I’ve never been a synagogue goer. Leave it to my Soviet childhood, to my late introduction to Judaism to my Orthodox brother (he and his family are the only ones) or simply to the fact that formal group gatherings go against my introvert tendencies. But I’ve always taken it for granted that because I look a certain way, I would not stick out in a shul. In the same way I consider it given for myself, I don’t question why someone who may not look like me would be present in a shul. Would I notice? Probably. But would I ever make them feel unwelcome? Never. Shul is a place of safety, belonging, connection. And the fact that this Jewish woman was made to feel continuously like the other goes completely against what we Jews are supposed to be. Shame on Jew shamers. We are not exempt.
Filed under Personal Reflections
The New York Times Got Their Israel Reading List All Wrong. Here’s a Better One. – Tablet Magazine
Filed under Personal Reflections
Ironically I just started reading a book written by Stalin’s daughter in the 60s where she happens to be telling about those very years. She referred to them as living simple and modest lives which included music, parties, cakes etc. And I was thinking to myself, wasn’t that exactly when Holodomor was??
Filed under Personal Reflections
Brief but maybe poignant?
I’ve been making slow forays back into the blog land. Mostly I’m still catching up on what everyone has been doing and occasionally I’ll contribute an article of interest 🙂 it’s a slow burn return but I’m here and present.
Hopefully soon I will be able to share what’s been going on but let it be known that in many ways my head has just been in a different space. And I couldn’t half ass it with the blog so I took an extended break instead.
I’ve been reading a bunch though. Partially to reduce the number of TBR books in my house. Partially to let go of those I really just wanted to read and not keep. And partially becaus some part of me wanted to revisit certain old favorites. So I’ve been bouncing back and forth between these new ones and oldies on my shelves reorganizing my head and home.
Filed under Personal Reflections
Jewish Books Are Awesome 
