Hispanics/Latinos · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · Sukkot

Seriously?

Wow, so I didn’t just hallucinate this? Hat tip: Esther Kustanowitz Also read: “AJC 3rd Annual Sukkot Festival: Where the Jewish and Latino Communities Meet” by Kelly Hartog “Yet while the event may be exciting for the Latino community, it begs the question as to why the local Jewish community should attend. Says Brown (as… Continue reading Seriously?

Holocaust · Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news · Sukkot

A self-hating Jew?

If you haven’t heard of it already, then you’ve probably been living under a rock (or a sukkah?). The news media is ablaze with a (possibly) tall tale that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might be a Jew. Apparently, his parents changed their surname to Ahmadinejad after converting to Islam. The name before? Sabourjian…a Iranian Jewish… Continue reading A self-hating Jew?

culture/multiculturalism · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · movies · New York

Support "Outside The Box"

Watch the trailer for Lacey Schwartz’s identity documentary, “Outside The Box”… …and help support it at this upcoming Benefit event in New York! For more details, check out: Outsidetheboxproject.com

food · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · Rosh Hashanah · Sukkot · Yom Kippur

Sukkot is here! Hooray!

I think Sukkot is my favorite Jewish holiday. I just can’t pin down why. But it’s no secret that it’s referred to as “the time of joy.” And every Sukkot, I definitely feel that. Okay, so Sukkot’s nowhere near as stressful as Passover where the seder lasts until 3am and you’ve got to get a… Continue reading Sukkot is here! Hooray!

dating · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism

Non-Jew Seeking Jewish Spouse

Most of the men I’ve dated, even before beginning and finishing the conversion process, were either Hispanic or…Jewish. At 13, when I first decided to convert, I didn’t know any Jews except for the Holocaust survivor who had come to speak at our school. By 25 when I formally started the conversion process, I’d dated… Continue reading Non-Jew Seeking Jewish Spouse

anger · charity · fans · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · Yom Kippur

I’m a genie in a bottle, you better not rub me the wrong way…

Sometimes you burn your bridges. Sometimes you BLOW THEM up. I aspire to be the kind of person who doesn’t burn or blow up (metaphorical) bridges but given what my sister calls my “anger management problem,” I can’t seem to refrain from doing either. (My husband adds, “you curse like a sailor.” And I don’t… Continue reading I’m a genie in a bottle, you better not rub me the wrong way…

Jesus · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · religion

Jesus Who?

These comments on my guest post on the Frum Satire blog, “Living Life from Under My Jewfro”, caught my eye and I wanted to share them with you: (They have been slightly edited.) Funny story #1: “Hahahah, I get the Jesus question all the time!!! I recently had a [conversation] with an Asian Christian friend… Continue reading Jesus Who?

death · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · movies

Why do people say…Baruch Dayan Emet?

It is with deep sadness that I announce that Shari Gershan, who was featured in a past post, “Having the Time of My Life” passed away this Yom Kippur. She had four children…now four motherless children. This is when it is hardest to understand G-d. http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2560852&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1 Time of My Life from Tsvika on Vimeo.

Israel · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · news · rabbi · religion

Talking about Assimilation

A rabbi once told me that talking about intermarriage from the pulpit was a pretty bad idea all around. Too many rabbis have done it and assumed that the audience is homogeneous, a group of Jews that does not include converts, Jewish children of interfaith couples, Jewish children with non-Jewish and intermarried relatives and even… Continue reading Talking about Assimilation

culture/multiculturalism · homosexuality · jews of color · Jews/Jewish/Judaism/Orthodox Judaism · prayer · Yom Kippur

Whoa.

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.