When I’m a Jew by Choice

Don’t kill the messenger.

The term “Jew by Choice” generally refers to one who converts to Judaism from another faith. The word “convert” tends to emphasis the change while “Jew by Choice” makes it clear the person is a Jew and shows s/he elected it. Anecdotally, people often note how Jews by choice are often more passionate than their coreligionists who have been born into it. One very actively decides to be and to do Jewish versus those for whom it’s just this thing s/he’s always had.

It’s Like Riding a Bike

The following originally appeared as my third post for AlefNEXT and also appeared on Hazon’s blog. I spend a lot of time thinking about how Judaism frames and guides all of my decisions, how the physical connects with the spiritual (however defined), and how I like to both pat myself on the back when I’m living my values, and call myself out publicly when I’m not.

When did bike-riding as an adult become a “thing?” One moment I was riding around the suburban Connecticut neighborhood where I grew up, the next moment I was old enough to drive, and my bike was rust. Now that I’m in my late 20s, it’s a “thing.” I don’t necessarily mean a thing as in a trend (though it’s clearly trendy in some spheres). I had to get a bike, a helmet, get a lock–because how is it ever going to fit in my tiny Brooklyn apartment–and learn to ride in traffic–to work! Let’s not forget that I was not even a particularly athletic kid to start. Energy and endurance are at a premium now.

And what’s so Jewish about biking?

My Friends Write Cool Things [Links and Things I Say You Should See]

Per my last link round-up post, I sporadically feel the need to share a series of things. Today, those things were all things created by people I know. You should know them, too.

• Office neighbor, nearest daytime spiritual advisor, Director of Initiatives for Boys and Men at Moving Traditions, and Donkey Kong enthusiast, Rabbi Daniel Brenner asks whether men will stand up against the sex slave trade in Israel. This is what they call a “must read.” I appreciate being called out for all those times I breeze over a serious issue problem. [Moving Traditions, Huffington Post]

• Former bandmate, one-time songwriting-soulmate, musician, and writer Thom Dunn saves you the trouble buy creating a guide to pairing your comics with your beer. I’m mostly shocked this didn’t exist previously, but glad someone filled the void. [Thom Dunn, Quirk Books]

You Will Inscribe Them Upon the Doorposts of your Pueblo

A bajillion years ago my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Phoenix, AZ bought me a beautiful mezuzah when I became bar-mitzvah. While they couldn’t make the ceremony, they sent that as well as an Artscroll chumash (the 5 books and selections from the prophets with translation and commentary). These were among the most memorable and thoughtful gifts I received. The chumash, beautiful in itself, had a lovely personal note which makes me think of them everytime I pick it up (whether or not I subscribe to all of the translations and commentary in artscroll, an Orthodox publisher, is another post and not the point). The mezuzah, as you can see, was equally beautiful, ceramic, and had a cactus on it. My cousins have always lived in Arizona and the cactus was the perfect touch. How could I not think of them when I looked at it?

Taking on Tradition

What do you do when you suddenly realize you’re the leadership body of all that is Jewish in your family? The family looks to you for decision making, taking a lead on practice and celebration, and generally waits for you to make a move when it comes to holidays. That’s pressure, right?

It didn’t happen overnight. What was sudden was the realization that the initiative now needs to come from me. I can’t sit around waiting for holiday celebration to just happen. For the past few years, I’ve been the resident mashgiach (kosher food supervisor) to my mother and sister. As I write this, my sister BBMs me about whether or not she can eat particular foods this Passover. Holidaydinners are often catered to my own practices, not the practices of the host (I have conflicting feelings about this but ultimately feel honored and cared for). Three years ago I was living in a somewhat oversized apartment in Brooklyn (and paying through the nose for it, don’t kid yourself). It simply made sense to use the space for a Passover Seder, so along with a friend and former colleague, we put something together.

Deep Introspection Has Nothing To Do With My Bands

Inspired by a recent (actually, I’m a few weeks behind here) Rosh Hashanah post on a comic book blog, I did a writing exercise on the topic of repentance. This is exactly the type of thing I scoff at, until I sit down and do it. Then I’m pretty happy I did it and I feel like I learned something. So I went some place with a honest-to-god pen and notebookwhere I couldn’t be bothered and did the following writing exercise:

Imagine if you had to spend 10 days in a room confronted with all of your sins/mistakes/wrongdoings of the past year:

1. What would that room look like? How big would it be?

2. Who or what would be in this room? Would there mostly be people in that room? Actions? Thoughts? Decisions? Ideas?

3. What what you say to them/what would they say to you?

4. What would it feel like to spend 10 days in there? Could you handle it?

5. What would you do with the time that you had in there? What would you address first, last?

At the end of those 10 days, whatever you do, it’s time for you to leave that room and close the door for the next year. But don’t close it all the way. Leave it just a little bit ajar. You may have done all you can, but accept the fact that come next year, you might re-enter that room and be confronted with some of the same things. And Yom Kippur comes along, you can be the one closing the gates, writing the book. You don’t have to let God make all of the decisions, since at the end of the day, so much of it is completely in your own hands.

An hour and 6 pages later, I felt I had given more thought to the things I had done wrong in the past year than I had in the 10 days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur which is designed for this kind of reflection. I’m not saying I felt better about myself or had any new direction on life, but just that this was pretty damn therapeutic, sobering and certainly eye-opening. Try it.

Hat tip to Wolkin’s House of Chicken and Waffles and Comics, a blog I subscribe to but don’t read so often (ska keeps me busy, getting into comics could be deadly).

I’m Big in Baltimore, Likely Bigger In Japan

Richie Frieman writes for PensEyeView, a website that features an interview and profile of a different band every two days. These bands can be signed, unsigned, somebodies, nobodies, anybody. Richie was kind enough to feature many of the bands I worked with while I was at Rock Ridge Music. Like anywhere else, you talk to someone enough, and there’s a certain amount of banter that comes along. Soon after PEV covered OTiS, a band I’ve been working with independently, we got into a conversation about me what I was up to. Upon finding out that I used to work for Hillel and had recently accepted a job with Hazon, he offered me the chance to interview with him for his blog Tuned In for the Baltimore Jewish Times.

The full blog entry can be read here. He calls me a “magical multitasker.” Not sure I’d go that far but certainly appreciate the sentiments.

The whole affair caught me a little off guard. For all the interviews I’ve set up, I don’t know that I’ve ever been interviewed to this extent. I have to say it was a pretty cool experience though I don’t think I come off as nearly as exciting as any of the musicians for whom I’ve arranged interviews.

I do have to say I think it’s way cool any time my jewy life and music life interact or overlap. Look at Richie, who writes for these two different publications. I’ll also say that as much fun as it is to be in the background and be thanked by the people you work with, but it’s also nice to be in the limelight now and again and the public appreciation in this article feels great.