ofshivelight

[ofshivelight]

interesting to realize that i qualify for a birthright trip now

[ofshivelight]

[ofshivelight]

“In a world where each man must be of use

and each thing useful, the rebellious Jews

light not one light but eight—

not to see by but to look at.”

— Notes on the Spring Holidays ["Hanukkah"], by Charles Reznikoff

[ofshivelight]

Chag sameach!!!!

[ofshivelight]

Night one! Chag Chanukah Sameach!

[ofshivelight]

day 1 🪐✨️💫🌟

[ofshivelight]

chanukah sameach everybody :]

first night :]

[ofshivelight]

art by @woz_art on ig

[ofshivelight]

whats daunting isn't my mikvah appointment in a little over an hour, but rather making small talk throughout the hour-long car ride with my rabbi and his wife that we will be taking since the nearest mikvah is sixty miles away

[ofshivelight]

You know what I just want to say that we Jews should be really impressed and proud of ourselves. Like look at all the history we preserved, look at the history and culture we kept alive and passed down. Look at the things we have loved, we have created, and we have made be it something for the benefit of one, a few, or many.

And we did while going through some of the most horrific, devastating, and world ending events. When you think about we as people have survived multiple apocalypses. We saw the world as we knew it end so many times. And survived and then replanted and regrew a whole new world. Over and over and over.

And we kept all that deeply rich history alive and passed it down from generation to generation.

It is not just that it is not easy, but it is actually really rare when you think about. Look at how much ancient history is lost and look at how much history and culture gets lost during devastations and wars.

Our people survived being culled many times over, we survived the literal shattering of us and we survived be scattered to the four corners of the world.

And yet we from community to community the Torah is the same. The roots still meet no matter how far.

Can we not be awe of this. Can we not be awe of the fact that we are a four thousand year old people. That we are here and we kept it all alive for all this time after everything.

Is that not amazing.

Am Yisrael Chai, we live we really really do.

[ofshivelight]

aw, that's so kind! it's meir b'nei avraham v'sarah :) thank you very much <3

whats daunting isn't my mikvah appointment in a little over an hour, but rather making small talk throughout the hour-long car ride with my rabbi and his wife that we will be taking since the nearest mikvah is sixty miles away

[ofshivelight]

really well!!! i'd never talked with the rabbi's wife in any detail before now but she was really lovely and charming, and they're very funny to listen to when they're together and lightly bickering in the front seat the whole way there. the actual mikvah was in and out, fairly quick, but it was very moving and i'm still mulling over my feelings about it and grappling with what it means to me. overall a wonderful experience and i'm very grateful to everyone who made it possible and supported me along the way :]

whats daunting isn't my mikvah appointment in a little over an hour, but rather making small talk throughout the hour-long car ride with my rabbi and his wife that we will be taking since the nearest mikvah is sixty miles away

[ofshivelight]

oh hey, me too! :]

Morning, Tumblr. I made shakshouka.

[ofshivelight]

"Metaphysical dignity is not part of a numbers game; there is nothing in logic or philosophy that insists upon it being in inverse proportion to the number of beings who participate in it... Similarly, the claim by a race to spiritual dignity and intrinsic metaphysical value does not depend upon a "good" cosmic address. It depends only upon the ability of the members of that race to enter into a dialogue with the Creator of all races. God makes Himself available to His creatures wherever they are in His immense universe; He is not a social snob who will not be seen in the cosmic slums and alleys."

— The Religious Implications of Extraterrestrial Life, Norman Lamm

[ofshivelight]

going to services tonight and getting to say WE and US and OUR....... immbnhnhnh i am overjoyed

[ofshivelight]

i did, didn't i?

i started my conversion in august of 2023. i'd been learning about and studying judaism for almost four years at that point and knew i was absolutely ready. three months later, the war broke out in israel, and i honestly wasn't prepared for the outpouring of vitriolic antisemitism i was suddenly seeing everywhere, and to say it didn't and doesn't bother me would be a lie. but i am a visibly queer and mixed filipino person, and i'm not unfamiliar with bigotry. as i told my beit din when they asked a similar question - why did you decide to stick it through when the state of the world is very dangerous for jews at the moment - i refuse to live my life in fear. i take precautions, of course, and i'm not ignorant as to what i'm getting into, that this is a permanent choice that i won't be able to walk away from, but this is still my life and i choose to live jewishly with joy and excitement rather than let the fear of antisemitism control me. it's vitally important to me. i love the jewish people and i'm honored to count myself among them, whatever that may mean.

GUESS WHO'S JEWISH