My Jewish hero is my rabbi. I don’t think he sleeps. When he’s not at synagogue, he’s at home slipping invitations for Shabbat meals under the doors of Jewish neighbors. He has brought so many people to Judaism. Luckily, his synagogue is not hurting for cash flow so he doesn’t need me to nominate him… Continue reading Who’s your Jewish hero?
Here’s a nice letter I recently received from a reader:I’ve been following your blog for months and it is a revelation. I am a young South African woman of a mixed race background who has been struggling with the question of an orthodox Jewish conversion for about 2.5 years now and when I discovered your… Continue reading Dear Aliza: I’m Glad Someone Understands
The first podcast from Be’chol Lashon focuses on Anusim, Jews who were forced to abandon Judaism against their will, but now are trying to do whatever is in their power to return to Judaism. In this podcast, Rabbi Juan Mejia argues that some of the was Anusim are currently treated in the Jewish community are… Continue reading Spotlight: Rabbi Juan Mejia and the Bnai Anusim
In an LA Times story, “Ethiopian Israeli filmmaker pulls no punches” as he discusses Zrubavel, a film that looks at the Ethiopian Jewish experience in Israel. And in other news: “‘What does it matter that we’re black?’ ask Ethiopian students” (Haaretz) “Rabbi Amar: Can’t compromise in Ethiopian students affair” (YNET) UPDATE 9/1/09: “Schools to accept… Continue reading Black in Israel
A new documentary by Carolyn Battle Cochrane tells it like it is with a kick-ass title, “I’m Biracial, Not Black Dammit!” WANTED! Participants in video shoot of part two of “Biracial…Not Black Damn It.” If you are in New York on Sept 7th and are biracial/multiracial or mixed and want to participate in a segment… Continue reading What are you?
According to family lore, before some of ancestors became Dominican, they were Venezuelan. The reasons why the Venezuelan part of our family hopped over to the Dominican Republic have been lost in family history. Who knows why people pick up and leave the country of their birth? Well, it’s no secret why Jews are leaving… Continue reading Venezuelan Jews Flee to Miami
From a prospective convert whose “father is Jewish and mother won’t admit she is.” Can you say…complicated? But she’s less concerned for herself than her biracial children. My oldest son is under the impression that being light-skinned is the norm for the Jewish community and he is having difficulty wanting to be Jewish (although he… Continue reading How do I show my children they can be biracial and Jewish?
My mother used to slap us if we spoke slang. And while she never sat down to help us with our homework, as far as I can remember, she would slap us, too, if we didn’t get it done. Acting ghetto and talking ghetto alike were a big no-no in our household. My mother thought… Continue reading A Broader Definition of Family
The memoir, Lucky Girl is about one woman’s surprise reunion and relationship with the complicated Chinese family that gave her up for adoption when she was a baby. Spanning cultures and continents, Mei-Ling Hopgood’s memoir brings home a tale of joy and regret, hilarity, deep sadness, and great discovery, as she untangles the unlikely strands… Continue reading What a Lucky Girl
The Choosing America Project is looking for true short stories that express the very essence of being an immigrant in America. We are interested in is eliciting gripping human interest short stories that will reflect the diversity of the American immigrant experience, past and present. The final goal of The Choosing America Project is to… Continue reading The Choosing America Project
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 