Bosses that trigger gratitude and a proud dad!
Written by: G. Selah
As a news network writer, I look through an ocean of content daily—most of it forgettable static. But occasionally, a story cuts through the noise like a bell in a silent room. Barry Ackerman’s anecdote about his daughter was that story.
Before Yom Tov, his daughter sent her boss a quick message: “Thanks for giving us off erev Yom Tov. I know you didn’t have to, and we notice.”
For anyone who understands what erev Yom Tov means—that sacred twilight before a holy day when a Jewish home transforms into something almost electric with preparation—you know what she’s really saying. It’s the day when challah gets braided, tables get dressed in their finest, and families race against sundown to finish cooking before rest and reverence begin. Having those hours isn’t just convenient; it’s essential. It’s the difference between scrambling through holiness and entering it with dignity and calm.
And his daughter? She delivered her gratitude with an effortless grace, as if expressing appreciation for something meaningful were standard operating procedure. Meanwhile, Barry—ever the composed father—plays it cool, even as his heart is silently hosting a fireworks display worthy of a halftime show.
Her ‘thank you’ wasn’t just a note to a boss; it was a reflection of a worldview—a ripple of gratitude that traveled beyond her desk to something larger. Because when an employer chooses to be considerate of faith and tradition, it doesn’t just bless one employee. It honors an entire rhythm of community life. And when an employee responds with heartfelt recognition, that simple exchange—respect given, gratitude returned—creates a moral echo that reaches much farther than either may realize.
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Barry’s daughter reminded her boss—and maybe all of us—that decency still moves economies of the heart. And Barry? His humility is justified pride disguised as stillness. And to the bosses out there who create space for faith and family—Thank you!
Because sometimes the smallest act of decency sets off the biggest wave of pride and gratitude—and that’s a flex worth making headlines for.
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