Here is an interview that should have been part of a larger piece tracking three interfaith couples and their religious choices. Batya keeps kosher but her husband isn’t Jewish. She paints a different picture of the statistics of intermarriage. We’ve heard them all by now: “Intermarriage threatens Jewish survival. Over 70% of the children of… Continue reading Interfaith Couple Chooses Judaism
Here’s a rough draft of a cultural criticism essay assignment for one of my writing classes. No one talks about what Sammy Davis Jr. contributed to Jewish culture. Nor do they talk about what the newly converted Isla Fisher, star of the “Confessions of a Shopaholic” film and baby mama to Sacha Baron Cohen, is… Continue reading Rough Draft: Beyond Sammy
I’m part of a frum (pious) writers group. This works out great since the women in the group are a good range of the women who might eventually pick up my book (if I ever finish it). At our last meeting, two of the women said they were amazed that I took classes in non-frum… Continue reading Moments from Writing Class
No one can really tell you how chronic illness will affect your life. It is a bumpy road with unexpected twists and turns. In so many ways, it has mirrored my road towards conversion. My day-to-day life has changed so much. I make blessings on food but it’s hard to hold a siddur (prayerbook) in… Continue reading Friends and Fibromyalgia
I’ve hesitated to write about the plight of Jews in Venezuela ever since the Israeli incursion into Gaza. I think part of that comes from shock. It’s hard for me to process such overt hate, such overwhelming anti-Semitism, sitting comfortably in front of my computer in New York. It is easy for me to see… Continue reading Venezuela and Jews
Who would have thought I would ever see the world? The first time I stepped out of the tristate area was to get married in a place I’d never been to before, Connecticut. Okay, actually, I had also been to Orlando, Florida to see Mickey with my aunt and even Pennsylvania to visit the Liberty… Continue reading Italy Trip Recap: The World in My Stomach
A friend of mine told me that he is not going to let me become the stereotype of “the angry black woman.” (Don’t even get me started on how I feel about this stereotype.) This worries me. I worry that some of my blog readers already think it’s too late. I am very sensitive to… Continue reading "Anger Does Not Equal Hate"
Check out the Top Ten Articles on theJewishWoman.org. That’s mine at the top of the page!
I recently finished “The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt.” I was interested in reading it for many reasons. I wanted to read about Judaism through the eyes of people who don’t live in the Orthodox world I live in. I wanted to understand Judaism through the eyes of secular Jews. I also wanted to… Continue reading Jewish Guilt is Heavy
This is what my husband hopes our kids will look like, of course. Confession: I get a kick out of saying blessings. It was one of the first things I started doing after I converted to Judaism. I like the idea of saying “Thank you, G-d” as often as I can, even when I’m not… Continue reading Bless the hair, please.
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 