Shiksa is a Yiddish word that means “non-Jewish female.” It’s especially used for an attractive woman who could be a “temptation” to Jewish men. The people who use this word in conversation very rarely know its real meaning: abomination. And the people who know the meaning and use it for that meaning probably aren’t the […]
Why You Should Never Call Someone (or Yourself) a Shiksa Read Post »
NOTE: The Kvetching Editor wrote a response to this post here. I just want to point out that her situation is not what I’m describing. I’m talking about a single who enters the orthodox conversion process and then begins dating people who are already orthodox. However, for the record, I think dating is probably a bad idea
UPDATED: Why You Shouldn’t Date During Conversion Read Post »
What’s a Shabbat Kallah? It’s a celebration for the bride on the Shabbos afternoon before her wedding day. In some ways, it’s like a frum bachelorette party. (Note that there may also be a “normal” bachelorette party with the bride and her girlfriends!) I went to my first Shabbat Kallah last month, and it was a very
My First Shabbat Kallah Read Post »
Happy Half-Priced Candy Day! Now on to business… During conversion, you feel like you’re the one always being interviewed. And you are. But at some point, maybe even during your conversion, you’ll also get to interview someone: the rabbis and congregants of a new community. Hopefully you have a selection of communities! Even if not,
UPDATED: How to Interview a New Jewish Community Read Post »
Since I started blogging, I don’t get to keep up with reading other blogs as much as I would like. The overwhelming side-effect of blogging is that now I’ve discovered literally over 50 new blogs that I would love to read in addition to the 15ish I used to read religiously. School and work have
A Blogger Tries to Understand the Convert and Baal Teshuva Communities Read Post »
We all know that orthodox dating practices are different than other Jewish groups or the secular public. However, there isn’t much explanation of the process. And most of the kvetching (whining) is about being an “older single,” which most converts and baalei teshuva are. Unfortunately, most of the internet resources on the topic are on
The Orthodox Dating Process Read Post »
Didn’t you know there’s a shidduch crisis going on? Young women are turning 22 without finding a suitable husband! I’m not afraid of the big bad wolf known as the shidduch crisis. For the uninitiated, what’s a shidduch crisis? Shidduch means “a good match,” and today, people say that everyone over ___ age (depends on
Convert Confessions: Why I’m Not Afraid of the Shidduch Crisis Read Post »
I hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful Shabbat! I’m not feeling so well again, so my Shabbat is probably going to consist of a book and my bed! But now to my weekly ramble… (since that’s so different from what I normally post! Hah!) On the Aish website, there is a running series
Shabbat Shalom! The Dating Convert Edition Read Post »
Is there a stigma against converts? As you might guess from me starting this blog, I’m incredibly open about being a convert/conversion candidate. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been in the conversion closet! In my experience (over 6.5 years now), there is no stigma against converts today. Sure, there’s the odd duck every
Is There a Stigma Against Converts? Read Post »
My parents have no idea what I’ve gotten them into. My dad reads this blog, so he knows that I’ve told him this phrase so many times over the last few years. They just have no idea. But to their credit, they’re willing to go with the flow and deal with the problems when they
My Parents Have No Idea What I’ve Gotten Them Into by Converting to Orthodox Judaism Read Post »