“Come on ladies, it’s almost bikini season!” my Aqua Aerobics teacher likes to yell whenever she reminds us to “engage our core muscles” during our weekly class. [My doctor makes me go to these water aerobics classes because they’re very good for my joint hypermobility syndrome (HMS) and my fibromyalgia (FMS) . Before I knew… Continue reading It’s Almost Bikini Season…or Not.
Tamar Fogel speaks about the brutal Itamar murder of her family members, including both of her parents and siblings, and the state of Israel. I was shocked to see this young woman speak so coherently, so passionately, so intelligently about what will probably be one of the defining moments of her life. She is only… Continue reading The 12-year-old girl who discovered her murdered family in Itamar speaks out
I am a workaholic. I think I inherited this from my father, who is a workaholic, but also it stems from the fact that my mother was on welfare most of my childhood and I was deeply ashamed of it. Though in our area of Washington Heights, just about everyone was getting some kind of… Continue reading Take a Chill Pill! It’s Shabbat!
When they say it almost never, ever rains in Los Angeles, what they don’t tell you is that when it does, it rains all at once like G-d is trying to pull that Noah’s Ark business all over again. And that’s the kind of rain that hit here this Purim. Rain is my kryptonite (okay, how is… Continue reading The Purim Curse?
This is in response to this fantastic post, “On Being Black” that makes me wish all good bloggers got paid! The photo below was taken from Mocha Momma‘s awesome blog. Dear Mocha Momma: (Click there and read her cool bio!)A friend just pointed me to your blog. I guess something about my latest post, told her… Continue reading My Fan Letter to Mocha Momma On Being Black (and more I added later)
I have ALWAYS felt out of place. Like there was no place I would, could, should fit. I think this is what helped me find Judaism and when I gave speeches about my life story that was the biggest theme. That I fit in everywhere and nowhere. I am black, white, Native American, Spanish, Jewish…everything…but… Continue reading Random Thought to a New Friend
“ “Urban Outfitters Finds Frum Inspiration?” talks about how head scarves have suddenly gone hip, even hipster…and not just on the heads of Orthodox women. Now, this head scarf innovation isn’t new. I should note that I’ve seen many non-Jewish women, particularly black women, wrap their locks up in elaborate head scarves. Just walk around… Continue reading Non-Jewish Latinas Rocking Head Scarves!
Back by popular demand! So many of you sent me emails thanking me for posting about the following comedian but I didn’t except him…fellow JOC (Jew of color), Samson Koletkar, the hilarious Indian Jewish comedian, to personally invite me to his Los Angeles show! (See details below.) Samson will be sharing the stage with one… Continue reading Cool Jewish Events: The Mahatma Moses Tour (Los Angeles/Pasadena, CA)
Greetings! After nearly 8 months and thousands of dollars later, I have mostly recovered from the digestive crisis that made me balloon 20 lbs., put me in the emergency room several times with severe abdominal pain and routinely left me vomiting…among other things that would fall under the category of TMI (too much information). It… Continue reading Mini Health Update from LA
A clip from Samson Koletkar‘s “Mahatma Moses Comedy Tour” recorded on Aug 11, 2010 at Rooster T Feathers Comedy Club in Sunnyvale, California. When I started attending a Sephardic/Mizrahi shul in Los Angeles and I mentioned to friends that a lot of the congregants were from as far as England, India, Iran, Burma, Iraq, Morocco,… Continue reading REALLY? WAIT, I GOTTA VALIDATE YOUR JUDAISM!
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 