Rabbi Simcha Weinstein and I became Facebook friends recently. We’re not even quite sure how it happened. But when I read this his bio, I wondered how in the world I’d never heard of him. An Orthodox (Chabad) rabbi who works at a prominent New York City art school (Pratt, which I applied to before… Continue reading Happy Purim, Everyone!
Here is the list of things I’d like to be blogging about right now: Last week’s wave of Facebook updates where women posted the color of their bras in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness Writer’s block (other people’s, not mine) Prospective converts who rabbis (and the current Orthodox conversion climate) scare off Yoga… Continue reading To blog or not to blog
James Blagden isn’t taking racism lying down. He’s turning it into art. Check out the main page of his website which claims “Asians are nerdy,” “White Folks can’t dance” and “Black People are obnoxious and loud.” Don’t you wish you could turn all those racist experiences into beautiful art?
I love my latest Bechol Lashon newsletter! If you’re a Jew of color or a Jew interested in diversity, you should check it out! The latest newsletter includes an article that takes a look at how and why Israeli doctors are teaching Africans to perform circumcision to help fight AIDS in Africa. There’s also an… Continue reading I ♥ Bechol Lashon
Writing in Rome. When I came back from the Pico-Robertson area of Los Angeles where my husband was standing in as a rabbinic intern, the first thing I noticed about New York was that it was really dirty. Had the city always been so filthy or was I just desensitized to it? I suspected that… Continue reading Italy Trip Recap: Down and dirty in the city
Students leaving Brooklyn Tech last month after taking the morning admissions exam for the eight specialized high schools, considered the city’s best. Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times I grew up in a predominately Dominican neighborhood, Washington Heights, where being smart and doing well on homework and tests was looked down upon as “acting white.” Given… Continue reading Elite NYC Public Schools, Mostly White and Asian
Ivanka Trump before she adopts the art of tznius. I know, you’ve already heard about it but I can’t help but post about it. Ivanka Trump is converting to Judaism. She’s gone and gotten herself engaged to Jewish head of the NY Observer, Jared Kushner. They plan to get married next year. In the meantime,… Continue reading The Poster Girl for Conversion
This month’s issue of Glamour magazine poses an interesting question: “Do you have friends of other races?” And then, more poignantly, do you have CLOSE friends of other races? I don’t want to offend my white friends. But I might. Here me out, though. I have always been someone who has had friends of other… Continue reading Friends of Other Races?
Here’s a funny little story about Israel…. On my first night in Israel, I realized that I was the farthest anyone in my family had ever been from the homeland, the Dominican Republic. Sure, New York, to which my parents had emigrated as children, was far from “D.R.” but Israel was literally on the other… Continue reading Fish Out of Water
Hello, little blog, I have clawed my way through hours of writing for my book, for homework (for my online classes at Gotham Writer’s Workshop) and in response to emails from readers and I have found my way back to you. My trip to Los Angeles is almost over. I’m multitasking by packing and writing.… Continue reading Wrapping up
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 