Another note or three about "Orthodox Paradox"
Regarding Noah Feldman's "Orthodox Paradox" article, which I addressed in my last post:
a) I'm sorry I called him an a**hole. That is an ad hominem attack, completely useless and peurile. I didn't receive any complaints about it, but I myself feel that it was beneath my dignity to use that particular word.
b) I have been quite disturbed by much of the response in the blog world (more specifically, in the comments to blogs), in which Jews across the Orthodox spectrum have basically proven that Feldman is correct: we ARE a bunch a racist, close-minded jerks. People! Argue his piece on its merits!
c) Case in point: vulgar arguments to the effect that Feldman was so overcome by sexual desire for a "shiksa" that he couldn't control his impulse to leave Orthodoxy behind, is sick. First of all, it ignores the fact that Feldman's wife is not only beautiful, she is also incredibly intelligent and accomplished in her own right. She's a person. And the word "shiksa" is a really nasty way to refer to a being who was created b'tzelem elokim, just as we were. It's one thing to note that in marrying out of the faith, Feldman has performed the supreme no-no of Orthodox Judaism, and therefore can't expect much pride from the school. It's another to make personal attacks about his wife and children, who have done nothing wrong themselves.
d) I haven't seen it noted elsewhere, so I guess I have to be the one to say it. Regarding the story about the rabbi who said that one should only break Shabbat to save the life of a non-Jew if doing so will avoid harmful relations between Jews and non-Jews (that is, not because the life of a non-Jew is inherently as valuable as the life of a Jew):
Feldman himself notes that we are a community in which actions are more important than belief, and that we don't go around asking each other what we truly believe, because we might not want to know the true answers to that question. In practice, there is probably not a single Jewish doctor alive, anywhere, who wouldn't, in practice, gladly break Shabbat to save the life of a non-Jew. Any non-Jew. In Israel, there are religious doctors who regularly break Shabbat to save the lives of Palestinians.
But let's talk about beliefs. The passages in the Talmud to which Feldman refers suggest that the life of a Jew is inherently more valuable than that of a non-Jew. Now, certainly, we all can agree that, though some things have stayed the same, much has changed since the Talmud was written. A lot has changed. The very way that people relate to God has changed. The freedoms with which Jews live in the Western world has changed dramatically, though we hold our breath for that to change again. We all can understand why, in a world in which Jews were a persecuted minority, in which the non-Jews around them did not assign any inherent value to Jewish lives, that the Jewish leaders would declare that the lives of the persecuting majority are important only insofar as they help maintain some peace and quiet for the Jews.
Does it matter that things are no longer quite that way? One of the hallmarks of Orthodoxy is that, in most areas, we don't think that any sort of change really matters: Torah is Torah, Judaism is Judaism, halacha is halacha, and everything else can change all it wants, but we still won't light fires on Saturday or eat a cheeseburger.
But a matter such as under what circumstances one can break Shabbat to save a life is not discussed in a vaccuum. The fact that many, if not most, rabbis today do encourage doctors to save lives -- any lives -- on Shabbat is indicative of where this discussion has moved in the last couple thousand years.
However, there is still practice, and belief. And so I ask you to take a moment to think: do you, in your heart of hearts, believe that the life of a Jew is inherently more worthy of saving than the life of a non-Jew?
If your answer is "no," if deep down you believe that, for all that our religion and history and mandate is special, Jews have no more inherent value in the eyes of God than anyone else, then please be honest to yourself and admit that, much as you may respect this particular Talmudic teaching, you have chosen, in your heart, to dismiss it as out of touch with reality - that you think it is wrong.
And if your answer is "yes," if you think that Jews are, by definition, born with a different spiritual makeup that makes our lives inherently more precious, regardless of how warm and just and tolerant and connected to God the non-Jew in question may be, then please be honest with yourself and acknowledge that you are racist. If you want to justify your racism with Talmudic discussions, or with the realities of Jewish history, or whatever, go ahead. But be honest: if the only reason you'd save a non-Jewish life on Shabbat is to help the Jewish community, then you might be a good doctor, and you might be treating everyone equally in practice, but in your heart you are racist. Just be honest about that.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Hello again
So, here we are. I've been, thank God, extremely busy with work. And the best part is that I'm doing it. I mean, I'm doing it in a disciplined way which involves making to-do lists, setting aside time for tasks, and crossing everything off the list by the end of the day. Boy does that feel good. And it also explains why I'm not blogging much these days; the writing for which I am paid must take precedence. Still, I'm sure you are curious to know these thoughts which have been circling through my head:
1) A new article by Noah Feldman is scheduled to appear in Sunday's NY Times (it is available now to members of Times Select) in which he has some very nasty (technically accurate, but overblown) things to say about the Modern Orthodox community in which he grew up. Noah and I attended the same Jewish Day School -- he was 2 years ahead of me, and his brother was in my class -- and he describes his experience there in some detail. It's amazing how he and I attended the same school and yet perceive it, and the world, and the way the school sees the world, so differently. Not completely differently -- like I said, his complaints are technically accurate, and his descriptions of teachers and classes brought back many memories -- but ultimately, his understanding of the Jewish Day School experience is effected (not affected, but effected) by his own personal hangups. (Just as mine is, I'm sure.)
As I just said to a fellow alumna who also read the article, "Noah is right. He's right, and he's an a**hole." I say this not because he has "aired dirty laundry" to the non-Jewish world -- he has, but often that has a place -- but because he's a hypocrite in his application of liberalism. This is the same man who says that moderate Islam should not be judged by racist or jihadist passages in the Koran, because a people should be judged by what they do, not by the texts they study.
He's also an a**hole because he spends hundreds of words talking about Baruch Goldstein, without fully addressing the shock and horror that most of the modern Orthodox world (at least in America) felt after Goldstein did what he did. In other words -- again -- it's technically accurate, and he does mention that not all Orthodox Jews liked what Goldstein did, but the nasty bits are discussed out of proportion to the values that, in my experience, most modern Orthodox Jews in America act on. And ultimately, actions speak much louder about our values than words do.
Anyhow, I can't wait to see the letters that will appear in response to his latest piece. This is going to get very heated. Fasten your seatbelts.
2) My copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been pre-ordered, paid for, and confirmed, and will, if all goes as planned, be ready for pickup exactly 66 minutes after Shabbat ends tomorrow night. Meanwhile I am avoiding any and all media articles or websites that even hint of spoilers.
For the record, here are my predictions of what will happen, based on my knowledge of Books 1-6 (slight spoilers of Book 6 to follow, but nothing major):
a) Harry will vanquish Voldemort
b) In the process, Ron will die
c) Snape will be revealed to have been on the side of Good all along (loathsome in personality, but acting on the side of Good)
d) Harry will quietly retire into the Muggle world, coming back now and then to the magical one to visit the Weasleys, Neville, Luna etc. I'm thinking maybe he'll become a detective or a policeman.
e) I think Ginny will go with him
f) Draco will redeem himself in some way, leading us to the conclusion that he will become the new Snape: loathsome, but, having done teshuva, acting now on the side of Good
g) In Book 7, Hogwarts will re-open on a small scale, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione won't return to it - they'll be busy looking for Horcruxes
h) On Mugglenet.com, there has been a suggestion that Hermione will end up with Draco. I find the idea intriguing, and theoretically possible IF Ron dies and IF Draco does teshuva . . . after all, Lilly Potter thought that James was a pompous jerk for years, as Hermione thinks of Draco. However, I'm not sure that Hermione would go for a guy who ever was in with Death Eaters, even if he DID lower his want before doing that evil thing in Book 6 that he'd been assigned to do. Still . . . do you think perhaps some of the animosity between Draco and Hermione is caused by sexual tension? A point to ponder . . .
i) RAB is indeed Regulus Black, and Harry will have to find Mundungus and Mundungus' clients in order to complete his quest for Horcruxes.
j) Dudley Dursley will suddenly show the ability to perform magic, sending himself, Petunia, and Vernon into a tizzy
k) Percy Weasley will still be insufferable at the end of the series
l) Bill Weasley is basically all right - no MAJOR harm done.
m) Bellatrix will be sent back to Azkaban
o) We will find out what is behind the veil
p) Harry will have one more magical encounter with the spirits of his parents
That's all I can think of for now. We'll see on Sunday how many of these predictions are correct.
Please, if you've read any of the newspaper reviews of the new book, or seen the contraband images which were posted online, do NOT put spoilers in the comments.
3) Shimmy was in town! My old friend! We've been friends for 19 years, longer by far than the amount of time we didn't know each other yet. It was great to see him, like old times.
4) I have been studiously ignoring politics because I can't handle it. However, I very much enjoyed the report from Beirut by my friend and colleague, Lisa Goldman. Let's see now.
Lisa: goes into hostile territory on her own, is accused of espionage by the Arab press, and earns international attention.
Sarah: producing good writing from the safety of Tal's Bagels.
Hm. I wonder which of us is more likely to win the Pulitzer Prize someday? :-)
5) UYO follow-up meeting on Monday night (a chance for people to "check in" and talk) was very special. It was very uplifting for me to see that something I worked on really helped people.
6) Process of looking for a new apartment (to buy, not rent) has begun. I've seen two so far, one of which was horrible and the other of which was OK but not for me. Apparently finding an apartment is like dating, you just keep looking until you find the one that's right. However, unlike men, apartments can be changed. With apartments, when one envisions what it COULD be like, what POTENTIAL it has, and how it could be CHANGED to be more like what one wants, then one is being smart, not unrealistic.
Ciao for now, and have a happy Saturday.
So, here we are. I've been, thank God, extremely busy with work. And the best part is that I'm doing it. I mean, I'm doing it in a disciplined way which involves making to-do lists, setting aside time for tasks, and crossing everything off the list by the end of the day. Boy does that feel good. And it also explains why I'm not blogging much these days; the writing for which I am paid must take precedence. Still, I'm sure you are curious to know these thoughts which have been circling through my head:
1) A new article by Noah Feldman is scheduled to appear in Sunday's NY Times (it is available now to members of Times Select) in which he has some very nasty (technically accurate, but overblown) things to say about the Modern Orthodox community in which he grew up. Noah and I attended the same Jewish Day School -- he was 2 years ahead of me, and his brother was in my class -- and he describes his experience there in some detail. It's amazing how he and I attended the same school and yet perceive it, and the world, and the way the school sees the world, so differently. Not completely differently -- like I said, his complaints are technically accurate, and his descriptions of teachers and classes brought back many memories -- but ultimately, his understanding of the Jewish Day School experience is effected (not affected, but effected) by his own personal hangups. (Just as mine is, I'm sure.)
As I just said to a fellow alumna who also read the article, "Noah is right. He's right, and he's an a**hole." I say this not because he has "aired dirty laundry" to the non-Jewish world -- he has, but often that has a place -- but because he's a hypocrite in his application of liberalism. This is the same man who says that moderate Islam should not be judged by racist or jihadist passages in the Koran, because a people should be judged by what they do, not by the texts they study.
He's also an a**hole because he spends hundreds of words talking about Baruch Goldstein, without fully addressing the shock and horror that most of the modern Orthodox world (at least in America) felt after Goldstein did what he did. In other words -- again -- it's technically accurate, and he does mention that not all Orthodox Jews liked what Goldstein did, but the nasty bits are discussed out of proportion to the values that, in my experience, most modern Orthodox Jews in America act on. And ultimately, actions speak much louder about our values than words do.
Anyhow, I can't wait to see the letters that will appear in response to his latest piece. This is going to get very heated. Fasten your seatbelts.
2) My copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been pre-ordered, paid for, and confirmed, and will, if all goes as planned, be ready for pickup exactly 66 minutes after Shabbat ends tomorrow night. Meanwhile I am avoiding any and all media articles or websites that even hint of spoilers.
For the record, here are my predictions of what will happen, based on my knowledge of Books 1-6 (slight spoilers of Book 6 to follow, but nothing major):
a) Harry will vanquish Voldemort
b) In the process, Ron will die
c) Snape will be revealed to have been on the side of Good all along (loathsome in personality, but acting on the side of Good)
d) Harry will quietly retire into the Muggle world, coming back now and then to the magical one to visit the Weasleys, Neville, Luna etc. I'm thinking maybe he'll become a detective or a policeman.
e) I think Ginny will go with him
f) Draco will redeem himself in some way, leading us to the conclusion that he will become the new Snape: loathsome, but, having done teshuva, acting now on the side of Good
g) In Book 7, Hogwarts will re-open on a small scale, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione won't return to it - they'll be busy looking for Horcruxes
h) On Mugglenet.com, there has been a suggestion that Hermione will end up with Draco. I find the idea intriguing, and theoretically possible IF Ron dies and IF Draco does teshuva . . . after all, Lilly Potter thought that James was a pompous jerk for years, as Hermione thinks of Draco. However, I'm not sure that Hermione would go for a guy who ever was in with Death Eaters, even if he DID lower his want before doing that evil thing in Book 6 that he'd been assigned to do. Still . . . do you think perhaps some of the animosity between Draco and Hermione is caused by sexual tension? A point to ponder . . .
i) RAB is indeed Regulus Black, and Harry will have to find Mundungus and Mundungus' clients in order to complete his quest for Horcruxes.
j) Dudley Dursley will suddenly show the ability to perform magic, sending himself, Petunia, and Vernon into a tizzy
k) Percy Weasley will still be insufferable at the end of the series
l) Bill Weasley is basically all right - no MAJOR harm done.
m) Bellatrix will be sent back to Azkaban
o) We will find out what is behind the veil
p) Harry will have one more magical encounter with the spirits of his parents
That's all I can think of for now. We'll see on Sunday how many of these predictions are correct.
Please, if you've read any of the newspaper reviews of the new book, or seen the contraband images which were posted online, do NOT put spoilers in the comments.
3) Shimmy was in town! My old friend! We've been friends for 19 years, longer by far than the amount of time we didn't know each other yet. It was great to see him, like old times.
4) I have been studiously ignoring politics because I can't handle it. However, I very much enjoyed the report from Beirut by my friend and colleague, Lisa Goldman. Let's see now.
Lisa: goes into hostile territory on her own, is accused of espionage by the Arab press, and earns international attention.
Sarah: producing good writing from the safety of Tal's Bagels.
Hm. I wonder which of us is more likely to win the Pulitzer Prize someday? :-)
5) UYO follow-up meeting on Monday night (a chance for people to "check in" and talk) was very special. It was very uplifting for me to see that something I worked on really helped people.
6) Process of looking for a new apartment (to buy, not rent) has begun. I've seen two so far, one of which was horrible and the other of which was OK but not for me. Apparently finding an apartment is like dating, you just keep looking until you find the one that's right. However, unlike men, apartments can be changed. With apartments, when one envisions what it COULD be like, what POTENTIAL it has, and how it could be CHANGED to be more like what one wants, then one is being smart, not unrealistic.
Ciao for now, and have a happy Saturday.
Friday, July 06, 2007
In the one minute before Shabbat . . .
I have time for a VERY quick update.
a) I just got back from a fantastic 5-day vacation at Lake Kinneret. It was a dream. I went with friends and we lounged at the women's beach (There is one near Tiberias, and it is at least as pretty as the regular beaches), rented motorboats to take out into the Lake, ate at Decks and at some bad fish restaurants, got sunburned, and had a really terrific time. Once again I stayed in "my" little cottage in the town of Yavna'el, and my friends and I had the swimming pool all to ourselves. Did I mention the bathtub jacuzzi? Like I said, a dream.
b) I attended the inaugural game of the Israel Baseball League. I've written notes to make a blog post about it but haven't gotten around to writing it out completely. More to come later. (The basics: I cheered with the Boston crowd for the Pioneers (since their 2nd baseman is a Bostonian and a fellow Maimo grad), ate burgers, got sunburned, and had a terrific time.)
c) I'm being rehired to teach again next spring in the same program in which I taught this past spring, and am already looking forward to it. We had a little "English Department" meeting (all three of us) and decided to change the curriculum. Among other works, I'm now going to be teaching Amos Oz's A Tale of Love and Darkness and a collection of short stories by Savyon Liebrecht. If anyone in the Katamon area has copies of these books I could borrow over the summer I'd appreciate it.
d) Things my shaliach never told me: Apparently, leben works wonders on sunburns.
Have a shabbat shalom.
I have time for a VERY quick update.
a) I just got back from a fantastic 5-day vacation at Lake Kinneret. It was a dream. I went with friends and we lounged at the women's beach (There is one near Tiberias, and it is at least as pretty as the regular beaches), rented motorboats to take out into the Lake, ate at Decks and at some bad fish restaurants, got sunburned, and had a really terrific time. Once again I stayed in "my" little cottage in the town of Yavna'el, and my friends and I had the swimming pool all to ourselves. Did I mention the bathtub jacuzzi? Like I said, a dream.
b) I attended the inaugural game of the Israel Baseball League. I've written notes to make a blog post about it but haven't gotten around to writing it out completely. More to come later. (The basics: I cheered with the Boston crowd for the Pioneers (since their 2nd baseman is a Bostonian and a fellow Maimo grad), ate burgers, got sunburned, and had a terrific time.)
c) I'm being rehired to teach again next spring in the same program in which I taught this past spring, and am already looking forward to it. We had a little "English Department" meeting (all three of us) and decided to change the curriculum. Among other works, I'm now going to be teaching Amos Oz's A Tale of Love and Darkness and a collection of short stories by Savyon Liebrecht. If anyone in the Katamon area has copies of these books I could borrow over the summer I'd appreciate it.
d) Things my shaliach never told me: Apparently, leben works wonders on sunburns.
Have a shabbat shalom.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Since last we met . . . .
f) I finished a major journalism assignment which was hanging over me for a very long time. Celebrated my new freedom by watching four episodes straight of CSI. George Eades really does not look good in a moustache.
g) Guess what I had done today with a friend? I love it!
Friday, June 08, 2007
Money Freedom(TM) and Loving Yourself and Others(TM)
What I'm Up To These Days
Amended from a post I just uploaded to the Nefesh B'Nefesh listserve:
Following the success of our two "Understanding Yourself and Others" classes, I'm happy to be able to announce the next two classes I'm organizing in
the effort, which I think we all share, to make Israel a more loving, productive, cooperative place. Both courses will take place at the Listening Hands Institute
in Maalot Daphna, Jerusalem and come with money-back guarantees.
"Loving Yourself and Others" June 27-29
and
"Money Freedom" July 1-2
DETAILS:
LOVING YOURSELF AND OTHERS(TM)
A 2.5-day course where you can practice to:
-Stress less and be more productive
-Live in this moment joyously, even with problems
-Prevent your feelings from being hurt
-Not be annoyed or angered by others
-Stop aggravating people
-Spend more time making yourself happy
-Become better at encouraging yourself and others
-Have more command of your life
-Learn to give and get support from your family
MONEY FREEDOM(TM)
A 2-day experiential course where you can learn to:
-become aware of your subconscious beliefs about money
-become “unstuck” in your creation of wealth
-realize the meaning and purpose of money as an avenue to help you express yourself
fully
-support others in their process of creating wealth
-free yourself to move with ease and confidence without money stress
Organized in partnership with Global Relationship Centers, Inc.
If any of my wonderful blog readers would like more information, please write to me at chayyeisarah at yahoo dot com.
See you soon!
What I'm Up To These Days
Amended from a post I just uploaded to the Nefesh B'Nefesh listserve:
Following the success of our two "Understanding Yourself and Others" classes, I'm happy to be able to announce the next two classes I'm organizing in
the effort, which I think we all share, to make Israel a more loving, productive, cooperative place. Both courses will take place at the Listening Hands Institute
in Maalot Daphna, Jerusalem and come with money-back guarantees.
"Loving Yourself and Others" June 27-29
and
"Money Freedom" July 1-2
DETAILS:
LOVING YOURSELF AND OTHERS(TM)
A 2.5-day course where you can practice to:
-Stress less and be more productive
-Live in this moment joyously, even with problems
-Prevent your feelings from being hurt
-Not be annoyed or angered by others
-Stop aggravating people
-Spend more time making yourself happy
-Become better at encouraging yourself and others
-Have more command of your life
-Learn to give and get support from your family
MONEY FREEDOM(TM)
A 2-day experiential course where you can learn to:
-become aware of your subconscious beliefs about money
-become “unstuck” in your creation of wealth
-realize the meaning and purpose of money as an avenue to help you express yourself
fully
-support others in their process of creating wealth
-free yourself to move with ease and confidence without money stress
Organized in partnership with Global Relationship Centers, Inc.
If any of my wonderful blog readers would like more information, please write to me at chayyeisarah at yahoo dot com.
See you soon!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Back from the Dead
She's alive! She's alive! Bwahahahahaaaaa!
OK, I'm a bad blogger.
It's just been a combination of busyness, feeling a little down, and being overwhelmed by how much I have to write. Sorry, everyone. I didn't go away for good.
A brief update:
On Lag Ba'Omer, the holiday on which Israelis traditionally make bonfires, I helped my friend Alice W. (whom I met when she took UYO) watch over the park across the street from her house. Alice had spent two weeks, with the help of a few volunteers, clearing brush from the ground and preparing small clearings where people could safely make their fires. On the night of Lag Ba'Omer, I spent a couple of hours with her and one other volunteer, beating out fires that were getting out of control and bringing water in tanks to families who had forgotten to bring something to quench the flames. I was very, very happy to be helping, and we educated a few kids who looked at us wide-eyed when we explained that large bonfires, blowing sparks caused by putting cardboard boxes into the fire, and overhanging branches don't mix, and they should please move to a safer spot. The experience reinforced my belief that the fact that more serious accidents or out-of-control fires don't happen on Lag BaOmer is a revealed miracle. It also reinforced my belief that, though not all teenagers are obnoxious by far (you know I love teens!), the most obnoxious people in the world do tend to be between the ages of 13-19. Alice was there until almost 8 am, and had to call the police when one group refused to move, despite the fact that they were already singing leaves of a nearby tree.
Shavuot was very nice. I went to the home of Ari and Sarah Beth, as is my tradition. A good time was had by all.
I have gotten onto a CSI kick. I'm renting every episode in order. Am currently in Season 4. This is not a healthy thing. You know how I know that Yael knows me very well? When I told her recently that I've watched about 30 episodes of CSI in the space of 3 weeks, did she look at my sympathetically and say "Sarah, you know that wasting time like that isn't good for you"? No! She looked at me sympathetically and said "Sarah . . . if you keep watching it at that rate, pretty soon you'll finish the whole series and then you'll be depressed." Now THAT is a friend.
My teaching post has come to an end for the term. I now have 8 months, until the program starts again, with no pressing reason to leave the house on any given day. Not a good thing. That teaching job saved my sanity. I loved those kids, I loved the material, and I'm pretty sure I did a great job. My nightmares about teaching are completely gone. I gave my students evaluation forms at the end (see what a reflective professional I am?) and the consensus was that I did at least as good a job as any of their other English teachers have done -- the feedback mostly ranged from "par for the course" to "you are awesome"-- but that I gave way too much homework. Duly noted.
What is keeping me sane now is that we have scheduled the next Global Relationship Center courses, so I'm neck-high in planning. For those of you interested in attending, we're doing "Loving Yourself and Others(TM)" on June 27-29, and "Money Freedom(TM)" on July 1-2. More details in another post soon to come. You can also email me for more info at chayyeisarah at yahoo dot com. I'm very excited about these classes, and will be taking them myself as a student.
Finally, inspired by a recent post over at Treppenwitz, here is a list of 12 things I love about living in Israel:
1. Virtually everywhere you go, in Jerusalem at least, there are mezuzot on almost every doorpost: Government offices, business offices, restaurants, shops, etc etc. A constant reminder that I'm living among people who share my culture. It's such a comfortable, and comforting, thing to see.
2. Any large or mid-size city in the country will have at least a couple of kosher restaurants, and even the most backwater little towns will have kosher pizza and falafel joints. Any shopping mall or bus terminal will have kosher places in the food court. It makes traveling so much easier, not to have to pack cans of tuna fish and jars of peanut butter whereever you go! Being able to get hot, kosher food anywhere is really a treat.
3. Though just as difficult as the one in New York (for me, anyway), the dating scene in Israel is nowhere near as cruel as that in the Big Apple. When I go to singles events where there are a lot of native Israelis, I find that the men will look me in the eye and be sincerely interested in talking to me, even if it's just to be friendly. In New York, people don't bother talking to you unless they think that it will go somewhere (whatever that means to them, if you know what I mean). In general, I find Israeli men to be much more friendly than Americans, even if their dating habits are just as inscrutable to me.
4. Hot Israeli men. Did I mention they are hot?
5. Predictable weather. As soon as spring rolls around, I take out all my sandals from storage, and make a point of not wearing closed-toed shoes again until September or October. And that's always fine.
6. Israeli straightforwardness. It's often mistaken for rudeness, but I'm learning to appreciate the Israeli style of saying what you mean and meaning what you say. I'm not a game-playing kind of person, and I appreciate that Israelis get to the point and "talk tachlis." You always know where you stand with them. I find that refreshing, especially when they are expressing enthusiasm -- and you know it's genuine.
7. There are traditional and knowledgable Jews everywhere. An Israeli Jew (especially those of Middle Eastern descent) who isn't particularly observant in an Orthodox kind of way is still much more likely than his or her American counterpart to keep kosher, or pray regularly, or avoid certain activities on Shabbat. There is a sense here that Judaism is an organic part of life, less rigid than the way it's practiced in the US, and therefore more accessible. I just loved it when the clerk at my post office, who was wearing tight jeans and low-cut, sleeveless top, suggested that I avoid signing a lease during the Three Weeks. Not to mention that Jewish holidays are national holidays and the traditional way to say "have a nice weekend" is "Shabbat shalom."
8. No pressure to wear the latest fashions, or have a perfect manicure or pedicure, or to blow-dry your hair "just so." Clean, ironed, and matching, with a little makeup, is more than good enough. And no pressure to "impress" anyone with fancy jewelry or tales about one's trips to Club Med or Europe or some tropical island. Materialism, be gone! Goodbye Upper West Side, hello Jerusalem!
9. The friends I've made here. (Shout-out to Estee, Rachel, and Gila)
10. Feeling that I'm part of something important, that just by being here I'm making a difference in society and helping my country to make its incremental steps forward.
11. The views of Jerusalem's hills, from within and from without. There are so many opportunities to enjoy a good view, and I feel lucky to be here, in this ancient city, every time.
12. Proximity to the Galil, one of the most beautiful places on earth, ancient home to my soul.
She's alive! She's alive! Bwahahahahaaaaa!
OK, I'm a bad blogger.
It's just been a combination of busyness, feeling a little down, and being overwhelmed by how much I have to write. Sorry, everyone. I didn't go away for good.
A brief update:
On Lag Ba'Omer, the holiday on which Israelis traditionally make bonfires, I helped my friend Alice W. (whom I met when she took UYO) watch over the park across the street from her house. Alice had spent two weeks, with the help of a few volunteers, clearing brush from the ground and preparing small clearings where people could safely make their fires. On the night of Lag Ba'Omer, I spent a couple of hours with her and one other volunteer, beating out fires that were getting out of control and bringing water in tanks to families who had forgotten to bring something to quench the flames. I was very, very happy to be helping, and we educated a few kids who looked at us wide-eyed when we explained that large bonfires, blowing sparks caused by putting cardboard boxes into the fire, and overhanging branches don't mix, and they should please move to a safer spot. The experience reinforced my belief that the fact that more serious accidents or out-of-control fires don't happen on Lag BaOmer is a revealed miracle. It also reinforced my belief that, though not all teenagers are obnoxious by far (you know I love teens!), the most obnoxious people in the world do tend to be between the ages of 13-19. Alice was there until almost 8 am, and had to call the police when one group refused to move, despite the fact that they were already singing leaves of a nearby tree.
Shavuot was very nice. I went to the home of Ari and Sarah Beth, as is my tradition. A good time was had by all.
I have gotten onto a CSI kick. I'm renting every episode in order. Am currently in Season 4. This is not a healthy thing. You know how I know that Yael knows me very well? When I told her recently that I've watched about 30 episodes of CSI in the space of 3 weeks, did she look at my sympathetically and say "Sarah, you know that wasting time like that isn't good for you"? No! She looked at me sympathetically and said "Sarah . . . if you keep watching it at that rate, pretty soon you'll finish the whole series and then you'll be depressed." Now THAT is a friend.
My teaching post has come to an end for the term. I now have 8 months, until the program starts again, with no pressing reason to leave the house on any given day. Not a good thing. That teaching job saved my sanity. I loved those kids, I loved the material, and I'm pretty sure I did a great job. My nightmares about teaching are completely gone. I gave my students evaluation forms at the end (see what a reflective professional I am?) and the consensus was that I did at least as good a job as any of their other English teachers have done -- the feedback mostly ranged from "par for the course" to "you are awesome"-- but that I gave way too much homework. Duly noted.
What is keeping me sane now is that we have scheduled the next Global Relationship Center courses, so I'm neck-high in planning. For those of you interested in attending, we're doing "Loving Yourself and Others(TM)" on June 27-29, and "Money Freedom(TM)" on July 1-2. More details in another post soon to come. You can also email me for more info at chayyeisarah at yahoo dot com. I'm very excited about these classes, and will be taking them myself as a student.
Finally, inspired by a recent post over at Treppenwitz, here is a list of 12 things I love about living in Israel:
1. Virtually everywhere you go, in Jerusalem at least, there are mezuzot on almost every doorpost: Government offices, business offices, restaurants, shops, etc etc. A constant reminder that I'm living among people who share my culture. It's such a comfortable, and comforting, thing to see.
2. Any large or mid-size city in the country will have at least a couple of kosher restaurants, and even the most backwater little towns will have kosher pizza and falafel joints. Any shopping mall or bus terminal will have kosher places in the food court. It makes traveling so much easier, not to have to pack cans of tuna fish and jars of peanut butter whereever you go! Being able to get hot, kosher food anywhere is really a treat.
3. Though just as difficult as the one in New York (for me, anyway), the dating scene in Israel is nowhere near as cruel as that in the Big Apple. When I go to singles events where there are a lot of native Israelis, I find that the men will look me in the eye and be sincerely interested in talking to me, even if it's just to be friendly. In New York, people don't bother talking to you unless they think that it will go somewhere (whatever that means to them, if you know what I mean). In general, I find Israeli men to be much more friendly than Americans, even if their dating habits are just as inscrutable to me.
4. Hot Israeli men. Did I mention they are hot?
5. Predictable weather. As soon as spring rolls around, I take out all my sandals from storage, and make a point of not wearing closed-toed shoes again until September or October. And that's always fine.
6. Israeli straightforwardness. It's often mistaken for rudeness, but I'm learning to appreciate the Israeli style of saying what you mean and meaning what you say. I'm not a game-playing kind of person, and I appreciate that Israelis get to the point and "talk tachlis." You always know where you stand with them. I find that refreshing, especially when they are expressing enthusiasm -- and you know it's genuine.
7. There are traditional and knowledgable Jews everywhere. An Israeli Jew (especially those of Middle Eastern descent) who isn't particularly observant in an Orthodox kind of way is still much more likely than his or her American counterpart to keep kosher, or pray regularly, or avoid certain activities on Shabbat. There is a sense here that Judaism is an organic part of life, less rigid than the way it's practiced in the US, and therefore more accessible. I just loved it when the clerk at my post office, who was wearing tight jeans and low-cut, sleeveless top, suggested that I avoid signing a lease during the Three Weeks. Not to mention that Jewish holidays are national holidays and the traditional way to say "have a nice weekend" is "Shabbat shalom."
8. No pressure to wear the latest fashions, or have a perfect manicure or pedicure, or to blow-dry your hair "just so." Clean, ironed, and matching, with a little makeup, is more than good enough. And no pressure to "impress" anyone with fancy jewelry or tales about one's trips to Club Med or Europe or some tropical island. Materialism, be gone! Goodbye Upper West Side, hello Jerusalem!
9. The friends I've made here. (Shout-out to Estee, Rachel, and Gila)
10. Feeling that I'm part of something important, that just by being here I'm making a difference in society and helping my country to make its incremental steps forward.
11. The views of Jerusalem's hills, from within and from without. There are so many opportunities to enjoy a good view, and I feel lucky to be here, in this ancient city, every time.
12. Proximity to the Galil, one of the most beautiful places on earth, ancient home to my soul.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
My latest feature story
This one's on the cover of the new issue of the World Jewish Digest.
It's about how families are using the internet to find relations they thought were lost in the Holocaust, or descendents of those relations. It was fascinating (and emotionally difficult) to research. I'm pretty proud of the way it came out.
Meanwhile, I did my own internet searches using the databases I learned about in the course of the research, and learned new information about my great-grandparents and great-uncle. I also may have found distant cousins with whom my family has been out of touch for several decades. More info if anything materializes!
P.S. As you can see, I survived 48 hours of babysitting! (Just barely.)
This one's on the cover of the new issue of the World Jewish Digest.
It's about how families are using the internet to find relations they thought were lost in the Holocaust, or descendents of those relations. It was fascinating (and emotionally difficult) to research. I'm pretty proud of the way it came out.
Meanwhile, I did my own internet searches using the databases I learned about in the course of the research, and learned new information about my great-grandparents and great-uncle. I also may have found distant cousins with whom my family has been out of touch for several decades. More info if anything materializes!
P.S. As you can see, I survived 48 hours of babysitting! (Just barely.)
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Hello, hello
And welcome to the Sarah show.
Since I last blogged, several things have happened:
1) This blog was nominated for a JIB Award in the category of Best Personal Blog. Thank you SO MUCH to whomever nominated me. Get out the vote!
2) I got up at 3 am to meet a friend, who was returning from a long trip in the States, at the airport. Am I a good friend, or what?
3) I've been sort of low-level sick, not really productive, sleeping odd--and long-- hours. Blah.
4) I made it a point to be on Emek Refaim Street when the Memorial Day siren went off, so I could finally see everyone standing still, getting out of their cars to stand, etc, for myself. In the past I've always been home working. Not this time! It was somber but in a funny way also reminded me of the game "Freeze," you know, where everyone is dancing to music, and when the music stops everyone must freeze in place until it goes on again. That's exactly what Emek Refaim Street looked like.
5) I agreed to babysit my friends' five-year-old daughter for three days! She's due to arrive in about 30 minutes. So, I'll be playing "single mom" for a while. Should be interesting!
6) The Jerusalem Post published several articles that I hope to comment on soon. If I become productive again.
7) I've been playing a bit with my new camera. I can set it to take black and white photos! That is so awesome!
9) One of my students said she doesn't understand why Shakespeare is considered so great. I told her a) that it is not a class requirement to enjoy Shakespeare, and that I myself did not enjoy it until deep into college, and b) why I now appreciate Shakespeare and think his work is terrific.
But I turn to you, my dear readers. Assuming that you do, in fact, enjoy reading or watching Shakespeare's plays, why do you like them? What's good or interesting about them?
And welcome to the Sarah show.
Since I last blogged, several things have happened:
1) This blog was nominated for a JIB Award in the category of Best Personal Blog. Thank you SO MUCH to whomever nominated me. Get out the vote!
2) I got up at 3 am to meet a friend, who was returning from a long trip in the States, at the airport. Am I a good friend, or what?
3) I've been sort of low-level sick, not really productive, sleeping odd--and long-- hours. Blah.
4) I made it a point to be on Emek Refaim Street when the Memorial Day siren went off, so I could finally see everyone standing still, getting out of their cars to stand, etc, for myself. In the past I've always been home working. Not this time! It was somber but in a funny way also reminded me of the game "Freeze," you know, where everyone is dancing to music, and when the music stops everyone must freeze in place until it goes on again. That's exactly what Emek Refaim Street looked like.
5) I agreed to babysit my friends' five-year-old daughter for three days! She's due to arrive in about 30 minutes. So, I'll be playing "single mom" for a while. Should be interesting!
6) The Jerusalem Post published several articles that I hope to comment on soon. If I become productive again.
7) I've been playing a bit with my new camera. I can set it to take black and white photos! That is so awesome!
9) One of my students said she doesn't understand why Shakespeare is considered so great. I told her a) that it is not a class requirement to enjoy Shakespeare, and that I myself did not enjoy it until deep into college, and b) why I now appreciate Shakespeare and think his work is terrific.
But I turn to you, my dear readers. Assuming that you do, in fact, enjoy reading or watching Shakespeare's plays, why do you like them? What's good or interesting about them?
Sunday, April 15, 2007
As Miss Piggy Would Say . . .
Moi has published another story in Hadassah magazine.
To see it, click here, then go to "Current Issue" (April 2007) and then to "Try to Remember."
It's about the current state of the scattered Egyptian-Jewish community.
Moi has published another story in Hadassah magazine.
To see it, click here, then go to "Current Issue" (April 2007) and then to "Try to Remember."
It's about the current state of the scattered Egyptian-Jewish community.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Things My Shaliach Never Told Me: On the Road Again
I returned on Thursday from a 2-week visit to the States. I had a wonderful time. First I spent a weekend at the Bergenfield, NJ home of my dear friends Rivka and Moshe, taking advantage of their location in the tri-state area to see also Judah and Carolyn, Jess, Lisa, and Roseanne -- and, of course, to do a major shopping at Talbots and to soak in the sights, sounds, and smells of Manhattan. God do I love Manhattan.
Then I spent a week and a half in my parents' new house near Cleveland. My sister was there too, with her husband and three sons, for Passover. It was my first time meeting my newest nephew, David, who is one year old. These three boys are so adorable and affectionate and fun. It was fantastic to see my family. Most of my time in Cleveland it was snowing heavily, so I didn't get out much, but that was fine since I was having a great time playing my role of Best Doda Ever.
On the way home I had to switch airports, with a few hours to kill in between. My former roommate Shoshana picked me up from LaGuardia and we went out for lunch in Queens, before I headed to JFK. Despite the fact that Shoshana was stuck in traffic on the way, making her an hour late, and then the pasta restaurant we wanted to go to was out of pasta, and the pizza place was full, and the other pizza place was full, so we ended up at the Chinese place with horrible service and an abusive man at the next table insulting his girlfriend and her child . . . it was terrific to see Shoshana!
All my flights were uneventful. Swiss Air is a very good airline.
But the best part of the trip was exiting Ben Gurion airport when I got back, breathing in the warm air of Israel, and thinking "I'm so incredibly happy to be home."
I returned on Thursday from a 2-week visit to the States. I had a wonderful time. First I spent a weekend at the Bergenfield, NJ home of my dear friends Rivka and Moshe, taking advantage of their location in the tri-state area to see also Judah and Carolyn, Jess, Lisa, and Roseanne -- and, of course, to do a major shopping at Talbots and to soak in the sights, sounds, and smells of Manhattan. God do I love Manhattan.
Then I spent a week and a half in my parents' new house near Cleveland. My sister was there too, with her husband and three sons, for Passover. It was my first time meeting my newest nephew, David, who is one year old. These three boys are so adorable and affectionate and fun. It was fantastic to see my family. Most of my time in Cleveland it was snowing heavily, so I didn't get out much, but that was fine since I was having a great time playing my role of Best Doda Ever.
On the way home I had to switch airports, with a few hours to kill in between. My former roommate Shoshana picked me up from LaGuardia and we went out for lunch in Queens, before I headed to JFK. Despite the fact that Shoshana was stuck in traffic on the way, making her an hour late, and then the pasta restaurant we wanted to go to was out of pasta, and the pizza place was full, and the other pizza place was full, so we ended up at the Chinese place with horrible service and an abusive man at the next table insulting his girlfriend and her child . . . it was terrific to see Shoshana!
All my flights were uneventful. Swiss Air is a very good airline.
But the best part of the trip was exiting Ben Gurion airport when I got back, breathing in the warm air of Israel, and thinking "I'm so incredibly happy to be home."
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