Judaism Archives - The Culture Mom

15Jan

Review: “Not That Jewish” at New World Stages

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Yesterday I ventured into the city to see an off-Broadway show called Not That Jewish. I have to admit that my expectations were low. I couldn't imagine how a show with such a name would capture my interest. After all, I'm an observing Jew. Did I really want to sit through a one-woman show where an actress moans about being raised Jewish whilst wanting to escape and denounce every bit of Judaism possible later in life? Fortunately, that's not what the show is about. Monica Piper, a comedienne with credits that go back 30+ years, while not religious, Read More

21Oct

My Latest on Medium: The Anti-Semitic Wrath that Exists on Twitter

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I am not new to Anti-Semitism. However, as a Jewish writer and avid user of social media, the recent outbreak of blatant Anti-Semitism on Twitter has taken my experience to a whole new level. Having woken up to images of swastikas and concentration camps, as well as being called vile names like “kike” and “dirty Jew” earlier this week, I fear that the recent Presidential campaign has provoked voters and has given them the view that Twitter is a forum to target their abusive and racist messaging. I grew up in Georgia. I was always one of five Jews in my Read More

09Jan

My Bat Mitzvah Card Snafu

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My tween aged daughter and I have been busy planning all the details for her Bat Mitzvah for the past six months. I've sunk my heart and soul into the planning phase of this life-altering event. We've been choosing a venue, picking out a DJ, photographer and photo booth vendor, making lists of invitees, picking out dresses and of course, she's been hard at work learning her Torah portion and how to lead the congregation in a service. From the get go, I made it clear to her that this Bat Mitzvah is hers, not ours, as much as my husband would beg to Read More

29Mar

The Dovekeepers on CBS: A Femisist, Biblical Tale

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I'm a sucker for Jewish stories that revolve around women, particularly going back to Biblical times. Anita Diamant's The Red Tent was such story story that took the route and appeared on Lifetime a few years ago. It wasn't the best adaptation but I give the network credit for even trying to tackle such a complicated, brave story (particularly as a former Lifetime staffer). CBS is bringing another feminist, Biblical tale to the screen as a 4-hour mini-series callled The Dovekeepers (based on a book by Alice Hoffman). It premieres on Tuesday, March 31 Read More

21Sep

Rosh Hashanah: A Time to Reflect, Recharge (and Cook!)

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After I deal with my worry about getting food on the table for Rosh Hashanah this year (brisket, pomegranate chicken, kugel, matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, to name just a few dishes), I need to take time to reflect on this past year and think about the year ahead. The holiday is a time to renew, to realign ourselves with what we really, really want, to think back on our mistakes or errors and make repairs. The problem is finding the time to reflect. Finding time is as challenging as anything else in my life right now, but having the time to make Read More

08Nov

Becoming Dr. Ruth: Review and Giveaway

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Everyone knows the supremely direct Dr. Ruth from her radio and television shows, "Sexually Speaking." But at 4 foot 7 inches tall, her life has been anything but short on adversity. She was a huge part of my childhood. I remember hearing the sound of her voice on the radio as clearly as I can hear it today. We were avid listeners. She gave women a microphone. But before she became America's most famous sex therapist, she lived a life unbeknownst to many. She survived the Holocaust, moved to Israel and joined the Hagannah. Later while living in Read More

20Sep

A Homemade Sukkah and Challah

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Raising my kids with Jewish tradition in their lives has always been a priority for me, but it's something that I've had to teach myself. I wasn't raised observing all of the Jewish holidays, just the major ones. But when I joined a conservative shul as an adult, I immediately felt a pull toward a lot of the traditions and I've embraced them...in my own way. I wouldn't call my family observant at all, and I often wish I could do more, but I do know that my kids know who they are, where they came from and that they will take what we do through their Read More

24Aug

Esther Geizhals: A Story of Holocaust Survival

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This is a repost of a story that I recently posted over at The Broad Side. I am in the process of interviewing several survivors and many children of survivors for a project and I will be posting some of their stories. We must never forget the atrocities that occurred a mere 70 years ago and we must make sure that no one else ever forgets. It was an honor to meet Esther Geizhals and she assured me that her story must be shared, along with everyone else who lived through it. These stories of a mass genocide of an innocent people must be told. The photo Read More

02Jul

Bringing Anne Frank into the Modern World

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On my recent visit to Atlanta, my mother told me about an ongoing exhibit sponsored by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, Anne Frank in the World. A long-time admirer of what her name has done to raise the profile about the truth of the Holocaust, I immediately Googled it and discovered it’s the world’s largest Anne Frank Exhibit. I thought about taking my children, as my daughter recently read an easy version of the diary and is keenly interested in Anne Frank and her fate, but I decided that at ages 7 and 9, they are still too young to face the Read More