Blog - Building a Jewish Life

Awkward Conversation of the Week

Masseuse: [Some question about church attendance] Me: Oh. I’m Jewish. Masseuse: Oh… Like Christian Jewish? Me: Nope. Just Jewish Jewish. Masseuse: …Oh. On the bright side, the awkwardness ended there, and the rest of the time went pleasantly. But that was a conversation-stopper.

Social Strategies for the Isolated Conversion Candidate

Some of you may be considering orthodox conversion, but you don’t live in an orthodox community. You know that you will be required to move if you want to pursue this. (See Convert Issues: the Community Requirement.) However, because of school, a lease, saving money, owning a home, or a million other reasons, you’re stuck […]

No Posts for the Last Two Days of Pesach

This blog is shomer Shabbat and yom tov. Therefore, no posts on Monday, April 25, and Tuesday, April 26.

Shabbat Shalom! The Bitachon Edition

Word of the day: bitachon. Most basically, it means trust. Trust in Hashem. Being a Type A, practical-to-a-fault person, I often say that bitachon and emunah (faith) are very difficult for me. I’m beginning to rethink that statement. As you should all know by now, I’m moving cross-country in a week. Only today did I […]

Reflections on the first days of Pesach

Well, the first days are over. Three days without chametz, and I haven’t killed anyone yet! However, I was dismayed to realize that we’re not even halfway through Pesach yet… My only good joke so far for the yontif: Person 1: “The bread of affliction just afflicts you with constipation.” Me: “Maybe this is to […]

No Posts for the First Two Days of Pesach

This blog is shomer Shabbat and yom tov too! Therefore, no posts on Tuesday, April 20, and Wednesday, April 21. I’ll post another reminder before the last two days of Pesach, which are next Monday and Tuesday.

What to Expect at the Seder Tonight and Tomorrow Night

Tonight is the first seder! If all goes as planned, you’re going to have a great time! And if not, ur doin it wrong. (If you don’t know this internet meme, check out this, this, and this. All are “safe for work,” assuming you’re supposed to be on the internet at all!) In all seriousness, […]

Kitteh Joos No Can Haz Cheezburgers

For your Pesach enjoyment, the LOLcat Passover Story. If you don’t already know the LOLcats, they are definitely a guilty pleasure of mine! (And there is a project to translate the entire Christian Bible-which means the “Old Testament” too!-into “lolspeak.” It’s called the LOLcat Bible Translation Project.)

Halacha in a Nutshell: Tzedakah

Halacha in a Nutshell is a series that does not aim to actually teach you halacha. The goal is to acquaint you with the general ideas of a halachic issue so that you can follow conversations without looking like a total n00b. Just in time for the US tax deadline! Tzedakah is normally translated as […]

Thoughts on Exile as Passover Approaches

If you have a machzor set, you should review the Pesach machzor before Passover begins. It’s very helpful. I began reviewing mine, and the introduction has a very interesting description of the three reactions people have to exile (galus/galut). As exile is an important theme of Pesach, I thought I would share two discussions of […]