Finding Kosher Food in the Wilderness

One of the first questions people will ask me when they find out we live in Alaska is, "Is there kosher food there?!"  The answer is...yes and no. Eating in Alaska is challenging whether you're kosher or not because, aside from fishing or hunting, most of our food is flown in from somewhere else and …

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Journaling for the Newly Observant or Conversion Candidate

My Rabbi asked me to do something I'd never previously been asked to do which is to journal each day, writing down anything pertaining to my Jewish observance.  I jumped at this chance because I love to write and because it was something tangible that I could be doing to help our process.  I'm quickly …

The Rebbe and Me

I never met the Rebbe.  Characteristically, I came late to the party.  My first introductions to Judaism were through Chabad, both a local Chabad house and through family, so I knew of the Rebbe very early on, but I wasn't sure what it had to do with me, personally.  The Rebbe always seemed to belong …

Forward Progress and How Faith Makes Me a Better Engineer

First of all, for those who follow my blog, I have a tiny seed of hope I've begun carefully nurturing that our long conversion journey may have a end in sight.  Not now, not soon, but that there is a clearer path forward for us.  I go between being very excited about it and not …

Losing My “Whiteness?”

Race is a complicated, emotional issue, particularly right now in the US.  For me, though, my focus lately is much more on something much closer to me than the headlines, but I didn't realize it until I was discussing recent headlines with a friend who happens to be a person of color. She said something …

Summer Solstice

The sun, in his vanity rules the skies today is his day his highest achievement his conquest of the night the moon hides herself the sky is full of his light It also is the beginning of his downfall Tomorrow and every day after the night wins back precious time escaping from her exile deep …

I Was There

When the Voice shook the earth and miracles happened I was there, unseen and unknown I wandered through centuries lost alone unnumbered. I lived lives wild and untamable my ancestors were fierce brave and foolhardy they worshipped the creation and shook their swords at the creator When a nation was formed I was among its …

6 Years

Last Friday, my calendar popped up a notice.  It had been 6 years since the day I had decided to convert.  I had miscounted and all this year I had been thinking it was 7.  Somehow, 7 seems so much longer than 6 and I was comforted by that idea.  That day, I was overrun …

Parsha Shlach and Our Own Years in the Desert

In this week's parsha, the Jewish people are punished for the false reports 10 of the 12 spies come back with.  Their punishment is to wait 40 more years in the desert and to only have their children be able to go into the land they have been promised. I recently read a commentary by …

Tznius, Unicorns, and Being Different

She was in tears and camp pickup was the usual chaos of any school or camp pickup.  Her big blue eyes were clouded and her face was red.  Mr. Safek, ever the protective papa bear, was already trying to find out who had made her cry.  Having been a girl that age myself a few years …

The Power of Knowing Your Why

The book of Numbers has another name in the Talmud...the book of complainers.  It's a pretty apt description since it isn't long into this book before the Jewish people begin complaining.  They've been in the desert a long time, wandering.  The exciting miracles and sparks of inspiration have dimmed and are more in the past. …

The Ten Unfaithful Spies and an Eye Infection

Somewhere in the past blur of weeks, I contracted an eye infection.  The cure for this infection is, ironically, stinging, burning drops I must put in every two hours.  That's not fun.  Even worse, during this time, I have to wear my glasses, which give me headaches and make me feel dizzy and sick to …