Vayeshev
Hello friends! We are nearing the winter holiday season and i hope you are having a good one.
Jewish Calendar
This week's torah portion is Vayeshev, which covers the first part of Joseph's story. Themes include jealousy, dream interpretation, false assumptions, and (as always) tensions over favoritism and social roles.
https://twitter.com/BL_HebrewMSS/status/1463627629257535494
Also, chanukah starts this Sunday! I like Matir Asurim's nightly invocations for those who cannot light candles, and Alana Chandler's mochi donut holes recipe featured on jewish&.
Israel problems and antisemitism problems
School for Unlearning Zionism, a group of Israeli artists critical of zionism, is fundraising to produce Asufit, a bilingual arts publication that will showcase multiple projects around hegemony and zionism.
I keep thinking I've done enough links to Shaul Magid's various book tour interviews about Meir Kahane but then I find yet another fascinating one, this time by Raphael Magarik in Jewish Currents. Probably I should add the book itself to my wishlist one of these days.
Kahane is for me almost what [17th-century rabbi and self-proclaimed messiah] Shabtai Tzvi was for [scholar of Jewish mysticism] Gershom Scholem. Here’s a heretical guy who wasn’t particularly educated, who has an incredible impact on everything that comes after him—even for people who don't know who he is.
Meir Kahane was also Arlo Guthrie's bar mitzvah tutor. Yes, Alice's Restaurant Arlo Guthrie, son of Woody Guthrie and (on his Mother's side) grandson of yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt.
Miscellaneous
https://twitter.com/BenYehudaPress/status/1462903061144350727?utm_source=pocket_mylist
One of my Ben Yehuda Press recommendations is their new poetry release The Shortest Skirt in Shul, by Sass Orol. It's a beautiful queer trans jewish collection of poems.
I do not remember if i've recommended Unpacking before in here, but it's so cute and good and jewish (and on my mind because one of the items that you bring from place to place is a menorah and candles for it).
A cat instagram I don't follow DM'd me about this meowzel tov hoodie. Normally I roll my eyes and move on from this type of marketing attempt but it's actually pretty cute.
https://twitter.com/kngdav1d/status/1463978297847529484
Over on the New Voices blog, Miroushe Zylali writes about 26 Jewish resources that aren't the Chabad website, focusing on Sephardi and Mizrachi resources, including some of my favorites like Siddur Masorti and Sefaria.
Rachel Cholst's Jewish Country Music Playlist got a hearty hanukah update this week, including one of the songs from Sarah Aroeste's new album. Related: a write-up in Kveller about Aroeste's flamenco-laced Ocho Kandelikas version.
Events!
11/27 YidLitWith...StopLine3 yiddish culture salon
11/28 Chanukah begins
11/28-12/5 Collective Light: Chanukah Candlelighting with a group of left-inclined synagogues around the US, one hosting each night (but you only have to RSVP once)
11/30 Reclaiming Identity: Jews of Arab Lands and Iran share stories of identity, struggle and redemption
11/30 In the Midst of Civilized Europe: The Pogroms of 1918-1921 and the Onset of the Holocaust book event
12/1 Not Just Jewish Christmas: Examining the Cultural Assimilation of Chanukah, a panel organized by Judaism On Our Own Terms (JOOOT).
12/2 The Rich History of Jewish Papercuts, with Deborah Ugoretz. The art, not the injury.
12/5 Ladino/Judeo-Spanish Documentation and Revitalization Efforts: Language, Music, and Folklore
12/5 TransHallel (look for an event link on Facebook, or reply to this email and I'll send you the zoom signup page once I have it)
12/9 Transkeit: Expanding Gender for Jews and Allies: A Pre-Publication Preview
12/12 Ladino Day at UW
12/15 Conversation: Yiddish and Social Justice
12/21 Bubby and Them screening and discussion event with SMQN, Keshet, and SAJ (zoom registration link)
Jewish Pet of the Week
The Jewish Pet of the Week is Sheik! We love a potato.
https://twitter.com/FeyTechnologist/status/1459295129240408067
<3
Meli