Imagine my surprise when I recently heard one convert’s qualms about “Jewish nosiness” (in the words of other converts) diagnosed as “culture shock.” Well, an enormous amount of people seem to be suffering from this “culture shock.” And some of them were born Jewish. They just don’t happen to “look Jewish,” by which of course… Continue reading Diagnosis: Culture Shock
Sorry for the late in the afternoon post, it might take me a couple of days to get over jet lag and flying and the resulting pain and fatigue. In the meantime, here’s a little link love for a post, “Apartment Hunting while Jewmaican”, on a cute new Jew of color blog, The Diary of… Continue reading Apartment Hunting While Black (Jew)
About Vidui, the National Jewish Outreach Program website writes: “One aspect of the teshuvah/repentance process is to verbalize one’s sins. This takes place during the confession. The confession must be with a true heart – one must truly repent the action (s)he is confessing. Vidui is recited during every Yom Kippur service, including the afternoon… Continue reading Whoa.
“The JFS mess was avoidable” (The Jewish Chronicle of London) Geoffrey Alderman explains why the Chief Rabbi of London could have prevented all the recent misery at JFS and looks at the (rather ridiculous) “Certificate of Religious Practice” now required from all parents who wish their children to be considered for admission to JFS in… Continue reading Another Conversion News Roundup!
I apologize in advance for being especially random in this post. I woke up in an explosion of pain and I’ve spent most of the day in bed. As I write this, my fingers and hands rebel and scream, “GET OFF THE COMPUTER! GO BACK TO BED!” I’m trying to ignore the screaming. If I… Continue reading Pain, pain, go away, DON’T come again another day… A most random roundup
The Newsweek cover did exactly what it intended. It shocked me. “Is your baby racist?” No, it couldn’t be, I thought. Babies?! Racist?! But according to the article, an excerpt from “NutureShock: New Thinking About Children”, kids as young as six months old judge others based on skin color. So what’s a parent to do?… Continue reading Are Your Children Racist?
like a human being. Not an alien from outer-space. And yet… According to some people, getting overly excited about being Dominican just isn’t Jewish. Repeatedly I’ve been told to tone down my Dominican pride because now I’m a Jew, just a Jew. And well, being proudly Jewish, now that gets on the nerves of some… Continue reading I have the right to be treated…
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?
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?
Whew, I need to get this off my chest. I have some bad news, folks. I do not live in a racist community. I live in a racist world. I spent a great deal of time in New York City and Los Angeles and I wouldn’t call either of the Jewish communities I live in… Continue reading I do not live in a racist community
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 