Jewish Blogs

When is it ok to give in to someone else?

Question:Can you explain the proper boundaries of being a vatran (giving in)?Answer:Vatranut begins by seeing the other person as an extension of yourself. Parents instinctively do this with their children. You have to learn to bring more people into your picture. Being a shmatta means resentfully giving in when there are other possibilities. I would call this intentional martyrdom, which is what people choose because ...

When all is said and done, Tisha B’Av just isn’t funny

There isn’t anything inherently funny about Tisha B’Av. Yom Kippur is funnier — we clop our chests, all the Rabbis look like idiots in their white canvas shoes and suits and it’s so boring that in yeshiva we ended up in our dorm rooms debating if it was worse to jerk off or eat on Yom Kippur. Some people did ...

What’s your favorite segulah? Here are my top 10

It seems that we are so accustomed to hearing negative things about segulas that we’ve forgotten there are ones that actually hold true. Whenever you hear the term segulah, it’s usually followed up with some crazy scenario that has never actually worked. Thank you to Avromy Lapp, for posting some of these on my Facebook page.Segulah for recovery from illness ...

What’s your beef with Sarah Silverman?

Sarah Silverman appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien last Friday and shared an important message about vaginal health with the women of America, among other things. She mentioned meeting some women who work at Ms. who gave her a “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” t-shirt, which she mocked at first but then said she supported and would actually wear ...

What’s under the modest swimwear?

Recently, a company in Israel advertised their modest swimwear for frum women on many Jewish community e-mail lists. One list member asked me the obvious question, and it has bothered me since. What is the point of modest swimwear? Do frum women wear modest swimwear when they go mixed swimming? Frum women don’t swim with men anyway. Since they are swimming ...

What’s the Best Kosher Restaurant in New York?

I would hesitate to call myself a foodie, but being in the profession for a couple years now I’ve definitely an appreciation for good food and wine. The truth is, I haven’t had the chance to eat out much, I’m just getting over price shock and most of the time I come away so disappointed when eating out I would ...

What’s So Sexy About Jews?

We can all agree that Jews are sexy. But what makes the People of the Book so hot? Is it the male pattern balding? The gentle bosoms? The brains? The way we celebrate momentous occasions? Over at The Hairpin two awesome ladies are playing do/dump/marry with Rahm Emanuel, Hugh Laurie, and Anthony Bourdain. Guess who they decide to do?Rahm is ...

What’s Kosher, Mate?

Melbourne, Australia is not New York City. This may seem to be stating the obvious, but, shortly after moving here from Brooklyn I would discover in a myriad of ways just how this was so. For instance, say the words ‘shlep’ or ‘shmatte’ or ‘shlamiel’ in mixed company in New York and everyone, even the Chinese, the Latinos, and the ...

What’s It Like Raising FFB Kids as a BT?

What’s it like raising FFB kids as a BT? How do your kids feel about it? In what ways do you feel deficient? In what ways do you feel being a BT makes you more qualified? How do your kids feel about it, are they glad they have BT parents or do they wish their parents were FFBs?Read More: @ beyondbt.comTags: raising ...

What’s in a Name? Finding Solidarity in a Young Jew’s Herstory

Yesterday, as Yom Kippur approached, social justice organizers and progressive Jews gathered in downtown Boston to not only “remember” often underseen and undervalued laborers but also to stand in solidarity with the current labor struggles of our day. Here is Erica Concors’, one committed organizer’s, powerful speech. Question 1: Can you think of a janitor that you know? Take a moment to really think ...

What’s in a Name?

When it comes to a novel, what’s in a name? There are often dozens of characters in a novel, and some of their names have stories behind them. Others, less than it might seem.In my first draft of Sweet Like Sugar, I had a very good reason – I can’t remember it now, but I remember that it was a very ...

What Would Tevya Say?

Mel Gibson is old news, but he’ll be back, sooner or later. And not just to promote a new movie, if you know what I mean.He obviously has some deep-seated issues with Jews, African-Americans, woman, cops (especially if they’re Jewish), ex-wives (especially if they’re women)… You get the picture. Ever look into his eyes when he’s in one of his ...