Since I've been blogging about healthy eating, I thought that I would give some instructions on quick food. I'm going to start out with easy chicken.
Put it in a pan with water (I use filtered) in the bottom. Add salt, pepper or whatever to the water. Put it in the oven for an hour at 400 degrees or an hour and a half at 385. Periodically take a big spoon and pour the chicken water over the chicken. Check your oven, maybe like me, you have a setting where the timer on the oven can be set and shut off automatically for you.
Too easy, right?
Save the juices at the end. They can be used for soups, gravys or flavoring. Freeze if you won't use them within 24 hours.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Jewish men are so obsessed with women's looks that make up doesn't require a hecsher
It should. I was looking around on the internet at what make up is made of. I had always heard that eye shadow is fish scales... ok, that sounds kosher enough. However, it seems some other make ups are made of things like rust and crushed insects. Now insects aren't kosher, so why is it that women are wearing these crushed bugs and it hasn't inspired the latest chumrah of a hecsher for make up.
I really never expected religious Jews to be so shallow. In Xtianity, it was really frowned upon to be shallow and looks obsessed. When I was doing the research for my paper, I read something from a secular woman who did an ethnographic study of Gur women in the Tel Aviv area. For them, they were admonished for caring about looks. Their esteemed teacher pointed out that a woman who leaves the house well-dressed with every little bit of her looks tip top communicates "this is what I care about." Yet the women who responded to my survey here in the US equated modesty with looking good. This is what tznius means? I know one acquaintance told me that her husband doesn't want her in denim. He likes her dressed up. The only problem with that is that if we are dressed up every day, what does this leave for a special occasion or Shabbos? Somehow, it seems to me like Shabbos with no make up wouldn't be as special as every day with make up. If you're dressing up all week, surely you aren't getting it from the clothes on Shabbos.
Nevertheless, the community cares so much about a woman's looks. We are plagued with eating disorders. Women are advised to break halacha on the basis that men want them done up like Jon Benet Ramsey. Then the men complain that all us women are after is money. Well, honey, if you want us in brand new clothes and fresh mani-pedis all the time...um YEAH, that will cost and YOU"RE the one who wants it, YOU better be able to pay for it.
I really never expected religious Jews to be so shallow. In Xtianity, it was really frowned upon to be shallow and looks obsessed. When I was doing the research for my paper, I read something from a secular woman who did an ethnographic study of Gur women in the Tel Aviv area. For them, they were admonished for caring about looks. Their esteemed teacher pointed out that a woman who leaves the house well-dressed with every little bit of her looks tip top communicates "this is what I care about." Yet the women who responded to my survey here in the US equated modesty with looking good. This is what tznius means? I know one acquaintance told me that her husband doesn't want her in denim. He likes her dressed up. The only problem with that is that if we are dressed up every day, what does this leave for a special occasion or Shabbos? Somehow, it seems to me like Shabbos with no make up wouldn't be as special as every day with make up. If you're dressing up all week, surely you aren't getting it from the clothes on Shabbos.
Nevertheless, the community cares so much about a woman's looks. We are plagued with eating disorders. Women are advised to break halacha on the basis that men want them done up like Jon Benet Ramsey. Then the men complain that all us women are after is money. Well, honey, if you want us in brand new clothes and fresh mani-pedis all the time...um YEAH, that will cost and YOU"RE the one who wants it, YOU better be able to pay for it.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Abstract from my paper on Jewish modesty
In the Orthodox Jewish world, how a woman dresses frequently makes its way into the discussions of many Sabbath tables, blogs, lectures, books, magazine/newspaper articles and more. What, statistically analyzed, are these women’s standards of modesty or tznius, as it is in Hebrew? Across the spectrum of Orthodox Judaism, how do women dress tzanuah? This study endeavors to discover that. This study is based on the analysis of a long questionnaire answered by one hundred and eighty-three Orthodox Jewish women throughout the world. There were both quantitative and qualitative questions included in the online survey. Mostly, the women are dressing according to the prescribed norms. Sleeves cover the elbows and a skirt covers the knees. However, there are some exceptions, mostly from the “rebellious” Modern Orthodox Liberal group. The exact specifics could be useful to the manufacturers and retailers of clothing with Orthodox Jewish women as their main target consumer.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Another survey, this one for a classmate
Hi, as you all know, I did a survey for my research class. Besides my own Jewish survey for women on Tznius, my classmate, a guy is doing a survey on Jewish books. It seems he still needs responses. His standard promotional schtick appears below:
Hi,
I'm a student working on a market research project analyzing the use of Jewish/Hebrew/Seforim books. This study will help me learn how and when you use of Jewish books in the home, at the place you pray, the community at large and during your time away on vacation, business or holiday. This will help me with my project at hand, so please be as honest as possible.
To make matters clear, Jewish books include but are not limited to:
Prayer Books
Torah, Talmud, Mishna, etc.
Commentaries
Jewish subject books
English/Yiddish/Hebrew, etc.
Poems, Novels, Fiction, Inspiration, Biographies, etc.
Holocaust, Israel, European Jewry, etc.
All Male and Female Jewish books
Children and Adult's books
Rule of Thumb: If you can find it in a Jewish library or place of prayer, its Jewish!
The Survey
I created a survey online that should only take you about five minutes to complete. The link below is a short link that will directly link you to the much longer link when you click on it.
http://bit.ly/bookprojectsurvey
Please note: The last section for the survey is completely optional. There is no need to add your contact information (name or email), but if you want to learn more about this project please do so. We will never sell your information to anyone, ever.
Please fill it out and pass along to your family and friends.
Please Email
Also, I would appreciate it if you would forward the survey link (http://bit.ly/bookprojectsurvey) to any other Jewish adults whom you know that may also be interested in participating. If you have access to other online Jewish groups (no specific denomination required) and can post it there, thank you so much.
Questions/Comments?
If you have any questions/comments, feel free to complete this form:http://bit.ly/jWlwzP
Thank you
Hi,
I'm a student working on a market research project analyzing the use of Jewish/Hebrew/Seforim books. This study will help me learn how and when you use of Jewish books in the home, at the place you pray, the community at large and during your time away on vacation, business or holiday. This will help me with my project at hand, so please be as honest as possible.
To make matters clear, Jewish books include but are not limited to:
Prayer Books
Torah, Talmud, Mishna, etc.
Commentaries
Jewish subject books
English/Yiddish/Hebrew, etc.
Poems, Novels, Fiction, Inspiration, Biographies, etc.
Holocaust, Israel, European Jewry, etc.
All Male and Female Jewish books
Children and Adult's books
Rule of Thumb: If you can find it in a Jewish library or place of prayer, its Jewish!
The Survey
I created a survey online that should only take you about five minutes to complete. The link below is a short link that will directly link you to the much longer link when you click on it.
http://bit.ly/bookprojectsurvey
Please note: The last section for the survey is completely optional. There is no need to add your contact information (name or email), but if you want to learn more about this project please do so. We will never sell your information to anyone, ever.
Please fill it out and pass along to your family and friends.
Please Email
Also, I would appreciate it if you would forward the survey link (http://bit.ly/bookprojectsurvey) to any other Jewish adults whom you know that may also be interested in participating. If you have access to other online Jewish groups (no specific denomination required) and can post it there, thank you so much.
Questions/Comments?
If you have any questions/comments, feel free to complete this form:http://bit.ly/jWlwzP
Thank you
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Let's travel back in history and swing by Jewish Spain
A paper I wrote earlier this semester...
Marking Diaspora History of the Sephardic Jewry
The period from about 900 to 1200 brought forth a wealth of influential characters in the Jewish community. During this time, Christian Europe had a dark cloud over it, but civilization was flourishing in places like Muslim Spain. Two influential Jews of Muslim Spain in the 10th and 11th centuries were Hasdai ibn Shaprut and Samuel Ha-Nagid.
A wealthy and learned Jew of Jaen, Spain had a son about the year 915. That son was Hasdai. Even in his youth, he learned Hebrew, Arabic and Latin. He had a strong interest in science and medicine that would lead him to become a physician. While he did not bear the title of vizier, he worked as physician for the calif ‘Abd al-Rahman III and ministered foreign affairs, as well. He was in strong support of the Jewish communities. He sent riches to and corresponded with the heads of the dwindling Babylonian academies. Instrumental in moving Jewish scholarship to his home of Cordova, he established a school and appointed Moses ben Enoch from one of these academies, but now in Cordova, to serve as the school’s director. He was a scholar honored by other scholars of the time. As the study of poetry and grammar become more in vogue for Spanish Jewry during his time, he excelled in them. The date of his death is unclear. He seems to have died perhaps 970 or 990 in Cordova, Spain.
Shortly after Hasdai passed on, 993 Cordova saw the birth of a Jewish man who would later become one of the most influential men of Spain. A native of Merida, Samuel’s father saw to it that his son should receive a thorough education of both rabbinical and secular studies. His rabbinical studies were under Enoch, son of Moses ben Enoch, whom was appointed by Hasdai. Like Hasdai, he excelled in languages and studied Hebrew, Arabic and Latin, for certain. It is said that he wrote a letter in seven different languages at some point in his life. He was to become a grammarian, poet and Arabic calligrapher. It was for these talents that a slave of vizier, Abu al-Kasim ibn al-‘Arif employed him for writing and calligraphy. When the vizier happened upon some of these writings made for the slave, Samuel came to work as this vizier’s secretary. On Abu’s death bed, he informed the king that his Jewish secretary was his “man behind the man.” The king elevated Samuel to hold the title of vizier for himself. In 1037, this king died. Luckily for Samuel the son which succeeded him retained Samuel. In 1055, he died and Joseph ibn naghrela, his son took over his position in Spain.
Hasdai ibn Shaprut and Samuel Ha-Nagid both had fathers who ensured they would be well educated. Both learned Hebrew, Arabic and Latin. Both were grammarians and Poets who either began or concluded their life in Cordova, Spain. Both of these men rose to have a hand in the affairs of a Muslim government. Both of these Jewish men made their mark in Diaspora history of the Sephardic world. Of course, as a calligrapher, Samuel did so both literally and figuratively.
Marking Diaspora History of the Sephardic Jewry
The period from about 900 to 1200 brought forth a wealth of influential characters in the Jewish community. During this time, Christian Europe had a dark cloud over it, but civilization was flourishing in places like Muslim Spain. Two influential Jews of Muslim Spain in the 10th and 11th centuries were Hasdai ibn Shaprut and Samuel Ha-Nagid.
A wealthy and learned Jew of Jaen, Spain had a son about the year 915. That son was Hasdai. Even in his youth, he learned Hebrew, Arabic and Latin. He had a strong interest in science and medicine that would lead him to become a physician. While he did not bear the title of vizier, he worked as physician for the calif ‘Abd al-Rahman III and ministered foreign affairs, as well. He was in strong support of the Jewish communities. He sent riches to and corresponded with the heads of the dwindling Babylonian academies. Instrumental in moving Jewish scholarship to his home of Cordova, he established a school and appointed Moses ben Enoch from one of these academies, but now in Cordova, to serve as the school’s director. He was a scholar honored by other scholars of the time. As the study of poetry and grammar become more in vogue for Spanish Jewry during his time, he excelled in them. The date of his death is unclear. He seems to have died perhaps 970 or 990 in Cordova, Spain.
Shortly after Hasdai passed on, 993 Cordova saw the birth of a Jewish man who would later become one of the most influential men of Spain. A native of Merida, Samuel’s father saw to it that his son should receive a thorough education of both rabbinical and secular studies. His rabbinical studies were under Enoch, son of Moses ben Enoch, whom was appointed by Hasdai. Like Hasdai, he excelled in languages and studied Hebrew, Arabic and Latin, for certain. It is said that he wrote a letter in seven different languages at some point in his life. He was to become a grammarian, poet and Arabic calligrapher. It was for these talents that a slave of vizier, Abu al-Kasim ibn al-‘Arif employed him for writing and calligraphy. When the vizier happened upon some of these writings made for the slave, Samuel came to work as this vizier’s secretary. On Abu’s death bed, he informed the king that his Jewish secretary was his “man behind the man.” The king elevated Samuel to hold the title of vizier for himself. In 1037, this king died. Luckily for Samuel the son which succeeded him retained Samuel. In 1055, he died and Joseph ibn naghrela, his son took over his position in Spain.
Hasdai ibn Shaprut and Samuel Ha-Nagid both had fathers who ensured they would be well educated. Both learned Hebrew, Arabic and Latin. Both were grammarians and Poets who either began or concluded their life in Cordova, Spain. Both of these men rose to have a hand in the affairs of a Muslim government. Both of these Jewish men made their mark in Diaspora history of the Sephardic world. Of course, as a calligrapher, Samuel did so both literally and figuratively.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Guest Post: Living Healthfully
Those who read my blog regularly know that this past semester, especially reently, I've been putting up a lot of guest posts. It's been a rough semester and besides my school work, I've had a chronic cold that goes away and comes back for much of the semester. You who read regularly also know that I've been posting about health lately. So, I asked Hedva to write a guest post for me since she eats healthier than anyone I know. Please note that this is not the guest poster who has written most of the recent posts. This is actually her first guest post for me.
You can be thin and still be unhealthy. If your sole goal is to be thin, don’t waste your time reading this. If your goal in life is to be healthy, then read on!
I try to BE healthy, and I try to drag my family with me. To me, BEING healthy means:
1) Managing my time well so that I get enough sleep and eliminate as much stress as possible from my life. That means no TV, no playing computer games, and limiting time on email, social networking sites, etc.
2) Getting enough exercise. This does not necessarily mean joining a gym. To me, it means walking whenever possible, using the stairs instead of the elevator, running around with my kids, and doing a few minutes of yoga every night.
3) Eating healthy foods and drinking lots of water.
Healthy eating is what Michal wanted me to focus on, and it is undoubtedly the most important aspect of healthy living. I don’t count calories and I don’t look at the fat content. I simply eat as many whole foods as possible, and avoid the processed foods.
When I leave the grocery store, my shopping cart is full of vegetables, fruit, eggs, unprocessed cheese, fresh fish, plain yogurt, meat, and poultry. These are whole foods. I buy whole wheat bread with no sugar added (my goal is to one day use my bread machine and make my own bread!), and I buy 100% whole wheat pasta and rice. I buy quinoa. I do buy whole wheat crackers and whole wheat pretzels for the kids, but I try to limit their snacks to whole foods, like raisins, fruit, veggies, etc.
It’s really that simple. I cringe when I see other moms loading their carts up with soda, candy, potato chips, frozen chicken nuggets, white bread, white pasta, American cheese (aka, processed garbage), that yogurt that comes with the cookies and chocolate on top, etc. This stuff is not food. Some parts of it used to be food, until a corporation got its hands on it, added lots of garbage to it, packaged it nicely, and is now passing it off as food.
I try to serve eggs and hot cereal for breakfast, but my kids like cereal with milk too. So I buy the 100% whole grain cereals that don’t have any chemical preservatives and have less sugar. It’s still processed garbage, but it’s a little better than Fruit Loops.
We drink water. Lots of it. We never bring soda into the house (that stuff is poison). We have 100% juice only on Shabbos as we eat plenty of fresh fruits. My kids get OJ when they are sick and I’m trying to entice them to drink more. If you don’t like the taste of water, learn to like it. Eliminate all other drinks from your diet and within a couple of weeks, you will relish the taste of water. It’s a must for a healthy lifestyle.
Are we 100% healthy all the time? Of course not. We eat challah every Shabbos, which is our weekly dose of refined white flour. I give the kids a special Shabbos treat, be it a cookie or a fruit strip (made from real fruit). We eat dessert on Shabbos and Yom Tov (although I always substitute whole wheat flour for white flour). We go out to eat sometimes, and indulge in the white bread and the white pasta. But we usually eat real food.
And let me tell you - we eat well. Very well. My fresh vegetable salads are extremely yummy. I make fish or chicken every night, and it’s always good. My vegetable dishes have lured in even the most anti-healthy people (yes, asparagus and broccoli CAN taste good). We never go hungry and we never eat bland, gross food.
Cooking takes a lot of time and effort. It requires a lot of planning. Every Sunday morning, I sit down and write out a meal plan for the week. I then write up a shopping list and send the hubby shopping. I prep as much as I can the night before for dinner the next day. I’ll cut up the vegetables, prepare the marinade, etc. Having everything ready in advance makes it so much easier to put the meal together quickly.
Some people don’t have the time, or are simply unwilling to devote that time to cooking healthfully. In my opinion, if eating healthfully is a priority, you’ll find the time to cook. Cut out the television watching, reading blogs (except Michal’s, of course), and the time you spend on Facebook, and you’ll have time to cook a healthy meal!
You can be thin and still be unhealthy. If your sole goal is to be thin, don’t waste your time reading this. If your goal in life is to be healthy, then read on!
I try to BE healthy, and I try to drag my family with me. To me, BEING healthy means:
1) Managing my time well so that I get enough sleep and eliminate as much stress as possible from my life. That means no TV, no playing computer games, and limiting time on email, social networking sites, etc.
2) Getting enough exercise. This does not necessarily mean joining a gym. To me, it means walking whenever possible, using the stairs instead of the elevator, running around with my kids, and doing a few minutes of yoga every night.
3) Eating healthy foods and drinking lots of water.
Healthy eating is what Michal wanted me to focus on, and it is undoubtedly the most important aspect of healthy living. I don’t count calories and I don’t look at the fat content. I simply eat as many whole foods as possible, and avoid the processed foods.
When I leave the grocery store, my shopping cart is full of vegetables, fruit, eggs, unprocessed cheese, fresh fish, plain yogurt, meat, and poultry. These are whole foods. I buy whole wheat bread with no sugar added (my goal is to one day use my bread machine and make my own bread!), and I buy 100% whole wheat pasta and rice. I buy quinoa. I do buy whole wheat crackers and whole wheat pretzels for the kids, but I try to limit their snacks to whole foods, like raisins, fruit, veggies, etc.
It’s really that simple. I cringe when I see other moms loading their carts up with soda, candy, potato chips, frozen chicken nuggets, white bread, white pasta, American cheese (aka, processed garbage), that yogurt that comes with the cookies and chocolate on top, etc. This stuff is not food. Some parts of it used to be food, until a corporation got its hands on it, added lots of garbage to it, packaged it nicely, and is now passing it off as food.
I try to serve eggs and hot cereal for breakfast, but my kids like cereal with milk too. So I buy the 100% whole grain cereals that don’t have any chemical preservatives and have less sugar. It’s still processed garbage, but it’s a little better than Fruit Loops.
We drink water. Lots of it. We never bring soda into the house (that stuff is poison). We have 100% juice only on Shabbos as we eat plenty of fresh fruits. My kids get OJ when they are sick and I’m trying to entice them to drink more. If you don’t like the taste of water, learn to like it. Eliminate all other drinks from your diet and within a couple of weeks, you will relish the taste of water. It’s a must for a healthy lifestyle.
Are we 100% healthy all the time? Of course not. We eat challah every Shabbos, which is our weekly dose of refined white flour. I give the kids a special Shabbos treat, be it a cookie or a fruit strip (made from real fruit). We eat dessert on Shabbos and Yom Tov (although I always substitute whole wheat flour for white flour). We go out to eat sometimes, and indulge in the white bread and the white pasta. But we usually eat real food.
And let me tell you - we eat well. Very well. My fresh vegetable salads are extremely yummy. I make fish or chicken every night, and it’s always good. My vegetable dishes have lured in even the most anti-healthy people (yes, asparagus and broccoli CAN taste good). We never go hungry and we never eat bland, gross food.
Cooking takes a lot of time and effort. It requires a lot of planning. Every Sunday morning, I sit down and write out a meal plan for the week. I then write up a shopping list and send the hubby shopping. I prep as much as I can the night before for dinner the next day. I’ll cut up the vegetables, prepare the marinade, etc. Having everything ready in advance makes it so much easier to put the meal together quickly.
Some people don’t have the time, or are simply unwilling to devote that time to cooking healthfully. In my opinion, if eating healthfully is a priority, you’ll find the time to cook. Cut out the television watching, reading blogs (except Michal’s, of course), and the time you spend on Facebook, and you’ll have time to cook a healthy meal!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Guest Post: Confessions of a Jew.... To Another Jew..
Earlier this week, I had an interesting surprise. After checking my blog and fnding some kind comments from new readers. I checked my Email. In my inbox I found the following (with a very mild amount of editing on my part). (Purple is for my female posters. I give him this deep green.)
A couple of months ago I was sitting with a classmate in the far end of the cafeteria, quickly going through my notes for a Classics exam that was to take place in short order. At the time, among the works we were studying, Plato’s ‘Trial and Death of Socrates’ was one of the texts. I had it out for test-prep.
That afternoon, for some reason, as you sat at the next table, minding your own business, occasion presented itself for us to exchange a few words. In short: you directed me to your blog and I wrote its address in the back cover of the Plato. I went to take the test; aced it and forgot all about the blog.
I’m generally not given to reading blogs because threads are very labyrinthine and my time to fiollow a thread is too limited to begin its journey, but I’m not averse to looking at some when they’re interesting, from time to time.
Anyhow: last week I had occasion to take the Plato out once more for the purpose of writing my final paper, and I came across the URL that I’d written those moths ago. I made a mental note to check it out because at the time we exchanged those few words, it appeared like you had something to tell, earnestly.
But as you know, as a student at the brink, together with everyone else, finals here in ain’t no piece o’ cake. So I put it out of my mind for a few days. Yesterday, as I entered the library, and was passing security in the tight and crowded alcove area, we accidentally bumped into each other. I then resolved to remember to check it out; my curiosity burned.
Now, I find myself trying to calm myself from the outrageous things I read on your blog. Not only are your sufferance right, valid and correct, but I’m ashamed to read that such a deep disregard for other Jews—even to the basic human level—is the norm. Earlier, as I happened by one of the posts—and where I realized that you were, in fact, a convert—I commented to the effect that it’s crazy that such callousness exists among Jews. Now, hours later as I perused some of your posts, I realize that the reality of this situation is rampant and it disgusts me. As a born cynic, your stories should ordinarily strike me as exaggerated; but not these stories. I’ve seen them first hand too many times, to dismiss anything you say.
Now, I don’t hate my fellow Jew just because he/she is ignorant; but at the same time, it incenses me that the most noble and respectable Jew, the convert, is not respected.
I must point out: I may not be the type of person who socializes, in the first place; or I may not be a good schmoozer, much; but disrespect?! How can such a thing occur?!
Why, I wonder, does a conversation with you have to revolve around conversion, Judaism, theism, theology or anything like that? Why couldn’t it be about how one professor sucks and the other rules? About how Starbucks coffee is better than Dunkin Doughnut's (in my humble opinion)? That such-and-such an exhibit is coming to a local Museum, or that X,Y and Z? You’re human! If I’m to converse with you, I’d be conversing with a woman! Not some circus side-show…
If you wanted to discuss conversion and such, then you’d be doing that too—at your own volition; but why is it such a hot topic with FFBs? Sometimes the most embarrassing, insensitive, even gruesomely cruel questions are asked, and I can’t imagine what behooves them to ask them!
Of course you don’t have the answers, and neither do I; but as I said in my post response: my family has been blessed with our extended family, our Puerto Rican family. Unfortunately, due to my residence here in the five boros, and theirs outside the five boros, I don’t get to see them much; but are they in any way less my brothers and sisters than my biological siblings? No. in fact, I wouldn’t mind exchanging some of them…lol
But seriously: I read some of the episodes of the Hineini encounters; the Shabbos lunches; the keep-the-convert-at-arm’s-length attitude: and I hate it.
You’re just a simple, typical woman. You wake up in the morning like everyone else; you daven; you learn; you eat; you study; you have fun; you’re bored; you cry; you laugh; you wonder; you conclude; you love; you despise; you plan; you’re spontaneous; you win; you lose; you’re rich; you’re poor: you’re completely normal! So why the heck are you being treated like a lab rat?!
To put it another way: you're not a convert. You're simply a Jew. End of story.
I hope you find a man who deserves you; a sensitive, sensible, successful man, and one who’ll love you and you’ll love. And, moreover, I hope you find chein with people and you discontinue being treated like a diseased creature. You and you friends are nothing like that, and some of us are, boruch haShem, aware of that… I hope our numbers increase, as it's high time it did, and more of us come to appreciate you.
David
A couple of months ago I was sitting with a classmate in the far end of the cafeteria, quickly going through my notes for a Classics exam that was to take place in short order. At the time, among the works we were studying, Plato’s ‘Trial and Death of Socrates’ was one of the texts. I had it out for test-prep.
That afternoon, for some reason, as you sat at the next table, minding your own business, occasion presented itself for us to exchange a few words. In short: you directed me to your blog and I wrote its address in the back cover of the Plato. I went to take the test; aced it and forgot all about the blog.
I’m generally not given to reading blogs because threads are very labyrinthine and my time to fiollow a thread is too limited to begin its journey, but I’m not averse to looking at some when they’re interesting, from time to time.
Anyhow: last week I had occasion to take the Plato out once more for the purpose of writing my final paper, and I came across the URL that I’d written those moths ago. I made a mental note to check it out because at the time we exchanged those few words, it appeared like you had something to tell, earnestly.
But as you know, as a student at the brink, together with everyone else, finals here in
Now, I find myself trying to calm myself from the outrageous things I read on your blog. Not only are your sufferance right, valid and correct, but I’m ashamed to read that such a deep disregard for other Jews—even to the basic human level—is the norm. Earlier, as I happened by one of the posts—and where I realized that you were, in fact, a convert—I commented to the effect that it’s crazy that such callousness exists among Jews. Now, hours later as I perused some of your posts, I realize that the reality of this situation is rampant and it disgusts me. As a born cynic, your stories should ordinarily strike me as exaggerated; but not these stories. I’ve seen them first hand too many times, to dismiss anything you say.
Now, I don’t hate my fellow Jew just because he/she is ignorant; but at the same time, it incenses me that the most noble and respectable Jew, the convert, is not respected.
I must point out: I may not be the type of person who socializes, in the first place; or I may not be a good schmoozer, much; but disrespect?! How can such a thing occur?!
Why, I wonder, does a conversation with you have to revolve around conversion, Judaism, theism, theology or anything like that? Why couldn’t it be about how one professor sucks and the other rules? About how Starbucks coffee is better than Dunkin Doughnut's (in my humble opinion)? That such-and-such an exhibit is coming to a local Museum, or that X,Y and Z? You’re human! If I’m to converse with you, I’d be conversing with a woman! Not some circus side-show…
If you wanted to discuss conversion and such, then you’d be doing that too—at your own volition; but why is it such a hot topic with FFBs? Sometimes the most embarrassing, insensitive, even gruesomely cruel questions are asked, and I can’t imagine what behooves them to ask them!
Of course you don’t have the answers, and neither do I; but as I said in my post response: my family has been blessed with our extended family, our Puerto Rican family. Unfortunately, due to my residence here in the five boros, and theirs outside the five boros, I don’t get to see them much; but are they in any way less my brothers and sisters than my biological siblings? No. in fact, I wouldn’t mind exchanging some of them…lol
But seriously: I read some of the episodes of the Hineini encounters; the Shabbos lunches; the keep-the-convert-at-arm’s-length attitude: and I hate it.
You’re just a simple, typical woman. You wake up in the morning like everyone else; you daven; you learn; you eat; you study; you have fun; you’re bored; you cry; you laugh; you wonder; you conclude; you love; you despise; you plan; you’re spontaneous; you win; you lose; you’re rich; you’re poor: you’re completely normal! So why the heck are you being treated like a lab rat?!
To put it another way: you're not a convert. You're simply a Jew. End of story.
I hope you find a man who deserves you; a sensitive, sensible, successful man, and one who’ll love you and you’ll love. And, moreover, I hope you find chein with people and you discontinue being treated like a diseased creature. You and you friends are nothing like that, and some of us are, boruch haShem, aware of that… I hope our numbers increase, as it's high time it did, and more of us come to appreciate you.
David
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)