Within days of arriving in Boston in 1991, Mila and Mike Margul looked for a temple to say mourner’s kaddish for Mike’s parents. As immigrants from Odessa, Ukraine, being in the U.S. meant that now they could observe Jewish customs more freely. Mike found Temple Shalom of Newton on a map and walked 1½ hours to find it. He was met with a warm welcome: temple members brought toys and clothes for … [Read more...]
Stories Create a Legacy
June 21, 2018 by
Ros was nervous. The night had arrived to tell her story at “The Emoth Hour” – Temple Emeth’s version of a “Moth” style coffee house with members telling personal stories. As people were setting up the social hall she confessed to me, “I’m not sure I can do this.” I encouraged Ros to try a run through for the small group of storytellers who had arrived early. Supported and assured that her … [Read more...]
Revolutionary
June 27, 2017 by
I arrived at my 5th grade classroom one winter morning and saw unusual flowery script on the blackboard. In a stern voice, our teacher read aloud : “Proclamation: From this day forth, every assignment and test must be handed in with a "stamp." Stamps must be purchased with ten copies of the week's spelling list. Severe penalties if you do not comply. No exceptions. Signed, The Duchess of … [Read more...]
From Generation to Generation
May 25, 2017 by
https://vimeo.com/216693263 “The stereotype is that old people sit around and play bingo,” said a 6th grade participant at Temple Shir Tikvah’s intergenerational project in Winchester, MA. But hearing stories from real life experiences shed new light on those assumptions, and on current social issues. Over the course of the school year, kids and seniors met monthly. At one session they … [Read more...]
Journey to America
April 10, 2017 by
“Right away we made plans to go to America,” my Grandpa told me. “Your Grandma and I, we met, we fell in love. We wanted to go join our brothers in New York.” My grandparents, Markus Horowitz and Mania Alter, were born in Poland at the turn of the 20th century. Like many of their generation, they dreamt of immigrating to America, a land that offered more opportunity and less … [Read more...]
Close to Home: Family Stories
February 25, 2017 by
Grandma Jeanette and her sister Kitty were close in age and their good humored, wise cracking competition stretched well into adulthood. They both got married and pregnant with their first children in their early twenties and continued to live in the same Brooklyn neighborhood. Kitty’s baby was due three months before Jeanette’s. But Kitty’s due date came and went and nothing happened. Day … [Read more...]
Understanding the “Other” in Us
January 26, 2017 by
“Wait behind the line. One at a time,” the security guard cautions as my teenage daughter and I approach the check in for airport security. She is still a minor and does not yet have a driver’s license, so she is by my side as I step up to show my ID. “We are together,” I state loudly, my shoulders tense and my chin raised. The guard’s eyes dart from me to my daughter, his face shifting from … [Read more...]
Listening Across Differences
November 16, 2016 by
“Try to be present and listen respectfully, with an open mind,” I suggest. I facilitate personal story sharing in schools and organizations with the aim of building understanding across human differences. I frame the session with guidelines, and by setting the intention of listening. “This is a time to listen to personal stories, to try to understand the reality of some members of your … [Read more...]
Culture of Appreciation
July 5, 2016 by
"Time for appreciations is when the magic happens!” observed a high school faculty member following a personal story sharing session I designed. He was referring to a response technique that listeners use after hearing each other’s stories. Rather than engaging in debate, conversation or even asking questions, they are directed to comment on what specifically they found insightful, effective, or … [Read more...]
Stories of our Names
May 15, 2016 by
What is the story of your name – first, middle or last? Were you named after someone? Was your family name changed? Are you called different names or nick names, depending on the context? These are some of the prompts I gave to a group of teens recently. It evoked a lively response, as everyone had a story to tell about their names. Some explored connections to their family histories, some … [Read more...]