A Kosher Stumbling Block ...

I learned a new hardship of kashrut today.

While walking through BJ's (the big-box store like CostCo or Sam's Club) for some necessities (and some non-necessities like Dunkaroos, a delicious snack of cookies and frosting from my childhood that happens to be kosher), I was accosted by the "chefs" dishing out food. Now, a few of the options were kosher -- MorningStar Burgers? Yes. But G-d knows what else they made in that little oven/grill thing they were using. Not that I like MorningStar Burgers. But I'd never really thought about it before. There are, indeed, situations where there are people shoving food at you in a public arena, and some of those folks are elderly and they're pushy like Bubbe and you really just want to grab a nosh to get a grin and a cheek-pinch. But no, you can't. So what did I do?

I ignored the cute little old people shoving otherwise kosher food at me. I kept my eyes on the prize. The Dunkaroos in my cart.

In a Monsey Moment: Oy Vey!

Yesterday, while driving back from New Jersey after a fun and family filled weekend, Tuvia and I decided to stop in Monsey, NY, since we pass by it at least twice a month when we're schlepping back and forth between his former residence in NJ and our current abodes in Connecticut. The experience of Monsey is something I've always wondered about, after reading about it and hearing about it in blogs (both good and bad things, that is). So, at the spur of the moment, we pulled off and realized the hub of Monsey shopping and dining life wasn't that far off the highway.

Our first stop was Rockland Kosher, a gigantic supermarket in a building filled with a dozen other stores selling lingerie, clothing, books, and other necessities for the kosher home. There were Jews, garbed in black, white, navy blue and about 30 shades therein, rushing in and out of the building, pushing strollers, payess waving in the wind. I gave Tuvia his "emergency Crown Heights kippah" -- a black, velvet number that I keep in my purse in case of emergencies. I was wearing modest clothes, at least, until I stepped out of the car I felt like I was. A long peasant skirt that floated along the ground, a brown tank-top that covered most of the skin up to about a fist-lengths below my neck, topped with a black 3/4-length cardigan. I walked around the grocery store with my arm clutched across my chest, reaching over to my purse on my right shoulder, trying to cover the skin that did show. These women were wearing long black or navy skirts, and under their cardigans of similar varying shades of blue and black were tight, choking button-down shirts. The sheitels were perfect, the hair looked real, and few women actually had head coverings other than sheitels.

And every aisle we walked down, little Tzippies and Menachem Mendels were staring at me.

Tuvia didn't notice it, he said after I asked him, but people were looking. Here were me, in my very peasanty skirt, and Tuvia, in khakis and a polo shirt, shopping in the kosher supermarket surrounded by immas and abbas and bubbes and zaydes, and I was reminded of how it felt walking home in Mt. Pleasant in Washington D.C. where the Latino men slink out of the bars every five minutes whistling and cat calling. Except, this time, people were piercing and calling out with eyes and up-down looks, not words. Maybe I'm paranoid and it wasn't that bad, but I felt naked, I felt completely exposed, I felt like they could smell on me that I wasn't fluent in Yiddish or Hebrew and that Tuvia and I weren't married, sinners!

But the really fascinating thing about the Rockland Kosher experience was that from side to side, front to back, the entire store was filled with two things: Toys and Snacks. Every aisle we went through there were mommies pulling toys down for kids, and kids picking up bags of candy and chips and snacks. It seemed like nobody was buying real food, just Israeli treats and cheap plastic toys. The store had the Israeli and unique Kosher brands separated from the national brands, and more people were shopping the former than the latter. Is it a trust issue?

The best steal of the day, though, was a dozen eggs, which I purchased for only $1.30 or so. You can't find eggs that cheap anywhere. I don't care who you are. I remember when they used to put eggs on sale for $.99, and now you're lucky to get them for under $2.00. What a steal! I could have bought 20 dozen for that price. We checked out, thanks to a few Latino men working the counter, marveled at the in-house mikvah (in case you buy a pot or pan or something and want to tovel it instantly!), and schlepped off to look for dinner.

There were a few strip malls with some options, including a cafe, a barbecue joint, and the Purple Pear (a dairy restaurant), which I had heard about from friends, so we went there. Now, for those of you who haven't been to Monsey, the Purple Pear is probably the most "normal" place you'll find there. If you're a Modern Orthodox Jew or someone who is a little more metropolitan and likes to wear jeans with your tzitzit, then this place will feel comfortable. We walked in and there were some women in pants, men with ball caps, and a sushi chef shoved nicely in a nook in the corner. The restaurant is so jazzy, a dark red and black theme with a chalkboard menu that makes it feel very cosmopolitan, very bistro-like. I wanted to hijack the joint and move it back to Connecticut (did I mention the only kosher "restaurants" we have are a Dunkin Donuts and some Cold Stones and a Ben and Jerry's?). Instead, I ordered sushi and a coffee, Tuvia got an omelet some fries and a bagel (he was elated to see that "bagel" was the first option instead of the "add $1.50 for a bagel" option). It was so nice to go someplace kosher, to feel a real dining experience out where there are other people doing what you do, just more often. The service wasn't great, but better than what I expected at such a busy kosher place anyway.

As we pulled out of Monsey yesterday, I was a little saddened. On the one hand, I was excited to be leaving a place that seemed so far out of reach and so black and white (literally), but sad that all these options and neat stores and this frummie lifestyle were being left behind. I'd kill for a kosher coffee house, and I often joke with Tuvia about quitting my present path and opening a coffee shop/bookstore for the kosher crowd and anyone else willing to try my favorite pastry and coffee offerings. Coffee houses are home to me, and not having that option were you can nosh a scone and coffee while reading some Rashi drives me nuts. Someday, maybe, when I'm a retiree and rich?

Or maybe, just maybe, someday we'll move to Monsey, reopen the drive-in for classic films (except on Shabbos, of course) and start up a coffee shop/bookstore and take on the town. Livin' it up. Live it up.

But chances are that will never happen. What is for certain, however, is that Tuvia and I will make sure to stop in Monsey more often. Maybe look up some soon-to-move friends, eat at the Purple Pear, get some kosher pizza, and feel the flavor of the community so that those initial feelings of being eyed and examined by the black-and-white garbed as someone on the outside looking in. After all, I'm sure I was analyzing them as much as they were analyzing me. And in the end? We're all just Jews.

Chavi Goes Shopping, online, Again!

I am presently on the hunt for a t-shirt. I'm not exactly sure what kind of t-shirt, really. I mean, I'm looking for a t-shirt that says "Hey, I'm Jewish" or "Look at me, I have Hebrew on my shirt" or something of that variety. I used to have this amazing Threadless.com shirt with the face of a Hasid and all sorts of Hebrew words or characters or something around it. I loved that shirt, but it was this cream color and it just didn't mesh with my skin, and it was too big, so I got rid of it long ago. I happen to own one T-Shirt with a beautiful dove filled with a medley of pictures/words related to Israel, but I'm looking for something more ... well ... not trendy, per se, but something that's a little more hip to me.

So I found Israel Vintage Icons on T, which has an array of really awesome tees, and the way that the designs are presented are very classy. The Army Girl tee is very neat; it's described as "Based on the 'Army Girl' photo from the Nico and Trudy Schwartz-Hiller collection: 'Recruiting the daughters of Israel to the British Army'." Then there's the Israeli Pictograms shirt, which could come in handy if I ever make it to Israel. I think my favorite, perhaps for its simplicity, is the Star of David tee, which you see on that guy right there. The t-shirts are running $19 a pop, with $6 shipping to the U.S. of A. If you're in Israel, it's a mere $4. Why? Well, this company is based in Israel. D'oh for me!

I also stumbled upon perhaps my favorite t-shirt find. Yes, it's Jews for Cheeses! I'm really seconds away from procuring this tee, simply because, well, I haven't had a run-in with the Jews for Jesus yet, but I have to think that G-d would will it to be on the day that I would be wearing this marvelous t-shirt. Don't you think? Plus, this screen cap shows that one of my favorite TV shows (Pushing Daisies) even saw the hilarious necessity in owning such a shirt!

At this point I'll say that I'm avoiding the typical "Nice Jewish Girl" and "Challah Back" and "Nu Jew" and all of those tees. Why? They're obnoxious and silly, that's why. I want something classy. And maybe "Jews for Cheeses" isn't classy, but come on ... it's hilarious. And those "Let's get Chai" shirts? Gag me with a spoon!

Then, of course, while browsing around I found ModernTribe.com, which has ... well ... not so much with the shirts, but an ark-load of other beautiful things. Including (another) necklace I want. It's the "Letters of Creation" necklace. Oy! So beautiful ... and a Gelt Money Clip? I wish I knew someone who actually used a money clip, becuase I'd drop a dime for this in a second! There are oodles of other things on the Modern Tribe site that, well, if I were rich and not heading to graduate school, I'd most definitely procure.

But back to T-shirts. Chavi needs a t-shirt. There's the typical Hebrew Coca-Cola shirt, but it seems like that's the obligatory tee to have if you're a Jew looking for a shirt, right? Rotem Gear has some nice tees, but none that are really calling to me. And although I would *never* buy it, I thought the "I Choose You, PikaJew" shirt was hilarious. In fact, I'm sending the link to my little brother (a former Pokemon obsessee). Of course, I could get a shirt personalized with my name so everyone who sees it knows who I am -- if they read Hebrew, that is!

And by some stroke of luck, I've found Store of David. I have fallen in love with the Milk and Meat tee, and if I can get over the price, I might just pick it up. And who can resist the I Control the Media tee? I'm often told that, having been a copy editor and being Jewish, well, that I play nicely into that, and I can't deny it! It was then that I stumbled upon the Jewish Food Pyramid tee, and I'm really dismayed because I can't seem to find a larger image of it ... but it simply looks hilariously wonderful. If only it came in something other than powder blue! Then again, there is this let there be light tee, which is on sale. 

But the holy grail of T-shirts has to be this: Chicago. Yes, it's a shirt that SAYS Chicago in Hebrew and has the el map. Yes, yes I think I will have to buy this shirt. After contacting customer service, they assure me that it comes in an array of colors with either black or white text. Here's hoping?

Okay, so I'm no closer to finding a T-shirt than I was when I started this adventure hours ago (I am at work, after all, while composing this). I do have some good options, though. And I know some of you might be asking yourselves, "Chavi! Nu? You're nearly 25. Can't you get serious and lose the t-shirt shtick? Act like an adult already!" But in truth, I've spent the past two years wearing "business" clothes to work and being all dressy bessy. A girl needs a T-shirt, darn't, and not just on the weekends. Soon, I will return to school and with school comes laziness, waking up late, throwing on a tee and going to class. So if you have a favorite tee out of all of these, let me know and perhaps I'll pick it up before I go broke!

Shalom, and happy shopping :)

A non-shopping shopping spree!

So I'm at work, without a thing to do (though I should be doing some Hebrew work) and thus am doing some online shopping for things of the Judaica variety. Chances are good that I won't actually be buying any of this stuff, but I think it's fun to look. It's sort of like retail therapy, nu?

The first thing that caught my eye was the Spiritual Guide to Counting the Omer, which evidently is a sort of workbook with exercises to walk you through the whole process. I'm thinking this will be a buy for next year since this year (despite my Chabad.org daily reminder) I neglected to count the omer successfully. Then after clicking related links I ended up at this GI Hamsa necklace, made by the government supplier of Jewish jewelry for the Armed Forces, and I think they're talking U.S. armed forces here, though I'm not completely positive. I'm in search of a new necklace to add to my collection of one -- a simple, silver star of David. I've searched for a Chai and a Hamsa and a mezuzah, though I think that there is something halachicly wrong with wearing a mezuzah necklace, even if you have the proper scroll inside it. But the truth of it is that I really, really, really (^1,000) want this beautiful pomegranate necklace by KinorDavid, but I just can't bring myself to pay that much for it. Not to mention I don't have the cash money to spend on such a thing. But isn't it beautiful?

I recently bought this shirt over on Etsy in honor of Israel's 60th birthday, and I love it to pieces. I also just spotted this shirt, which is supposedly the "Official" t-shirt for the Israel at 60 festivities. And for the practical shopper, I've found these Hebrew Keyboard Stickers, and seriously, at $3.80, I might actually go procuring some.

I've really been wanting to get into the spirit of Shabbos (or the end thereof) with a havdalah set, but it seems like they're all really expensive. Yowza. There's this really nice Armenian set that's pretty beautiful, not to mention this beautiful silver set.

I wrote a long time ago about an awesome website that had sets of things, but unfortunately that site has gone defunct. So with some clever searching, I was able to find some of the items on other websites, including the Seder in a Sac, a Shabbat-to-go kit can be found here, not to mention the Havdalah-to-go set. Better yet, though, check this out: It's a Shabbat Observance Forever kit, including all the goods for Shabbos and Havdalah!

Okay, anyway, that was a random and completely useless post, but if any of you have favorite items you've bought on the online, let me know. There are a lot of Judaica websites, and most of them are pretty miserable to navigate. Finding quality merchandise can be a pain, but sometimes you find a gem (like with my menorah last year, which you guys helped me pick out, thanks!).

Shabbat and Pesach: Part I.

Chag sameach, friends and blog followers! I'm sure you've all been waiting with breath bated to hear how my ridiculous escapade Friday night went, as I went to the Ortho shul in my neighborhood for the first time. Well, I'll tell you all about that, as well as the exciting seder Saturday night, among other things. Keep reading!

A good friend, Tamara, got online to ease my jets and explain to me that it was all good if I wanted to carry a bag or something. It's obvious that I'm not frum (though I'm not sure that it *is* obvious when I'm dolled up in cardigans and skirts), and either way, I have to do what I have to do and if I'm going to be judged up and down, well, then it's not the kind of place I want to be anyway. Luckily, my problems were solved when I realized it was getting a little chilly out, so I popped on a jacket and stuffed my keys and my debit card and IDs into the pockets and headed off to shul (yes, I rode the bus). My intent for the whole night was to go to shul, then go get some chametz-filled dinner and then go to a movie at 10 p.m. to fill my night up. The night, however, did not turn out as such.

I got to the synagogue and realized that plenty of other women were toting bags, and that in reality it's perfectly fine (within the eruv, anyhow), as long as you're not carrying cash or money or other prohibited things on Shabbat. However, no one is going to stop you (at least they shouldn't) and demand to search your bag, right? So it doesn't matter, really. Note to self: Take a bag next time. I was greeted at the door by several people who pointed me in the direction of the woman I'd conversed with via e-mail about attending services. But before I could get to her, the people at the entry asked if I was set for seders. Well, I wasn't set for a first-night seder and lo and behold I was immediately paired up with someone who had some empty space. I hadn't been there more than 5 minutes and I was set with a seder. That, folks, is hospitality and the Jewish way.

One of the first things I noticed about the sanctuary was that the mechitza definitely wasn't what I was expecting. At the one Chabad service I'd been to, the dividing wall was about 7 feet tall and had lattacing, but you couldn't see the rabbi, let alone anything else going on. At this Ortho shul, though, the mechitza was about 3 feet tall, and divided the men's and women's sections, with a third section in the middle for men where the bimah was. I was -- in a word -- elated. This, in my mind, was a doable mechitza. Yes, the men are still a distraction, but not as much as when they're sitting next to you (for those who don't know, I'm a firm supporter of the mechitza as a tool for ensuring full-engaging prayer).

So I found the woman I'd talked to via e-mail, found my place in the women's section, and sat down as the services began, transliterated siddur in hand. The woman was kind enough to help me if I fell behind, and the rabbi also called out page numbers for both versions of the text. This surprised me, because they didn't even do that at the Conservative shul up the road. I found it pretty easy to follow along, but I have a lot to learn about cues. I don't know when to start and stop, nor do I know how far to go in the text when there is silent davening. I also don't know why there is repetition -- silent prayer by the congregation, then the leader repeats the initial prayer again aloud. Some people stand the whole time, others sit. Some get up at the most random times and stand. The three steps intrigue me, and in the L'Cha Dodi, they bowed once to the back of the sanctuary and once to the front -- I'm used to once to the right, once to the left on boichala, boichala.

There's just a lot to know, a lot to learn, and a lot to understand in order to really be able to get something out of the service. I don't want to be perpetually confused or behind. I want to be an active member of the congregation, if I choose to be a member of Orthodoxy. I can imagine why so many women stay away from the shul in any case when it comes to Orthodoxy. It's intimidating. But the service in and of itself was comforting -- the rabbi's sermon, the chanting and singing of the men, the children wandering through the sanctuary giggling and snickering, all the men with kippot, the women in skirts. It felt to me like what Judaism as a religion is meant to be.

After the service, I met a woman who is a Conservative convert, but is converting Orthodox, and we chatted a bit. The rabbi's wife then came up and asked if I had someplace to go for Shabbos dinner. I was taken a little off guard, because my plan was to go out to a diner and get a burger or to the tea shop and get a pastry -- any kind of breaded good to tie me over, nu? But I stumbled over my words and didn't want to offend, so I told her I didn't have plans. She invited me to the community shabbat dinner, with the caveat that chances are there'd be no chicken for me -- just lots of kugel. Being a guest, I politely thanked her and joined everyone for dinner, where I was crammed into a table of regulars, some who looked less than thrilled that I was packing in at the table. So I had my kugel, made conversation, participated in the songs and blessings and it was chametz free (even though it wasn't Pesach, the shul had to be cleaned of Pesach, so it was all kosher l'pesach food).

After dinner, I was anticipating making it to my movie in time (20 minutes to go!) and maybe even stopping by the tea shop first to get a pastry for my last bit of chametz before Pesach began. As I walked upstairs into the lobby and out the door, the group of people I was sitting with asked where I was walking. I froze. I wasn't planning on walking home, at least not yet, and well, not ever really. I didn't live that far away, but I had my bus pass and I was accustomed to riding the bus -- even on Shabbat. I'm not Shomer Shabbos to the point where I refrain from bus riding or spending money. I turn off (or try to) and I go to shul. But that's my start. So everyone was walking in the direction of my place, so I plodded along.

The thing is, it made sense. It felt like the way to do things. It was as if I were really going through the motions of Shabbat, and not just half-assing it. I went to shul, I ate dinner, I walked home. And all of it? None of it felt archaic or oppressive or disillusioning. It didn't feel contrived or fake or like everyone (really anyone) was unhappy to be doing what they were doing. These people were happy, they were enjoying themselves, they were Shomer Shabbos and they were loving every second of it. And for that brief time, I really loved it, too. It felt like a real Shabbat.

So I made it home, after my 1.5 mile trek in the comfortable evening weather with fellow Jews. I realized that I didn't have any other skirts to wear, and that if I was going to go to shul the following night at 7 p.m. for services and to meet up with the people hosting the seder, not to mention going to W. Rogers Park for lunch on Sunday, I needed skirts, and I needed them now.

What did I do? I desecrated the Shabbat and went out on Saturday, got a chametz-filled lunch (yes, I know the cut-off was 10:30 a.m., but I needed it), bought some skirts, and went home. Nu? What do you want from me.

Stay tuned for Part II: The Seder.

Kosher for Pesach!

I know, I know. Shabbos is still rolling and the entire observant world is enjoying the approaching end of the Sabbath while I tap away on my computer. I cut off a few hours early because of some plans this evening that start literally at the end of Shabbat, and I needed to get in touch with a few people regarding said plans (it's a Prom, for adults, a Yelp prom, to be precise; so unimportant, I know). But I thought since I'm here, I'd write a little post about my Kosher for Pesach shopping.

I went out with the intent of getting lots of the farfel and matzo meal and boxes of matzo and kosher for pesach pancake mix, etc. So I headed off to the Jewel down on Addison here in Chicago, because it's in the most Jewish neighborhood near me (Lakeview has Reform, Conservative and Mod. Orthodox shuls) because I also knew that they have special aisles for the Kosher for Pesach goods. I have to say, I made off with a mighty selection of goods, including some Kosher for Pesach mozarella cheese (for pizza and lasagna) and cream cheese (for matzo + jelly + cream cheese) and many other things, including some K4P soda. I have to note that I haven't bought soda for the past four or five years at least (not counting individual bottles, I mean). I don't ever have soda in the house, and that's just how I roll. But I've heard the K4P coke is pretty amazing. However, this year it didn't come with the YELLOW CAP! Talk about misleading. I was appalled at first that they were selling regular coke in the K4P section, but then I looked at the cap and there it was. So here are some photos of my goods :)

Shabbos Watch!

So after last Shabbat, when I realized I had no idea what time it was -- ever -- because I rely so heavily on my iPod or cellular phone. So after feeling moronic asking the time (who does that in this digital age where everything you own tells time), I decided I needed to buy a watch. I went to Target, and made sure to call Kosher Academic to make sure there weren't any special watch restrictions on Shabbat, and then I bought a watch -- albeit, one I didn't even like.

So I was thinking about it and realized that I've watched a Swatch watch since winter 2003 when my freshman honors seminar visited Washington D.C. You see, in Union Station there was this Swatch store and man oh man I fell in love. But I had no just cause for spending the money on a nice watch -- I had my cell phone. So now, now I have just cause! And it's sort of a celebratory note for heading down the path of Shomer Shabbos. I always wanted a crazy, hip watch and they had one that felt so light that you could barely tell it was there ... but I couldn't bring myself to drop a 100 bucks for it. Especially because the face had no numbers, and I haven't worn a watch in, well, years and years and years. So this is the one I ended up with:


Interestingly, the woman at the store was Jewish, and we were discussing observance and stuff and she became mesmerized at the fact that I'd converted on my own accord and not for a guy. I love getting that reaction :) I love having done this for me, gall darn't! Anyhow, it was nice to run into a Jew on my Shabbos watch shopping adventure.

Pesach is coming alive!

Well.

The Pesach goods are bought. That is, the matzo (I accidentally bought egg matzo, only to have to go back and purchase NON-egg matzo, rawr). Among other things.

We've got cream cheese, jelly, goods for charoset, matzo farfel, apples, eggs, matzo ball mix, etc. etc. This will be a glorious Pesach. Filled with ... well, lotsa matzo with cream cheese and jelly and salad. I'm okay with this, of course.

I hadn't realized, however, how hard it was to find goods without things like CORN SYRUP ... ugh. Grocery shopping was, well, more hectic than it's been before. Mostly because I hadn't paid that much attention last year to it all. This year, however, finding salad dressing that would be good for passover, not to mention all other goods ... man. Tough cookies. It made me truly respect Pesach, though. Expect reflection ... hardcore reflection. I did pick up a classic Maxwell House hagaddah at the store at no charge. Oh yes. Some of the translations irritate me, tho.

And in honor of not being able to down corn syrup and rice and things as such ... I downed oodles of sushi and Coke tonight. It was a good way to ring in Pesach, I think.

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I'm stoked for the first-night seder tomorrow night! It's a community-wide young adult seder up at Temple Shalom on Lake Shore Drive (though it did cost a pretty penny for tickets). Ian and I went there for services Friday night in our third adventure in shul shopping. After a synagogue I didn't like and a synagogue he didn't like ... we found one we LOVE. Temple Shalom ... my G-d. It was absolutely wonderful. It was relaxed, but not too relaxed. I daven without anyone looking at me oddly, which is really nice, and the people were really impressive and friendly.

[Sidenote: I've noticed sort of by accident that I daven. It isn't conscience, it happens. Actually, I didn't notice on my own. A man at the second shul-shopping destination asked me if I was visiting from a Conservative synagogue because I was davening. It's subtle, and it's natural. Hrm.]

The seder is there, although it isn't sponsored by the temple. We're definitely in love with the place and intend to go back. The great thing about it, is that it's in a BEAUTIFUL neighborhood up by Wrigleyville, and there's a kosher deli right there on the corner (where we're going to eat Friday since our typical pizza evening is axed ... ).

Basically ... I think I've found a shul I can really, really thrive and grow at. I'm planning on hitting that up for Pesach service Tuesday morning (although truth be told it IS a bit of a trek). Seriously though -- there's a rabbi there who I'm absolutely all about it.

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I have some thoughts on Tzav from last week that I have yet to write about. Plan on reading here and there on it -- especially some thoughts on the dynamic of the haftarah portion with the parshah (conflicting views on the rules of ritual sacrifice). It's some fascinating stuff that played a pretty significant role in the then-future of Judaism and its practices.

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Oh, and I'm sort of cutting it close. But I need to burn my chametz and gift my cereal and other goods to Ian and the other roommate. This must be done stat. Wahoo!