Rachelli Prawer, at The Blogs

Jul 6, 2025, 12:48 PM

A sunburnt country, where our shuls now burn

Damage to the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne is seen on an Australian Broadcasting Corporation news report on July 5, 2025, following an arson attack the previous day (TOI c/o Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

'...which is the right way to which a man should cleave? ...Rabbi Shimon said, foresight.' (Pirkei Avot 2:9) ...איזוהי דרך ישרה שידבק בה האדם...' (פרקי אבות ב:ט) 'רבי שמעון אומר, הרואה את הנולד Hi Melbourne Jews, It’s me again. It feels like déjà...

Jun 26, 2025, 7:42 PM

How trigonometry prepared me for 2025

Maths teacher water skiing (image AI generated by the author)

A funny memory surfaced recently. It was from my year 11 or 12 maths class with Mr Peter Nicholls Z"L. He was presumably trying to explain some kind of mathematical function (probably sine, given the explanation I remember). He described holding...

Jun 16, 2025, 6:48 PM

Raising Generation Redemption

My children's beds in our Mamad [safe room], complete with Teddy (courtesy)

It might be one of the strangest bedtime routines ever. My two older children now sleep in our safe room nightly, though even in the last few months before this current war, they have chosen to sleep there more...

Feb 12, 2025, 9:12 PM

One breath at at time

הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ (דברים ל:יט) "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse....

Dec 6, 2024, 11:08 AM

Featured Post

Melbourne 2024: Jews, wake up and smell the smoke!

Sifrei Torah rescued from Adass Israel Shul after the arson attack (Yeshiva World News)

Our enemies know the power of fire and the national memories it evokes, but we are no longer exiled and defenseless – we have a refuge

Sep 2, 2024, 10:55 PM

‘By any means necessary’

The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70CE, a painting by David Roberts (1796-1849). (public domain)

“If you got… certainty, you’ll be willing to do anything to bring about the end you want. It’s the oldest human problem, Lyra, an’ it’s the difference between good and evil. Evil can be unscrupulous, and good can’t....

Aug 11, 2024, 4:53 PM

We named her Hope

Street view in Efrat, Gush Etzion: banner reads "Hope is mandatory". (courtesy)

עוד לא אבדה תקוותנו" (התקווה, המנון מדינת ישראל)" “Our hope is not yet lost.” (Hatikva, Israeli anthem) I know I’m not alone in dreading this time of year and waiting impatiently for it to pass — these weeks leading up to...

Jun 23, 2024, 2:40 PM

Featured Post

Spoiler alert: We will win. But what role will you choose to play?

Jewish history shows that the end of the story is predetermined. But our role in it, and our destiny as individuals, is not

May 29, 2024, 1:15 PM

How to exist in a lonely world

From the river to the sea, Israel stands alone (images via X, formerly Twitter)

(סוטה מט:ב) "על מי יש להשען — על אבינו שבשמים" "Upon whom can we rely? On our Father in heaven." (Sotah 49b) My son needed a time-out on Shabbat. Not exactly an unusual occurrence, but this occasion had a silver...

Mar 24, 2024, 1:29 PM

Our mouths shall be filled with laughter

A screenshot from Eretz Nehederet's satirical sketch on the US congress hearings on antisemitism (YouTube, screenshot)

“The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you...

About Me

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Rachelli made aliya to Israel 8 years ago, and currently lives in the beautiful Judean hills of Gush Etzion with her husband and 3 children. She works as a doctor and freelance medical writer.