Open Search form

Ilana Gimpelevich

Apply for a Blog

Apr 1, 2026, 8:53 PM

Erev Pesach in Israel 2026

Dear G-d, See, it's ערב פסח, and your people, the Jewish people have so many מצוות to do: burn chametz, prepare for the seder, review haggadah, check matzot, shower, change clothes... See how your people of Modiin got four missile warnings,...

Feb 6, 2026, 5:32 PM

The Body Said No at Sinai

Har Sinai was beautiful, covered with flowers. There was not a cloud in the sky–except for the Shechina perched on top of the mountain. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the Jewish people were nowhere to...

Jan 30, 2026, 4:30 PM

Learning to See Like We Did at the Sea

I was always bothered by the midrash cited in regards to the splitting of the Red Sea: רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: מְנַיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, שֶׁרָאֲתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם מַה שֶּׁלֹּא רָאוּ יְשַׁעְיָה וִיחֶזְקֵאל? Rabbi Eliezer said: From where do you derive that...

Aug 26, 2025, 12:38 AM

Bringing in Elul with a Bang

What do a Sting concert and a Women’s Hallel have in common? Over the past 24 hours, I have experienced two performances. Both took place on Rosh Chodesh Elul. One was a city concert titled The Sting Experience. A tribute...

Jun 19, 2025, 11:49 PM

Spies, Faith, and Flight Delays

We were supposed to be making aliyah next week. We were supposed to load a van, drive to the nearest El Al hub, print matching T-shirts, stack suitcases, fret about our pet cats, haul binders of paperwork and carry-ons of...

Apr 24, 2025, 7:08 PM

‘Did Any of Your Family Perish in the Holocaust?’

Silence. What is Holocaust? There was the Great Patriotic War. Grandma and Grandpa survived, Fought even, Heroes, medals… We don’t talk about the War. Grandma cries easily Over everything. At some point, I was let in on a secret, Heavy, Shameful, Unofficial. Grandma Rachel (that’s your great grandma) Stayed behind In Zaporojie (Zaporojitza?) To help a pregnant...

Apr 11, 2025, 1:23 AM

The 4 daughters

(iStock)

Here are some female counterparts for the famous 4 sons - but their role in Passover kicks in long before the Seder begins

Load more

About Me

Ilana Gimpelevich is a life-long learner. A mother to five children, she has lived in diverse Jewish communities. Currently a student in Yeshivat Maharat, she is interested in exploring the intersection of traditional texts with the modern reality.