When I wasn’t fighting about my Jewish friends over whether Benjamin Cardozo was the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice(he wasn’t), I was fighting with them about whether or not Sonia Sotomayor was qualified to be a Supreme Court judge (she is). They assured me that because she’d only been picked because she was a Latina… Continue reading A little "Justice for All"…
There is a short period during the year where my choice of dress code does not distinguish me from others. It’s usually that intersection between seasons, for instance, where many women are wearing skirts, long-sleeved shirts and maybe some (combat) boots. But as a friend recently noted on Facebook, it is not this season. My… Continue reading This is not a fashion show (except when it is)
I keep losing my star of David pendants. Maybe I should try shirts instead. Check out the “Don’t Assimilate, Illuminate” t-shirt at HebrewTshirts.co.il. As the URL hints, most of the taglines on the t-shirts are in Hebrew but I’ve been meaning to practice my Hebrew reading skills anyway.
Twittering before, during, after the wedding:Going to a wedding today. Separate seating for men and women. Sheitels and fancy hats will abound. Will try not to wear a sack. 9:40 AM Mar 22nd from web My father-and sister-in-law are in town for the wedding and passed out on our couches. Because I am not social… Continue reading What I hate about being an Orthodox Jew OR How My Rastafarian Beret Came to Represent Rabbi Avi Weiss, HIR and YCT
1. Old Testament–Just offensive. We prefer the original and only testament. (But calling it the Hebrew Bible is okay, too.) 2. Can I see your horns? 3. Have you considered Jesus as your personal savior? 4. Why do you hate Palestinians? 5. How come you only eat food blessed by a rabbi? Can’t you just… Continue reading What not to say to Jews
I suppose that technically all those Limmud conventions were Shabbatons. Also, we sort of held a Shabbaton before our wedding by sequestering our guests from Friday through Sunday. But really, technically speaking this past weekend at Brooklyn College Hillel was my first taste of a real, live Shabbaton. Because my husband was away on internship… Continue reading My First Shabbaton
Jewish Latinos, stop shopping wherever you’ve been shopping, a new clothing line, Jewtina, has been created just for you in mind. The Magen David (star of David) makes an appearance with both the Mexican and Cuban flags on certain T-shirts. Now, should I get an Amazon Kindle 2 or a Jewtina t-shirt? That is the… Continue reading Clothes for Latino Jews
Everyone knows what overt racism looks like. If they haven’t experienced it then it’s easy for them to imagine. We’ve all seen the awful photographs from the civil rights movement. But most people walk through life on a daily basis overlooking the more subtle forms of racism so that’s what my husband and I focused… Continue reading Recap on LimmudNY Session on Racism in the Jewish Community
Here’s an oldie but goodie, an old hair piece revised for mass consumption. I’m hoping it will be picked up by a women’s magazines. Don’t mind your prayers over it! Thanks! Kinky Love My mother taught me to hate my hair. She learned this from her mother, who learned it from her mother before her.… Continue reading Kinky Love: Breaking with Family Tradition and Embracing Curly Hair
Things don’t have to be as complicated as “Friends.” Here’s a new piece I’m working on. I hope I’ll find a place to publish it. I think it definitely has an audience in fellow converts, baalei teshuva, and basically those of us who have had more experience in the non-Orthodox, not Jewish world. I had… Continue reading Girl Meets Boy for Unhappily Ever After
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 