Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel » Varda Epstein

How We Got Here in the First Place

Varda Epstein — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:08:00 +0000

Some of the roughest commentary issued by Times of Israel bloggers never appears here in this public space, but well out of sight of the public in a Facebook group developed just for the bloggers (once “secret” now merely “closed”). We may talk shop: how do you get a photo to display within the blog [...]

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Ode to My Teacher

Varda Epstein — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:04:29 +0000

Her gravestone sits in patch of melted snow, suitably gray and mournful. No different than any other within a stone’s throw, this one is adequate with its standard religious symbols. It’s just a modest grave with no adornments. No parapet or pitched roof— there’s just the stone and no more. There are the words you [...]

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The Irrelevancy of the UN Correction

Varda Epstein — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 05:43:09 +0000

Buried somewhere within a 17-page report issued on March 6th by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was this terse sentence: “On 14 November, a woman, her 11-month-old infant, and an 18-year-old adult in Al-Zaitoun were killed by what appeared to be a Palestinian rocket that fell short of Israel.” There was nothing in [...]

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A Slap in the Face

Varda Epstein — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:55:23 +0000

At long last, the president of the United States is visiting Israel, his first such visit during his time in office. It’s not that he hasn’t been to the region. He’s been to Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Afghanistan. It’s just that he hasn’t visited America’s closest ally in the Middle East, Israel. I [...]

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Dames of the Dance

Varda Epstein — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:05:45 +0000

When I was four, I had a best friend, Stacy. Stacy took dance classes with Mario—no last name—and when we had play dates, she’d show me the steps intoning, “A one-a-two, three, four; a one-a-two, three, four.” It was so CATCHY. I couldn’t get that rhythm out of my head. In plaintive tones, I asked [...]

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Cookbook Review: Passover Made Easy

Varda Epstein — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:38:42 +0000

“Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency, but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Or so goes the famous quote from Benjamin Franklin in his letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy dated November, 13, 1789. As a Jewish homemaker I would add one [...]

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When in Rome

Varda Epstein — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:17:25 +0000

Planning my wedding was no great chore—at least for me. Mostly, the wedding preparations fell on my mother’s head. Or rather, the job was dumped in her lap by circumstances. I was in Israel, but the wedding was to be held in the States in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I took care of procuring [...]

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A Cookie for a Heart

Varda Epstein — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:09:01 +0000

During a recent Shabbos table discussion, my son asked me if I had ever cried to weasel my way out of trouble. I said, “Are you kidding? I’m a Litvak,” I said gesturing at my eyes, “Ice comes out.” My son cracked up. “Stones!” he riposted. It’s kind of scary how tough I can be. [...]

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That Kind of Town

Varda Epstein — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:53:56 +0000

I don’t much like change. Maybe that’s why I feel so at home in Jerusalem. It’s the hills. It’s the way you can begin talking to a stranger and immediately make a connection. I grew up in Pittsburgh when you could still leave the doors unlocked to go around the corner to get some milk [...]

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Jack and the Beanie

Varda Epstein — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:54:07 +0000

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Jack whose parents were Polish immigrants. Jack grew up to have a signature just like the icing on a Hostess cupcake. But he doesn’t wear a beanie. Even though he’s an “orthodox” Jew. Like everyone else with access to the boob tube, I watched President [...]

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I’m voting for Bennett

Varda Epstein — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 16:30:42 +0000

In my blog of January 2, Pinning Jell-O to the Wall, I opined that as the Israeli electoral campaign wore on, the party platforms were becoming hazier, rather than clearer. I saw difficulties in: Distinguishing between statements issued for public consumption versus the actual positions of the candidates The failure of the candidates’ social media [...]

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Pinning Jell-O to the Wall

Varda Epstein — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:03:41 +0000

I happen to like words, a lot. But in the past few days the words in this campaign are beginning to cloud my mind. Last week, I was sure I was going to vote for Naftali Bennett. Now I just don’t know. First of all, he’s just not accessible. I like that he is “one [...]

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My holy bubble

Varda Epstein — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 06:04:33 +0000

“Brrrrrrrrring,” rang the phone as I turned, bleary-eyed and not-yet-caffeinated from my Facebook newsfeed. Fumbling a bit with the receiver, I cursed a kosher curse (dang it) and clearing my throat said in my bright cheery telephone voice, “Hello?” I heard that faraway sound you hear when someone calls long distance, but instead of a [...]

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“Sorry, Charlie.”

Varda Epstein — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 19:04:04 +0000

Can we talk about tuna cans? For years we couldn’t get American tuna in Israel. We’d beg our parents to bring it to us on their yearly jaunts to see the kids and oohed and ahhed over this product that had once seemed ubiquitous, back in our childhoods. And no. Don’t even suggest that we [...]

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A Corner of the Heart for Sandy Hook

Varda Epstein — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 13:23:02 +0000

The enormity of Sandy Hook has hit us hard. It is almost too much to bear. So we do what humans do and try to make sense of things by finding our reflections in the details. Proponents of gun control say that stricter laws would have prevented the tragedy. Those against gun control say that [...]

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