Fran Ostendorf

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Life is in transition again. Nature is doing its annual shift from long, hot summer days to dark, cool fall evenings. As I write this, our backyard is showing a scattering of yellow and brown … more

Fran Ostendorf | 10/9/21

New year, new thought: Let’s embrace what’s good right now

Sometimes, when I sit down to write this column, I stare at a blank page on my computer screen and I wonder where to begin. My aim isn’t to be scholarly or to impart wisdom based on years of … more

Fran Ostendorf | 9/6/21

Precious memories, neatly boxed

I had time for some real moments of reflection this month as I rooted through a couple of boxes in my parents’ basement. They have lived in the same house since the mid-1960s and, as you can … more

Fran Ostendorf | 8/5/21

Jewish Rhody Media: The future is here

Do you remember The Herald? Or perhaps you remember the Jewish Voice, or the Community Voice from many years ago. At one time, The Rhode Island Jewish Herald was an independently published … more

Fran Ostendorf | 7/1/21

Show your support for local Jewish journalism

June is the month of graduations, weddings, gardens and great hopes for warmer times. This year, it also seems to be the month of climbing to the other side of COVID-19 as our life opens up … more

Fran Ostendorf | 6/3/21

Our pets need to adjust to post-pandemic life too

My cat has gotten way too accustomed to my work-from-home life. In the past year, if you’ve ever been on a Zoom meeting with me, you’ve probably seen her tail go by. Her pandemic … more

Fran Ostendorf | 5/9/21

Thoughts that bloom in April

Like all of you, we have just celebrated our second pandemic Passover. Our seder, once again, was largely a Zoom connection. But unlike last year, this year my extended family was able to gather … more

Fran Ostendorf | 4/9/21

Ode to Zoom

Many people are talking about it, so I took a look at my trusty sources to see if this has really become a thing. Urban Dictionary to the rescue! It has a definition for Zoom fatigue. Many of you … more

Fran Ostendorf | 3/4/21

Congratulations on adapting

We had just heard about this new virus that originated in Wuhan, China. Globally, cases were few. In the U.S., it seemed to be centered in Washington state. But health experts were starting to talk … more

Fran Ostendorf | 2/5/21

Renew your commitment to good health

Have you made a commitment to your health and well-being? Are you keeping yourself healthy? While your answers to these questions have always been important, they’ve taken on extra meaning … more

Fran Ostendorf | 1/7/21