#so no one get in my ask box with Opinions about my Opinions about Judaism please god

[mayybirds]

I love that Ethan is Jewish in your fic. I like that it adds some depth to his character and is especially poignant in zombie-ish settings I think. I was wondering your opinion on non-jewish writers making characters Jewish in fics? Especially in settings that could be especially upsetting for a practicing Jew. Im Jewish but I feel like I barely qualify as both my parents are Jewish atheists and I'm kind of disconnected from my faith so I'm wondering if it would be a bad idea to include such hcs in my fics. Also I was wondering, what do you think about Jewish!Karl Heisenberg?

Oh, thank you! Making Ethan Jewish was initially an impulse decision, but one I felt very strongly about once it was in my drafts. I'm glad it resonates. <3 I do think putting a Jewish character in a zombie setting is such an unexplored area, and if I'm brave enough I definitely want to eventually push on what Ethan's (loose) sense of Jewish faith would make of realizing he's a mold!boy, given Jewish laws around body modification and funeral proceedings...

I personally have no problem with non-Jewish writers writing Jewish characters, though a couple things worth noting here--I fall into the old(?) camp of thinking that generally a mixed/diverse cast more representative of the real world in any story, so long as it is done with respect and good intent (and an open ear to feedback), is for the better, rather than the new (Twitter inspired?) mind that one can only ever write from their own worldview successfully (There's layers and layers of nuance here concerning that debate and what stories one "can" write and where one might be overstepping boundaries, but that's not your question really so I'll not jump into my whole spiel there).

The second thing worth noting, though, as it pertains better to your question and your information on your personal situation... depending on who you ask, I'm not Jewish either, lol! To be clear, I identify as Jewish both religiously & culturally, have Jewish ancestry, and consider myself a practicing Jew--but I'm only ancestrally Jewish through my father. My mother was not born Jewish nor ever converted. Depending on who you ask, I'm not Jewish haha. I see myself as Jewish, as I was raised in no other faith, and according to many reform Jews--the sect I belong to--that's good enough. If you asked many other Jews, though, (hell, if you asked some of my own orthodox ancestors), they'd likely tell you "no!!!".

Rule number one, with Jewish people, in my experience? None of us agree on almost anything lol. Jewish faith is splintered into vastly different sects and practices, these days, and what's acceptable and true to me as a reform Jew likely lines up very little with what's acceptable and true to most Orthodox or Conservative Jews. I guess I say all this for two-fold reasons: One, to not cast any illusions about my Jewishness in order to better appear a "jewish authority," but also to stress that... there's no single good answer for a "jewish authority," because Judaism isn't a singular uniform religion. As the child of non-practicing Jews, you likely already know a lot of this, but it feels worth stressing! To me, if you asked, I'd say you're Jewish if you feel you're Jewish, which entitles you to explore and write about your view of Judaism/Jewish identity however you please--in fics or otherwise.

And for people who aren't Jewish at all, I think it's just worth noting--there's no interpretation of Jewishness that would please all Jewish people lol. I'm sure my interpretation of a Jewish!Ethan would be wildly offensive to some other Jewish people. So much as I say, "write in good faith and listen thoughtfully to feedback," no one should ever be shocked if they're praised by some Jewish people and criticized by others. Like all religious and cultural/ethnic minorities, Jewish people are not a monolithic opinion... we're arguably more splintered than many minorities lmao.

But yes, tldr, my personal opinion? I think you individually have every right to write Jewish character hcs into your fics, just as I think anyone can as long as they do so with respect, restraint, and forethought (&, as a Jew, "barely qualifying" or not, I'd say you personally have more wiggle room than goyim to just...do as you like with your writing about Jewish-ness... when one is basing their fiction off any personal experience, arguments about 'validity' become ridiculous. It's valid if it's true to your experiences and feelings, even if they're not universal! Nothing is universal!). That said--take my opinion with a grain of salt, because I have no more right to give you a "Jewish stamp of approval" than anyone else!

(And on your last note, I'm actually a huge fan of the idea of a Jewish!Karl. My current draft notes for his chapters currently imply his mother was Jewish, but I'm undecided on whether I'll explicitly leave that in. In my heart, though, yes, he's matrilineally Jewish. I think it brings an additional element to his backstory of basically being abducted into a religious cult and stripped of his own identity as a child particularly... poignant... because boy did Christians do this to some Jewish kids, historically!)

#for the christians abducting jewish kids thing just see Edgardo Mortara for starters haha... #but yeah there's my thoughts nonnie! #boy I sure hope I haven't opened a pit trap with this answer #dear stray readers: this is a resident evil blog and as much as I'm happy to discuss Judaism I am not a theology blog #so no one get in my ask box with Opinions about my Opinions about Judaism please god #asks #anonymous #Through the Valley to Life

[hindahoney]

I'm putting this in your ask box because you seem to have a large following of people that need to hear it: Rabbis are not going to be mad at you for asking questions about Judaism. If they didn't want to answer questions and discuss Judaism, they wouldn't have done the work required to be a rabbi. Even if you are just a curious gentile or think you're "not Jewish enough", rabbis, in my experience, aren't going to be malicious. I reached out to a lot of differnt synagogues the past year while looking into to conversion without any issues. Most synagogues with a website include a contact page, and I highly recommend reaching out. Jews on Tumblr aren't going to be able to answer circumstantial / personal questions to the extent talking to your local Jewish community can. To be clear, I'm not saying tumblr Jews aren't knowledgeable. I'm just saying a lot of questions are dependent on too many variables for an ask box

This! As many years as I have taken to study Judaism, a rabbi has still studied longer and more in-depth than I have. I get things wrong still, and it isn't uncommon that I'll have someone respond with a correction or a different opinion, which I welcome. I absolutely love answering questions about halacha, or questions asking my personal opinion about certain things, but specific questions about someone's situation will always get the default "I'll give you the limited knowledge I know, but do not stop with me, talk to a rabbi." It can also be difficult when it comes to specific questions that have answers which vary depending on the person's background. I go to an orthodox shul, so what I say will reflect that, and I'm not always well-versed in how other movements think about different things (I also am aware that orthodoxy does not have very popular views on a lot of different topics, so I have to find a balance between being true to myself and doing it in a way that doesn't feel like I'm being a massive jerk). I usually do research before I answer a question, but spending one night searching things online or in books does not replace the years of studying that a rabbi does.

Rabbis are there to meet the community's needs. Yes, they are busy people, but they care. They won't turn you away for asking questions. They've dedicated their life to being able to answer these questions. I understand it can be intimidating, but it isn't like talking to a priest. Rabbis are not the communication medium between you and HaShem, they're just really knowledgeable and experienced human beings in this specific area.

#jumblr #judaism #i promise it isnt scary #ask hinda #obligatory talk to a rabbi #ALSO about the unpopular orthodox opinions i want to clarify this is not about lgbt issues #many many orthodox jews support the lgbt community #and i identify as not-straight myself #just want to clarify in case anyone thinks i cant go to an orthodox shul and still be progressive

[jechristine]

I'm a Jew who's grandparents fled Ukraine, as is Amy Schumer. In Judaism, giving charity (tzdaka) is supposed to be anonymous. You have no idea whether she's given fifty virgils or $100,000 to Ukrainian causes. Never speculate. I donate about $1000 per year but always check the box for anonymous when I donate, and I never talk about it. You don't know what happens in private and when celebrities ARE public in their charity efforts, people shit on them too.

And anon continued:

Please pass this onto your friend, especially since you chose not to post my earlier anon about being Jewish within the Ukraine issue. It goes even further than what I wrote. We were stateless subject to genocidal pogroms catalysing the flight between the 1880s and 1920s. To say "Amy Schumer was born in the USA and get over yourself" is the same if not worse than saying an African American should get over the "African wannabe" revivalist culture. How very dare she.

It's so funny how you've got so many opinions about the UK and that black people being absolutely at all times perfect and immune from criticism, but you have massive racial blind spots which have become apparent to me today and you'll never post anything which critiques or calls out our biases and ignorance. You're one of those "my shit don't stink" types. Proximity wokeness is the inbred cousin of enduring victim complex.

I had been intending to answer the first ask here but it required a little thinking on my part, and I wanted to give it the attention it deserved.

I appreciate your sharing the parts of your Jewish identity that are important to you. I think you were sharing because you wanted to show me that you know more about Amy than I do.

Anyhow, true, we don’t know for sure whether Amy or anyone has already donated to the Ukraine causes. But I do know that she, as an individual, often publicizes her donations (just google “Amy Schumer charity”) contrary to the tradition that you’re describing, and we know that she’s currently publicizing her concern for the Ukraine and ideas around how to help. I drew a conclusion and made a suggestion, but sure I could be way off base. Apologies to Amy if I got it wrong. She seems like a generous person, so if she hasn’t already given to these causes, I’d guess she will eventually.

I have no particular care for Amy Schumer. I think the point from me and @artsimpourtzi was more to use Amy as an example of a widespread celebrity behavior of lecturing the rest of us and/or virtue signaling rather than simply redistributing their own money, which is what’s actually needed from civilians. I think maybe that larger point got lost in your ensuing tirades?

By the way, I am not Jewish but my husband is. My husband is a liberal, Reform Jew like Amy. His ancestors are from Lithuania and came over to the US in the same era to flee the Russian/Lithuanian pogroms. Americans of Ashkenazi descent whose ancestors were stateless, as you say, have different ways of thinking about their connections to the the specific lands from which their ancestors traveled. My own extended and immediate family members think of themselves as Americans exclusively and abhor their ancestors’ Lithuania, which they regard as having helped Russia to murder many of their relatives. This is either here nor there, but my husband also isn’t so traditional as to practice giving tzdaka anonymously (same as Amy). I guess I’m just sharing that because I was accused of having blind spots around Jewish identity, and maybe I do here and there, but I do try to talk those through with my life partner, not with mean-spirited anonymous people online. From him and his family I do have some awareness of what it means to be an American Jew.

Anyhow, I think it’s just best to treat people as individuals and not make assumptions based on race/ethnicity, even if you mean well. I guess just…never speculate.

The analogy to African Americans makes no sense.

[dailyaudiobible]

12/02/2019 DAB Transcript

Daniel 9:1-11:1, 1 John 2:18-3:6, Psalms 121:1-8, Proverbs 28:27-28

Today is the 2nd day of December. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you today as we…well…as we move in and get comfortable with the month that's gonna go by pretty quickly but the final month of the year. And every time we move into the new month of December, I remember this day, because this would've been my father's birthday. And obviously without my father or my mother, I wouldn't be here, and I would've never had the privilege of spending these moments together each and every day as we continue our journey through the Scriptures. So, remembering my father today. And in terms of the Scriptures we will be moving back into the book of Daniel for our Old Testament portion today and into first John when we reach the New Testament. We’re reading from the English Standard Version this week. Daniel chapter 9 verse 1 through 11 verse 1.

Commentary:

Okay. Let's talk about Dow's today. What brings us to doubt? In our faith or in life in general, what leads us into doubt? For me, and I think for most of us, doubt enters the story when we expected something to happen that didn't, right? An unmet expectation. So, in spiritual terms we think God didn't do what He promised, or what we asked Him to do is taking longer than expected. And, so, we get anxious and we’re not content, and then we start spiraling and then eventually we’re led into doubt. Doubt is sort of this response we’re throw our…our hands up and go, “I don't know what I think anymore.” And, so, there's like roots…little seeds of all kinds of bad things mixed in there, which makes is very, very vulnerable to deception and then our faith weakens and becomes dormant and at that point some…some walk away…completely walk away from their faith. And some are super vocal about it, like they become anti-faith, they become anti-God, they become anti-Christ. And that's where we begin in this letter from John today. John says, “children, it is the last hour and as you have heard an antichrist is coming. So, now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us. In other words, they used to be a part of who we are, but they left because they were not of us, because if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out that it might become plain that they are not of us.” Okay, so we…we’ve been talking about the apocalyptic worldview throughout…throughout our time in the New Testament but we talked about it recently and it plays heavily into what's going on here, what John is writing about because the obvious question that comes up here is, why didn't some of these early followers of Jesus become antichrists? Why did they leave the faith when it appeared that the end was so near?” Why did that happen. It happened for the same reasons this kind of stuff happens to us. We were expecting something that went unmet, we were led into doubt, we were then susceptible to deception, then the next thing you know we’re like in a different universe from where we started. The people John's writing to hear had faith in the imminent arrival of Jesus, like that He was coming back any moment and they, because they were putting their faith in Him, were finding themselves inaugurating the kingdom of God. Instead of all of that happening though, time went on and they started getting ridiculed instead of elevated. They were marginalized instead of becoming the status quo. They were receiving persecution instead of comfort. And even though they were being taught to endure eventually their stamina ran out when the timetable didn't work out. And, so, they threw their hands up in the air and walked away. And on one hand you can kind of understand because they were signing up to be marginalized, to be ridiculed, to be persecuted. They were signing up to suffer and endure because that's part of the story, and its part of our story. It's part of the story, but many were walking away. And as John said, “they didn't really…like…they didn't belong with us. If they belonged with us, they would've stayed.” Into this little crockpot that we’re stirring around, or this'll stew that we’re making there were a lot of questions being asked about how this all works theologically, like how do we understand the gospel, the son of God, the sacrifice, the resurrection, faith? How do we understand all this? So, questions were being asked and many people were coming up with many kinds of explanations. Things like the true nature of Jesus, whether He was human or whether he was truly divine, or whether he was both of those things, which eventually brought on confusion. And confusion is an incubator for doubt and conflict. And, so, you have people who are being pressured by their culture, marginalized, and pushed to the sidelines of their culture, and being mistreated by their culture, and being confused by what they're being told about their faith. So, they’re going through some pretty tough…tough things. And John was trying to communicate to those things the essentials, like the absolute core of the faith, and he was aiming it at their doubt. He said, “anybody who denies the father and the son is an antichrist. And anyone who denies the son doesn't have the father either.” Because in this context, many people were leaving back into Judaism, leaving Jesus behind but going back to Yahweh, like going back to God. And John’s saying, “like you don't get one without the other. That's not how it works.” And he wasn't trying to keep…keep his readers…keep those who were following the in the faith from asking questions about their faith or trying to understand their faith through asking questions of it. That wasn't the point. He was reminding them that what they heard from the beginning wasn't something that was a moving target. The gospel that they learned from the beginning wasn't changing. It hadn't changed. No matter what questions were being asked, no matter what conclusions people were coming to, no matter what kind of a confusing stew it was becoming, what they’d been told from the beginning hadn't changed. It was still the truth. But it went even deeper than that. It was not just, “hey hold onto the things I told you” or “hold onto the things you heard from the beginning.” He was trying to show them, “look…lots of people are going to say lots of things all of the time. This has always been going on. But you have something, and you need to not forget it. You have what you need.” So, quoting John again, “I’m writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray but you have received the Holy Spirit and He lives within you so you don't need anybody to teach you what's true. The Spirit teaches you everything you need to know and what he teaches is the truth. It's not a lie. So, just as he's taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” Okay, so we can understand now the situation and who John was writing to and why he was, and we can even understand and put ourselves in that position. But let's actually do that. Let's put ourselves in that position now because there's no shortage of thoughts and ideas and questions and teachings. There's no less of a stew then there was then. In fact, there probably is more, and we all face unmet expectations. We cry out to God for certain things thinking…expecting certain other things to happen and when they don't, then we have the same opportunity to be led into doubt, which will lead us into deception…well…which would ultimately lead us to become anti-Christ. So, there's nothing that John was writing about to these earlier believers that we can't relate to here. And what John is ultimately saying is, “you have what you need to be led into the truth. You have the Holy Spirit of the Almighty God within you. This is what you were told from the beginning, that the divine, that God, that the most high loves you, forgives you, wants to collaborate with you, and wants to be in union with you, wants to join with you, will be within you. Through the power of his Holy Spirit you have what you need. You don't need to run around to every little thing trying to figure out every eventuality. You don't need to ask all of the questions and then go seek all of these answers outside of God. You don't need to go looking for endless opinions. The spirit of truth indwells you by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit has promised to lead you into all truth.” So, if you’ve been in the process of resetting expectations, if you have suffered long and feel like there’s no progress, if life's circumstances is leading you to throw your hands up in the air, doubt, and walk away and even become anti-Christ, rethink that. What you are looking for is something you already have.

Prayer:

And, so, Holy Spirit it is You that we are speaking of. And, so, we invite You into that. We become aware that Your presence never departs from us. We become aware that maybe we grow impatient in listening for Your direction and maybe we jump the gun and make a mess, but You are always there. And if we would walk with You at Your pace, we would do ourselves a grand favor. And, so, we become aware of You and we become aware of our doubts and all of the back-and-forth that we've been enduring, and we invite You and all of it. Come Holy Spirit and lead us into all truth we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

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And that is it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hey Daily Audio Bible this is Ted from East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania. Please bear with me but I just have to brag about the Daily Audio Bible. My daughter Rachel started listening to DAB a few months ago. She’s an audio learner and always struggled to read the Bible. Well, Brian brings it alive for her. She listens in the car with her five-year-old son Benny, the little guy who’s been calling in lately. She’s…she has him listening to Genesis, adult Genesis and he loves it. Then she started…I’m sorry…one day she bought some coffee and she got DAB cards. She started giving these cards to friends and family then she started leaving them in lunchrooms, restrooms, on counters in restrooms…restaurants, you get the idea. And then she started to hand them out to strangers too and Benny wanted to help. Now he hands them out as well. He’s excited and he knows what he’s handing out. Recently they were in a pizzeria and it was packed. He went up to each table and explained, “it’s the Bible” and handed each one a DAB card. He even got the waitstaff. He does this everywhere that they go. They a DAB missionaries in their corner of the world. God bless you all Daily Audio Bible family. Thank you.

Hello DAB family this is Karen from Hemet and its early, early in the morning on Thanksgiving morning. Wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and it’s a sad one for my family today because my husband of 36 years passed from this life into Jesus arms yesterday morning. He’s been in a battle with Parkinson’s dementia disease for 10 years now. Had to say goodbye. I was so happy to know he is not suffering any longer and I can picture him in Jesus arms, but sadness is pouring over me like ocean waves right now. I appreciate your prayers. I appreciate you. I’m thankful for Daily Audio Bible that saw me through this painful journey. Keep us in your prayers. Have a blessed time with your family. Hold them close. Love you guys. Goodbye.

Hey DAB this is Melody in Ohio, first time caller, I am in about my 11th year of listening and I love listening to the word of God every day. My husband and I have made it a rhythm of our life and it’s just an amazing community and amazing thing. Thank you, Brian for following God’s lead and doing this. And I wanted to pray for Vicki in Arizona who lost her son two years ago. And Father I just pray for my sister in Christ. I pray that You would heal the brokenhearted, that You would let her literally feel her hands being lifted by this community Father. I pray that she would give her joy beyond her circumstances and that You would give her peace in her dreams and sweet sleep at night. And Father thank You that this is not the end, that eternity waits for us and we just thank You for Your peace and Your presence in our lives and just pray for all of the brokenhearted this holiday season Father. I pray Your comfort and we just thank You for the hope of You. Thank you, family. God bless and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Morning guys it’s Michaela from Gloucester in the UK. And two weeks from today the UK is going to the polls again. We’ve got another general election. Today is Thursday the 28th of November. So, I would really value your prayers for us over these next two weeks on election day and then beyond. Just pray that people would use their vote, that their voice would be heard even if they think it wouldn’t make a difference, that they would turn out and they would cast their vote so we can get a true picture of what people think. And whatever happens on election day and whatever happens with the results I pray that whoever is elected in will work together for the good of the people. I also want to thank God for all those people out there who are willing to stand up and perform a difficult role of representing our people because I can imagine how hard that is trying to…trying to do that…I don’t know. Yeah, thank you so much. Father God thank You for this opportunity that we have in the UK to cast our vote on who we think should be representing us in parliament and who You think should be leading us. I pray Lord You’ll be giving us wisdom as we cast our vote and I pray Lord that we would make the most of this opportunity that we have a democratic right I pray that we would be using it and I pray Lord whatever happens that they would be working together for the good of the people and that ultimately that they might come to know You and that Your name will be praised. Thank You for all the Christians who are in politics and I pray Your blessing upon them. May they be ambassadors and lights in Jesus’ name Amen.

Hey DAB family this is Micah in Awe. Vicki from Arizona, I just heard your message. I lost a best friend to suicide in 2006 and it was so hard. I can’t even imagine how much worse it would be to lose your son and also your husband in that same timeframe. Your attitude is pretty astounding to me that you’re setting yourself to worship and that…I mean…it was two years ago but that still has to be so painful and I’m sure it will continue to be painful. But you requested joy and the Lord has that for you. The Lord has joy. I’m praying that He’ll pour out the oil of gladness on you and as you requested, He walks you by that date. He will be there for you. He will be your strength. Your faith already has determined it and you know it. I’m praying for your sister. I’m gonna add you to my daily prayers. I heard the message about Adelaide struggling with cancer, eight-year-old. Praying for you now. I’m praying for the eradication of leukemia and all cancer. I ask all of you to join me in praying for solutions to cancer and the eradication of cancer. Pretty radical prayer but God’s a pretty radical God. Bless you all in this holiday season, all of you that are in pain, let us know, we want to shoulder…shoulder your burden, God wants to shoulder your burden. He can be your strength. You’re not alone out there. We’re all here for you.

Hi, it’s Sherry from Kansas. I am reminded of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens where two men are endeavoring to put together a fund to buy meat and drink for the poor and for the homeless because it’s this time of year where they suffer the most. I want to remind people in the hustle and bustle of the holiday to think of those who are homebound, who have no family, who have no money, who cannot even get out to look at Christmas lights and they sit at home alone and they have no one to celebrate the holidays with. If you don’t know where to find some people like that, go to the senior center or the department of aging or go to a housing project where elderly people live and think about doing something for them, maybe offering to take them out or offering to go to the store or bringing them a special holiday treat. I love you all. I know many of you already do that, but I just wanted to remind you that not everyone has family, not everyone participates in holiday, not everyone can. God bless you all. Thank you. Bye-bye.

[aimmyarrowshigh]

Four years ago I married my high school sweetheart. We gathered under a chuppah of cherry blossoms, twinkle lights, and kente cloth in our adopted home of Washington, D.C., and became a family. We were madly in love and full of hope for our future. When we consecrated ourselves to each other, we also became a symbol of America. A type of America you either fight for or fight against: a black Jewish family.

We are the most American family I know. What could be more American than a Thanksgiving table laden with jollof rice and kosher turkey? We are a mixed-race melting pot, a Jewish African Norman Rockwell painting, boating on Cape Cod and drinking beer in Milwaukee and road tripping the California coast. We are a happy story of children and grandchildren of immigrants flourishing. We are the American dream, the cover of the brochure. There are people who make a point of vigorously shaking our hands, of knocking over other people to greet us at synagogues, of welcoming us with comical cheerfulness. We are a stock photo, a campaign ad. Sometimes, I literally catch myself posing. We make them happy and they want to be our friends. We are the America they want to believe in. I don’t mind, because I want to believe in it too.

That was the picture we had at the time. To some, we were a dream. To others, a nightmare. But we would soon discover that some people thought what makes America great is white people.

When I got pregnant, I cried tears of joy. I told my family I was three weeks along at Passover and they screamed. I passed on wine and chopped liver and my cousins whispered and smiled knowingly. I was glowing. My belly grew and something strange happened. I started writing. With every kick and every ultrasound I lost the ability to be quiet. To be a stock photo of smiling American multiculturalism. I lost my capacity to stomach inequity when I learned I was having a daughter. I wanted her to have more than me and to demand more for herself. I began to demand things for her I never would have asked for myself. It was my first act of motherhood. I kicked up trouble, demanding movements for justice make way for my kid. My husband worried and made blueberry pancakes—the only thing I was willing to eat at the time.

At a work event, a favorite colleague saw me and ran over to rub my belly and squeal. She cooed over ultrasounds and asked my due date and showed me pictures of her grandkids. Then she asked me if I understood what it means to have a black child in America. Was I prepared? I nodded yes. I had read bell hooks and Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kimberlé Crenshaw and Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care and the Curly Hair Bible. I had watched all 14 episodes of Eyes on the Prize. I had studied for the exam and expected a good grade. She nodded with approval and said, “You’ll have to be her advocate. You’ll have to fight for her every day. But you’ll be good at it, I think. Just don’t ever forget, you are not a mama to a white child.”

On Election Day, 2016, I was eight months pregnant. Boxes of paintings and books sat at our feet, as we were still settling into our first house. I was too pregnant and exhausted to get up the stairs, so we watched election results from the sofa bed. I fell asleep and woke up to each new state being called for one side or the other. My husband was afraid I would get so upset at the results that I would go into labor. I breathed deeply and steeled myself. The baby kicked happily.

The next day, I went to work at 6:00 a.m. and started making plans. I listened to Hamilton. “I am ready to fight,” I told myself. “Breathe deep—don’t go into labor.” I stopped in the coffee shop next to my office. People were crying. It was pouring in Washington and it was hard to see where people’s tears ended and the rain began. I rubbed my belly and told my daughter it would be OK. It had to be.

A few weeks later, nine months pregnant, I was informed I was listed on a neo-Nazi website as one of many “Jews who someone should shut up.” My husband was terrified. He insisted we take a day off work to determine if there was any credible physical threat to me or his child. I was mostly amused, as George Soros and Ruth Bader Ginsburg were also on the list. Thanks for the career boost, Nazis! But my husband did not laugh. We had a long talk with the Southern Poverty Law Center and they assured us there is no immediate danger. My husband installed an alarm system anyway.

Not long after, our daughter was born happy and healthy. She slept through Inauguration Day as I paced anxiously around the house. Our neighbors were braced for riots that never came and one advised me to get off the streets with my daughter. It felt just like it did when MLK died, she warned. When my husband finally got home from work, I cried and buried my face in his chest. “It’s hormones,” I lied. In the morning I dressed my daughter up in pink footie pajamas and a pink hat and posted a picture of her on Facebook with the caption Nasty Woman in Training. I wondered if one day she’d be disappointed to find out I didn’t go to the Women’s March. But I also wondered why the march leadership refused to include families like mine in their anti-oppression statement. Now that I could look my baby in the eye, I found that my inability to be quiet only grew.

Then, that August, we changed from being a happy multicultural family to being a terrified one. It happened slowly and then all at once. The anti-Semitic graffiti by our synagogue, the nooses hung on D.C. campuses, our friends running from their JCCs clutching their pregnant bellies and their babies. Then the rally in Charlottesville changed everything. I watched people march against our existence as my baby slept in my lap. They were young people. I stared at her little face, all tuckered out from crawling through the yard in the August heat. Who could hate her? I realized that who we are had become something to worry over, an issue to be handled, no longer something to celebrate.

People called me up to tell me they planned on confronting Nazis at a rally in Boston. They wanted to stand up for families like mine. They wanted to be good friends. I begged them to stay home, and open their wallets or their laptops instead. I said, “Stay away from the Nazis with the guns.”

What did it all mean? When your personal life is political, and your family identity makes people angry, you never know who will push you in front of a train and who will drive the train. So I never shut up. My colleagues call me brave. The truth is, it’s not bravery that drives me, it’s the terror of first-time parenthood coupled with the terror of raising a black child in America and the lingering taste of the Holocaust on my Jewish tongue. I am not brave, just very loud. The loudness makes me feel safe because I know evil grows in silence.

Every day there are new questions: What does it mean to raise a black Jewish daughter in the age of Trump? How do we keep her safe? Am I making her less safe or more safe by raising my voice? How do we give her a Judaism that will embrace and love her? What if all the Jewish summer camps have no black girls? What if American feminism continues to betray her? Where should we live, and how will it inform her identity and self-esteem? How will I teach her about slavery, about the Holocaust, about the Klan? I used to think I’d tell her a story with a happy ending—an imperfect country on the right path. A black president Mama campaigned for. Baby pictures on Hillary Clinton’s inauguration day in a Run Like a Girl onesie.

Now I am losing faith that it’s still possible. I threw the onesie in the trash. We scour the internet for books with black Jewish kids. We read to her all the time.

Whether you see us as a brochure for American multiculturalism or as a threat, we inspire opinions. People have takes on us. We are something to be celebrated or something to be afraid of or something to be angry about. We are never just a family, until we are alone, in our own home, surrounded by stuffed animals and trucks and pink hair bows and books and so much love. My baby is loud, just like her mother.

The day neo-Nazis marched in Charlottesville, was the day I stopped recognizing the path America was on. We were never a perfect place: I’d been in a driving-while-black incident with my husband and I had had a swastika drawn on my synagogue as a child. But before Charlottesville I believed we were on the path to justice and I believed in the American dream and I naively dove into a life more perilous than the one I was born into by becoming the sole inhabitant of white privilege in my home. Despite it all, I would dive all over again. I love my family.

This coming Aug. 12, white supremacists will march again. As plans currently stand, they will march just a few miles from our home in Washington, D.C. They will celebrate their macabre anniversary. They will march against our lives. They will march for death. We will not walk beside them. We won’t dignify them with our presence. We will take our daughter swimming in our neighborhood pool and feed her extra treats and hold her so close. We will have an escape route planned and a go-bag in our car. We will be a family.

#social justice

[edhayne]

Finding Our Religion — The gospel according to Hereford

[NB. This was written for Ogilvy & Mather’s ‘Get Out There’ initiative and was originally published in April, 2017]

The Church.

“The first great global brand.”

Wise words as ever from Sir John Hegarty. But is this another famous old institution that has lost its way in the UK? A global heavyweight lacking relevance in a country it used to dominate?

At a glance, you would say no.

Despite being an increasingly multicultural nation, 56% of the UK population state that they are “Christian” when asked their religion in the national census. A healthy number that no doubt keeps the global bosses happy.

However, this only tells half the story. Latest figures show that 1.4% of the UK population go to Church regularly. Are these statistics surprising? Perhaps not. But they certainly raise questions that the data alone cannot answer.

We therefore decided To Get Out There and explore what it now means to be considered a “Christian” country. Canterbury and York made the shortlist of prospective locations, but we settled upon Hereford, a cathedral city that attracts more weekly worshippers than anywhere else in the UK.

From casual chats on the streets to attending a Sunday Church service in a converted cinema, we met some fascinating people and learnt valuable lessons along the way.

The silent majority:

First up, we wanted to understand why people ticked the “Christian” box in the national census. For regular worshippers, the answer was obvious, but things got more interesting when we asked those that rarely set foot in a Church.

“I’m not sure what I believe, but I celebrate Christmas.”

“I was baptised when I was younger. I’m a Christian whether I like it or not.”

“It means I’m not a Muslim.”

Should the Church care about these varied reasons, or have they done their job by convincing over half of the UK population to tick the box? To use a football analogy, the Christian faith seem to attract a lot of fair-weather supporters — ‘fans’ that rarely come through the turnstiles, don’t watch the action on TV, but have a team when pushed for their allegiance. This might suggest that they have little in common. In fact, many of the people we spoke with shared traditional Christian values.

“I want my children to be generous, humble and respectful of others.”

“Telling the truth matters. I wish politicians would remember that.”

In a divided country with increasingly binary narratives, this was particularly refreshing to hear.

However, a more candid member of the clergy, outright questioned what these ‘passive observers’ actually bring to the Church. Perhaps naively, he pointed out that they’re not a source of revenue and their primary reasons for identifying as a ‘Christian’ were hardly positive.

The elusive youth market:

The same Vicar was equally outspoken about where the Church has been going wrong. Like so many 21st century brands, an inability to attract the next generation was cited as the biggest issue. This was a view shared by Church goers, box tickers and outright rejecters.

“Why should I be told what to do?”

“I’m not sure what the role of the Christianity is in modern life.”

These attitudes partly explain why Hereford has several Churches where the average age of the congregation is well over 70. However, unlike other parts of the UK, the city has had some success going after the youth market.

Our visit to The Freedom Church gave us amazing insight into the type work that has been undertaken.

Everything from the building, a converted cinema to the VIP welcome we received, made for a surreal Sunday morning. The service felt like a well-rehearsed Ted Talk, had the raucousness of a rowdy gig and the energy of a highly charged political rally. The congregation was vocal and passionate.

“You’re SO right Pastor.”

“Ay-men to that.”

The whole operation was more attune to a Silicon Valley start-up than a 2000-year-old global institution. Pastor Gary aka ‘Pastor G’ took on the role of Steve Jobs, but we also heard from a variety of other well-groomed individuals.

Consistently the focus was on what you can do as a Christian, rather than what you can’t. Extracts from the Bible were simply used as points of reference and the service was live streamed on the internet. The Crucifix ‘logo’ was nowhere to be seen and an array of artisan coffees fuelled the merriment. Their narrative was simple:

“Our vision is to connect anyone, anywhere to a life-changing relationship with Jesus.”

“We’re inclusive of all types of Christianity.”

“We practise a religion that’s for everyday life.”

It was impressively slick and had evidently struck a chord with a more youthful congregation. A chat with a member a few hours after the service summed up the pervading attitude of regular attendees.

“The Freedom Church is like a caring father. It guides me through everyday life without talking down to me.”

With all this positivity, we were keen to explore how this Church was perceived from ‘the outside’.

Tellingly, many hadn’t even heard of it. Those that had were dismissive and even viewed it with some contempt:

“A collection of happy clappy weirdoes.”

“Americanised nonsense.”

“They’re still ramming the religious message down your throat.”

With time a precious commodity, especially over a weekend, people cited the lack of a more mainstream middle ground as the biggest problem facing the Church.

“Why can’t the Church just be normal?”

“They always end up saying something that makes me feel awkward.”

“I’d rather watch Match of the Day with my kids on a Sunday morning.”

“To appeal to everyone we need something more in the middle (something between Freedom Church and more traditional services such as Church of England).”

Familiar franchisee problems:

Given the willingness of Hereford locals to openly discuss religion and their many shared values, perhaps it’s surprising that a more mainstream offering hasn’t surfaced. The city is awash with varied Christian places of worship and there’s a noticeable lack of other religious buildings.

One local was particularly proud to have “kept other religions out,” citing Judaism and Muslims as “the enemy.” An isolated opinion of course, but still alarming to hear.

On a more positive note, communication between some Hereford Churches has grown much stronger in recent years. Members of a Protestant congregation spoke of different Church communities sharing ideas and empowering each other to adapt.

“There’s far more that unites us than divides us”.

However, infighting, even between the same Christian sect, has proved to be a big barrier to reaching out beyond regular attendees. One Catholic worshipper even outright accused The Freedom Church of:

“Bastardising the Christian faith”.

Whilst people understood that constant meddling wasn’t the answer, the complete lack of a consistent message between Churches was cited as a major obstacle to more mainstream appeal. Furthermore, the calibre and training of some of the clergy was also called into a question.

Populating popular culture:

Throughout our visit it became clear that Herefordshire residents weren’t afraid to express an opinion. People’s views varied, but the conversation often centred upon upping the Church’s cultural relevance.

“Yoga and mindfulness are more popular than ever before. Going to Church isn’t that dissimilar. They’re missing a trick.”

“Why does the Royal Family dress so formally when they go to Church? They’re setting the wrong example.”

Above all else, people agreed that all Christian faiths needed to be far more open-minded and willing to re-think their messaging to tie in more closely to modern life.

Navigating the ecclesiastical boardroom:

We left Hereford with more questions than we answered. One weekend in the city was never going to be enough, but even a fleeting visit gave us valuable insight.

In particular, the trip revealed that there’s plenty that can be done to get more people actively involved in the Church.

So, what were the three biggest lessons?

1) You’re only as good as the experience you deliver on the front line — everyone rightly marvels at John Lewis’s creative work, but the experience at the point of sale is equally on point. Most of the people we spoke with in Hereford, including members of the clergy, felt that whilst freedom of expression was a good thing, a clear mission statement and some inspirational guidelines were equally important.

2) If you’re a global brand, fight powerfully for a UK relevant version of the brand narrative — letting the global bosses rule the roost is a huge barrier to attracting new customers.

3) Be clear about how any sub-brand launch complements the Master Brand — the Church has a brand architecture that’s become so complex, newcomers and those looking to re-engage don’t know where to start.

Evidently, the task for the Christian faith in the UK is huge and daunting, but many of the raw materials are in place. In a divided country, we found plenty of evidence to suggest that fundamental Christian values still matter to many people. Furthermore, how many other brands would love to have stunning buildings, big calendar events and array of charismatic employees in their armoury? Having 56% of the UK population on your books is handy too.

Challenge one is to make sense of these varied assets for a modern-day mass audience. Easier said than done. Challenge two is convincing those at the top to make some fundamental changes. That’s the really tricky part.

In fact, maybe it’s a brief for Sir John himself?

Listening to the people of a Hereford wouldn’t be a bad place to start.

[catboy-dysphoria]

(1) hey, i saw you're converting to judaism. i hate to be that person who asks ppl to educate them so if this is inappropriate/ too much emotional labor pls ignore. i've been looking into how i can learn more about judaism in general and recognizing antisemitism specifically. i was wondering if you had any recommendations where to start, ideally starting w/ yt because spoons. i've come across some things that i can tell are Yikes but worry that i don't know enough to spot it if something is

(2) antisemitic in a more "covert" way. again, no pressure to respond!

Hey anon!

First off, it's gr8 you're trying to educate yourself, but TBH if you're only able to watch YT videos, you're not going to be able to learn well enough to be a good ally. YouTube videos really have no way of getting to the depth of antisemetism in the US and around the world. They can be a good place to start sometimes, but are unreliable, aren't always clear on what's fact and what's opinion, and it's often hard to find sources for things said. I don't recommend YouTube at all, for any type of learning, unless you're already familiar enough with the topic to parse those sorts of things for yourself.

What I do recommend is reaching out to local temples and other Jewish institutions. They often have classes that are open to anyone! Keep in mind there are a lot of different branches of Judaism and obvi not every one will operate the same/have the same stances, as well as individuals being individuals. I was able to attend classes for free, due to my financial situation being tight RN.

You can also look into books/audiobooks! And talk to Jewish folks, lots of them. Old, young, your friends, people you might not like, Jews of color and white Jews. And listen to what they tell you.

But let me just stand on my soap box for a second and say: being a good ally/accomplice takes spoons. It takes a lot, sometimes! It takes spoons you'd rather use for fun stuff. That isn't an excuse to not put effort into learning. You can be slow, and you don't have to go to college or anything, but an hour of slow, earnest learning is better than 10 hours of half-assed YouTube learning.

[eldritchsurveys]

785.

Do you hate it when people rate their surveys “R” but none of the questions are R-rated? >> I don’t notice what surveys are R-rated. I only noticed when I didn’t have an account, because I’d have to click through the warning page to get to the survey, and after I got real tired of that I just made an account so I’d never have to deal with it again.

Do you ever actively seek out R rated surveys ‘cause you think they’re fun? >> No.

Have you ever taken the tests on sites like “OK Cupid” or similar? >> Yeah, back when they actually had tests. That was the most fun part of the site, I really only stuck with it because I liked taking silly quizzes. Now it’s just... match questions, which a lot of the time don’t even apply to me so I spend more time skipping than actually answering. (Why am I even on OKC? That’s an excellent question. I think I’m just used to it, and also I always hold out hope that I’ll make a local friend on it or something.)

When was the last time you went out for a coffee/cup of tea? >> God, I don’t even want to think about it.

Do you remember what TV shows you liked as a kid? (If you watched it) >> I remember not getting to watch much TV at all, especially not any that I would have chosen for myself.

Does stress ever affect you physically? If yes, how? >> Yeah, my body feels tight (especially in the torso area), my temperature regulation is all off, my senses are even more sensitive than usual, that sort of thing.

Who (in your opinion) deserves a medal and why? >> ---

Who was in power in your country the year you were born? >> I think George H.W. Bush was.

In your opinion were they a good president/prime minister/leader? >> I don’t actually know anything about his term in office, I just know how people nowadays feel about him, which isn’t much useful information at all tbh.

Do you own a coffee table? If yes, what is it made out of? >> Yeah. It’s from IKEA, so I guess some kind of cheap wood.

When did you last eat a parsnip? >> I’ve never eaten a parsnip. I don’t even know what one looks like.

Is it just me or is TV seriously “dumbing down”? >> I guess it’s you, dude.

Do you ever watch films and rip them apart for their innacuracies? >> No, that doesn’t strike me as fun. And it really isn’t fun when someone watches a movie with me and complains about it the entire time, like... you can leave, okay. Let me enjoy myself.

Do you prefer your partners to be taller or shorter than you? >> ---

Can you smell anything? >> Yeah, mowed grass. I hate that smell so much.

Did you have a money box as a kid? What shape was it if you did? >> No.

When was the last time your stomach rumbled? >> I don’t know.

Are your nails long? >> No.

Have you ever bitten a person for fun? >> Yeah.

What’s your favourite tree? >> Weeping willows are pretty cool.

What do you currently need to buy? >> I don’t think I need to buy anything right now.

Has kids TV ever frightened you? >> No.

Do you have any potted plants in your house? >> Yeah, a bunch, because Sparrow’s into plants. I also have a spider plant in my room.

Do you like solitude? >> I do, I function much better in it.

Is there any religion which intrigues you above all others? >> I do have a pretty singular interest in Judaism, but I’m actually interested in anything related to any religion. I just find the whole concept endlessly intriguing and it often disappoints me that so many people don’t share my interest.

Do you use the PC to “chat” often? >> I mean, often enough, I guess.

Are you much of a gamer? >> I’d say so.

I know it’s a common question, but, why do you take surveys? >> It’s the only reliable way to keep track of time for me -- I often fail at keeping a diary, so this is the only reference I’d be able to use to knit together a running narrative of my life. It’s also a way for me to explore who I am at this point in time, and how I think, and what matters to me. Subjects often come up in surveys that wouldn’t in daily life, stuff that I wouldn’t normally think about unless asked (and it’s not like people are lining up to ask me questions about myself). Also, they’re just oddly fun. I get a lot of relaxation and enjoyment from just answering questions in a text box, idk.

Do you like meeting or talking to new people via the world wide web? >> Sure.

Do you often wear belts? >> No, because I don’t wear the kinds of clothing that require one.

When did you last say a nursery rhyme? >> I don’t remember.

Did you like climbing trees as a kid? >> I’ve never climbed a tree.

Do you still secretly like climbing trees, given the chance to do so? >> I would honestly love to try it one day.

Do you find it flattering or “cheesy” when strangers wink at you? >> I find it intrusive. I don’t know how to respond to a random wink. Just smile or something, why did you wink.

Do you ever shop online? >> Of course.

#surveys #survey #random survey

[alexabettlv-blog]

Writing Final Blog Evaluation

Alexa Betesh

Writing Final Blog Evaluation

Dr. Dara Barnat

December 24th, 2018

  “Maturing in Tel Aviv”

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexabettlv

  “Self-Reflective Statement”

           As I reflect back on the past five months, I am in awe at how much I matured as an individual. Through my personal experiences that I encountered, I was able to form my experiences into words. Therefore, I saw that through all my accomplishments I not only grew as an individual but as a writer as well.

           Upon starting this course, I thought that I would struggle because I am not used to ‘free writing’. However, thanks to the peer- reviews in workshops, homework, and classwork I was able to get comfortable with the uncomfortable of this form of free writing. I never been used to this form of writing, in school I have always been structured to write in a more informative and factual way. This new rare form of writing allowed me to be open to opinions and ideas from my peers. It gave me a direction to follow as a starting point and allowed me to flourish in my writing.

           As I look back on my writings, it is clear to see that I have grown. My skills and fluidity has developed as the ten weeks went on, allowing me to express myself in an even deeper way. I did not hold myself back, I wrote what I felt was meant to me shared. This class has given me the ability to understand myself in a new way. I will miss this class but I will keep the concepts and ideas that I learned this semester with me as I go through different courses in my college experience.

     Week Nine Homework Writing Exercise on ‘Endings’

I never really thought of endings as a definite ‘end’. I look at it in a more optimistic way, knowing that when “one door closes, another door opens”. I always think back to this saying when I am faced with something coming to a close. Especially in Israel, I know that my time here is not over. Yes, I am beyond excited to get back to America for there are so many things that I miss: my family, the comfort of my own home, my daily routine and my friends. But, the emotions I feel for leaving this beloved place is completely bittersweet.

Studying here for the past five months has been extremely important to me. As I reflect back on the type of person I was when arriving here, I laugh at how different I was. Coming to a completely new country all without the comfort of my family, I was as immature and independent. Throughout the five months of my time traveling throughout Israel and Europe, my experiences have molded me into the mature and independent person I now am. 

I believe that life is a series of events, there is always something new to look forward to when one thing ends. These endings and new beginnings stay with you as you grow as an individual. Everything must come to an end, regardless if it is a sad or happy ending, it brings new and exciting experiences that you are able to face head-on because you learned from your past experiences that there are many good things to come. 

There has been many happy and sad endings and beginnings that I encountered over the past five months. It started with getting on the plane to start my journey here. Saying goodbye to my family and boyfriend was not as easy as I thought, there were tears and lots of hugs. But as soon as I said goodbye to America and my family, I looked ahead to Israel and the thought of all the experiences and memories that I am about to encounter with my best friends. Life works in a weird way, it makes you realize how grateful you are for something right when you don’t have it anymore. My time here in Israel made me more grateful and appreciative for things that I have in my life. It’s funny how when something is done, all you do is want it back. That’s why my time here in Israel not only made me more appreciative for my past but for my future as well. I know that I will take things for granted and appreciate them more. All these new and exciting beginnings mean so much to me, just as much as my endings.

I no longer think of things as ‘coming to a close’ but as a way of appreciating it and looking forward to what else life has to offer. I know that when I leave this amazing, unique and perfect city, I am going to be heartbroken. But, I know that it has taught me so many amazing life lessons and gave me so many experiences that I will never forget. I will open my new beginnings as I begin my Junior year back at Tulane University, never saying no to any opportunities and going with an open mind. Getting on the plane to go back to America will be one of the hardest ‘goodbye’s’ but, I know that a new adventure will be waiting for me back at home.

 Week Eight General Writing Exercise of a Special image

As I reflect back on the months I spent living in Israel, many exciting and memorable experiences come back to my mind. However, I always think back to this particular moment during my time in Tzfat. This moment and the whole weekend itself had not only made my experience in Israel memorable but inspirational as well. Upon coming to Israel, I have never been Bat Mitzvah. My dad, Ralph, never believed in a girl going up to the Torah is that he recently became very religious after his mom passed away. His new beliefs on Jewish traditions altered many things in our families lives. We now observed Shabbat and kept a kosher household. Along with these new beliefs on Jewish traditions, I was to have a Hebrew tutor once a week to teach me instead of attending Hebrew school. My Hebrew tutor taught me the history of Judaism as well as how to read and write in Hebrew. Given these new traditions, I was never given the actual opportunity to become a bat mitzvah; however, I did have a party in celebration of it. 

That is why this particular picture means a lot to me. The background of this picture encompasses so much meaning and emotion. Towards the end of the summer, my friends and I went on a trip to Tzfat to celebrate Shabbat in a holy city. The whole weekend was filled with new people, traditions, prayers, songs, memories, and laughs. The weekend started with Friday night services where exchange students from all over the world sat outside under the beautiful night sky to recite the prayers and sing songs together. It was a euphoric feeling, dancing under the night sky in such a holy place with a bunch of people who share the same love for Israel as much as I do. We shared speeches about our backgrounds and what brought us to study abroad in Israel. As we all ate and drank next to one another, Dov’s family told us stories about their past and I was intrigued by each story.  

As the weekend went on, the group of exchange students, chaperones and Dov’s family became closer together as we bonded over the weekend. On the last night of our weekend, my friend Zoe and I asked if we would be able to be Bat Mitzvah together since we both never had the opportunity. Everyone, including Dov’s family, climbed their way up the mountain under the night sky. Singing together in unison we arrived an underground cave, in awe, we all took in our surroundings. The walls covered in writings of those who came to the exact same place to make their mark. Each of us was given a candle and listened to Dov and his son sing prayers. 

As the ceremony went on, Zoe and I were asked to come up as everyone stood and listened. We were blessed and honored as newly women. The celebration did not end there, we kept singing and dancing as if no one had a care in the world. We stood together as one, not thinking about the different places we all came from, and let go with the music. Thinking back to this exact moment puts a smile on my face. It’s moments like these where I am proud of being Jewish and studying abroad here.  

  “Special Objects To Me” Blog post from week ___

Whenever I leave my dorm room, I reach for one of the most important things to throw into my bag: my Airpods. This little white Apple box has been with me since my flight on July 25th to Tel Aviv. They have been brought along with me on all the journeys and experiencing all these new and exciting memories. I literally do not leave my room without them, which is weird to think about. But, you never know where your day will take you. As if it were my first nature, I put my Airpods in once I am out the door I start my walk to wherever the day takes me. Scrolling through my Spotify playlists I pick click on a playlist that will set my mood: usually it’s “The Greatest Showman: Reimagined” playlist because it not only is amazing, but motivates me to be my best self for the day. Starting my day off with some motivation from a few of my favorite singers, puts me in a positive mindset and ready to deal with whatever the day throws at me.

It doesn’t matter the distance of where I am walking, but I always have my Airpods in. I’ve always liked my alone time, especially when I am able to escape the craziness of my daily life and walk off whatever is bothering me. As I walk through campus, the music from my ears allows me to escape into my surroundings looking at other pupils in their daily student activities. When I sit in a Gett alone, my Airpods allow me to call or Facetime my parents or friends back in the US to talk without limiting me to be holding a phone up to my face, allowing me to take in my beautiful surroundings of Tel Aviv through the windows. Even walking down Dizengoff Street after a workout class, I am able to walk for miles without feeling as though I am alone. I am able to explore new area’s around me, shops, café’s boutiques, and bars. All these new experiences my Airpod gives me the opportunity to see Tel Aviv in a new light. 

My Airpods have become a staple in my memories in Tel Aviv. Although they not only brought me the ability to escape my surroundings and let my mind go with the music, but they gave me the ability to become an independent person. This little white box gave me the security blanket I needed to be able to go out of my comfort zone to experience all new things differently. I’ve never been one to go out of my own bubble, I used to be scared to even go to work-out classes alone. But the security of my Airpods connecting me to music, phone calls, and social media allows me to feel like I am connected to all my friends back home, never making me feel alone. Whenever I do feel alone, I look to my airpods as a way to connect me things that give me happiness. I often find myself sitting in my bed even when I am alone in a room, watching my show with my Airpods on full blast. Giving me a comforting feeling that I am not alone and I am secure. To me, Airpods are home and security even when so far away. 

Object Two:

           For my second object, I selected to write about my bracelet with my name on it written in Hebrew. The reason I decided to study abroad in Tel Aviv was to learn more knowledge about my religion and my families background. I’ve always been interested in Judaism and learning more about it being that I come from a modern religious family. We observe Shabbat, have Friday night dinners as a family, and keep a kosher household. Although I know the basics about Judaism, I wanted to know more. That is why I wanted to explore Tel Aviv when studying abroad here to learn more about who I am. 

           As I lived here the past five months, I have learned a lot about Tel Aviv through my personal experiences. Throughout these past five months, Tel Aviv has become a part of me. As I walk along the streets on the weekends, I am in awe at how religious Tel Aviv actually is. Before coming to Tel Aviv, I imagined the streets on Shabbat to be vacant for so many people would be observing the holidays. I pictured Tel Aviv in a different way, a more stereotypical way. But I was able to see with my own eyes that Tel Aviv is not what I believed. As I walk the streets of Dizengoff, people are talking with one another, drinking, eating, talking on their phone and birding up and down the streets. With so much commotion going on it creates excitement in me, wanting me to stay here and live amongst them. 

           However, in these past five months I was given the opportunity to explore many more places in Israel. Granted the experiencing to observe Shabbat in Tzfat, I saw Israel in a new way.  As I took a tour throughout Tzfat on Saturday, I was asked to not bring my cellphone because the neighborhood was more observant than others. I was more than happy to leave my cell phone back at the hostel to be able to allow myself to experience this special Shabbat in such a Holy place. As I walked through the neighborhood I walked by many families dressed up to observe Shabbat, no form of technology in site. Walking with their families in a proper manner saying, ‘Shabbat Shalom’ to everyone they pass. 

This distinct dissimilarity in the way in which families in Israel live is drastically different. It is crazy to think how in different cities of Israel that observe Judaism differently. As I look back on this trip, I am surprised at the lifestyle here but I am consumed by how interesting it is. 

Tel Aviv is this amazing place filled with so many people coming together, everyone observing Judaism the way they want to. That is why this bracelet is an important object to me, for it allows me to remember my weekend spent in Tzfat and how I saw Israel in a different way. When I look down at my wrist I look at my name on my bracelet and feel a sense of pride. I have learned so much about myself and of Judaism in these past few months. I am happy to see myself for who I really am and my religion.

[shreeepatell]

What is the Role of Women, Simone de Beauvoir?

Someone’s opinion is merely their values and beliefs converged together into an idea, and while there may be no such thing as a good or bad idea we must have the power to choose for ourselves. The second wave of feminism focused on abstract ideas, ideas that were not said out loud but always lingered in the back of our minds. Ideas that subconsciously oppressed women from the beginning of time to now such as a woman’s sexuality, a woman’s role at home, a woman’s roles at the workplace, and now a woman’s right to choose. Simone de Beauvoir was at the center of the second wave of feminism. She took the ideas out from behind and pushed them right in front of our faces.  Beauvoir was the definition of privileged until her family went bankrupt and her father insisted that she be able to take care of herself. Her life is a mere example of the fact that having a “happy” and “privileged” childhood makes you naive to the problems that are occurring around you. During Simone de Beauvoir’s lifetime, women worked long hours and had low wages. If women are so fragile, why do we have to work harder and longer for the same amount of money, Simone? They worked at domestic or personal organizations, where their “womanly” skills could be put to good use. Why are jobs such as a tailor or a nurse associated with women, Simone? They had the right to vote, but they had no political stance at all because their opinions and ideas were deemed unreliable.Why are women trusted to raise another human being from birth, but not trusted enough to have a say in the government, Simone?  We are still fighting for women’s rights almost a hundred years later. We are fighting to not be the “other” gender. We are fighting to be treated as equal to the male. We are fighting to show that the fact that our bodies were biologically made to bear children does not make us weak, but instead makes each and every female the future of mankind.

The roles and behaviors associated with women are merely social constructs working at their finest, but these constructs differ in the fact that they are not concrete. We impose meaning on labels such as democrat and republican, which are concrete constructs. The difference lies in the fact that a woman was born a woman, and a democrat was born with no political knowledge at all. How can we group all women into one label like we group democrats into one label? Simone says we would be absurd if we tried to label a group of people for being biologically similar. Regardless, in the midst of trying to label everything we eventually have to change the meaning imposed on the label as times change. But, social constructs related to women were not created with any factual evidence or realistic background, instead they were created by what Beauvoir calls “woman myths”. Changing the constructs of women go parallel to the radical notion that God is dead, brought to us by Friedrich Nietzsche. Prior to Nietzsche the power was in Gods hands and then he decided that there was no God and that we had to transcend to control ourselves. One day their ideas will cross paths which will hopefully lead to the third wave of feminism, where we realize that the labels we put on modern day women are labels that were given meaning by God himself. The Holy Bible is notoriously known for being the roadmap to heaven. I have encountered many people that believe that the Bible portrays women and men as equal, yet deep within Proverbs 31 “Description of a Worthy Woman” I see what Simone de Beauvoir saw years ago. I see where it says that I, as a woman, am a “helper corresponding to him”. I see where it says that I, as a woman, will rise in the night to make food to feed my family during the day. Similarly, in Judaism women are described as inferior to the superior mind of a man, and to be the best wife was viewed as being a quiet wife. These misogynistic teachings started way before me and you and Simone de Beauvoir, which is why even after several waves of feminism the world will still be occupied with people who sincerely believe that women were put on this Earth solely to be a man’s companion. A dog is a man’s best friend, not a woman.

The question now is how did these constructs, out of all that religion has to offer, resonate with the human race the most? How did the constructs that oppress the strength and ability of women stay longer than the the constructs that tell us not to sin?   Simone de Beauvoir famously wrote “One is not born, but rather becomes a woman.” She acknowledges the struggle between what “I am” versus what “I am perceived to be”. Technically I am a human, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, weight, or height, I am a human. But, at the same time I am perceived as society’s view of a woman: delicate, graceful, “someone’s keeper”, strong, but not quite as strong as a man. These views are best expressed in our favorite childhood Disney Channel females. One by one they each fell off the sanity wagon, so people like me who grew up with them would stop perceiving them as they were portrayed. And to this, Beauvoir would subtly applaud, for Miley Cyrus has finally stopped allowing others to impose behaviors on herself and has come to a true understanding of her capabilities. The plight of women can in some aspects be equated to the plight of African American slaves, and this is where Beauvoir differs from most people during her time. She took a step above philosophers such as  Jean Paul Sartre and Albert Camus to acknowledge that we are all radically free, but not everyone is in the same situation. Not everyone can see the extent to their freedom, because they are constantly around people or in an institution that prevents them from being aware of their multitude of choices. There is not always a choice to be made because sometimes what you are already made the choice for you. A rock cannot move because it came onto this Earth like that. In 1830, an African American family gave birth to a baby boy,and he came onto this Earth as a slave. And just as the rock he didn’t necessarily ask for this life, it was what he got. What choice does he have to make? To be a slave or to not be, to live or to not live? In 1860, a wealthy white family gave birth to a baby girl and she came onto this Earth as a “companion” to her future husband. And when she turns eighteen, her mom will explain to her how her father can go to vote for who will run the country, but she is not be allowed to. What choice does she have to make? To vote or to not vote, to be irrelevant or to get sent to jail? In 1999, I came onto this Earth and by then all the hardships women faced were minimized, yet the more and more I talk to Simone, I realize the tunnel vision I have acquired over the years. The tunnel vision that causes me to believe that the choices that I make everyday are not my choices. And I wonder what I have done, that truly represents a choice that I made without the constant oppression from my surroundings.

So now in 2018, Miley Cyrus is officially radically free. But is she really? What scares me today is that Beauvoir pushed for women’s rights whether you were eighteen and getting ready to vote or fifty and not getting paid equally at work, and today the female race can barely treat each other with respect. Who has the best clothes? Who has the best instagram feed? Who married the better man? To this Simone says, “One's life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation and compassion.” We were born into a time where we actually have the chance to be radically free and to make choices for ourselves, yet here I am watching another video of Miley Cyrus on top of a wrecking ball. We have the power to see ourselves and to see each other without being blinded of our full potential. Sometimes it feels like I’ve wasted the past 18 years of my life trying to rush through it. I was potty trained at 9 months. I went to school a year before everyone else. I got tutored in material that was for kids 2 years older than me. For what? I missed out on a childhood, and now I am missing out on adulthood.  From one standardized test to another. In reality, do we have this so called radical freedom? Yes, says Simone. She is here to remind me that I let the creators of these tests control me by making it a chore instead of something that I chose to do. We are living in an age of terror of fear of economic stability, safety and security. This terror causes me to be perpetually afraid of the consequences of not attending college, but Simone argues that this is not the oppression of radical freedom she wrote about. Fear is merely an emotion, not a barrier.

Literacy gives us the ability to consult a wide range of experiences to aid us in thinking outside the box from our time and place. The oppression of women by men is an issue that can only be resolved by men and women together. We cannot live our lives following or leading, because that is what leads to unequal distribution of power. We must walk together side by side, and once we can see ourselves and each other clearly, we can dance together. People have lost their lives for us to live the way we do right now. We cannot let down all the women that were forced into a mind-numbing life where their freedom of choice was limited to what kind of dinner they could make. I can only imagine the anger that once ran through your body Simone, but at this very moment in life it runs through me too.