Seeing Jewishly
The upside-down tree of life I finally see within me: my lungs! Or rather, I don’t see them; I am reliant on what I learnt in biology classes and what I saw in the butchery my father owned – lungs of cattle Soft Squidgy Sliced up for sale as a delicacy… Like an upside-down tree […]
Aligning with Israel
I am enough. I am worthy. I am complete. I am everything. I am compassion. I am free. I am… I am of value to Rachel Imeinu finally came up as the shul grounds I entered. Yes. That’s it. I am happy that I have it now. I am a seed of Israel Returned; Reverted […]
Growing Noltea africana from Seeds
My goal is to plant three hundred and sixty-five seeds this Jewish calendar year Or preferably three hundred and sixty-five seedlings or saplings grown from seeds. While growing trees from seeds alongside. This seems manageable for Hashem is my strength and might. Daunting this seemed a few days ago as I connected to the feeling […]
South Africa: COVID Vaccination Conversations
Lockdown in South Africa remains on level 1 despite a new variant. What a relief! I think it marks a turning point in our COVID response narrative, in our COVID Vaccination Conversations suggests an assumption that we know what to do… After all, haven’t we been practicing it for eighteen months now? Prefer outdoor gatherings […]
Sabbatical Year and Jewish Agriculture
My interest in the agricultural laws of Judaism took a turn for the better when I started reading a book on Shemita, the Sabbatical year that is kept in Israel every seven years. The introduction starts with Maimonides’ commentary. According to him the obligation to keep the commandment blessing of Shemita is based on two […]
Honour Your Father and Mother
Honour your father and mother. I have discerned, after much soul-searching, that reverting to Judaism is linked to the fifth commandment. People like me who ‘know’ that we are Jewish yet have no proof of Jewish identity to satisfy any Beth Din outside rabbinical Judaism remain; For reverts may not convert. To convert to Judaism […]
Catholic Decree of Nullity
l have more clarity regarding my Jewish identity; I am a Jewish soul aware of my Jewishness. This does not make me a Jewish person in Jewish law; halachically, I am not Jewish. I am not officially part of the Jewish people and have no right to immigrate to Israel, even if persecuted for being […]
Apartheid in Different Garments
Why was I so quick to dismiss a fellow Jew’s opinion regarding a one-state solution for Israel? Such inflexibility such unwillingness to listen such unwillingness to inquire with the intention to understand a view point different to mine comes from my evil inclination; and if every Jewish person I am to love surely every Jewish […]
Rabbi Anava: Meron
Where do you stand on Israel? This question bombarded me from a convert to Reform Judaism who is ‘upgrading’ to Orthodox. I am for a two-state solution. She threw her hands in the air; for her it’s a one state only, a Jewish state. Which threw me. Moved me into another round of self-examination for […]
Lag B’Omer and Working for Water
Its raining. I wasn’t expecting it even though the weather bureau had forecast it; I wasn’t expecting it even though, almost two weeks ago, I was told by a Zimbabwean man (who my allotment had cleared of the previous season’s harvest leftovers and at his own initiative beautiful beds along the boundaries had prepared; biochar […]