When I met my husband, my life was on a general upswing. I was poor but happy. I had great friends. I’d just made the decision of a lifetime: to convert to Orthodox Judaism. I was making new friends for my new life. I was exploring uncharted territory. I was on a self-imposed man-fast. Because… Continue reading My husband, the hero
“People are interested in things that are different. And what made people convert people who have been frum their whole life don’t look at Judaism the same way you do. And we want to hear how it looks to you.” And he just met me Saturday.
So, I finally got around to calling this publisher who read my article in Yeshiva University’s Kol Hamevaser. What in the world would the vice president of a Jewish publishing company want to discuss with little old me? Well, let’s just say that when I told one of my favorite authors (who I annoy with… Continue reading Earth-shattering news!
When I tell people that I’m shy, they usually laugh hysterically. You? Shy? Never! Yet, my knees shake when I have to ask the butcher to slice my meat. My heart quivers when I have to pick up a call from an unidentified caller (usually, I don’t). Sometimes, I even ignore calls from my friends… Continue reading Social Anxiety Disorder
Try not to talk about: 1. Politics2. Homosexuality3. Taxes4. Healthcare5. My seedy past Try not to talk to guests using ditties like: 1. The F word for emphasis and then…2. “You’re a racist!” 3. “You’re a classist!”4. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”5. “What planet do you live on?”…at the close of conversations.… Continue reading To Do List for Next Shabbos
I remember when I used to tell people that I did all kinds of studying of the writing craft. And it’s true, I’ve just about read my brains out. I read magazines. I read books. I read newspapers. I read everything. But honestly, when does the writing begin? I’ve got some sketchy tearjerkers piling up… Continue reading Jealous, jealous, jealous
Gosh, I guess I never really noticed that the NY Times was extremely biased against Israel. I didn’t really read the news every day before coming to Israel. Now I read it just about every hour. Really, that’s about all that’s changed in my life since the war started. I was afraid to get on… Continue reading We should boycott the New York Times
Hello from Jerusalem where I have continually assured friends who have been emailing me that we are far from the missiles being launched into Northern Israel. These are not words that I ever imagined having to formulate. It would seem that Israel is at war and all of us are on the edge of our… Continue reading War, Conversion, Modern Orthodoxy, etc.
Pots? The converts won’t use the same pots or utensils that I do. Hebrew? Got Hebrew 10 minutes a day! Doing Language skills classes but learning Hebrew via the Chumash is really strange. I think we’re going over grammar soon. Converting? Rabbi says we should talk when I get back but the outlook is good… Continue reading Mucho Problemos
So, far I’ve managed to burn some CDs full of Jewish shuirim or what I like to call “stuff to learn.” One shiur (sp?) is all about the Big Bang Theory and the Torah and how it all works out. In theory, I understand what I just heard for 50 minutes enough to give a… Continue reading Second Sunday in Jerusalem
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 