by Webmaster | Jun 8, 2015 | Identity
I’m a convert. I converted. I wasn’t “BORN” Jewish, whatever the heck that means. The way I look — my golden complexion and the abundance of ringlet curls on my head — combined with the difference in my upbringing have always challenged my place in society and even in...
by Webmaster | Jun 1, 2015 | Identity
Recently at work, one of my co-workers, who is a Chinese originally from Taiwan, stopped by my desk to ask me a question. He spotted the calendar on my desk. “You have a Jewish calendar,” he said. “Yes?” I replied. “A Jewish calendar?” he asked again. “I am Jewish,” I...
by Webmaster | May 27, 2015 | Identity
It’s the end of the summer, and my children are educating me about Jewish pirates. “They lived in the Caribbean in the 16th and 17th centuries,” my teenage daughter insists. “Hebrew was their secret language, because no one else around them spoke it.” “And,” my...
by Webmaster | May 18, 2015 | Identity
1 in 6 contemporary Jews are new to Judaism. How are we supposed to welcome these converts? Rabbi Juan Mejia, a convert himself, provides a modern reading of the biblical story of Ruth to find some guidance. An uneasy minyan stands at the gates of Bethlehem. The sun...
by Webmaster | May 11, 2015 | Identity, Recipes
The first time I tasted a mojito, and I mean really tasted a mojito, I was in Havana with my family, and my dad had whisked me away to a local hotspot after a long, sweaty day of delivering humanitarian aid to those in need. That night was particularly warm, and the...
by Webmaster | May 5, 2015 | Identity
My family has always been the foundation of my life. I have very strong bonds with both my parents. Over the years, I have come to appreciate how my parents raised me based on their life experiences. My parents have been married for 33 years, and I always look to them...
