Now that school is out, with the pools open and summer activities beginning, it is a great time to think seriously about how your children can capitalize on their talents and interests for the next school year. When your children are engaged in what they love, they will be energized and will thrive. Based on the principles of the benefits of a strengths-based education, I am going to discuss building up your children’s strengths, which is important for their well-being.

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Dear Rivkie,

 My oldest is going off to college in September after spending a year in seminary in Israel. She is going to a secular university, and every time I read about an anti-Israel or anti-Semitic incident on campus, my heart sinks. How do I prepare her for life on a campus where she will likely witness such incidents — or worse, have professors that espouse anti-Israel sentiments? Am I crazy to send her during such a turbulent time?

On your LinkedIn page, above and to the right of your head shot, is a large rectangle, known as your background image. The default option for this image looks like the night sky — a blue background with stars in constellations.

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Dear Rivkie,

I became observant in my 20s and my kids attend a Jewish day school. My cousin, who I grew up with and remain close to, followed a different path. Last year, he and his wife asked if they could come to one of our Seders in order to give their kids an “authentic” Passover experience. It seemed like a wonderful idea, but in reality, it felt super awkward: My kids worked for weeks on their Haggadahs and were eager to share what they learned, while my cousin’s kids seemed lost for most of the Seder.

Pesach is a season of liberation, both externally and internally. In fact, the root of the word Mitzrayim (Egypt) is tsar, which means a narrow place. It is during the season of Pesach that we reflect on the narrowness that constricts our lives, such as prejudices, lack of proper perspective, pessimism, and being stuck in bad habits. Some people struggle with repetitive thoughts of resentment, regret, or hopelessness. Others might incessantly worry. Then there are those who engage in emotional eating, excessive screen time, staying up too late, or spending too much time on the couch. Below, I offer few suggestions to help shake up your life and get you out of that rut.

You worked hard in school (be it high school, college, or grad school) and you finally graduated. Congratulations!

Now what?

May is National Stop the Bleed Month. Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign and call-to-action to encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. Similar to how the general public learns and performs CPR, it is important for the public to learn proper bleeding control techniques, including how to use their hands, dressings, and tourniquets. No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene.

I was almost too embarrassed to reach out, but I’ve gotten to a place where I do not know what to do and I’m very confused. I’ve been seeing a woman for the past several months and what started out as a dream has really turned into somewhat of a nightmare. I met her through an online dating app and we seemed to have a lot in common. Things between us moved quickly and within a few weeks we were spending every day together, and most nights. By the end of our first month she had moved a lot of her things into my place and insisted that if I cared about her, I would let her stay with me.

A college prep professional’s take on the recent admissions scandal.

Shock roiled the Internet (and memes were bountiful) when 50-plus people were charged in Operation Varsity Blues, an FBI sting operation that has proven perhaps the worst-kept secret in college admissions: Money and influence get you places we commoners can only dream of.

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Dear Rivkie,

 I am not religious and don’t celebrate all the Jewish holidays, but something about Purim captures my imagination. It seems to me that Esther is sort of a feminist. She has a lot of power in the Purim story. However, I don’t think feminism and “girl power” are really Orthodox Jewish values, which confuses me because I know Purim is a big deal for religious Jews. Can you explain this paradox? I’d like to celebrate this year with a real understanding of how women are seen and valued in Judaism — not just when it comes to Esther, but in general.