It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten full years since my first book “Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!” – (The Joys and Oys of Becoming a Mother, Mother-in-law and Grandmother) – was published (Israel Bookshop Pub, 2012).

At the time, I was in the midst of acclimating to grandmother-hood, daughters-in-law and all the encompassing issues of that stage. I wrote and wrote about it and soon gathered up many chapters to compile into a book. The result was my Bubby book and it’s been a huge blessing in my life.

At the same time, I started to blog here on these pages under the original name of bubby joys and oys, which eventually morphed into miriam-hendeles.com — Then: In early 2021, I published a book about my trauma and recovery from a broken ankle. That book “Best Foot Forward” was all about how my broken bone changed my life forever.  Both my books are available right on this site on the front page through Amazon. Check them out over there on my front blog page .

Between new daughters-in-law, career advancements, changes in music therapy target populations from special needs clients to hospice clients, healing my broken ankle, and other family and personal challenges, I became involved with the organization Jewish Women of Wisdom, and we started a website for JWOW! or jewishwomenofwisdom.org where midlife women connect, communicate and grow through online forums, special content, newsletters, zoom events, book clubs and more.

Recently, I wrote an article about midlife and music in the Los Angeles Jewish Home about memories we collect over time through conversing with our elders and those around us. It’s a worthwhile paper to read from cover to cover.

Finally, our group of JWOW! women, Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz, Miriam Liebermann (author of the Best Is Yet To Be)and myself  had an article published in The Uplift Magazine in their winter issue. You may want to check that out. Besides our column, a friend of JWOW!, Jacki Edry has written a book on children and adults with neurodiversity and her book was reviewed in the Uplift Magazine last month.

Speaking of JWOW!, our upcoming events are as follows: Members can attend by Zoom from our website on January 4, at a book club about Ruchama King Feurman’s book, In the Courtyard of the Kabbalist.

Additionally, on  January 15, our book club will be  gathering on Zoom about Grandparenting Neurodiverse Children. Jacki Edry, noted author will present her thoughts and attendees will engage in Q and A, followed by breakout rooms. Read about it on our website. Become a member and join in the conversation.