Written by Rifki Orzech
A woman of valor, who can find… She seeks out wool and linen, and her hands work willingly
…She is like a merchant’s ships; from afar she brings her sustenance.
She rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household…
…She considers a field and buys it; from the fruit of her handiwork she plants a vineyard. She girds her loins with might and strengthens her arms.
She senses that her enterprise is good, so her lamp is not extinguished at night. She puts her hand to the distaff, and her palms support the spindle…
Look how many references there are to your business prowess in our weekly song. You wouldn’t know it from the time you’ve spent trying to balance home and family during the year.
You’ve had six weeks of holiday where you juggled the kids and the courses, prodded some teenagers out of bed to pull their weight and you might even have left them sleeping because you can’t take six full weeks off!
And then the chagim shoot you in the foot by arriving early this year. There’s no time for a lulav-shaped challah right? You’re lucky if you have stuff left in the freezer from Rosh Hashana and you pick up some take-out extras at the deli counter. You do what you need to do, Eshet Chayil! You’re doing the same, only different.
You might not take erev chag as holiday and even scheduling family time will be hard to fit in. You might find yourself taking a child to work, working in the wadi or emailing from the museum. Either way, however you choose to balance erev chag versus chol hamoed, you’re trying to keep everyone happy—and stay sane.
Ensuring everyone stays pleasant to each other when they’ve just spent weeks (and some of you – months!) together is no mean feat. Car trips to visit family might get lively without some back up. But don’t worry; we’ve got your back in the app department.
Before you defrost your chickens for the umpteenth time, take a look at our selection of Sukkot games or try out our FREE Sukkah Challenge, complete with classic red wagon feature, Hebrew vocabulary, and a sukkah shuk to buy supplies for your virtual sukkah! We love a good sukkah shuk.
This easy-on-the-eye animated app is graphically inviting and engaging. The Sukkah Challenge goes back to basics to include relevant sources and references. The child earns shekels while playing Torah detective, they study Torah texts and hear the sages’ opinions, particularly Hillel and Shammai; go on, you’ll love their voices. This is a fun way of interacting with original sources and boosting analytic skills.
There are videos and fun facts about Sukkot in Jerusalem and around the world. There’s an interactive Sukkot Siddur and a shoresh builder (incorporating simple Hebrew-learning strategy.)
The user follows clues to find Arba Minim and to build a sukkah. They can use hard-earned shekalim to purchase sukkah necessities at the shuk or earn more coins with bonus quizzes, and there’s an interactive glossary if something is lost in the Hebrew. It’s also available in Hebrew and different accents.
An Eshet Chayil considers an app and buys it, plants ideas, supports education… and strengthens her arms. For hugs.
…Her children rise and celebrate her; and her husband praises her: “Many daughters have attained valor, but you have surpassed them all.”
Chag Sameach!
Rifki Orzech is an olah, a mother of three and a content writer with five years’ experience. She is passionate about women learning Torah and has completed the Susi Bradfield Educational Leadership Programme for Jewish women at the London School of Jewish Studies.
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