Shaina’s Brocha
The Blessings, Lessons & Challenges of life with BPAN
Latest from the Blog
Misadventure golf
“Shaina, would you like to play golf today?” She leapt out of her chair and started excitedly hopping up and down when I suggested this outing on Sunday. Shaina couldn’t contain her excitement and half-dragged me to the car. I often forget that we need to explain that when we say we will do something,…
Keep readingOoh, look at that kid!
How do you feel when you see a child whose hair was stolen by chemotherapy? Do you unwittingly look away? Does it make you uncomfortable? Are you unsure what to say or how to react? When we see a child with a dread disease, we often find it hard to focus on the child, rather…
Keep readingTwo minutes?
“Two minutes?” Her eyes questioned me more than her voice. “Five minutes”. I wanted her to know it would take longer than she would like. “Two minutes” is our stock phrase for trying to get Shaina to be patient. Kids with neurological challenges are often impulsive and impatient. When Shaina wants hot chips or her…
Keep readingFly me to the Moon
Would Shaina enjoy a theme park? The question came with an offer of a ticket. Would she? I was sceptical. Shaina loves people but grows uneasy in a crowd. She adores music but recoils from loud noises. I was sure she would panic from the roar of the rollercoasters and the screams of the people…
Keep reading
Hi, I’m Rabbi Ari Shishler, husband to Naomi and father of eight wonderful children (ka”h).
Shaina is our youngest child. She has brought our family unique blessings, as her condition has brought us unique challenges.
Naomi & I founded and run the Chabad Strathavon Jewish Life Centre in Sandton, South Africa.
I am a passionate teacher, who tries to use every medium- writing, blogging, social media, video, lectures, radio etc. – to make spiritual ideals tangible. These days, much of my teaching centres on lessons we’re learning from our journey with Shaina.
Stay in touch with Shaina’s news and updates.
Shaina's Brocha 