Kinda Jewish

Historical Fiction

“All Other Nights” by Dara Horn - Jewish spy for the union in the civil war

“Shylock’s Daughter” by Marjam Pressler - retelling of the Merchant of Venice with a sympathetic Shylock and a historically accurate look at the Ashkenazi AND Sephardic Jewish community in 16th century Italy

“The Chosen” by Chaim Potok - Hassidic + Modern Orthodox Jewish boys ‘friendship’ (lbr we all ship it) in 1945-1948 NYC

“My Name is Asher Lev” by Chaim Potok - ultra-orthodox Jewish boy takes up art, paints a crucifixion scene, and sh*t hits the fan

“The Museum of Extraordinary Things” - Jewish photographer + (non-Jewish) daughter of a sideshow owner meet and fall in love in turn of the century Brooklyn, and also a subplot about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

“Escape from Egypt” by Sonia Levitin - retelling of the Passover story

“Daniel Deronda” by George Eliot - it’s like Jane Austen. With Jews! (And while everything is not all hunky-dory, it’s also not the antisemitic travesty I’ve come to expect from 19th century gentile writers).

Contemporary

“Hacking Harvard” by Robin Wasserman - 3 nerds take on a bet to get a slacker/stoner into Harvard (also a really nice critique of the college admissions process tbh)

“The Pact” by Jodi Picoult - (suicide tw) A tragedy hits 2 families. The novel centers on a trial and flashbacks to the event in question. 

“Someone to Run With” by David Grossman - set on the streets of Jerusalem, a boy tries to return a lost dog to its owner, a girl who has run away from home in search of her brother (this is the English translation, obviously, but if you can read novels in Hebrew I highly recommend reading the original, משהו לרוץ איתו)

Urban Fantasy/Fantasy/SciFi

“The Mediator” series by Meg Cabot - teenaged girl starts seeing ghosts / YA romance (although the fact that the MC is Jewish is not even remotely relevant to the plot, it is mentioned outright several times which is more than most books)

“The Cure” by Sonia Levitin - futuristic dystopian society tries to cure one young man’s appreciation of music by sending him to a Jewish shtetl in 13th century Poland (fair warning for dystopian fans, though, the middle 2/3rds reads like historical fiction, so.)

Children’s (Middle Grade) Books

“All of a Kind Family” by Sydney Taylor - the classic “1920s NYC Jewish family”

“Dave at Night” by Gail Carson Levine - boy sneaks out of an orphanage in early 20th century NYC

“Witness” by Karen Taylor Hesse - told in free verse, the KKK visits a small town  (I’m including it because it’s not a Holocaust book, and it’s really good, but it still might  will set off your antisemitism sensors so fair warning)

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” by Judy Blume - Classic. (Also, takes on an interfaith family in a really interesting and nuanced way!)

“Samir and Yonatan” by Daniella Carmi - two boys (one Israeli, one Palestinian) end up in the same hospital and learn that they have more in common than they thought

Plays

“Angels in America” by Harold Kushner - I can’t even begin to describe this one just google it. (or: Jewish and Mormon gay people in NYC during the AIDS epidemic, and also angels)

Miss Jacobson’s Journey by Carola Dunn (review) - Regency-era spy romance about escaping from France and getting back to England. Hero and heroine are both Jewish and although they’re Ashkies, it has Sephardic rep as well

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (review) - 1900′s fantasy set in the immigrant communities of NYC. Beautiful epic drama about friendship.

…and wonderful graphic novels like The Rabbi’s Cat, the Rabbi Harvey books (our legends told as if they were set in the American Wild West), and the Mirka books (fantasy starring an Orthodox pre-teen girl.)

The YA LGBT contemporaries Gone Gone Gone by Hannah Moskowitz and My Year Zero by Rachel Gold have Jewish MC’s. And non-LGBT but YA about Orthodox teenager is Playing with Matches by Suri Rosen.

(Moriarty also has an adult sci-fi series featuring a Jewish AI character who did something mysterious in Tel Aviv back in the day–adult sci-fi is not my thing so I only read the first book but it’s worth mentioning!)

There is also a prominent Jewish character in Sarah Zettel’s American Fairy Trilogy (1930s historical fiction, but with fairies!)

I always have to mention that I Am J, a trans YA that people talk about fairly often, has a patrilineal protagonist–his mother is catholic and he’s baptized, but he actually has a complicated relationship with his Jewishness and says a shechehiyanu for his first hormone shot, and people don’t usually mention that as a draw to the book. The author credits Joy Ladin in her acknowledgments so you know she learned a thing or two about trans Jews probably. I like this book, it’s not super revolutionary but it has its charms.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant - Torah fanfic focusing on women’s lives , relationships, and spirituality and filling in the story of Dinah.

Light Years by Tammar Stein - After her boyfriend is killed in a terrorist attack, a young Israeli woman tries to get away by going to America for college, but she can’t forget what happened.

The Seven Good Years by Etgar Keret - A funny, wistful, silly, reflective collection of stories/essays/anecdotes about the author’s life as a secular Israeli. (nonfiction, but flows like fiction)

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon - Alternative history noir detective story where our hard boiled gumshoe is Yiddish-speaking slivovitz-drinking Meyer Landsman, living in Sitka, Alaska, which is where European Jews went after the Holocaust instead of Israel.

I’ll warn that it does have a pogrom in it, and the beginning deals with the trials of living as a Jew in the early 1900s in Russia I believe, but it’s mostly about poetry and love and immigration and translation, and parts of the book take place in modern day massachussetts where a young man is trying to translate this old poet’s story from Yiddish to English. I love this book.

One of the things I love about Jewish ritual is it forces me to stop and take a moment. I am a woman of action, in most of my life, and I have a tendency to burn my candle (lol) at both its ends. 

nothing has changed.

The Instructions in this post are for people who are Jewish (including those who are ancestrally so, but not raised Jewishly), converting to Judaism, seriously interested in Jewish conversion, or are Jewish-Adjacent (part of an interfaith family, etc.) It is NOT for gentiles who wish to “be closer to Jesus” or any similar reason uninvolved with genuine interest in becoming a part of the tribe or participating with loved ones, as this is a form of cultural appropriation.

Thank you for your understanding. Gentlies CAN, however, LEARN and REBLOG!

Past Posts: Fighting Antisemitism / Jewish Conversion / Branches of Judaism / Second Temple Judaism / Religious Fasting / Rosh Chodesh / Rosh Hashanah / Days of Awe / Yom Kippur / Sukkot / Sh’mini Atzeret & Simchat Torah / Chanukah / Tu B’Shevat / Purim / Pesach / Counting the Omer / Modern Holidays / Lag B’Omer / Shavuot / Bein Ha-Metzarim / Tisha B’Av 

Learn what Tu B’Av Is! 

Usually, Tu B’Av is called the “Jewish Valentine’s Day”, which is a halfway decent summary at the end of the day 

Agriculturally (because most Jewish holidays have agricultural origins, don’t forget!) this is the start of the grape harvest 

When the Temple Existed, this was also the last day wood was brought in for the winter (before it started to go bad), and thus was the Feast of Wood-Bearing as wood offerings were brought to the Temple 

And Tu is the name of the date of the Jewish calendar - the name literally means the Fifteenth of Av (much as Tu B’Shevat is the fifteenth of Shevat) 

But y’all know me by now, and you know I’m not going to leave it there! 

In the Talmud, Tu B’Av is listed as the happiest festival of the year, with Yom Kippur as a close second 

Nope, I’m not kidding 

Honestly, Yom Kippur and Tu B’Av are highly connected in the Talmud: 

Tu B’Av is the start of the grape harvest 

Yom Kippur is its end 

At both, single women would dress in white and dance in the vineyards - both were holidays of love and connection, surrounding the grape harvest 

Also you wear white at Yom Kippur, too! Two days of white-wearing! 

This makes a lot of sense, right? Grapes are very romantic fruits in almost ever iteration, and this is at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, as the weather starts to calm but the days are still long, so you feel the romance of the day 

It’s just… odd to think of Yom Kippur as a day of Romance and Affection, but when you realize it’s a grape harvest festival it becomes a bit clearer 

So, in a lot of ways, Tu B’Av is the prelude to the High Holy Days season 

We are beginning our transition out of the sadness of the Bein Ha-metzarim, and are only two short weeks away from Elul, the month of Preparing Our Souls for the High Holy Days 

This ties a lot of meaning into the grape harvest! In many ways, this harvest is integral to the High Holy Days 

Tu B’Av is a holiday of transition, as we go from one time of year to the next 

And this is connected to the celebrations of Tu B’Av itself 

As a day celebrating love, grapes, and the full moon, it is at a complete tonal dissonance from Tisha B’Av and the Bein Ha-metzarim. And it happens less than a week after that mournful time! 

It reminds us that we cannot mourn forever. Eventually we have to let go of the sadness we’ve been holding on to. Our traditions around mourning/shiva say the same thing: eventually, we have to go back to real life, with all of its ups and downs 

This rather abrupt but effective date of “goodness still exists!!!” helps our minds two weeks later, as we need to start preparing for the high holy days 

The symbolism of Tu b’Av extends beyond just its connection to the preceding and following times of year! 

It is said to be commemorative of a few historical events, as well: 

The Pharisees finally winning over the Saducees 

The Tribe of Benjamin rejoining the Jewish community after a civil war as stated in Judges, so now members of the other tribes could marry members of the tribe of Benjamin again 

The end of the deaths of the Wilderness Generation 

During the era of Kings, northerners from the Kingdom of Israel were allowed to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem again 

Romans allowed Jews to bury their dead from a major battle 

It is said to be the start of when the nights are getting nice and long, which is good, because nighttime is the traditional time for Torah study! 

And, finally, the sins of the spies who said we couldn’t possibly get the promised land (remember: these spies were defying all the miracles G?d had done during the exodus story) was atoned for (much like how the sin of the golden calf is said to be atoned for on Yom Kippur…) 

you know what, brief tangent 

Tisha B’Av is often compared to Yom Kippur because it has a lot of similar restrictions (ie, long fast) and practices (spending the day in the synagogue 

But, thematically, Tu B’Av and Yom Kippur are way more connected 

And Tu B’Av and Tisha B’Av are right next to each other 

Idk I just think that’s fascinating 

There is also a bit of a more mythological connection too: 

It is said in the Talmud that forty days before a person is conceived, G?d decides who that person’s soulmate is 

Tu B’Av technically falls 40 days before the start of when Creation is said to happen, as demonstrated in the B’nei Yissachar by Tzvi Elimelekh Shapira - aka, it’s forty days before the 25th of Elul 

As such, Tu B’Av is the date Israel is promised to G?d  

So it is the start of the love story between the people of Israel and g?d! 

Also just. It’s a nice day in general 

We drink wine, we have grapes 

Girls look pretty and dance in a field 

Guys will go and court them because they’re looking beautiful 

We can be happy again 

Etc. 

It makes sense that such a day would be one of the happiest days of the year! 

The reason it’s not a very well known holiday, besides all of these thematic elements? The only real required observance as stated in the talmud is eliminating a penitential (ie, sorrowful for one’s misdeeds) prayer from the morning and afternoon services 

The holiday has since been revived in the modern era, primarily by Jews in Israel 

The reasoning is not clear, but it seems to mostly be to counter the low of the three weeks, to have a Jewish valentine’s day celebration, and just a great day for romantic stuff in general 

But I’m an inclusionist so I’m here to say Tu B’Av is a great day to celebrate all love, not just romantic love, dammit 

Today, obviously, this isn’t so strongly connected to harvests and wood offerings, but people do lots of different things (in addition to the elimination of the penitential prayer tachanun): 

Weddings are commonly held on Tu B’Av - which makes sense both for it being a day of love and also as a day very soon after the bein ha-metzarim, when weddings are commonly not held because of the mourning prohibitions 

Music and dance festivals are held throughout Israel 

Cards and Flowers are sent on this day to loved ones (of all kinds of love!!!!) 

Commitment ceremonies, vow renewals, and proposing are also held on this day 

As well as - of course - Torah Study! Because that’s the greatest expression of love (for G!d) there is 

As for greetings? Chag Sameach works well enough! It was a custom during the temple times to also say G’mar chatimah tovah - the same blessing as during the High Holidays, may your inscription and seal be for good. Since Tu b’Av is the prelude to the high holiday season, this also makes sense!!! 

Look what I’m saying is is that Tu b’Av is the happy parts of Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av is the sad parts have I gotten that point across yet 

Let go of the Sadness of Tisha B’Av 

I honestly think the most important part of Tu B’Av, and the reason why everyone should celebrate it, is that it is supposed to be a transitional date out of the sadness of Tisha B’Av and the Bein Ha-Metzarim 

It is… really easy to get bogged down in our trauma and collective pain. And it is a natural reaction to dwell on it, because our brains would like to avoid having it happen again 

But dwelling on these things isn’t healthy 

Our traditions don’t demand that we remain depressed forever. Part of recovery from depression, anxiety, and PTSD is moving on, as well as acknowledgement 

Even if you don’t do anything love-related at all, even if you don’t do anything different at all, using Tu B’Av - six days after Tisha B’Av (five during years when tisha b’av is postponed a day for Shabbat) - as a day to remind yourself to try and transition out of mourning and remembrance into, if not outright joy at the prospect of the closeness to G?d that the High Holy Days bring, then normalcy again 

We cannot dwell forever on our past and our communal tragedies. That doesn’t mean we should ignore them - not in the slightest. It means we need to not remember them all the time 

The gap between Tisha and Tu b’Av is the perfect waiting period to let your mind gradually move out of the mourning mindset, so by Tu B’Av, it’s time to kick your brain into normalcy (as best you can) once more 

Celebrate All Kinds of Love! 

LOVE IS AMAZING and it is all we need (I’m sorry, I usually don’t make Beatles references but they’re right there) 

Whether romantic, sexual, platonic, familial, affectionate/sensual, unconditional, love for yourself, love for our world, WHATEVER KIND, love is worthy of CELEBRATION 

Romantic activities are… the low hanging fruit, honestly, for Tu B’Av! 

Do things with your friends! Celebrate your platonic love for them and they for you, whether that’s by doing something outside (going to the park is nice this time of year for those in the Northern Hemisphere), or just hanging out more than usual in online chatrooms, discords, what have you 

Send messages to your friends and other loved ones! Let them know you’re thinking about them 

If you’re on good terms with family, reach out to them - spend time with them - talk to them, and remind them you love them 

Seriously just… tell the people you love that you love them. We often forget to say it, even if we don’t mean to 

Oh, you’re lgbtqia+/queer? CELEBRATE THIS AS ANOTHER PRIDE DAY 

Seriously it’s been about a month since Pride Month we’ve given it a good rest 

TIME FOR PRIDE AGAIN

Celebrate your love! Whatever form it may or may not take! Whomever you love, However you love, it’s BEAUTIFUL 

Are you unable to feel love, for one reason or another?

That’s okay!!!!!!!!! 

Remind yourself that appreciation, compassion, and sympathy are what people get out of love 

And your ability to care for, if not outright love, the people around you - even if its just on a purely logical level - is just as beautiful as love is in those who are capable of it 

Is love complicated, or even painful, for you right now? 

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT 

Love is pain as well as joy. And it’s a wonderful new Tu B’Av ritual to get together with people you trust and can talk to, and discussing that

Acknowledging the intricacies and complexity of love is just as much a celebration of it as unbridled joy is 

CELEBRATE HUMAN CONNECTIONS AND TIES. CELEBRATE IT! 

We are a social species 

The bonds humans make with one another are beautiful 

Take today to acknowledge that, celebrate that, and embrace that!!!!!! 

We often feel alone - but none of us are. On Tu B’Av, remind those around you that they are a part of your community, and you care about them!!! 

Sing and Dance! 

Need ideas for activities to do with friends? 

Why not do the oldest Tu B’Av tradition of all: go dancing! 

If you follow the traditional mourning practices of the Bein Ha-Metzarim, you’ve just spent three weeks not listening to music or doing excessivley happy things. But now you can - and it’s traditional to get out there and DANCE 

You don’t have to dance with a bunch of other single women in white dresses in the vineyards (unless that’s your idea of a good time, in which case, more power to you I suppose) - you can do whatever form of dancing your heart desires! 

Go to a club! 

Throw a party at your house! 

Go out into the fields and just dance around like you’re in the Sound of Music! 

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS 

Play some BANGIN’ tunes and just follow the desires of your boogeying body 

Your soul will guide you in where to move, how to move, what to do, how to be! 

Dancing is one of the oldest human art forms 

If you physically have trouble dancing, don’t worry about it - even bobbing your head, tapping your fingers, acknowledging music through the movement of whatever you can move is beautiful - even if your soul is just dancing inside, that’s dancing too! 

And, of course, sing your heart out too! 

Who cares if you’re not a good singer? SING 

SCREAM

SHOUT

LeT It ALL OUT 

THESE ARE THE THINGS - 

Sorry 

Anyways, go to a Karaoke bar with your friends! 

Invite your friends over to sing songs together - it might not be Shabbat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a tisch! 

Tisch is a word which means Table 

Friday nights, after Shabbat Dinner - or right before a wedding - people will gather around at a table, eat delicious food, discuss Torah, and SING 

This is also called an oneg! 

One day I’ll write my Shabbat post I swear 

Anyways invite your friends or family or other loved ones over, or have a skype/discord/vidchat, and sing with the people you care about! Bang on the table! FEEL THE MUSIC IN YOUR SOUL! 

Tu B’Av is a day of unadulterated joy and love. Let that joy and love flow through you via music! It’s one of the oldest ways we know how to express these intense, positive emotions - and an ancient Tu B’Av tradition

Give flowers

A modern tradition is to send flowers and cards to loved ones (of any kind of love)! 

Usually, Jewish people don’t tend to send things like flowers and gifts. Cards, sure. But a lot of gift-giving in Jewish culture nowadays is a bleedover from gentile culture (see: gift-giving at Chanukah as a borrowed tradition from Xmas) 

Flowers aren’t even placed on graves or brought to funerals/houses of mourning - they are temporary objects that quickly die and lose their value, where stones placed upon graves are more permanent markers of memorial 

However, giving flowers as tokens of love is a major symbol in gentile culture that is has bled over to Tu b’Av, especially among secular Israeli Jews 

I mean it makes some sense - flowers are pretty, they’re in season during the summer

Back in the day it was like “I went out into the fields and PUT EFFORT INTO GETTING YOU THESE DEAD PLANTS” and now it’s more like “I spent twelve bucks to get you these dead plants” but here we are 

Cards are equal-opportunity beautiful things to send loved ones as well 

You could also make small hand-crafted gifts! 

Basically, I’m saying sending things to loved ones that show how much you love them is a good idea 

Whether those things are made or bought, natural or technological, whichever - the receiver will surely appreciate it! 

Go on a Date (if you want) 

So like, if you go on dates - platonic, romantic, sexual, or otherwise - Tu B’Av is a great day for a date - group date, romantic date, friend date, all the members of your polycule date - whatever! 

Romance is the theme for this day, so getting your courage up and asking out that special someone is a fantastic idea - if you’re up for it! 

Use it as an excuse to do something out of the ordinary with your loved one 

Proposing on Tu B’Av is also a wonderful idea 

As is having a wedding, though you have to like, plan that. Well in advance. Usually. Unless you just are planning on getting married in the courthouse in which case: this post is a sign. Go on Tu b’Av 

Discuss your future plans with your partner - I know my fiance and I love talking about what we want our family to look like. That’s a nice activity too! 

Vow Renewals are beautiful if you would find that meaningful, and Tu b’Av is a great excuse for them!!!

Go to a restaurant, see a movie, or even something more romantic than a usual date - all of these are wonderful ideas!

Even just going to a park, enjoying the nice weather, and staring up at the night sky and stars! It’s a full moon, which is hella romantic too 

WALKS ARE WONDERFUL WITH EITHER JUST YOURSELF OR SOMEONE YOU’RE CELEBRATING LOVE WITH

Sex is a fun time, if you enjoy that and have someone to do it with in a safe and consensual way 

You could also just straight up watch Fiddler on the Roof it talks about love a lot so it feels thematically appropriate

Game nights is also a great date idea! 

Connect with the soul of one(s) you love!!!! That’s what Tu B’Av is all about 

And it doesn’t have to be the souls of others - SELF LOVE IS ALSO IMPORTANT 

Even if you’re not in the right mental headspace for blatant self-love, take Tu b’Av as a self-care day! 

Pamper yourself like you would someone you’re taking on a date 

Do something you really love - visit a location you like, watch a movie you enjoy, talk to people you like to talk to 

LOVE YOURSELF ON TU B’AV 

Enjoy grapes and wine 

This is the moTHER FUCKING GRAPE HARVEST, LADS 

ENJOY SOME DAMN GRAPES 

Grapes come in so many forms 

Red grapes

White (green) grapes 

Raisins 

Currants

Sultanas

Grape juice 

Grape soda

Grape candy

Wine. Glorious wine. 

Jam

Jelly 

Syrup 

Seed extract

Vinegar! 

And, of course, dishes containing any of these things (like oatmeal raisin cookies, raisin challah, grape pie, grape ice cream, raisin cake, the list goes on) 

In fact I highly encourage you to just get down to business and make raisin challah for Tu b’Av and if you protest this you’re a coward. yes, I’m bringing back the discourse @aka-maayan  

Don’t like grapes? No problem! This festival is so far removed from the grape harvest, just have whatever product you use for kiddush (the sanctification blessing on Shabbat, usually done with grape juice but other products are sometimes used in some traditions) 

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS. HAVE A TREAT. IT IS A DAY OF LOVE. 

Study Torah (as always) 

Torah study is seen as an activity of love and joy - celebrating the love and connection between G?d and the Jewish people, as well as between G?d and yourself 

So, you know, study Torah on Tu b’Av, even if its just a little

The low-hanging fruit here is obviously the Song of Songs, but there are other options too 

The love stories between Yitzchak and Rivka, and then Yaakov and Rachel, are deeply etched into the Torah and worth studying for this holiday 

The story of the Israelites crossing the red sea, and the women dancing and singing during it, is very reminiscent of temple-time Tu b’Av traditions 

You can also study the portions of the Talmud which discuss the holiday 

Some psalms are themed around love, as are some proverbs! 

Studying Jewish texts about LGBTQ+ individuals (have you bought A Rainbow Thread yet? Because you should; I’d give a link but tumblr is crap, don’t worry you can google it) is a wonderful idea for the day of love, as well as texts about women in Judaism 

The study of Torah is an activity of love - follow it wherever it may take you. There are not traditional readings for this day, so it’s left wide open for your perusal! 

You are not alone *wonk* 

Forgive the Homestuck joke there, but seriously, this is a holiday on which to connect with others 

Form a friend group to do exciting, Tu b’Av themed activities with 

Involve your romantic partner - even if they’re not Jewish! - in the activities 

Connect with others. This is an oft-neglected, but still beautiful, Jewish holiday and part of it is about the connections between souls - so embrace that!

Don’t just listen to me 

I am a tired Jew who is looking at the clock towards the high holidays with increasingly panicked eyes 

I only have my experiences and perspectives to offer here, I cannot give more than that

Look up stuff on your own! Delve deep into what other people have to offer! There’s so much hidden in Tu B’Av that I didn’t even know before I got started 

You won’t regret learning more - this post is just a starting point!

Good Luck, and G’mar Chatimah Tovah!!!!! <3 <3 <3 

This post is for people who are Jewish, converting to Jewish, seriously interested in Jewish conversion, or are Jewish-Adjacent (part of an interfaith family, etc.), however, the guide of fasting (in the general, not Jewish-specific bits) can apply to people of other faiths who fast for their faith. 

Fasting is not, generally, seen as something to be done if you are in danger of harming your health - including by triggering an eating disorder. There are mild caveats to this depending on the situation but, if you could be triggered, please stop reading this post. You can press “j” on mobile to skip past it. 

Gentiles can reblog!!

Yom Kippur is fast approaching, and Tzom Gedalia is tomorrow (whoops). You might be thinking about fasting. So let’s talk about it. 

Educate Yourself on Why Jewish People Fast 

Jewish People fast for a variety of religious reasons; some personal, some public, some historical. 

A Jewish fast always includes not eating or drinking, not even water. (Note: There are a lot of stipulations regarding the health of an individual. Those will be covered in the next section. As such, what I describe in this section is restricted to those who are able to observe full fasts). 

There are two Major Fasts in Jewish tradition. These fasts go for about twenty five hours - from sunset on one day, to darkness the next night. 

The only fast commanded of the Jewish people in the Torah is one of these - the fast of Yom Kippur 

The fast of Tisha B’Av, commemorating the destruction of both Temples & the suffering of the Jewish people throughout history, is the other 

In addition to prohibiting food and drink, full fasts also prohibit washing oneself, wearing leather shoes, using nice smelling things (like oils, cologne, perfume), and having sex 

Yom Kippur also has the restrictions of Shabbat (let’s just wait until I make my Shabbat post to go into that) 

Tisha B’Av also has similar restrictions as one sitting shiva 

There are many more minor fasts, with four ones still being widely observed 

The Fast of Gedalia, Tzom Gedalia on the 3rd of Tishrei (so coming up) commemorates the murder of Gedalia, governor of Judah under the Babylonians 

The Tenth of Tevet, Asarah B’Tevet, is a fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar 

Fast of Tammuz, or Shivah Asar B’Tammuz, commemorates the breach of the walls of Jerusalem before the Second Temple was destroyed 

(So these three + Tisha B’Av are the four fasts associated with Temple Destruction & Exile from Israel) 

Then, the Fast of Esther, or Ta’anit Esther, is the day before Purim, commemorating Esther/the Jewish community fasting prior to Esther approaching the king, supplicating for the safety of the Jewish people (basically: let us live, the fast) 

There’s also The Fast of the Firstborn, Ta’anit Bechorot, on the day before Pesach; Yom Kippur Katan (little Yom Kippur) on the day before Rosh Chodesh (new month) most months; a custom to fast on the first Monday, Thursday, and second Monday in Cheshvan and Iyyar, after Sukkot and Pesach; the fast of the Khmelnytsky Massacres on 20th of Sivan; fast of Moshe on the 7th of Adar;  and varying fasts observed by Ethiopian Jews including on on Cheshvan 12, one on Kislev 11, an extended fast of Tevet, an extended fast of Esther, a fast on the 11th of Sivan, an extended (and earlier) fast of Tammuz, an extra period of fasting leading up to Tisha B’Av and afterwards, and a fast in the first week of Elul, plus others that are very rarely observed. These apply to different groups of people and have a lot of Halachic Discourse™️ so I’m not going to go too deep into that 

Minor fasts only prohibit food and drink, and go from sunup to sundown 

There are also fasts to commemorate personal educations

All fasts but Yom Kippur are not allowed to fall on Shabbat, and are postponed/moved if they do 

Fasts serve a variety of functions 

To encourage focus on matters of spirituality, not material life 

As a mourning practice 

In supplication to HaShem 

To feel uncomfortable/”afflict your soul”, to force your soul into focus on repenting 

To ignore the animal side of yourself, and instead, enrich the soul 

My advice is going to be geared towards those who are first-time (or new in general) fasters and want to make their first time smooth and successful. Thus, it’ll be focused on ways to make the fast easier. This might not be your personal goal. And that’s fine! But my advice for you is basically “well, go daven in synagogue and feel free to think about how hungry you are and how that reflects on your sins”, so, that’s not really much a tumblr post… 

The Torah Tells Us TO LIVE By the Commandments. Live. 

Pikuach Nefesh is a primary rule in Judaism: the preservation of life above all else. A doctor is allowed to save a life on Shabbat, even though it would be work. Therefore, one is not allowed to fast if it would endanger their life. 

9 times out of 10, if you’re pregnant, nursing, ill, in pain, weak, or a child, you’re not allowed to fast. THIS INCLUDES IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF EATING DISORDERS. 

That 1 time out of 10 is Yom Kippur 

Sources differ. In most traditionally observant communities, you have to fast, unless you’re literally going to immediately die if you fast

But in most other communities, the same exceptions on fasting that apply to other fasts apply on Yom Kippur, too 

So this includes stuff like: 

Having to take your meds with food 

Needing to drink water or else you’ll faint 

Mental Health breakdowns likely to be triggered by fasting 

You are doing a full fast, but find yourself compromised during the fast, such as becoming suddenly ill, faint, or in pain 

Have I mentioned the eating disorder thing??? PLEASE DO NOT TRIGGER YOURSELF.

There are ways to take part in the fast if you have to abstain 

Limiting your food & water intake to the bare minimum you can handle 

Abstaining from things like sweets & caffeine 

Fasting from something else that would be difficult to give up (such as fun things like video games, tv, or dare I say, social media) 

Keep in mind, however, that it is kind of a dick move to show you aren’t fasting in front of those who are 

Especially on Yom Kippur - do your non-fasting stuff discreetly 

Don’t eat or drink in front of fasters 

Try to even keep it out of the synagogue or Jewish Community Center 

Get Prepared Beforehand 

A fast is serious shit, so do what you can to prepare for it 

You’re probably thinking “oh, I should power eat beforehand - biggest meal ever”. You’d be wrong 

Instead, before a fast, eat multiple meals throughout the day, but smaller ones 

This way you won’t have a huge crash a few hours after you begin fasting 

Eat good proteins & complex carbs, along with plenty of sources of vitamins and minerals 

Try to avoid salty foods and simple sugars, as they’ll make you thirsty / crash 

HYDRATE. 

HYDRATE. 

HYDRATE. 

HYDRATE. 

HYDRATE. 

HYDRATE. 

HYDRATE. 

Start to wean yourself off of caffeine 

Do a regimented, less-and-less schedule starting a week before the fast 

Do this also for things you are addicted to in general such as cigarettes, alcohol, whatever (no judgment here) 

Withdrawal is no joke and you want to avoid that or else you’re not going to be focused on the actual point of the fast 

Vary your meal schedule before the fast so your body gets used to eating at weird times and doesn’t have a set time limit before it gets hungry again 

Take it easy! Especially the day before. You’ve gotta be nice to your body

Think About HaShem, and Your Spirituality

During the Fast, you’re going to want to think about eating, or drinking (hopefully water). Don’t. 

You’re fasting for a reason - think about that reason! 

Use the time to focus on spiritual matters, such as davening (prayer), considering Jewish history (such as with the fasts for the destruction of the Temple), or your own failures/how you want to grow as a person 

Plus, having something else to focus on helps you to not focus on how hungry you are 

Go to Synagogue! Especially on days like Yom Kippur, there should be activities and a minyan so you can daven, talk to others, and do anything but think about food. This is the right call. 

If you do think about how hungry you are, use it as an opportunity to reflect on the nature of body versus soul, what HaShem wants of us versus what our nature wants of us, etc. Sometimes, reflecting on why you feel crummy is kind of the point. 

Sleeping is a Great Way to Pass The Time 

You can sleep in the evening! Especially during the Major Fasts, take the night time to, you know, do something that typically doesn’t need food 

Feel free to go to bed early and sleep late! 

I mean, you should probably go to service on Yom Kippur, but hey, whatever you need to do to fast 

It’s not only something that passes the time, but it allows your body to conserve energy, a big plus 

You can even take a nap! In the middle of the day! 

There’s some downtime on Yom Kippur and this is a great time to squeeze in some sleep 

Heck, get some friends, organize a nap party, take a section of grass near your synagogue, and just snooze. I support this. 

This isn’t really like, me encouraging you to not take the fast seriously. More - fasting is hard, and doing perfectly acceptable things to make it easier is not a crime 

Find Ways to Distract Yourself 

If you aren’t going to services, I recommend doing things that keep your attention wholeheartedly 

I recommend reading a book! Get lost in it! 

I wouldn’t binge a TV show because A) it seems kind of like missing the point of a fast and B) TV and snack food go hand in hand; but maybe listen to music or podcasts (depending on the fast and other provisions you might be observing, such as mourning ones) 

I know some people who just scroll the internet all day, and if that would help you and it doesn’t conflict with your inner sense of fast observance, go for it 

You can also sniff spices 

Such as those for Havdalah, or just your jar of cinnamon 

It gives your stomach a nice jolt that eases your hunger just a tiny bit 

Read the Torah perhaps? I mean, doing specifically Jewish things to distract yourself seems like a good option to me 

You’re trying to keep your mind off the fact you’re hungry, because if you don’t, you might break the fast too early, and I’m assuming you don’t want that

It is Not a Failure to Take Care Of Yourself 

Sometimes, we can’t continue fasting. We feel weak, or tired, or there’s an emergency, or something comes up, or heck, we just forget and accidentally eat something. 

Take a deep breath

Remind yourself that shit happens 

You can continue to fast if it’s safe to 

If it’s not, then remind yourself there’s always next year 

You can continue on in other alternative ways, too, such as abstaining from special things other than required sustenance 

Blaming yourself for not being able to keep the fast is a road to terrible mental trouble and I don’t really condone it. If you feel you need to to get yourself to fast properly next time, fine, but don’t be too hard on yourself. We’re all human, and the point of a fast is to deny your animal needs in favor of your spiritual ones. Sometimes the animal side wins out. You can just try again next time. 

Fasting is always hardest the first time. Over time, you’ll learn how your body deals with it, and what it needs from you. Use your experience this time to inform the next. It’s all about growth!!! 

Break the Fast! 

You’re going to be tempted to eat a giant meal of ridiculousness because of course you are 

I recommend instead: drinking water 

And juice!!!!! Juice is good and has nice carbs in it to help you start to ease your stomach 

Fruit is also a great way to break the fast 

This puts sugar in the bloodstream, getting you energized, and fills up your stomach, so you don’t eat too much too fast 

Eat a little bit, then take a break before continuing 

Go like this until your body is back to normal 

Your body was doing its “crap we’re starving” routine, so it’s more likely to keep the weight you put on after a fast. So, you know, if you don’t want that to happen, maybe don’t eat a huge meal 

Eat a healthy meal, get your vitamins and nutrients, stock up on those complex carbs and proteins 

Or, you know, eat your comfort food. Just know it might come with consequences! :) 

You are Not Alone!!!! 

Everyone around you will also be suffering. Ask them questions. Ask them for advice. They have a lot to give. 

Talk to your friends, family, community members, whoever, and talk about how they fast, if they’re planning on fasting, and what you can do together to make the fast easier (or more meaningful. Sometimes people don’t want an easy fast.) 

Feel free to ask a Rabbi for advice, too! 

At the very least you can kvetch about how hungry you are with internet friends, if you have no better avenue 

Don’t Just Listen To Me 

Once upon a time, I was going to have friends look over this post. Then everything changed when Rosh Hashanah attacked. So. This post is largely un-critiqued. 

And I am just a little reformadox nerd sitting under a pile of bird feathers 

So, talk to other people, listen to them, hear what they have to say. They’ll doubtlessly have a different perspective on fasting than I do, because I have a rather… well. Let’s just say I have Opinions on fasting. So you should definitely talk to other people. 

Remember: Fasting is for your own spiritual fulfillment. Carve your experience to that, and you’ll go a long way. 

Vintage set of playing cards depicting Jewish women’s folk costumes from around the world. The countries, fro right to left, are as follows:

First row: Turkey, Bulgaria, Hodu (India), Yazan (Wiesen; could be Switzerland, Austria, or Bavaria, apparently)

Second row: Hungaria, Holland, Turkmenistan, Israel

Third row: Russia, Serbia (fun fact: for a second I misread it as Siberia), Teiman (Yemen), Italy

It’s hard to talk about Jewish culture without talking about food. The bagels, the brisket, the babka. Oh, the babka.

Ask anyone who is spending this weekend filling their freezer with matzo balls for the upcoming Passover Seder, and they’ll tell you that food is intertwined with Jewish culture and history — to the point,where it can become a theology in and of itself, the stage on which all sorts of Jewish values are performed. It’s not surprising to learn that the code of Jewish law is called the Shulchan Aruch — the set table. And that the commentary on the book is the Mappah — the tablecloth. But that said, what exactly does it mean for a food to be Jewish?

Alana Newhouse, editor of Tablet Magazine, the online journal which brands itself as a new read on Jewish life, attempts to answer this question (or operate from the place of having answered it) with a newly published book, The 100 Most Jewish Foods: A Highly Debatable List. In a series of short essays, contributors wax on about dishes from Mitteleuropa to the Middle East, probing through lines of history and sentiment (and making a collective case as to why the latter may be more important than the former).

From the outset (well, actually from the subtitle), Newhouse acknowledges this is loaded territory.

‘Debatable’ List Of '100 Most Jewish’ Foods Leaves Plenty Of Room For Kibbitzing

Hiya!

Yep, I’m a vegetarian!

Have you ever tried Matzoh Lasagna?

It’s a super easy recipe, delicious, vegetarian, Kosher for Passover, and tastes like pasta !

Happy cooking!

I promised a seperate post for matzo balls.  Here it is. 

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

1 cup matzo meal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

4 eggs, beaten

¼ cup seltzer water (grandmother’s tip; use seltzer instead of plain water; it makes the matzo balls fluffier)

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Steps:

In a bowl, mix matzo meal, baking powder, salt and pepper.  

In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, seltzer water, oil and herbs.  

Add the mazto meal mixture to the liquids and blend well.  

Cover and place in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Bring large pot of water to a boil.

Wet hands, and shape spoonfuls of matzo ball batter into balls by rolling between hands; drop the matzo ball into the water.  They should be 1-2 inches (5-6 cm) across.  Don’t make them too big, as they will expand significantly when cooking.  You’ll need to rewet your hands to keep the batter from sticking to your palms every few matzo balls.

Reduce boiling water to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30-40 minutes (no peeking!)

Remove from water and place in finished chicken soup.

Her smile, which had seemed so promising just moments before, was beginning to sicken him. “No more than any other language,” he muttered. But what it really does have, he thought—what you don’t know it has, because it isn’t in any Woody Allen movies—is a world of the dead built into it, a true fear of heaven, an automatic need to invoke the presence of God whenever saying anything good or bad about anyone or anything, an absolute trust that the other world, if one could call it that, is not separate from this one, that eternity is always breathing over your shoulder, waiting to see if you will notice…