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Top Jewish Books on Marriage | Miriam Zeitlin

Top Jewish Marriage Books for a More Fulfilling Relationship

A happy and healthy marriage extends its positive influence beyond the relationship itself. It impacts all areas of our lives. Whether you’re newly engaged, in Shana Rishona, celebrating a golden anniversary, or anywhere in between, the journey of marriage requires constant nurturing, continual learning, and growth. In this post, expert marriage coach Miriam Zeitlin, shares some of the most insightful and impactful Jewish marriage books These books are carefully selected to offer a diverse range of perspectives, from improving communication

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Miriam Zeitlin provides the ideal outline for your shidduch resume

From Paper to Proposal: Practical Tips for Writing an Effective Shidduch Resume

Putting you best foot forward makes a world of a difference when it comes to shidduchim. With inter-state and even international matchmaking on the rise, having a quality shidduch resume that represents you well can bring you one step closer to meeting your match! However, before the shidduch resume became the norm, there was a time when the local matchmaker was the living encyclopedia of eligible singles. Picture them, notebook in hand, filled with notes like ‘great masmid, but doesn’t

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Pedaling Through Life’s Bumpy Roads

This week, I was reminded of a simple truth about life when I came across a quote by Albert Einstein. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” It sounds easy, right? But what happens when the path gets rocky, or when a storm clouds the way forward? I faced such a storm this week. It came in the form of upsetting news regarding a close family member. This news wasn’t about me directly,

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Square Peg, Round Hole: Find your shape in the dating world.

Have you ever watched a child play with a shape-sorter toy? It’s a simple yet fascinating process where they learn to match different shapes with the corresponding holes. This seemingly straightforward activity offers insights into the world of dating and relationships. Let’s explore how trying to fit into a role that doesn’t truly match who we are is akin to forcing a square peg into a round hole in the realm of dating. In a child’s shape-sorter toy, each shape

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100 Folds, 100 Ways: Lessons From a Chef’s Hat

Have you ever heard about the fascinating connection between chef’s hats and relationships? It’s said that chef’s hats have 100 folds, each representing a unique way to whip up an egg. While this may be more of a delightful myth than a proven fact, it’s a charming way to think about relationships. Consider the chef’s hat for a moment. It’s not just a decorative accessory – those 100 folds symbolize versatility in the kitchen. Each fold represents a different egg

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2 Million Dollar Imperfection

At a recent auction, a tiny piece of paper captured the attention of collectors worldwide and sold for a staggering $2 million. It wasn’t the quality of the paper nor the perfection of the print that earned such value. It was its flaw—a printing mistake. This stamp is known as the Inverted Jenny, a 24-cent stamp featuring an upside-down biplane, an error that slipped through quality checks and into the hands of collectors. Its imperfection became its allure, its uniqueness

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Between Stimulus and Response

One of my favorite quotes is by Viktor E. Frankl. “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Every day in our relationships, we are presented with countless stimuli. Your partner may say something offhand that could be taken the wrong way, they forget something important, or they are having a bad day and aren’t as affectionate and attentive as usual.

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The Real Power of Our Words and Thoughts: A Dive into The Emoto Water Experiment

Have you ever pondered the profound impact of words and thoughts? I mean, really thought about it? Think about this – every time you utter a word or form a thought, you’re not simply producing a meaningless sound or a fleeting idea. You’re creating vibrations that can affect your surroundings. According to quantum physics, everything in the universe, including our thoughts and words, is made up of energy. And energy, as we know, has the power to influence and transform

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The Human Ladder

A single photograph can speak volumes, and the image of a human ladder is no exception. I recently saw this poignant photo, and it put a smile on my face. It made me think about how we all rely on others for mutual support and strength, especially in marriage. Each partner supports and is supported in turn, creating a strong structure that can reach incredible heights. We lift one another up through the various challenges and triumphs that life presents

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Knee-Jerk Reaction to War

My soul is torn. I feel numb. Since I heard the horrific news of what is happening in Eretz Yisrael, I have been frozen. It is difficult to fathom the heartbreak and devastation the people in Israel are going through. The torment is beyond comprehension. I can’t stop thinking about all the families and towns so greatly affected by this terrible tragedy. אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵלהַנְּתוּנִים בַּצָּרָה With the heart of a mother, I am very concerned for the welfare

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The Gift of Marriage

I recently celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary with my husband, and our journey together has been an emotional roller-coaster ride. It’s been filled with laughter and tears, triumphs and challenges, good times and some very difficult times, but I would not change any of it, for it has made me the person I am today. There are so many jokes about marriage. People love to poke fun at it because it is the one relationship that is so powerful it

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Shidduch References: The Unsung Hereos

In the world of shidduch dating, it is usually the shadchanim who get the credit and praise when a couple gets engaged. So much is spoken about the matchmakers and the people redting shidduchim, the coaches and mentors, but what about the references? We often overlook the significance of the references on our shidduch resumes. They play such a critical yet underappreciated role in the process. It all happens quietly, behind the scenes, so they are too often forgotten about.

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woman lighting Shabbos candles

A Jewish Women’s Prayer for Marriage

The most peaceful time of the week for me is after I light the Shabbos lecht, and in the soft glow of the candlelight, I whisper with deep concentration the prayer that a woman davens for her husband.  Week after week, I say the words, and each time is like the first, the emotion so raw and real, asking Hashem to bless my marriage with the love and friendship we had as a Chosson & Kallah.   ותטע בינינו תמיד

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Beyond the Classroom

Are We Doing Enough to Prepare Our Children for Life? I have tremendous Hakaras Hatov to the schools and Yeshivas my children attended throughout the years for all that they have done for them. They were instilled with a genuine love for Yiddishkeit, a strong foundation of Torah learning, and solid Hashkafas. The Rebbeim & teachers are truly the unsung heroes of our generation. Gemarah, Mishnayos, Halacha, Chumash, Navi, Mussar, Jewish history, American history, geography, math, and science, and the

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Communication: The Key to Successful Relationships

There is a great quote by Jim Rohn that, in a few words, sums up the essence of good communication: “If you just communicate, you can get by, but if you communicate skillfully, you can work miracles.” It is easy to live your life just getting by. However, where’s the fun in that?  Learning simple yet effective communication skills can help improve all relationships. Any skill you want to learn or habit you want to change takes time and practice

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The Secret Lives of Shadchanim

I am sure you are all curious to hear about the glamorous lives of shadchanim. Well, let me share with you the typical day in a matchmaker’s life.It begins at 7:30 A.M. with a steaming hot cup of coffee and a siddur. There are zero distractions, so she can daven the entire Shachris uninterrupted. When done, she sits down to a nutritious breakfast of whole wheat toast, eggs, and fruit. At 9 A.M., her full-time cleaning lady shows up to

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Shidduch date questions prepared by Miriam Zeitlin

Great Shidduch Date Questions to Keep Conversation Flowing

Dating is all about getting to know the other person. But, unless you’re a natural conversationalist, finding shidduch date questions and topics to talk about that can be tough, (especially if you’re already feeling under pressure).  Using her experience as a frum dating coach, Miriam Zeitlin shares top questions to ask on a shidduch date that can help you learn about the person you are dating on a deeper level. 16 Ice Breaker Questions to Ask on a Shidduch Date

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