Dear Shira, the editors, and readers, Thanks for this important article. Noticing since this was written in 2012, brings me to wonder – what has changed in almost a decade? A lot. But one thing is for sure, not only is obesity still an issue in religious communities – eating disorders are up there too. did you know, EDs are twice as prominent in religious Jewish communities? It is precisely because our observance involves food and we live in times of abundance that we get tripped up – how do we learn to mindfully eat, as the article explains? How… Read more »
I came across your letter on the website responding to overweight and eD. I have two boys aged 12 and 19 who are extremely overweight. I am really concerned about my 12 yr old. I have taken him the regular route, dieticians and Drs. I have been looking for a more support group like program. I know they are out there for woman, I have been on one or two and there are some for men, but no one really seems to know about any for kids. anyway, I live in israel, and I have been searching the net looking… Read more »
Diana Dubrawsky
1 year ago
While we tried hard to limit our children’s access to sugar, we were consistently thwarted by our children getting candy in school as a reward for good answers as well as in shul by well intentioned “candy men .” shul. I realize that ‘sweetness’ has a long and storied association with Torah learning, but we need to pay more attention to our children’s health ..
This article was written 10 years ago and since that time things have changed where I live in Toronto Canada. There are more Same Sex exercise venues and also Same Sex personal trainers and private gyms than 10 years ago. The Moslem women have seen that the local city swimming pools have “ladies only hours”. It all start with young girls trying to look “thin as a stick” for the shidduch market and all that entails. Drinking Booze and with every shot adding “Le Chaim” to LIFE?????? is really moranic. Booze is in no way Life Enhancing. At our shul… Read more »
YAZ
1 year ago
Let’s see, from 1st grade onward we have our kids sit in their seats for 8 hours a day with brief breaks to eat unhealthy snacks. Rewards are usually with food. Kids watch their parents stuff their faces at kiddish after sitting through a three hour ravening. I can go on and on. None of what I mentioned is required by halacha and these are all fixable issues. But I have tried to call for change only to be shot down. We do this to ourselves.
Rosalie Borovetz
1 year ago
As a frum Jew, I think wehave a definite advantage when it comes to eating unhealthy or high calorie food. We already have fantastic willpower when it comes to eating nonkosher food. Think of using that same process when it comes to over-eating or avoiding unhealthy food
Sarai
1 year ago
My children are currently in camp and are daily plied with more sugar and candy than we eat all year. My 3 year old used to call sugar snap peas candy and now he made a fake burger out of cake with Laffy Taffy lettuce and jelly bean tomatoes. Their peers are used to it and regularly bring junk instead of healthy food. They aren’t given enough time to eat a healthy lunch, nor are they encouraged to drink water, and I’ve started sending them juice with lunch just to ensure they don’t get dehydrated. Most kids get soda or… Read more »
Tziporah
1 year ago
Shira, thank you for this great article. One issue that is rarely discussed in the Jewish community is our tendency toward type II diabetes as we age. This is true even of people who are careful to eat very reasonable portions. Many of us also find it hard to lose weight even if we eat a carefully portioned Weight Watcher type diet (I am one of those people). This is often an issue of insulin oversecretion Everyone who is overweight should consider getting a glucose tolerance test and insulin secretion test (fasting insulin and insulin level after a glucose challenge).… Read more »
Dear Shira, the editors, and readers, Thanks for this important article. Noticing since this was written in 2012, brings me to wonder – what has changed in almost a decade? A lot. But one thing is for sure, not only is obesity still an issue in religious communities – eating disorders are up there too. did you know, EDs are twice as prominent in religious Jewish communities? It is precisely because our observance involves food and we live in times of abundance that we get tripped up – how do we learn to mindfully eat, as the article explains? How… Read more »
I came across your letter on the website responding to overweight and eD. I have two boys aged 12 and 19 who are extremely overweight. I am really concerned about my 12 yr old. I have taken him the regular route, dieticians and Drs. I have been looking for a more support group like program. I know they are out there for woman, I have been on one or two and there are some for men, but no one really seems to know about any for kids. anyway, I live in israel, and I have been searching the net looking… Read more »
While we tried hard to limit our children’s access to sugar, we were consistently thwarted by our children getting candy in school as a reward for good answers as well as in shul by well intentioned “candy men .” shul. I realize that ‘sweetness’ has a long and storied association with Torah learning, but we need to pay more attention to our children’s health ..
This article was written 10 years ago and since that time things have changed where I live in Toronto Canada. There are more Same Sex exercise venues and also Same Sex personal trainers and private gyms than 10 years ago. The Moslem women have seen that the local city swimming pools have “ladies only hours”. It all start with young girls trying to look “thin as a stick” for the shidduch market and all that entails. Drinking Booze and with every shot adding “Le Chaim” to LIFE?????? is really moranic. Booze is in no way Life Enhancing. At our shul… Read more »
Let’s see, from 1st grade onward we have our kids sit in their seats for 8 hours a day with brief breaks to eat unhealthy snacks. Rewards are usually with food. Kids watch their parents stuff their faces at kiddish after sitting through a three hour ravening. I can go on and on. None of what I mentioned is required by halacha and these are all fixable issues. But I have tried to call for change only to be shot down. We do this to ourselves.
As a frum Jew, I think wehave a definite advantage when it comes to eating unhealthy or high calorie food. We already have fantastic willpower when it comes to eating nonkosher food. Think of using that same process when it comes to over-eating or avoiding unhealthy food
My children are currently in camp and are daily plied with more sugar and candy than we eat all year. My 3 year old used to call sugar snap peas candy and now he made a fake burger out of cake with Laffy Taffy lettuce and jelly bean tomatoes. Their peers are used to it and regularly bring junk instead of healthy food. They aren’t given enough time to eat a healthy lunch, nor are they encouraged to drink water, and I’ve started sending them juice with lunch just to ensure they don’t get dehydrated. Most kids get soda or… Read more »
Shira, thank you for this great article. One issue that is rarely discussed in the Jewish community is our tendency toward type II diabetes as we age. This is true even of people who are careful to eat very reasonable portions. Many of us also find it hard to lose weight even if we eat a carefully portioned Weight Watcher type diet (I am one of those people). This is often an issue of insulin oversecretion Everyone who is overweight should consider getting a glucose tolerance test and insulin secretion test (fasting insulin and insulin level after a glucose challenge).… Read more »