When I was converting to Judaism, I wasn’t too worried about giving up Christmas. But Halloween? Oh hell no. But for years, I had a zero-tolerance policy. I was committed to my Jewish life, and that meant leaving Halloween behind… or so I thought. Then I had kids. And suddenly, things weren’t so simple anymore. […]
Can Jews Celebrate Halloween? The Nuance No One Talks About Read Post »
Stories That Bear Witness Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day – is not just about remembering history. It’s about confronting it. Feeling it. Passing it on. There are many ways to honor this day: lighting a candle, saying a name, learning something new. One powerful option is through film. Stories can shake us awake, open
11 Powerful Films for Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day Read Post »
I used to write a lot of these posts, and I haven’t in a long time, so here we go again! However, I think this one is pretty self-explanatory, so it’s going to be short. Honestly, I think my parents should blame themselves for my eventual conversion. You don’t show Woody Allen movies to preteens
Reason #843 You Know You’re Crazy: You Have a Ridiculous Love of Woody Allen Films Read Post »
There are various times during the year when orthodox Jews don’t listen to music. Most of the time, it’s a practical matter. For instance, on Shabbat and yontif, my iPod is quiet simply because I don’t manipulate electricity. Other times, it’s a matter of custom (which some hold to be so pervasive as to qualify
A World Without Music Read Post »
Over the last couple of years, several really awesome Jewish earworms have made their way onto YouTube. (Earworms are songs you can’t get out of your head!) Just in case you missed them, here are some of my favorites! I get the feeling a lot more will appear in the Comments, which could make for
Orthodox Pop Culture: Internet Earworms Read Post »
Reason #483 You Know You’re Crazy: You were SO excited to see Don’t Mess with the Zohan because you really wanted to know what stereotypes American Jews have about Israelis. And you sat there with rapt attention. But then discouraged your non-Jewish family from ever seeing it.
Reason #483 You Know You’re Crazy: Don’t Mess with the Zohan Read Post »