Bringing this long thread over from Universeodon...the first one will be visible, so click through for the rest.
🧵 I know a lot of you have not read any #holocaust memoirs. Last night I finished up a bound volume of "An Interrupted Life" & "Letters from Westerbork" which were the diary & correspondence of Etty Hillesum, who lived in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation.
In the first half of her diary she tells us of her wild romp through the men of her circle of friends. Anyone who thinks the US in the 60s invented sex is...wrong, lol.
Then Westerbork: a transit camp, a holding place while you waited to be shipped to the concentration camps.
In this thread I'm going to post some of the things I underlined for various reasons in the book.
Not everything is profound. It's just things I wanted to think about. I invite you to think about them with me.
Jews from Arab lands are the missing piece of the Israeli-Palestinian discourse by American Syrian Jew Lisa Sayegh May 7, 2024
"...Over the past years, I have often been frustrated when I find people do not understand the trauma of the 700,000 Jews from all over the Middle East who were violently expelled from their countries in 1948 and how it resonates today. Pro-Palestinian activists who call out Israel as a “European settler colonial project” omit a critical part of the story that calls into question their claim. They ignore the Mizrahi majority in Israel who are descendants of Jews expelled from Arab lands when Israel was declared a state..."
Vancouver comics festival bans Jewish artist Miriam Libicki over past IDF service By Andrew Lapin May 30, 2024
"...In her own statement, Libicki, who explores Jewish identity in her work, called the ban “illegal” and said it was “bad for all artists of all political orientations and backgrounds.” She added, “I have consistently, publicly been pro-peace” and supportive of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
“Because of the vulnerable populations I work with, I prefer not to discuss my specific political views in public,” she wrote in a statement shared...by Jesse Brown, a Canadian Jewish publisher and journalist. “I believe all policing of artists’ personal identities and nationalities is wrong.”
But after the CJN article was published on Wednesday, the festival deleted its “Accountability Statement.” It has not responded to a JTA request for comment..."
One thing I love about #BabkaSocial (besides the great people on it, of course) is that every time I work around a defederation, instance block, or instance mute, I regret it.
The moderators have done good work to keep this gross, awful stuff away and it's generally my own damned fault if I see the revolting stuff on rolling around Mastodon.
How have I never heard of this??? It's gluten free!
Masa Tiganitas is Sephardi Matzah Brei, But Much Better
Baklava meets matzah brei in this delicious Greek dish for Passover.
By Rachel Ringler | April 14, 2020
"...In Sternberg’s version, matzah squares are soaked in milk, dipped in a combination of egg and yogurt and then fried in oil. As opposed to matzah brei, or bumelos de masa, the matzah in Sternberg’s recipe is not crushed. They are left whole, dunked, fried and then sweetened with a drizzle of honey or arrope (a syrup made of grapes), and topped with a sprinkling of walnuts. Think fried matzah meets baklava. I am in love.
Recipe reprinted with permission from “The Sephardic Kitchen” by Rabbi Robert Sternberg..."
An Indiana court ruled that Jews have a religious liberty right to abortion. Here’s why that matters.
Michael A. Helfand April 11, 2024
"...Indiana’s abortion restriction, it turns out, has lots of other exceptions. For example, it has exceptions — like many other abortions restrictions across the country — for rape, incest, in vitro fertilization and even a narrow exception to protect the physical health of the mother. Where a state grants all these exceptions that weaken the objective of a law — in this case promoting fetal life — then it cannot turn around and claim that its interest is so important that it can’t grant exceptions for religion. After all, how important can the government’s interest be if it already provided all these other exceptions?"
Learn why this concerning trend isn’t just a matter of concern to the Jewish community, but a direct threat to democracy and national security. Gain insights into how the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. government in general, are addressing Jew-hatred around the world and why a comprehensive, whole-of-society approach is more critical now than ever before.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be informed, engaged, and empowered to counter antisemitism.
Get your tickets to see Nell Adkins in
"Esther Made Me Do It"
at the Cincy Fringe Festival!
A heart-felt comedy about best friends auditioning for a Purim shpiel
Synopsis: Best friends, Naomi and Ruth, are preparing to audition for their local Purim shpiel. Naomi, gunning for the part of Esther, hopes to kick start her theatrical career. Ruth questions her feelings for Naomi and how long she’s willing to put Naomi’s desires before her own.
LOCATION:
Art Academy of Cincinnati
1212 Jackson St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Is it time yet to have THAT conversation? The one where we ask the Jewish political right why they are supporting a party that intends to establish a christian theocracy?
That concept was tried before, remember? The Roman Catholic Empire? The inquisition? The pogroms? The expulsions?
Do they not understand non-christians will not be citizens in the new right wing theocratic america? Won't be able to vote? Will be stripped of our rights? Will have no recourse? Have they even listened to what the christian nationalists are saying?
“Trump continued to fuel the fire of antisemitic conspiracy theories by blaming the ‘Soros-backed’ district attorney for leading the case,” JDCA said. “Less than an hour after the jury returned its verdict, Trump was spewing hate and blaming Jews.”
Collaborators always think they will be spared because they played along. And they're always wrong. Always.
Start-Time: Saturday, June 8th, 5 pm ET/2 pm Pacific/10 pm UK
Conclusion: Sunday, June 9th, 5 pm ET/2 pm Pacific/10 pm UK
We’ve invited an incredible slate of presenters, who will collectively teach for 24 straight hours, beginning at 5 pm Eastern on Saturday, June 8th and concluding at 12 pm Eastern on Sunday, June 9th.
You can come for just 1 session, go to 3 or 4, or shoot for 24 in a row! Whatever works for you, we want your Shavuot to be special, and full of learning!
Technion is the premier science and tech university in Israel, and the only aerospace studies facility. They're working hard to develop ways to keep people safe and defend against terrorism, cyber-attacks, and learning to provide logistical planning for shelters and emergency supplies, and for defending strategic facilities.
Their Biomechanical Rehabilitation unit created personalized orthotic devices for victims of the Oct 7th massacre, including Neta Portal who was shot in her leg 7 times while escaping hamas.
We know many of you are already busy planning for your next program year. So, please consider this a save-the-date for Repro Shabbat 5785: February 21-22, 2025.
Repro Shabbat takes place annually when we read Parshat Mishpatim — the portion of the Torah containing verses used as the foundation of Judaism's approach to reproductive health, rights, and justice.
SAVE THE DATE and SIGN UP NOW so you'll be the first to hear when we are fully launched. You can learn more by visiting the 2025 Repro Shabbat web page.
The Repro Shabbat Team
National Council of Jewish Women
Featuring Dr. Susie Tanchel, Shira Schiowitz, Naomi Oxman MSW LICSW, Elizabeth Mandel, and R’ Aliza Sperling
Mentors. Role Models. Following. Being Followed.
What does it mean to guide others on their life journey? What do we look for what we seek guidance for ourselves?
We’ve been reflecting lately on how often we find ourselves saying, “This is a moment in history like never before.”
It is unnerving to be navigating such uncharted territory. And we often find ourselves wishing we had someone to show us the way. A thoughtful guide to help us find clarity and our own voice in the middle of so much noise.
And how do we guide people in colleges or public high schools? How can we guide them well when we’re not experiencing what they are; we’re not there with them on the ground? What is our role? How are we supposed to show up?
Join Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan to connect to your soul by connecting to the beauty of the natural world & Jewish wisdom about nature. Just as the earth has her seas, gardens, rivers, and mountains, inside each of us is our sea of the unconscious, our garden of toil and pleasure, our streams of flow, and our peak experiences. Our inner world is a reflection of the planet & of ancient teachings left for us by our ancestors.
[This class] will explore “the shore” in nature, Jewish wisdom, and your own life; from sea caves to sand, seashells, and life on the edge of mystery. We will experience media including stunning original nature photography, text discussion, ritual, guided meditation and mitzvah ideas. The practices we will learn may lead not only to a richer inner life and a heightened sense of awe, but to a deepened commitment to stewardship of the Earth & its inhabitants as the dwelling place of Shechinah.
From Aleph:
Shabbat is a Mishkan (a sanctuary) in time. A Mishkan is a dwelling place for Divine Presence. And it is the nexus point between the finite world and the Infinite. On Shabbat we have the opportunity to open the doors between worlds, receive the gifts of our souls and return renewed, refreshed, re-created. Shabbat is a joyful time that is dedicated to Love. We take time away from our busy lives to focus our attention on the heart and to open up the places of silence and spaciousness within us. In this Shabbat Retreat we will enter into the Mysteries of Love through the practices of chant, meditation, sacred conversation and the sanctification of pleasure.
From Harif UK - Preserving the history and culture of Jews from the Middle East & North Africa:
Sephardi Jews, with their diverse roots spanning the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East, bring rich traditions and practices to the observance of Tisha B’Ab, the fast day in the Jewish calendar which commemorates tragedies in Jewish history...
Rabbi Daniel Bouskila will be explaining the background to a Moroccan Kina, or lamentation, while Dayan Daniel Kada will talk about how Syrian Jews observe this solemn day. We also hope to hear how Yemenite Jews mark Tisha B’Ab.
Listeners will be able to share their specific memories of Tisha b’Ab, the food eaten before and after the fast and folk customs.
Claudia Sheinbaum elected president of Mexico, breaking barriers as woman and Jew, By Philissa Cramer June 3, 2024
"Claudia Sheinbaum swept to victory in Mexico’s presidential election Sunday, giving the country of more than 120 million a woman leader and a Jewish leader for the first time.
Sheinbaum’s election makes Mexico by far the biggest country to have a Jewish head of state. Only Israel (9.5 million) and Ukraine (38 million) currently have Jewish leaders..."
YOM RISHON is a virtual service open to all, featuring meditation, traditional Jewish prayer, music & the 32 Paths of Presence (Hebrew letters and the Tree of Life).
"...For generations, Jewish women in Eastern Europe utilized threads to measure cemeteries & graves. These threads were used to create special soul candles known as neshome likht... Typically overseen by skilled women called feldmesterins, activities such as feldmestn (cemetery measuring) & kneytlekh leygn (laying wicks) were most prevalent during Elul to prepare soul candles for Yom Kippur.
...The session will include...Yiddish songs, reciting tkhines (Yiddish prayers) and reading poems, some of which are focused on this ritual. Delving into the history of this tradition will shed light on how cemeteries were perceived in shtetl society, serving as a means to communicate with the deceased & seek their assistance. At the end of this Immersion, you will be able to host a cemetery measuring event in Elul or any other time of the year..."
Good news: Stephanie is expanding ESCAPE FROM TEHRAN, into a full length play, from its current One Act format, and it will be showcased as part of the PLAYGROUND SHOWCASE, in November, 2024, in preparation for a full run, in the Bay Area, in June, 2025.