Chabad usually gets pretty good press. Almost every convert or formerly unaffiliated Jew I’ve spoken to thinks that Chabadniks are the most welcoming Orthodox Jews. Can one rabbi (Manis Friedman) destroy such a good rep? You decide. Check out: “Popular Rabbi’s Comments on Treatment of Arabs Show a Different Side of Chabad“
In “10 Questions with Author Ernest H. Adams”, I got up close and personal with author Ernest H. Adams about his memoir, “From Ghetto to Ghetto: An African American Journey to Judaism.” Adams had some noteworthy things to say about his experiences during Jim Crow, living in the Jewish community and what he thinks about the… Continue reading Q&A with From Ghetto to Ghetto Author
I’ve had it easy in New York. There’s no other place on Earth that makes it so easy to be Jewish. Okay, there’s Israel but why are all the package labels there in Hebrew? You know how long it took me to find milk in the dairy aisle? Anyway, when I decided to convert, all… Continue reading It’s not easy being Ruth
My latest piece is up on the OU website. Check out “Conversion is So Not Original”.
My rebbe says I am not allowed to schedule posts to go up on my blog in advance during holidays when I will be decidedly offline and unable to post for the day. So, I won’t. But like the good Modern Orthodox Jew I am, I have figured out a way around it, as you… Continue reading This blog is under rabbinical supervision
Now, speaking of Jew-on-Jew hate crimes (for those of you reading the comments on “Taking North Carolina by Storm”)…. Apparently, Rabbi Norman Lamm is no hater! At least, that’s what the latest Jerusalem Post article claims. Reading “Setting the record straight on Rabbi Lamm” is a must. And it’s not just anybody coming to Rabbi Lamm’s defense.… Continue reading More on Jew-on-Jew hate crimes
Alysa Stanton, a Conservative convert (previous articles said Orthodox) who practices Reform Judaism and has been previously featured on this blog to much fanfare, will be the First black female rabbi to take N.C. pulpit”. Diane Tobin, Associate Director of The Institute for Jewish & Community Research and founder of Be’chol Lashon (In Every Tongue),… Continue reading Taking North Carolina By Storm…
With Shavuot looming, all eyes seem to be on conversion! The Book of Ruth, which we read on Shavuot, has some competition this year. Internet-trained conversion hopefuls less likely to pass” Apparently, getting a PHD in Chabad.org and Aish.com is not enough learning to convert to Judaism. That’s why I also studied Simpletoremember.org. Analysis: The… Continue reading Conversion News Roundup
In my email inbox today… “JOFA celebrates an historic moment for the Jewish people – the ordination of Sara Hurwitz as a full member of the Orthodox clergy followed by the establishment of a new school to ordain female rabbinic leaders. We are grateful to Rabbi Avi Weiss who has recognized the need to formally… Continue reading JOFA Celebrates New Orthodox Female Clergy
When Jewschool posted the information below recently on their blog, I thought they were kidding. Apparently, they weren’t. “I just got a huge announcement in a tiny email: We are pleased to announce the opening of Yeshivat Mahara”t, an Orthodox Yeshiva of Higher Learning, founded by Rabbi Avi Weiss of The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale.… Continue reading Always the last to know…
Memoirs of a Jewminicana 