Being far from home just makes the story hit harder: wandering, waiting, wondering⦠and still showing up with gratitude.
Wishing you a Chag Sameach full of meaning, miracles, and maybe a few uninterrupted bites.
Next year in Jerusalem. This year, exactly where I need to be.
Posts by AJ Oberlender
Passover reminds us that freedom isnāt always flashyāitās in the questions we ask, the patience we practice, and the crumbs weāll be finding in the couch cushions until Shavuot.
Because one day, they wonāt want bedtime snuggles. And Iāll wonder where the time went.
#WorkLifeBalance #GirlDad #FamilyFirst
The difference? I work somewhere that values work-life balance. Remote days mean no Miami traffic & being home for bedtimeāeven if I worked a little later than planned.
Tonight, Dianaāwhoās usually all about mommyāwanted to cuddle with me and Yael. A rare moment I donāt take for granted.
āItās just the beginning, middle, or end of the quarter.ā
Thatās what we used to joke about my dad always working. I swore I wouldnāt be like that.
And yet in the ultimate āCats in the Cradleā reversal, here I amāa full-fledged workaholic.
Ferris Bueller had it right: āLife moves pretty fast. If you donāt stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.ā
Iām grateful for a company that encourages that. Today, I made sure to stop. And Iām really, really glad I did.
#Fatherhood #Parenting #LifeMovesFast
But then came the moment that made it all worth it. When Yael walked through the door, I asked how her day was, and she said: āYou made it great, because you surprised me.ā
And yeah, I got a little teary-eyed. These little moments? Theyāre what itās all about.
Took the day off for Yaelās book fair. She had a great time (and yes, she completely finessed me into buying more books than I planned). After running errands and handling a little work chaos, I made it home just in time for the girls to get back.
4/4 But as much as I wanted to believe it, I wasnāt convinced myself. Because I know better. Because Iāve seen what real monsters do.
And no childāmine, yours, or any child in Israel or anywhere elseāshould ever have to live in fear of them.
Am Yisrael Chai.
#BringThemHomeNow
3/4 I know she meant something imaginary, but my mind went somewhere darker. I couldnāt help but picture real-life monsters. The kind that donāt just haunt dreamsāthey destroy lives.
I hugged her and told her monsters are more like Mike Wazowskiāthey learned that laughter is better than screams.
2/4 She woke us up at 5 a.m. after a nightmare. We pulled her into our bed, and surprisingly, she fell right back to sleep. That almost never happens.
In the morning, we asked what her bad dream was about. She said, āGreen monsters were hitting me.ā
1/4 We donāt talk about the conflict around our daughters. We donāt watch the news in the house. We try to shield them from the heaviness of the world.
But this morning, my almost four-year-old reminded me that some things find their way in, no matter what we do.
#BringThemHomeNow
3/3 I donāt just practice Judaism; I live it. Itās not a box I check. Itās not a cultural label. Itās the way I exist in this world. Itās how I raise my two daughters. And no level of hate will ever erase that or get me to change who I am.
#BringThemHomeNow #EndJewHatred #RaisingProudJews
2/3 And yet, Iām living in a time where some people think thatās justified. Where antisemitism is somehow excusable or ācomplicated.ā Itās not. Itās hate, plain and simple. And itās growing. But hereās what isnāt changingāwho I am.
1/3 This weekend, every time my daughter cried out for her mama, it shook me in a way I wasnāt prepared for. Because there are children in Israel who will never again be held by their parents. Parents who will never again tuck their babies into bed. Their lives were taken simply for being Jewish.
2/2 The second I hung up, I broke down at my momās house. Then, I picked up my girls from school, took them to see their great-grandparents, and we went to Shabbat services. I hugged them a little tighter than usual. No parent should have to endure what Yarden Bibas is going through. Ever.
1/2 Today was brutal. The news about the Bibas children broke me. My boss saw I was barely hanging on and told me to leave for the day, to go be with my family. But I had one last customer call scheduledāsomeone I truly adoreāso I pushed through, holding it together just long enough.
Rebrands can make or break a brandās future. Fresca and Manischewitz showed us how to do it rightāleaning into nostalgia while staying fresh. š„
Check out how they nailed it: ajoberlender.com/blog/the-art...
#Branding #Marketing #Rebranding
Today is #HolocaustRemembranceDay. I reflect on my Tia Avivaās survival in hiding, my journey to Auschwitz at 17, and raising two Jewish daughters in a world still grappling with hate. āNever Againā is a mission we all carry.
Read my story: www.ajoberlender.com/never-again-...
Does anyone else think the NBAās lost its spark? š For me, itās not āwokenessā but the gameplayāsoft fouls, too many threes, and good luck trying to watch a game live. š
Am I the only one who misses the rivalries and grit?š www.ajoberlender.com/blog/why-the... #NBA #BasketballTalk
93 years. Thatās how long my incredible grandmother, Buba Luba, has been inspiring us with her resilience, love, and wisdom. From Uruguay to the U.S., she taught me lessons Iāll carry forever. Forgiveness, lifelong learning, and family first. Read her story: www.ajoberlender.com/blog/celebra...
Done with the holidays & my Chanukah posts, Iām backātalking fantasy football & leadership. šš This post was written before last weekās brutal fantasy loss, but the lessons still hold: strategy, guts, & adaptability win in life & business. Check it out: www.ajoberlender.com/blog/what-i-...
Tonight, as we light the eighth and final candle of Chanukah, Iām reminded: itās not where you light the menorah, but who you light it with. Family, love, and timeless tradition shine brightest. š #Chanukah #Family
www.ajoberlender.com/blog/the-eig...
On this 7th night of Chanukkah, letās remember: the menorahās light isnāt just for the holiday. šÆļøāØ Itās a lesson in resilience, small miracles, and showing up for others. Carry this inspiration all year. Read how: www.ajoberlender.com/blog/from-oi...
#Chanukkah #Inspiration #JewishPride
Day 4: Modern Miracle (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/chanuka...)
Day 5: Finding Light in the Grind (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/chanuka...)
š Previous posts:
Day 1: Lighting the Way (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/day-1-l...)
Day 2: Why Every Business Needs a Shamash (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/why-eve...)
Day 3: The Chanukah Marketing Lesson (www.ajoberlender.com/blog/the-cha...)
Night 6 of #Chanukah, post 6 of my series! š Tonight, we spin the dreidel šÆ and explore its life lessons: wins, losses & surprises. From the Marlinsā highs (World Series!) to lows (fire sales š), the dreidel says it all.
www.ajoberlender.com/blog/how-the...
#LifeLessons #MiamiSports #DreidelWisdom
Lifeās a grindāhustle, deadlines, toddlers. But Chanukah reminds us: small wins spark big miracles. Every flame matters. Keep showing up, keep shining. š #Chanukah #SmallWins #Resilience
www.ajoberlender.com/blog/chanuka...
Lifeās chaotic, just like my family. From a missing wedding dress at the gate to a classic Kuba house balagan, the last couple of days leading up to the 4th night of Chanukah was peak chaos. But isnāt that where the best stories come from? Check it out: www.ajoberlender.com/blog/chanuka...