Our Writers
Authors
This month’s contributors:
Talia Avrahami
Talia Avrahami is a Jewish educator, researcher, and commentator. She has taught both General Studies and Judaic Studies subjects to boys’, girls’, and co-ed classes at the preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school levels in Orthodox Jewish schools throughout New York and New Jersey.
Originally from Baltimore, Talia Avrahami has lived in New Orleans, Jerusalem, Florence, Paris, and Tel Aviv. She now lives with her husband and daughter in New York and spends her free time traveling and baking.
Ruti Eastman
After serving in the US military, Ruti Eastman married her hero, discovered Judaism, and homeschooled four sons. Ruti and her family made aliyah in 2007. She has published two books of short essays and is currently preparing for her next publication. She enjoys playing harmonica and percussion with her family band. Ruti lives with her husband in Neve Daniel, in Gush Etzion, Israel.
Shoshana Isaacson
Shoshana Isaacson is a chef and food writer. Residing in Houston, Texas with her husband, she cooks for a wide array of people. Passionate about world cuisines she is constantly searching out kosher ingredients, bringing authenticity to her table. When not cooking she enjoys reading, gardening, her passion for waste reduction, and spending time with her family. She can be reached at foodeditor@unorthoboxed.com or https://www.theoutoftowncook.com
Arnie Draiman
Arnie Draiman is a Philanthropic Consultant, helping Donors and Foundations give their money away wisely, efficiently, and effectively. With a strong background in hi-tech, Arnie also consults in branding and social media. He can be reached at ajdraiman@gmail.com.
Yaffi Lvova
Yaffi Lvova is an experienced Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a proud mom of twins plus one. She earned a BA in Religious Studies and a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from Arizona State University and went on to complete the Iowa State University dietetic internship. Yaffi is a published author of several books on feeding kids and is the creator of Toddler Test Kitchen. Yaffi supports parents through her social media, public speaking, and Nap Time Nutrition podcast and YouTube channel.
Meira Schneider-Atik
Meira E. Schneider-Atik is a wardrobe stylist and personal shopper. Her goal is to help women look and feel their best by flattering their unique faces, bodies, and personalities. She writes a style blog at www.truetzniutistruebeauty.wordpress.com where you can see how this works. She also custom designs fashion jewelry, and does head wrapping tutorials on YouTube at “Look your best in mitpachot.” She can be reached at mesatik@gmail.com
Hannah M. Heller
Hannah M. (Fruchter) Heller’s life revolves around Judaism and education. She is a Bnei Mitzvah/Hebrew tutor and a Dvar Torah presenter at various synagogues. She trains medical students as a Standardized Patient/Teaching Associate and works as a substitute teacher. Hannah is the widow of the late Craig Heller and the mother of Gila (Rob) Golder and Elliot Heller. She has two adorable grandchildren.
Yehudis Schamroth
After a long career as a nurse anesthetist Yehudis Schamroth became certified in TCM- Traditonal Chinese Medicine. She now has a busy Integrative Medicine practice where she combines conventional medical knowledge with acupuncture and herbalism, thereby offering truly holistc healing with both Western and Eastern Medicine. Yehudis practices in the Bet Shemesh , Efrat and Jerusalem areas in Israel.
Gila Ross
Gila’s vibrant, positive and relatable style make her a well-sought after and much loved coach and educator with over 20 years’ experience. She has a passion for sharing the joy and relevance of Judaism and positive parenting. Her Power Up! podcast was named top Jewish Podcast Worldwide. Her book, Living Beautifully, using the timeless wisdom of Pirkei Avot to create joy, meaning and love is coming out in 2023. Follow her on Instagram @itsgilaross. Download her free guide to Shabbat prep in an hour https://www.subscribepage.com/shabbat
Myriam Levine
Miryam Levine, CRN CCM, now a septuagenarian, is a retired Registered Nurse with 35+ years of rich and varied experiences. For hobbies, she has always enjoyed writing, singing, and acting.
Miryam became observant at age 52. She made aliyah in 2005 and currently lives in Ashkelon, Israel. She has 2 daughters, 9 grandchildren (4 married), and so far 11 great-grandchildren! She looks forward to a happy, long, productive future.
Ellen Frank Bayer
Ellen Frank Bayer is an elder care attorney who was born in Brooklyn and now lives and practices in Woodmere, New York. She is a proud member of Eshel and when not practicing law can be found gardening, painting, or exploring New York City. She has also coached mock trial teams, taught history, and was a high school librarian. She can be reached at efrankattorneyatlaw@gmail.com.
Previous contributors:
Tanya Goldfrad, R.Ph, MPH
Tanya is a pharmacist with a Master’s in Public Health. She likes to focus on health promotion. Her time is spent working with patients to prevent diabetes, helping them deprescribe from medication, and employing pharmacogenomic testing to pinpoint optimal dose and medication for patients. She recently hosted the Teens Triumph Summit, empowering parents to assist their teens suffering from mental health issues. She can be reached at tanyagoldfrad.com
Galit Stone, Illustrator
One of the youngest contributors to the magazine, Galit is the sole illustrator on the crew. She loves to draw, has a certificate in computerized graphics (working with programs such as Paint Tool SAI, Photoshop, and Illustrator). She has worked on commissions from overseas and has many online friends from many corners of the world.
Susannah Schild
Susannah Schild was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana and moved to Israel in 2003. After years of parenting adventures as a stay-at-home mom, she started Hiking the Holyland to inspire people to connect to the beauty of Israel’s nature. When she’s not climbing through a canyon in the Negev or leading a pack of hikers through the Carmel, she enjoys singing and playing the guitar. Susannah lives in Neve Daniel with her husband and 6 children.
Adara Peskin-Shalem
Adara is a divorced mother of four living in Kochav Yaakov, a town near Jerusalem. She is passionate about educating women on important topics, such as mental health, ableism, fatphobia, parenting, saving money, and more recently, divorce. She teaches classes on foraging wild edible plants, published a cookbook on international cuisine made with wild edible plants, blogs at Pennilessparenting.com and is a former columnist on frugal living for Ami Magazine.
Chaya Heuberger
Chaya Heuberger, LCSW, sees private clients for psychotherapy in Modi’in, Israel, or on Zoom. Chaya works with a range of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, trauma, and more, with a focus on interpersonal relationships. She is also the founder and director of Lev Sara Helpline, an anonymous mental health helpline for Anglos in Israel.
Chaya can be reached via email at chayagmz@gmail.com or at chayaheuberger.com
Myriam Levine
Miryam Levine, CRN CCM, now a septuagenarian, is a retired Registered Nurse with 35+ years of rich and varied experiences. For hobbies, she has always enjoyed writing, singing, and acting.
Miryam became observant at age 52. She made aliyah in 2005 and currently lives in Ashkelon, Israel. She has 2 daughters, 9 grandchildren (4 married), and so far 11 great-grandchildren! She looks forward to a happy, long, productive future.
Margo Helman, MSW
A clinical social worker in private practice, Margo provides therapy for people coping with difficult relationships, anxiety, illness and loss. Both as a therapist and in her column, Live Well, No Matter What, she brings in practical tools for mindfulness, emotional coping and for thriving with life’s immense challenges. Formerly clinical director of a leading non-profit, she runs online programs teaching how to be calm during conflict.
Chana Sternlich
Chana Sternlich has always been a writer at heart. After a 16-year hiatus, she is taking a chance to explore her creative side.
As a child, Chana felt a pull to observance in her Reform Sunday school, later switching to a Jewish high school. Originally from New England, she moved to Israel over 15 years ago. Today, Chana is a single mother of 3 living just outside Jerusalem.
Danina Avery
Danina is an Argentine native transplanted to South Florida over 20 years ago. She is a doula and women’s health educator, but her greatest accomplishment is being a Jewish mother to a seven year old and wife to an incredible husband.
Shuli Elisheva
Shuli Elisheva is a Modern Orthodox Yiddish teacher, poet, and composer. She came out as transgender in 2019 and has since written extensively on social media about her daily experiences, memories, and reflections.
Danielle Askin
Danielle Askin lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two youngest children. She works full time as an Accounting and Operations Manager while building her YouTube channel and blog, Jewish Archivist, which she hopes will combat the negative stereotypes of Orthodox Jewish life. Her hobbies include sewing and adapting historical patterns to modern needs. Every garment she makes has huge pockets!
Rebbetzin Laya Pearlman
Laya is a retired medical professional, writer, and author. She writes with the wit and wisdom of all her varied experiences.
She was born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, and lived in a number of cities along the East Coast until she and her late husband made Aliyah to Israel. Laya was recently remarried to a Chassidic Rabbi.
Ros Bakst
Ros is from the UK and lives in Israel with her family. She is a trained stylist and entrepreneur, currently working for a startup that brings fashion and technology together. She opened BaksttoBlack, helping modern orthodox women with fashion, designing dresses that can be altered for any body shape. She is also part of a new start-up, www.mywoodbar.com which has just launched!
Yocheved Coetzee
Yocheved Coetzee lives in South Africa. With degrees and qualifications in communication, education, writing, and media, Yocheved has been working in media for the past 43 years. Now retired, Yocheved has been a journalist, scriptwriter, and editor for magazines and newspapers. Most recently,Yocheved retired from her position as sub-editor of Die Burger, a daily newspaper in South Africa.
Hinda Rochel Anolick
My career path has been Ima (Mom) and Savta (Grandmom) and I’m eternally grateful to Hashem for allowing me this choice. I love reading, writing, and journaling through life. Cats and dogs will always bring me a smile. I believe that the world is a wonderful place and that gratitude for the wonders of the world brings joy to the soul.
Our Editor in Chief
Penina Taylor
Penina Taylor has been a Jewish educator, inspirational speaker, and life coach for over 20 years. She is the author of two books and hundreds of articles, as well as a frequent guest on podcasts and radio shows. Before Covid, Penina regularly traveled to the US, Canada, South Africa, and the UK to speak. Originally from the US, Penina now lives in Israel with her husband, four married children, and 11 grandchildren. Penina’s website is peninataylor.com