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Family, Parenting and Religion

2026-08-29T22:59:21-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Back to School, Back to Reality—and a New Set of Fears

Last updated on: August 29, 2026 at 10:59 pm By Dana Shemesh

A New School Year Begins… Back to Reality A new school year begins. It’s an adjustment—for me, for the kids, and for our family. After the lazy, mindless lull of the end of summer, when my boys spent their days playing online, hanging out with friends and having no real idea what the next day—or even the next few hours—might bring, we’ve suddenly been jolted back into reality. Early mornings. Homework. Sports. Activities. Demanding schedules and workloads for a seventh... Read more

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2026-03-01T22:57:15-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Purim’s Ancient Story Echoes in Today’s Israel-Iran Tensions

Last updated on: March 1, 2026 at 10:57 pm By Dana Shemesh

Purim and the Threat of War in Israel We are on the cusp of one of the most notable Jewish holidays of the year: Purim. During this holiday, we commemorate the Jewish people’s survival from a genocide plot in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran), as told in the Book of Esther. The villain Haman sought to annihilate all Jews in the Persian Empire, but through courage and divine intervention and clever thinking on behalf of the Jewish heroine Esther, the plot... Read more

Religion News

2025-09-05T01:04:45-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Jewish Mother Responds to Chris Martin’s Remarks

Last updated on: September 5, 2025 at 1:04 am By Dana Shemesh

Hey Chris Martin of Coldplay, Am I a Human? Hey Chris Martin — quick question from a Jewish mom. I was born in Israel. Am I human too? My kids are Jewish. They’re Israeli. They’re American. Do they qualify as human? Wait, I’m also a Zionist – which means I believe right of Jews to live safely and sovereignly in Israel. Am I still human now? And if — if — you’re generous enough to acknowledge our humanity (thanks so... Read more

Religion News

2025-06-16T12:51:07-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m Stuck in Israel with Kids During a Full Scale War

Last updated on: June 16, 2025 at 12:51 pm By Dana Shemesh

The Smell of Fear This morning I finally had the wherewithal to shower and change my clothes, clothing I had been wearing for the past 24 hours. My tank top reeked of body odor. This was a different kind of body odor; it was the smell of a fear that I had never known. I will not wash this tank top, I told myself. When I get back home to Atlanta G-d willing, I will take a whiff of it... Read more

Travel and Religion

2025-03-05T22:12:43-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How My Family’s Survival of Romanian Pogrom Resonates Today

Last updated on: March 5, 2025 at 10:12 pm By Dana Shemesh

Shock and Awe: An Existential Moment For many Jews around the world, the events of October 7 and its aftermath – were an existential wake-up call. Suddenly, we realized that humans have not evolved since the Holocaust and that antisemitism is alive and well, and brewing out in the open for the whole world to see – and even support. Growing up in suburban Atlanta, I had never really encountered blatant antisemitism. There were a few instances where ignorant people... Read more

History and Religion

2025-02-20T10:54:39-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Desperately Seeking “Righteous Among Nations” in Gaza

Last updated on: February 20, 2025 at 10:54 am By Dana Shemesh

The Righteous When the Nazis sought to exterminate the Jewish population during the Holocaust, a small but significant number of non-Jews risked own their lives to save Jewish people. They hid individuals and entire families with young children in their attics, basements, outhouses and crevices of their homes. These brave people are referred to as “Righteous Among the Nations“. Those who were known were recognized and awarded for their efforts – even posthumously – and some even accepted Israel’s... Read more

Muslim

History and Religion

2025-02-06T18:22:15-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Parenting a Linebacker: When a Jewish Mom Faces Football

Last updated on: February 6, 2025 at 6:22 pm By Dana Shemesh

Diary of a Reluctant Jewish Football Mom Football and the magnitude of its pervasive culture in America (especially where I live in the South) is somehow lost on me and my Israeli husband. He is not familiar with the sport, probably because it pretty much doesn’t exist in Israel. His only knowledge of football is from the movies, the glorified stories of football heroes scoring goals and having their pick of the prettiest blonde cheerleaders, just like Friday Night Lights.... Read more

Sports and Religion

2024-03-07T00:40:46-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As a Jewish Mother in 2024, I Just Can’t Even…

Last updated on: March 7, 2024 at 12:40 am By Dana Shemesh

It’s 2024 and I’m a Jewish, Israeli American wife and mother of two growing boys. It’s difficult for me to verbalize the fear and frustration that I feel on a day-to-day basis. The constant headlines of blatant antisemitism – in universities, government buildings, on display in city streets, and blasted on social media are unbearable. The fact that there are Jewish people in America being targeted and killed for being Jewish. I. just. can’t. even. Understand how this is happening... Read more

2024-03-07T00:18:36-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On International Women’s Day, a Voice for the Hostages

Last updated on: March 7, 2024 at 12:18 am By Dana Shemesh

This Friday marks International Women’s Day. There are still 19 innocent women — among 134 other hostages – still being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, for over 150 days now. One of these hostages, Shir Bibas, was kidnapped with her two small children, one age 4 and another age 1. Their fate is unknown. The depravity of the situation for the hostages and their families is excruciating. These young women who are facing rape, abuse, subhuman conditions, and not a... Read more

2024-01-15T01:58:17-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

100 Days of Hell

Last updated on: January 15, 2024 at 1:58 am By Dana Shemesh

It’s been just over 100 days since the hounds of hell descended upon the land of Israel, thirsty for Jewish blood and any living creature in their path. Brutally murdering, raping, and desecrating bodies of men, women, children, teens, beheading babies, killing elderly, and even helpless handicapped civilians. It’s been just over 100 days that over 120 Jewish hostages remain in the most inhumane conditions possible in Gaza, including 19-year-old Karina Ariev, 19-year-old Daniela Gilboa, and 18-year-old Liri Albag. A... Read more

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