Mommash: The Oy & Joy of Family with Lori Fein

An absolutely incredible conversation with Avigail Gimpel, mother of three sons and three daughters, author of two books on raising a child with ADHD symptoms, college professor, community activist, and exercise enthusiast. Avigail shares how her early experience teaching a class full of rowdy boys led her to think deeply about root causes for ADHD behaviors, and search for diet, exercise, and behavioral strategies to nurture each child's strengths. She discusses the centrality of fun to family life, sending her children off to war, relying on her kids as a multiplier for her work, and how Jewish practice and belief centers her family life. Avigail also shares reflections on her work preparing women for burial after 10/7. Plus, a three-year jaunt to Moscow with toddlers in tow, running marathons as a family, monthly trips to the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Maarat ha Machpelah) in Hebron, avoiding using your kids as your therapists, and building a close community to guide each other in tough times.

In this episode, Chana Jenny Weisberg, mother of eight, Jerusalem resident, blogger and business owner, reflects on her "next good thing" philosophy and how she stays on track to live her values day by day, even when they differ from what she thought they would be. We go deep on the internal conflicts raised by devoting your full time to parenting in a world of "what do you do" focus on one's professional achievements, and what Chana Jenny does to accept her own choices and support others in theirs. Plus, hear how a mother of ten turned twenty-five years of counseling her kids into a new career counseling cancer patients, taking baby steps to make great leaps forward, removing that "last straw" to lighten your load (or your kid's), meditating to mend relationships, sibling combat and closeness, finding new fulfillment in a new business, consistency as a super power, and how a woman she never met inspired her to change her life.

For daily inspiration from Chana Jenny, check out JewishMOM.com.

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Special shout out to my amazing sister, Dr. Ali Blech. Love you so much!

Argentine immigrant, activist, attorney, and adventurous mom to three daughters and twin sons, Mariela Markelis Dybner reflects on her priorities, choices, and how she turned a difficult episode into the memories of a lifetime by moving her troops to Disney for an entire month! Plus, delving into family history from Poland to Argentina via google and gravestones, forming a unique family identity, second thoughts at the urologist's office, attending work retreats with an entourage (ie toddler, baby, aupair), how attending Shabbat services builds your kids' community bonds, mothering as an ever evolving challenge, kids inspiring family change, and how your actions reveal your priorities in unexpected ways.

We'd love to hear from you! Let us know your thoughts, suggest a friend or a topic, or come be a guest on the podcast yourself! Drop a note in Lunchbox@Mommash.com. We'd love to hear from you -- there's Mommash nothing like it!

From her chill "California Modern" Jewish observance to her 5 am "me time" to her mantra of God, Family & Skiing, Jessica Minkoff knows her priorities and finds creative ways to keep her cool, let her SIX kids grow into their best selves, and cultivate a close clan that relishes time with one another. Plus, schlepping your crew to Israel and the AIPAC conference, finding your confidence, throwing a quesadilla at your mother-in-law (we've all been there, right?), taming your devil child, balancing individual and whole family needs, Coachella themed bar mitzvahs (not those gummies!), office hours in your bedroom, using the "who cares more" rule, meeting in grad school at Harvard, and why her 8-year old son wants to live in Israel for the candy, and the freedom.

Would you like to appear on Mommash: The Oy & Joy of Family? Do you have a friend we should meet? Drop a note in Lunchbox@Mommash.com!

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Introducing Mommash, a new podcast about the Oy and the Joy of creating a family, with a special focus on larger Jewish families. In this preview episode, Lori and Haleh share a bit about their big broods, their plans for the show and the Passover food their Persian and Mexican families can't live without. Questions? Want to visit? Drop a note in our lunchbox at Lunchbox@Mommash.com.