About Chaviva

I began "Just Call Me Chaviva" in April/May 2006 shortly after converting to Judaism under Reform auspices in Lincoln, Neb., as a way to discuss my journey. After all, the Jewish journey doesn't end with conversion, it's where it starts! This blog winds its way through a variety of cities -- Lincoln, Washington D.C., Chicago, Storrs (CT), Teaneck (NJ), Denver, Jerusalem, Neve Daniel -- as well as a variety of jobs.

I wound my way through Reform Judaism to Conservative to Orthodoxy while living in Chicago. I completed my Orthodox conversion on January 1, 2010, got engaged a week later, and was married on May 31, 2010. After the divorce, I relocated to Colorado where I lived until October 2012.

On October 15, 2012, I hopped a plane to Eretz Yisrael and made aliyah! In very late November/early December, I was matched the illustriously magnificent Mr. T. We had our first date on the first night of Chanukah, got engaged 10 days later, and were married on February 20, 2013 in a very small, amazing ceremony with our closest friends. We got pregnant right away, had Asher Yitzhak on December 19, 2013, and subsequently moved to the USA to be near my family during some rough times in late April 2014. We welcomed Little T to the family on June 9, 2016, and add Zusha Tzvi on April 9, 2018. 

We moved back to Israel ... permanently ... in June 2022!

The purpose of this blog is to share my story, my struggles, my ups and my downs, and to connect with others about anything and everything Jewish and social media. Write me, talk to me, comment, and be well!

I visited Israel every year from 2008-2011 and made aliyah in 2012 and again in 2022.
I've lived in two countries, 15 cities, and had 26 addresses.
I was once a Slam Poet.
I legally changed my name from Amanda Jo Edwards to Chaviva Jo Galatz to Chaviva Jo Gordon-Bennett.
I love Indian food, BBQ (not this grilling out or cookout stuff you people talk about), and I'll do just about anything for coffee.

Mmm ... coffee.

Want to email me? Find me on Twitter or Instagram? Ask me any question, and I'll do my best to answer it!