Miriam ezagui (orthodox jewish influencer on instagram) is kind, understanding, has a beautiful family, a successful career, and a loving husband and still her comment sections are full of people who can barely figure out where their own heads are being absolute asshole antisemites to her. like you shouldn't even judge jews that aren't absolutely thriving like she is but her?? are you kidding me?? she probably would never do this because it's not her style, however if she decided to release a video absolutely verbally demolishing these people id support her 1000%
Let's write about Jewish characters in dynamic ways- that make it clear "Yes this is us. Yes, we are living our lives with this happiness and ritual, and we love it. "
Like it's so easy to write about, to have casual observances of Judaism and cultural practices be in the background of stories. I'll write of the few examples I can think of in my frame of reference as a college student-
there's a mezuza in the doorway of a college kid's apartment. Whenever his friends come over, it's a reach for some of them to touch it because both he and the rabbi who installed it are 6 foot three. The others feel like a middle school boy slapping the ceiling as they try and reach for the damn thing.
Characters rush on public transport to get to a rabbi's house on shabbat. The train is due. There's a flurry of regrouping, then trying to call a missing friend to get there, and then the process of methodically hiding Magen davids and jewish objects because getting to shabbat dinner without a situation was an order from college Hillel staff.
A character is half-drunk at 2 AM at the convenience store but has to scan the list of ingredients on their chemically disgusting snack for gelatin.
Said character is prevented by her friends from only sustaining herself on 7/11 slushees "even though it's all kosher!"
There are references to the Purim incident constantly- it is never clarified what happened on Purim.
the hypothetical gang of characters are in the middle of nowhere on a grand magical adventure. The main character notices a mezuza on a door of a cabin, knocks on it, and has an in-depth conversation with the resident. Then, he waves his friends over. "Hey, guys! We have a place to stay tonight!" Because through the magic of Jewish geography, it was discovered that the grumpy old Jewish man in the woods is the grand uncle of one of his Jewish Day school teachers
A character who eats cheesy bacon bagels regularly on passover has a deep respect for jewish ritual items. He kisses the siddurim as they're handed back into a pile, he always kisses his kippah that he wears for ritual purposes of shabbats and minions. He's very careful with these objects and keeps on claiming dropping something He is observant, and he cares so much, but not in the "typical" way. Just... please show the nuance in practice.
The big "going out night" for our fearless college student isn't Friday but saturday night because of shabbat.
The stain on the rabbi's couch is not to be mentioned
A character keeps on mentioning the stain anyway.
Jewish goodbyes after any event take a minimum of two hours and that's why the gang is delayed on their journey to save the world .
I want more representation than characters in novels saying "haha I'm jewish but eat bacon and love Christmas!" in such flat ways. Please feel free to add more hypothetical ways of representation in the comments !!! About or inspired by your own life and experiences ! Let's make this post vibrant!
a few days ago a coworker asked me to explain Hanukkah and I asked her if she knew what a menorah was. She said, “like the Northern Lights?”
I’m simultaneously haunted by and wild about this concept now. instead of aurora borealis, menorah borealis. menorah borealis
Every year Rosh Hashana reminds me that I don't hate red and green together, I just can't stand the relentless omnipresence of it during the four months of Xmas.
Anyway you heard it here first: green and red are Rosh Hashana colors now 🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏
love is the most important thing ever
Happy Hannukah, y'all! I helped light the Menorah! 🐰🕯
Picked up my Hebrew lessons after a week off, and I’m so delighted by how much I still retained and was able to build upon!
Also, as somebody who has used Duolingo for Hebrew with minimal progress outside of learning the individual letters, I’ve been BEYOND amazed by how much I’ve learned after switching to Drops!
can’t wait to be blamed regardless of what happens
No, today is not a Jewish holiday. Shabbat begins at sundown.
Pre-chopped fruits and veggies make it possible for so many people with various disabilities to prepare healthy meals and maintain their energy.