Democracy for Some, Apartheid for Others
The Israeli army closed the city of Jericho on one of the busiest tourist days of the year. We spent hours waiting outside the checkpoint. “Do you go to the…
Is your mother one of those soldiers?
When my daughter said that I speak Hebrew, a girl in summer camp pantomimed firing a gun and asked, “Is your mother one of them?” “Ima! There are kids up…
Forat Discovers the Truth about the Tooth Fairy
I enjoyed cultivating the Tooth Fairy as a heroine. Forat deals with so many grown-up issues – I wanted her to retain some childhood magic. The truth about the Tooth…
Winning a Literary Prize, Reclaiming the Hebrew Language
The Israeli Minister of Culture gave me a Hebrew literature prize. I’m grateful. And trying to reclaim Hebrew from those who use it to oppress. Hebrew is not the private…
When is it OK to teach children about inequality and oppression?
Children are aware of stratification by gender and ethnicity. They notice who works in preschools, who their parents’ bosses are, and who cleans public toilets. Rereading a book from my…
Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day
In the four decades that passed between my U.S. grade school education and that of my daughter, Columbus Day lessons have changed, but not enough. A capital city that’s also…
Learning About Mixed Love from the Loving Family
Forat asked to watch a movie about a couple arrested for violating a ban on interracial marriage. I wondered what she understood about our family. Falafel in the South…
How much do you want to challenge them with your bikini?
When my daughter asked why I was putting a shirt over my swimsuit, I told her the truth: "Because men like to control women's bodies." The summer, rife with…
My Son Looks Beautiful in His Sister’s Dresses
How can we teach our children to resist what is wrong in society - while still protecting them? Boys in dresses and girls at demonstrations.Two and a half-year old Adam…
My Parenting Challenge: Protecting My Two-year-old from Tear Gas
I went for a morning run with my son in a stroller and felt my eyes and throat burn. Tear gas thrown by Israeli soldiers. “Aaaaaaahhhhhh!” Adam’s voice. I heard…