The word came up with an acquaintance.I told him it’s the Yiddish words for “year” and “time”combined: it’s that time…
What If: Taylor Swift’s Track “the 1” is About Hillary Clinton and the 2016 U.S. Elections
I. The Theory On the surface, Taylor Swift’s new album folklore opens with a song that is about a past…
Five Short Years, Five Whole Years
My mother died the month I turned five. For most of my adult life, my perspective of the time we…
“And With All Your Might”
It’s not the three miscarriages that have distanced me from God; the three miscarriages make me wish I weren’t already…
Not With Words: A Poem
If we are to be in relationship, God, let me be clear: you presume too much this year, handing me…
Anyone Can Speak Yiddish in a Week
In 2015, they didn’t speak Yiddish. In 2016, they do. From December 28th through January 5th, a small group gathered…
Why Secular-to-Orthodox Memoirs Matter
“Writing is a miserable, awful business. Stay with it. It is better than anything in the world.” This quote from…
Hello, Labels: Creating a Feminist Orthodox Wedding
The night before my wedding, as I was falling asleep, I realized that my fiance and I hadn’t discussed whether…
Introducing ‘Pulpit Plus One’
I moved to Nashville in July with my husband Aaron, when he was hired as an assistant rabbi and teacher.…
In Defense of the Shabbos App
When I began going to Friday night services, I kept my cell phone on vibrate in my boot, pressed against…
Julie Sugar 