Extremely excited about a new documentary directed by Laura Wiessen, a current Drisha scholar! More Beloved by G-d is a documentary that tells the story of converts and their journey to Judaism. It hopes that their experiences will offer “unique insights into Jewish identity, community, and faith in the 21st century.” The trailer opens on… Continue reading More Beloved by G-d
I’m taking a Figure Drawing class out here in what my rabbi calls, “La la land.” I’ll admit that it’s strange to be classmates with George Clooney’s landscaper. Plus, I learned in my writing class that when people say they’re “in the industry,” they mean Hollywood. The class, which is held at a local community… Continue reading Naked People
An article published on YNET, a couple of weeks ago, disclosed that a rabbi on the Chief Rabbinical court once ruled that deaf people are ineligible for conversion to Judaism. No matter what the rabbi’s views may be, the whole matter comes off as a matter of discrimination against those with disabilities. And worst, this… Continue reading Deaf need not apply?
My husband’s yeshiva is studying “The Rabbi and People with Disabilities” in various different lectures throughout the week. The topic of people with disabilities obviously interests us because I struggle daily with fibromyalgia and all the wonders of living with chronic pain and the ensuing ferocious battle against depression. To say that I am a… Continue reading The Wrong Place @ the Wrong Time
Yitz Jordan as photographed by Avital Aronowitz for my “Funny You Don’t Look Jewish” article in Presentense Magazine An article of mine, related to a previous blog on the current events related to Orthodox conversion to Judaism was published in a local paper, The Jewish Planet: “A Jew-by-choice reflects on the RCA’s new conversion standards”… Continue reading Reacting to the RCA and current climate surrounding Orthodox conversion
In Jewish Week, Rabbis Marc Angel, left. and Avi Weiss. I’d only ever been to one protest before I met Rabbi Avi Weiss. Since then, I’ve been to many more and I’ve even sat at home waiting while my husband got arrested protesting the UN (as chronicled in Presentense magazine) with Rabbi Weiss. By the… Continue reading Branching Out
Me (and my hair in all its glory) in Israel circa 2006 And no, I’m not talking about the weather. The Orthodox Jewish world is being turned on its head as conversion becomes entangled in a larger power struggle between the ultra-Orthodox and the more modern rabbinical authorities. One of the latest articles on the… Continue reading Things are heating up
http://www.mimisammis.comhttp://www.mimisammis.com/ Hey, people, despite the last post, I promise you, I had a fantastic set of seders. Stop apologizing.My favorite seder was the second because my non-Jewish little sister got to experience her first seder with my in-laws in Los Angeles. But the first seder was great fun thanks to my husband’s aunt and her… Continue reading Seder Confusion
As a teacher, I was told the first rule of thumb is never to assume anything about your students. But many Orthodox synagogues presume a certain level of Jewish education and cater to a select number of congregants that can navigate the Hebrew siddur (prayerbook) with ease. Unfortunately, this raises a barrier for others who… Continue reading English, Please!
If it wasn’t for my husband, I wouldn’t be writing this right now. I wouldn’t be writing period. Despite my love of writing, I long ago decide that it was something stuffy people with money did. It certainly wasn’t something part-time tutors and full-time fibromyalgia out-patients did. But as he pointed out, even though my… Continue reading Writing my husband out of the picture
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 