition if switched, such as non-kosher meat or fish, a double-seal is required. For foods involving a rabbinic prohibition, such as bread or cheese, a single seal suffices. Although the prohibition regarding wine is rabbinic, it is treated with greater stringency and therefore requires a double seal.

A practical way to create this is to tape a plastic bag over the bottle and write Hebrew letters (or one’s signature) across the edges of the tape and onto the bag. Writing two letters across the seam satisfies the requirement for a double seal, as each individual letter counts as its own seal. For this to be effective, the seal must be set up in a way that, if someone attempts to peel back the tape, it would cause the characters to misalign, and it would be difficult to restore the letters perfectly.

Alternatively, one can hide the bottle in a place where it is highly unlikely it will be noticed by a maid or other non-Jewish workers. This can be a practical solution for Shabbat and yom tov when making the above double seal is not feasible.

Do these laws also apply to a Jew who is not shomer Shabbat?

While the laws of stam yeinam generally extend to those who are not shomer Shabbat, the restrictions actually take a significant “step down” in severity compared to those involving a non-Jew. For example, if a non-shomer Shabbat individual touches the wine, it is forbidden to drink it, however, one may still derive benefit from it. (On a side note, this leniency also applies if a Muslim handles non-mevushal wine.) When hosting friends or family who may not be shomer Shabbat, it is preferable to only use mevushal wine. As this is not always an option, there are specific leniencies that are important to be aware of. For instance, if an open bottle was accidentally moved by a non-shomer Shabbat individual, the wine remains permitted. Furthermore, many say that the laws of nitzok (the “connection” between the stream and the bottle), do not apply to a non-shomer Shabbat individual. Accordingly, if they pour wine into a cup, only the wine that was poured becomes forbidden to drink (kocho), while the wine remaining in the bottle remains permitted.

“I am living on two parallel tracks of responsibility. Professionally, I work in the political sphere, helping thoughtful and principled people I believe in step into leadership, because who holds office truly shapes the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. Spiritually, my work is about something deeper: helping create a world with more inner strength, more faith, and more refined character.”  ~ Linda Sadacka

Ellen Geller Kamaras

Please meet Linda Argalgi Sadacka, who was interviewed for this column (formerly Woman to Woman) back in 2017. She was featured as the founder of Moms on a Mitzvah, a grassroots hesed initiative she launched in 2013. Clearly, she possessed incredible energy and a sense of responsibility to the community. Today, that work continues. Linda is a writer, political activist, and community leader. She is the CEO of the New York Jewish Council and is the founder of Chasdei David, Inc., a public non-profit hesed organization based in Brooklyn that focuses on education services and educational exchanges.

Raised in Montreal in a traditional home, Linda’s spiritual path deepened in her youth and shaped the course of her life. Linda was deeply affected by the murder of her brother’s close friend, IDF soldier Jason Friedberg by Hamas, which profoundly strengthened her lifelong commitment to Jewish responsibility and to Israel. In the years that followed, Linda became active in communal advocacy and writing on behalf of Jewish causes.

One widely-known campaign that drew national attention mobilized more than 100,000 signatures to secure a compassionate-use FDA exemption for a terminally ill young man. This exemption allows patients with serious or life-threatening diseases to access medical treatment that is not yet FDA approved. After marrying and settling in Brooklyn, Linda’s focus shifted toward structured communal hesed alongside broader advocacy. That early activism laid the groundwork for her current multifaceted role.

Linda Evolves

Today, more than eight years later, Linda is still deeply involved in hesed and communal advocacy, and has expanded her work to include political strategy, writing, teaching, and producing her podcast “The Silent Revolution,” which focuses on culture, leadership, faith, and public discourse.   

Linda, now a grandmother, describes herself as purpose-driven, principled, compassionate, grounded, and resilient. “I am more intentional than I was years ago.”

Linda clearly articulates that her life is guided by Torah and her decisions are reached through employing her strong emunah.  “Whether I am in a classroom or a room with public officials and world leaders, people know exactly who I am.”

Writing, Teaching, and Advocacy

Alongside her hesed and advocacy, Linda continued to write and began teaching. Her articles have appeared in The Jerusalem Post, Jewish News Syndicate, Jewish Image Magazine, and local publications. “Writing is another form of education,” Linda explains. “It helps people think more clearly, stay informed, and make better decisions in an increasingly complicated world.”

Professionally, however, Linda is most proud of her teaching. She teaches classes on the laws of lashon hara – proper speech – a subject she feels deeply passionate about.

Advocacy

Communal advocacy, outreach, and using her voice are Linda’s other tools to achieve her goal of creating a robust future for our community.

Linda currently serves as a political strategist, actively advising and helping elect candidates whose values align with hers and the community’s. 

Linda considers her work as a modern form of kiruv, done carefully, within boundaries and with accountability.  Linda has worked behind the scenes in helping thoughtful, principled people step into public leadership roles. She moves through many different spaces, in rooms of influence, in government, in areas of communal leadership, and in other arenas that shape real outcomes, opening doors where possible. 

Much of her political work is done quietly, behind the scenes, protecting her family’s privacy. 

Linda attended this past year’s White House Hanukah evening reception, which included major donors, such as Miriam Adelson, and senior administrative officials including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, lawmakers from both parties, ambassadors, and figures shaping both the present and future political landscape. Given the exclusivity of the party, Linda recognized that this was not a casual social gathering. 

President Donald Trump spoke about rising anti-Semitism and the cultural pressures facing the Jewish community. At one point, Linda observed that for every person in the room many more had wanted to attend and could not.  Linda commented, “I was aware that I was the sole representative from my community present, and I carried that responsibility consciously.”  Her conversations that evening were purposeful and allowed her to reinforce significant relationships.

Family and Balance

“Learning how to hold spiritual growth, public responsibility, creative work, and family life with steadiness and intention,” is how Linda maintains her balance.

Family remains Linda’s top priority, and everything she does reflects her commitment to her family. The pride she takes in her children’s derech eretz and yirat Shamayim surpasses everything else. She is deeply grateful for her husband, Dr. Jack Sadacka, whose steadiness and values are the foundation of their home. “Any good I have been able to do publicly is rooted in that quiet strength.”

Time is Linda’s greatest challenge. She gets off to a very early start, allowing her to move through her day with clarity and calm. Downtime is rare, but when it comes, Linda tries to be intentional: unhurried conversations, shared meals, and time with children and grandchildren. “That kind of quiet time, even in small doses, restores me more than anything else.” Linda’s home remains her anchor.

Mentors

Since Linda’s seminary days in Canada, Rebbetzin Feldbrand, a renowned educator and author, has been a constant source of clarity and strength for many years. Linda also became close to Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, a mekubal who spent time in the community for medical treatment. She values his spiritual guidance.

Linda was deeply moved to receive encouragement and blessings for her classes from Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman, known as the “Disco Rabbi,” for his entrance into the Friday night discos to connect with young Jews in Migdal HaEmek in the north of Israel. He is the founder and dean of Migdal Ohr educational institutions, established in 1972 to provide education and social guidance to children from underprivileged and troubled homes in Israel.

Parting Words

Linda is actively recruiting more volunteers, as the need is real and ongoing.

“In many ways,” Linda reflects, “everything I do publicly is my hishtadlut to leave behind a world that is steadier, kinder, and more rooted than the one I entered and to protect the future.  Spiritually, my work is about something deeper: helping create a world with more inner strength, more faith, and more refined character.”Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach. Ellen can be contacted at [email protected] (www.lifecoachellen.com).

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas

Nearly 15,000 nurses across New York City launched a strike on January 12, 2026, making it one of the largest nursing strikes in the city’s history. The strike lasted over three weeks. What does the halacha say about healthcare workers who withhold their labor – not for higher pay alone, but for the ability to provide safe care?

Medicine Demands Fair Compensation

The Gemara establishes that asia d’magan b’magan magan shaveh – “a physician who works for free is worth nothing.” The Rosh explains: “When the doctor does not receive payment, his heart and mind are not meticulous regarding the core needs of the patient.” Hacham Eliyahu Bakshi Doron (Responsa Binyan Av 3:69)  therefore rules: “The public are obliged to pay appropriate salaries to physicians and allow them to focus on their holy work.” Medicine performed under duress is inherently compromised medicine.

The New York nurses’ argument introduces precisely this nuance: the status quo itself was dangerous. If nurses working under a broken system cannot provide necessary care, then the strike changes from abandonment to preservation – fighting for conditions necessary to fulfill the mitzvah of healing.

The Children of Israel Are Servants to Me

Hacham Eliyahu Bakshi Doron discusses medical strikes at length. He explains this halacha stems from the principle that every employee has the right to stand up for their freedom, and the employer has no power to prevent them from doing so. The Shulhan Aruch writes that “a worker may retract even in the middle of the day” (Choshen Mishpat 333:1). Even if already paid, they may cease work, with the money becoming a debt. The reason: “For the Children of Israel are servants to Me” (Vayikra 25:55) and not servants to servants. This prevents employment from becoming a form of inescapable servitude. Work performed under coercion is slavery, forbidden regardless of economic agreements. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, (Yechaveh Da’at 4:48) acknowledges that “the minhag hamdina, the custom of the land, is to strike.” But it does not apply in all situations.

The Red Line: Pikuach Nefesh

Hacham Ovadia Yosef, while permitting teachers to strike under certain conditions, draws a sharp line regarding healthcare. In Yechaveh Da’at IV:48, he writes explicitly that the permission to strike applies “except for matters involving life-saving measures, such as hospital services.” Pikuach nefesh (saving a life) overrides nearly every other commandment. Hacham Bakshi-Doron reinforces this in Binyan Av, arguing that a doctor or nurse is bound by the negative commandment, “Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.” From this perspective, abandoning a patient in immediate danger is akin to bloodshed. No financial grievance or administrative dispute can justify leaving an ICU bed unmonitored.

Medicine as Mitzvah, Not Merely Profession

Hacham Bakshi Doron writes that the medical worker is not a servant of the hospital, but is a servant of Hashem – tasked with the mitzvah of healing. “Medicine is not a profession but a mitzvah, the most sublime mitzvah of saving lives. If they are forbidden to strike, they are indeed slaves – but slaves to the Holy One, Blessed be He.” A caregiver devoted to saving life is no servant to man – “there is no freer person than one who serves Hashem.”

Some argue medical strikes ultimately improve healthcare by forcing better conditions. This must be absolutely rejected. The principle is ironclad: ein dochin nefesh mipnei nefesh – we do not push aside one life for another. There is no halachic justification for withholding lifesaving care from patients before us, even to save more patients in the future. Each nefesh has infinite value; mathematical comparisons are meaningless.

Conclusion

Nurses and physicians are entitled – indeed obligated – to demand conditions that allow them to practice medicine responsibly and with yishuv hada’at. A system that exhausts its caregivers violates human dignity and ultimately endangers life. Yet the red line remains immovable: wherever pikuach nefesh is present, the duty to heal overrides every tactical consideration. The halachic mandate is disciplined protest – one that preserves emergency care, protects the vulnerable, and refuses to turn human lives into bargaining chips. In this balance, halacha affirms both truths at once: the caregiver is not a slave to institutions, and the patient is never abandoned. Rabbi Yehuda Finchas is a worldwide expert, lecturer, and author on Medical Halacha. He heads the Torat Habayit Medical Halacha Institute. He is the author of “Brain Death in Halacha and the Tower of Babel Syndrome” and “Nutrition and Hydration in Halacha.” To contact Rabbi Finchas, email [email protected].

As Iran trembles, Reza Pahlavi Steps Forward as the Self-Declared Bridge

between Revolution and Democracy

Dave Gordon

Once a distant figure in exile, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has emerged as a rallying symbol for many Iranians demanding change. His name echoes through the streets during protests, reflecting a growing following inside and outside of Iran.

The son of the late shah fled to the United States after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and has leveraged his royal pedigree and a flurry of media appearances over the past year to raise his political profile.

Pahlavi’s Intended Role

“I think I’ve earned their [my followers’] trust and respect,” he said. “And, that puts me in a position to be impactful in that [leadership] role… I’m not shying away from that responsibility.”

Pahlavi aims to become a transitional leader should the current regime in Iran collapse.

“My role is to see to it that this process culminates in a temporary governance, while the Constitutional Assembly deliberates what exactly will be the rule of law of the land,” he said,  touting both secular and democratic values.  

U.S. Reactions

Washington remains cautious: As of Jan. 8, President Trump appeared reluctant to meet with Pahlavi. In mid-January, White House envoy Steve Witkoff met with Pahlavi – until now, the only high-level American government official to do so, the news website Axios reported. According to polls cited in the article, one-third of Iranians support Pahlavi, while another third do not. 

“Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has re-entered Iran’s political imagination,” wrote Ali Siadatan, an Iranian Canadian educator, in the National Post. “Today, his support extends beyond traditional royalist circles, reflecting not nostalgia for the past but a search for continuity amid collapse.”

From the outside, the Iranian government’s hold on power appears at its weakest point since the shah was overthrown in the 1979 revolution. With street protests and violent government crackdowns the U.S. is keeping a sharp eye on events. On Jan. 26, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrived in the Indian Ocean, putting it closer to assist in any possible U.S. operations targeting Iran. The USS Gerald Ford is on its way to join the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Iranian Expats Weighs In

Should there be a power vacuum, Pahlavi is “the only alternative,” said Salman Sima, a former Iranian political prisoner who fled Iran to Canada and has organized numerous protests supporting Israel against Hamas. “It is really obvious these days, [that Pahlavi is] the only name you can hear from inside Iran.”

Sima believes the crown prince is a unifying figure who has found support among progressives and conservatives. “He doesn’t take a side, he doesn’t say ‘I’m going to be the shah,’ or ‘I’m going to be the president,’ or ‘I’m going to be the prime minister.’ All he said was a free election must be determined by the people of Iran.”

Iranian expat Dr. Amir Hamidi is the Chairman of the Board of Telo-Revers Anti-Aging Medical Laboratory. He is an internationally recognized expert in global terrorism, cybersecurity, and law enforcement. Regarding Pahlavi he said, “This isn’t a personality contest. In a national liberation moment, the real question is who can unify people, lower the temperature between factions, and keep the transition focused on democracy and the rule of law. He has been consistent on the essentials: a secular state, equal citizenship, rejection of revenge politics, and a future decided only by the Iranian people through free elections.”

The former Justice Department special agent, who also served as country attaché in the United Arab Emirates, added that Pahlavi has recognition across generations and across the political spectrum inside and outside Iran.

Hamidi claims that Pahlavi supports “any figure who places Iran’s sovereignty in the hands of its people, not in the hands of armed factions, foreign powers, or one-party ideologues – and Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has repeatedly said exactly that.”

Road Map

In July 2025, Pahlavi led a public whitepaper officially called the Emergency Phase Booklet. A whitepaper is an in-depth report to help readers understand a complex topic and present a problem-solving solution. The whitepaper included consultations from a wide array of experts. For starters, Pahlavi calls for Iranians “to be fully involved in the progress of our nation, as opposed to a very corrupt mafia that has been ruling our country all these years.

“I always believe that it’s important for people to have a road map to recovery, to understand what will happen post‑regime. What’s the alternative? How are we to re‑establish a process that will stabilize the country, bring about the opportunity for economic growth and investment?”  

Under Pahlavi’s leadership, Hamidi said, “people will have a true opportunity for prosperity, and for that, we have a very comprehensive project of what is to be done short term, mid‑term and long term.” Hamidi sees great potential when the regime falls: “Imagine just the amount of talent that exists within the Iranian diaspora,” he said. “Iran is not just simply an oil‑rich or gas‑rich country – imagine tourism just as an industry, and everything that can open up.

“I’ve talked to industrialists, economists, entrepreneurs, Iranians, and non‑Iranians that are waiting for this opportunity, once Iran is open again as a last untapped frontier,” Hamidi stated. The concern, of course, is that the country have healthy circumstances in order to be reintegrated in the free world, so investors feel comfortable and secure about their assets.

Pro-Israel, Pro-Holocaust Recognition

Reza Pahlavi, like his father, is aligns with Israel and the Jewish people, framing that stance as both historical and moral. He argues that Iranians reject the Islamic Republic’s genocidal anti-Israel and anti-Semitic policies and says a future democratic Iran should restore friendly ties with Israel and its neighbors, which he has labeled potential “Cyrus Accords.” He frequently invokes the legacy of Cyrus the Great – who allowed Jews to return to Judea after the Babylonian Exile. He cites the biblical connection between Persians and Jews, describing their relations as a “Biblical relationship” stretching back 2,500 years.                                                                                                                                                       He acknowledges shared values of human rights and religious tolerance. Pahlavi has insisted that, because Tehran denies the Holocaust, he has a particular duty as an Iranian leader-in-exile to honor its victims and reject denialism. He portrays the Islamic Republic as a driver of global anti-Semitism and terrorism, and cast himself and his movement as allies of Jews. 

In April 2023, Pahlavi traveled to Israel to carry a message of peace and friendship from the Iranian people, renew ancient bonds, and explore economic and technological cooperation, especially Israeli water technology that he argued could help remedy Iran’s severe water crisis. He attended the Yom HaShoah ceremony at Yad Vashem, declaring it his duty to honor Holocaust victims on behalf of Iranians, and stating that the current regime “doesn’t represent the Iranian people.”

During the trip he prayed at the Western Wall and met senior officials. For many Iranian Jews in Israel, his presence and rhetoric were a symbolic reconnection to an era when Jews felt protected under the Pahlavi monarchy, and as an affirmation that they remained participants of the Iranian story. 

Iran and Nukes

After a recent White House meeting with Netanyahu in February, President Trump insisted that Iran nuclear talks must continue. Trump has not restored the JCPOA, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the “Iran nuclear deal.” Instead, he has initiated a new round of negotiations under a maximum‑pressure framework.

The Crown Prince responded that nuclear weapons are “not a real estate deal that he [Trump] can cut with a regime that is very corrupt.” Pahlavi bristled at the notion of military intervention, “We don’t need to have an army coming into Iran. We have the boots on the ground already – the Iranian people who are there.” 

The actual war to fight, he insisted, is the ideological war, that has been the root of much of the unrest in the region for fifty years.

The Eye of the Octopus

“Radicals have always tried to recruit people out of desperation and ignorance, to brainwash them into one way of thinking,” Pahlavi said. “One of the key sources of this radicalization is the regime in Tehran. That’s where the eye of the octopus is. [The West has] been fighting the tentacles, but as long as the eye of the octopus is sitting there, you’re not going to eliminate the problem.” It starts with who bankrolls the terror sources:  “Follow the money trail,” he said, “Follow the funding. Once they’re gone, all of that disappears. The funding disappears. The root of the ideology disappears.”  That, he suggests, is how you get past the octopus, and back to the country beneath it: an Iran known less for sponsoring militias abroad than for the diversity and openness of its own society. “The beauty of Iran is the diversity of its culture,” Pahlavi said. “That’s the whole beauty of Iran, a nation state that for centuries had this mosaic of ethnic groups and different faiths living side by side.”  

Ellen Geller Kamaras

“Keep Moving” has become my guidepost for a healthy life, both physically and mentally.  Exercise helps every part of your body including your mind.  Exercise can help you feel good by improving your mood. 

Good for Body and Soul

When I get stuck or start dwelling on things that are out of my control, I go outside for a walk, rain or shine.  I start my mornings with a stroll on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and gaze at the lovely Manhattan skyline.  I take three deep breaths, and thank Hashem for creating such beauty and for giving me health and a wonderful family.  Some experts refer to this as an “awe walk.” An awe walk is a brief, intentional walk where the walker focuses outwardly on experiencing sensations of wonder, curiosity, and vastness in their surroundings. Consciously looking for beauty, nature, or novelty helps shift attention away from internal worries, reducing stress and boosting mental well-being.

The American Psychological Association has projected that one out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90.  One way to make that happen, with Hashem’s help, is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including exercise.  Exercise can help prevent falls and injuries, keep your brain sharp and boost your energy levels.

For adults, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity at least five days per week. Adding in some resistance training to your exercise routine two to three days per week will provide extra benefits.  Engaging in 30 minutes of any type of physical activity five days a week may reduce your risk of dying from any cause by 28 percent and from heart disease by 20 percent.

Youngsters Benefit

The importance of daily exercise for promoting healthy physical and mental development applies to young people, too.60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day is recommended for children and teens.   Like adults, they should incorporate bone and muscle-strengthening exercises at least three times a week.

Incorporating biking, running, or swimming into your child’s routine enables them to deal with both physical and emotional challenges more successfully.  Daily exercise strengthens their bones and muscles, improves their cardiovascular health, helps them sustain a healthy weight, and enhances immune function.   Physical exercise improves children’s cognitive function, too, by enhancing brain health, memory, and attention, resulting in better academic performance.   Exercise also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.   Daily exercise elevates young people’s mood, reduces anxiety and depression, and aids in stress management.

When children form the habit of daily exercise at a young age, it sets the foundation for an active lifestyle as they reach adulthood and, in the future, it will help them to age well.

Indoor Exercise

Did the frigid winter get you down and discourage you from exercising?   Spending moderate amounts of time indoors and enjoying downtime has its perks and can help you reset and relax.  However, spending too much time at home has its drawbacks.  Its pitfalls include, but are not limited to, low levels of Vitamin D, sluggishness, weight gain, stress, anxiety, and depression.

To stay healthy, it’s even more important to exercise when you are stuck indoors for its physical rewards and mental health perks.  People who sheltered in place during the pandemic were encouraged to do regular physical activity at home to avoid becoming sedentary.

I was surprised to see how many steps I could score on my Fitbit watch without leaving home.  Plus, I have several dance and exercise apps on my phone to keep me moving.  My husband calls this “puttering,” but I call it straightening up and organizing the house.    Studies show that household chores count as exercise.  The positive effects were found to be the same whether one was walking or exercising at the gym, walking, or doing chores such gardening or vacuuming.  Mel Robbins is a  bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and an expert on personal growth. She recommends dancing while doing dishes or cooking.

A 2026 study conducted by the AdventHealth Research Institute and the University of Pittsburgh confirms that consistent moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise can significantly slow the structural aging of the brain, making it appear nearly a year younger. The study suggests that 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise, (such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) can reduce a marker known as “brain-predicted age difference” (brain-PAD) in adults 26 to 58.

To Age Well

Take care to do these actions.  Sit on the floor, and get back up on your own. Do yoga, Zumba, or other regular physical activity, jump, and walk briskly. When asked a question, speaking to the point of the topic and do not ramble. 

If you can get outdoors to exercise, your body will net additional rewards.  The natural sunlight helps your body produce more Vitamin D, which is essential to a healthy immune system. If you are sun sensitive, or have had Basal cell carcinoma, make sure to apply sunscreen.  

Dopamine is the “feel good” neurotransmitter that acts as a chemical messenger in your brain to signal reward, motivation, and pleasure. It plays a critical role in movement, memory, and focus It is the brain chemical that is transmitted when we experience pleasure. 

Outdoor exercise can increase dopamine as well as serotonin (a chemical messenger that stabilizes mood, sleep, and digestion. It is often called the “feel good” hormone because it promotes feelings of well-being and safety) and other natural endorphin levels that support a positive mood.

What are we waiting for?  Let’s get moving!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach.  Her coaching specialties include life, career. and dating coaching.  Ellen can be contacted at [email protected] (www.lifecoachellen.com).

Michele Shrem

This month we are discussing whether families should discuss finances with their children. Should the kids know about financial struggles that are going on in the household? When I was growing up, money was always a hushed subject.  But, these days should our children still be in the dark? Should families be open about their finances? Should children be told about family financial struggles? Let’s see what our community members have to say.

Sarah

When I was growing up we never knew anything about finances or any struggles. Everything was discussed behind closed doors. And, it was the same with other topics such as religion and politics. There was a sealed lid on family finances that was not opened until much later on, maybe when I was a teenager. I did learn how to handle a bank account through my mom. She took me to the bank to open an account when I started to babysit. I was lucky that she showed me how to save from a young age. Now, instead of saving for a special toy, I can save for a nice vacation!

Anonymous

As a Certified Financial Planner, I feel that shielding children from money discussions is a form of educational neglect. You can’t expect a young adult to have a credit card or to sign a lease if they have never even looked at a utility bill. They will have no conception of money and how to use it properly. I think it is a good idea to discuss finances early and often. You can start with the concept of earning, saving, spending, and giving, even at a young age. If a six year old does a household chore, you can give them a quarter to put into a piggy bank. Then, when it starts to add up, you can take them to a store to spend a little of it. You can also have a home tzedakah box to show them how to give, and even bring them to the organization to deliver the box. I also believe that children should know about struggles going on in a household. There is no need to make them feel nervous, but they can become more resilient. If you can’t go on a vacation one year, you can tell them why. You can suggest a weekend trip instead, and let them know that in the future, they will hopefully go on a larger vacation. When children are in the dark, they can imagine worse-case scenarios. If they know, they may even be able to help by assisting in the home, or not asking for high-priced gadgets.

Jojo

I am very cautious about treating children like adults. I In the current world, that is probably a very old-fashioned thing to say. I feel that discussions should be age-appropriate. I would not want my child to feel anxious. A home should be a very safe and supportive place for them. I advise against sharing serious financial struggles like a job loss for instance, unless they are at least in their teens. I don’t think that children younger than that can understand that problems are solvable, and that the problem may not be permanent. Financial instability can feel like a threat to a child’s safety.

Kelly

When I was growing up, money was very tight, and I knew that my parents struggled through the years. Because they kept me in the loop, I do pretty well for myself now, and I credit my parents for teaching me these skills. Now, I passed that down to my kids so they know the costs of things. I want them to be prepared and understand the value of a dollar. To me, total transparency is the way to go. If the water gets shut off, they should know why, because it builds hunger and a drive to never be in that position themselves.

Mrs. E

I don’t think that children should ever know about family financial hardships. I want my children to play and learn, while my husband and I share the burden. I would never even think of it as a topic for the dinner table. If my kids think that I’m scared, that will be the end of their childhood. My husband and I will hold onto the stress. As adults, I feel that we can handle stress better. There is plenty of time for them to stress about things later on in life. 

Diane

As a teacher of middle school students, I find that many of them have not had any discussions about finances at home. Kids actually do need help to understand why they have different things than their peers. There is a middle ground approach. You don’t need to tell them if you are broke, but you can tell them that certain things will take priority for a little while. This way, they can understand some of what is going on and understand the concept of a budget, without feeling inferior to their classmates and friends.

Mike

I like to have family meetings once in a while in order to talk about several things with my kids, including chores, issues they are having inside and outside of my home, and, of course, finances. I want my kids to see where the money goes. I try to be honest with them. For instance, if we overspent on groceries, and they can’t go to the movies.  Then they can see the math for themselves. They mystery of why I said “no” is then understood with logic.

Lisa

I knew growing up that my parents struggled. I could feel the tension in the air. My parents did not talk about it, and my imagination made it ten times worse. I think families should be in a situation together. As a kid left to guessing, I can tell you that it made me anxious and scared. Years later I found out that it was not as bad as I had thought. If I had known, all those years of worrying could have been avoided for me.

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Ultimately, the line between helpful and harmful financial transparency is drawn at stability. Money discussions are helpful when they serve as a lesson for future independence. They become harmful when they serve to vent parental stress or become a source of childhood fear. By treating money as a neutral tool rather than a secret shame, families can equip the next generation with something money can’t buy: the wisdom to manage it well.

Michele

Jack Gindi

If you’ve been following my work, you know that last year I lost my eldest son, Shaun.

Nothing prepares a parent for that sentence. Nothing prepares you for waking up in a world that looks the same but feels entirely different.

A little more than a year has passed. I’ve learned that time doesn’t heal grief. It teaches you how to carry it. Some days feel steady. Others still knock the wind out of me. What has surprised me most over this past year is how many parents are walking this same road. In the United States alone, an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 families lose a child or young adult every year.

We are living through a quiet and deeply troubling moment in this country. After decades of steady progress, child and youth mortality rates have reversed course. In the last five years, deaths among children and young adults have risen drastically – driven by fentanyl, mental-health crises, gun violence, and despair. One public-health researcher called the shift “a red flashing light.” Behind every number is a family standing in the aftermath, trying to breathe through the unthinkable.

I know that place.

What I want to share here isn’t advice. It’s simply what helped me survive the first year after Shaun passed, moment by moment, breath by breath.

Earlier that day, before I knew Shaun had passed (November 20, 2024), I recorded a short video and posted it online.

“Don’t build a home in hardship. Don’t make mourning your address. Don’t let yesterday steal your tomorrow.”

At the time, I had no idea those words would become a lifeline, first for me, and later for others. After Shaun’s passing, I couldn’t imagine ever standing in front of a camera again. I wasn’t trying to get back to “normal.” That life no longer existed. My work, my health, and my sense of purpose all had to change.

Grief doesn’t just break your heart. It disorients you. It pulls you out of your body, out of your relationships, and out of any sense of direction. In the first months after Shaun’s passing, I gained weight, slept poorly, and felt the edges of myself blur. I wasn’t broken. I was overwhelmed.

What helped me wasn’t trying to fix my grief. It was giving myself something steady to return to.

L.I.F.E

I leaned on the same L.I.F.E. Mapping process I had originally built for families. It helped keep me going when everything felt unstable. I used it to notice when my body was taking the hit of grief and needed care, to stay connected to what I was feeling instead of shutting down, and to make sure I didn’t disappear from my family and friends.

Doing this didn’t make the loss easier. It helped me to keep living while carrying the loss.

Some days, “mapping my life” meant nothing more than getting outside and walking. Other days it meant sitting quietly and letting the tears come. Sometimes it meant reaching out instead of pulling away. And sometimes it meant remembering that even in grief, life still asks for presence, not perfection.

What I’ve learned this year is that grief doesn’t want to be rushed, but it’s not a place to live. Mourning is necessary. Pain needs processing. But if we don’t gently orient ourselves, if we don’t check in with our bodies, our inner world, our relationships, and our sense of meaning, grief can quietly become isolating.

For anyone walking a road of grief now, please hear this. You are not weak for feeling lost. You are human. And you don’t need a grand plan to survive. Sometimes a simple reminder, a daily check-in, or a steady structure is enough to get you through the next hour.

I don’t have your answers. I only have my story. But I believe this deeply. Our greatest heartbreak can also become a doorway to new meaning. Love doesn’t leave us when our loved ones pass on. It changes form. It asks us to carry it differently.

Shaun still walks with me – in my life, my work, my choices, and the families I support. His life ended in shock and pain, but it continues with purpose.

If you’re reading this as a person who has lost someone you love, or fears losing one, know this: You are not alone, and you don’t have to figure life out all at once. Stay connected. Stay honest. Take care of your body. Lean on others. And don’t let grief be the place where you live. Onwards, one breath, one day at a time.