Being far from home just makes the story hit harder: wandering, waiting, wondering… and still showing up with gratitude.

Wishing you a Chag Sameach full of meaning, miracles, and maybe a few uninterrupted bites.

Next year in Jerusalem. This year, exactly where I need to be.

Because one day, they won’t want bedtime snuggles. And I’ll wonder where the time went.

#WorkLifeBalance #GirlDad #FamilyFirst

The difference? I work somewhere that values work-life balance. Remote days mean no Miami traffic & being home for bedtime—even if I worked a little later than planned.

Tonight, Diana—who’s usually all about mommy—wanted to cuddle with me and Yael. A rare moment I don’t take for granted.

Ferris Bueller had it right: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

I’m grateful for a company that encourages that. Today, I made sure to stop. And I’m really, really glad I did.

#Fatherhood #Parenting #LifeMovesFast

But then came the moment that made it all worth it. When Yael walked through the door, I asked how her day was, and she said: “You made it great, because you surprised me.”

And yeah, I got a little teary-eyed. These little moments? They’re what it’s all about.

4/4 But as much as I wanted to believe it, I wasn’t convinced myself. Because I know better. Because I’ve seen what real monsters do.

And no child—mine, yours, or any child in Israel or anywhere else—should ever have to live in fear of them.

Am Yisrael Chai.
#BringThemHomeNow

3/4 I know she meant something imaginary, but my mind went somewhere darker. I couldn’t help but picture real-life monsters. The kind that don’t just haunt dreams—they destroy lives.

I hugged her and told her monsters are more like Mike Wazowski—they learned that laughter is better than screams.

2/4 She woke us up at 5 a.m. after a nightmare. We pulled her into our bed, and surprisingly, she fell right back to sleep. That almost never happens.

In the morning, we asked what her bad dream was about. She said, “Green monsters were hitting me.”

3/3 I don’t just practice Judaism; I live it. It’s not a box I check. It’s not a cultural label. It’s the way I exist in this world. It’s how I raise my two daughters. And no level of hate will ever erase that or get me to change who I am.

#BringThemHomeNow #EndJewHatred #RaisingProudJews

2/3 And yet, I’m living in a time where some people think that’s justified. Where antisemitism is somehow excusable or “complicated.” It’s not. It’s hate, plain and simple. And it’s growing. But here’s what isn’t changing—who I am.

2/2 The second I hung up, I broke down at my mom’s house. Then, I picked up my girls from school, took them to see their great-grandparents, and we went to Shabbat services. I hugged them a little tighter than usual. No parent should have to endure what Yarden Bibas is going through. Ever.

Day 4: Modern Miracle (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/chanuka...)
Day 5: Finding Light in the Grind (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/chanuka...)