Neshama Sheli

Practical guides for a Jewish family

Where to begin: challah, Shabbat candles, Tehillim, the mikvah calculator, Shalom Bayit, parenting and Russian-speaking family life in Israel.

Mother and daughter reading a book together

When you need a concrete answer, a large archive is easier to explore along a short reading route. These seven new guides provide a starting point, a next step and links to magazine materials. Choose the question that matters today; you do not need to read every section in order.

Challah for Shabbat: choosing a recipe and braiding

Choose one recipe, read it through and allow time for the dough to rise. This guide helps you plan preparation, start with a simple braid and explore challah separation as a separate topic. It links to actual archive recipes and workshops.

Shabbat candle lighting: preparation and prayers

Find the time for your city and date, then open the texts you need. The route distinguishes an additional prayer before lighting, the blessing and the prayer after lighting. Clarify your family custom before preparations begin.

Tehillim for beginners: choosing and reading Psalms

Begin with one Psalm: find its number, explore its meaning and choose a comfortable text size. We explain the collection of all 150 Psalms and the 30 monthly readings so you can return to your chosen text.

Mikveh calculator: how to use the three modes

If this is your first visit to the tool, choose the appropriate mode and city first. The instructions explain fields, time choices and how to read the result. They distinguish niddah days, seven clean days and separation days.

Shalom Bayit: preparing a family conversation

Prepare one everyday question, agree on a time and allow room for an answer. A family budget example shows how to move from a general complaint to discussing a concrete decision and following up on an agreement.

Jewish parenting: reading with children and about teenagers

Choose reading according to your child’s age and your family’s question. Find ideas for younger children, holiday materials and a sequence of articles about teenagers. A simple Russian and Hebrew activity is suggested for a bilingual home.

A Russian-speaking family in Israel: language, traditions and community

Choose one step: family language practice, Shabbat preparation or finding local connections. Official resources for Russian and Hebrew are provided alongside archive reading about Israel with its publication year clearly stated.

Using these reading routes

Open one route, choose one text or activity and return to the topic when convenient. All new guides are available in Russian, English, Hebrew and French. Differences in the language of older articles and original videos are identified where relevant; the links support further reading.