We did a huge cleaning today in anticipation of Pesach. This is one holiday that makes me particularly nostalgic, remembering how I used to celebrate it growing up. One of the huge gaps of celebrating Pesach at home in Japan and in places like New York was food. My association with Pesach is one of… Continue reading Pesach: Memories from Home
When I log on to my ever-trusted Hebcal.com to check out exactly when candle lighting time is, I see the announcement that the first night of Chanukah is coming up. It made me smile. For one thing, Cappuccina (Leo’s younger sister) has been very excited about Chanukah and for another, it’s one of my… Continue reading Chanukah is coming!
I can’t believe I have come back to this site only three months after my original post. Not that I have much to say, but, mainly I am here to say Happy Chanukah!!! On a certain Facebook group (where Japanese dominates), someone wished all the Jewpanese out there a Happy Channukah. It made me super happy… Continue reading Chappy Chanukah!
I read Sue Fishkoff’s Kosher Nation: Why More and More of America’s Food Answers to a Higher Authority. Personally, the chapter “Got Shrimp?” was informative and resonant for me because it made me realize just how little I know of my traditionally Reform German Jewish heritage. I know tons about Japan and Japanese stuff–representing my… Continue reading My Other Heritage
The answer: We do nothing. I didn’t grow up celebrating Thanksgiving and feel no special connection to it. To make things worse (?) I don’t eat meat, rendering the whole focus of the day–turkey-eating–meaningless. The other decision-maker in this household, Misha, was once a complete (ovo-lacto) vegetarian, and today, is a “modified” non-meat eater like me.… Continue reading Thanksgiving at Chez Kaguya
I’ve done this once. And it wasn’t even a rabbi that I knew well. Why? Because from the pulpit, he gave a great long speech about the dangers of intermarriage and how that was going to decrease the numbers of Jews. Really annoyed at hearing this rant against intermarriage as the source of the problem… Continue reading Telling Off a Rabbi
I am a fishaterian as a way of compromise. Really, I want to be a Breatharian, but I don’t find that feasible. Misha once told me about the Breatharian guru in Santa Cruz. Apparently, there was a scandal in Santa Cruz because the Breatharian guru who was preaching to others to not eat food, was… Continue reading Being a Soupaterian
A common question I (and other kids of intermarriages) get asked is: “How did your non-Jewish parent feel about your being raised Jewish? Didn’t s/he object?” Hmmm, interesting… So, the assumption here might be that the non-Jewish spouse will be hostile (or even have an anti-Semitic slant) towards Jews, Judaism, or Jewish ‘culture’ and still… Continue reading Didn’t Your Non-Jewish Parent Have Problems With Your Being Raised Jewish?
Pesach is coming up. Incidentally, this happens to be my favorite holiday. I always looked forward to it as a kid and still do as an adult. It’s also the holiday that was most difficult for me to be away from home because I had such fond memories of celebrating it back home. Two years… Continue reading Pesach (a.k.a Passover)
I love cukes, aka, cucumbers. I used to be a great cucumber lover from infancy (I think), but there was a particular recipe that my mom sometimes made. I was a great fan of this recipe and remain to be today. But whenever I make this cuke recipe, I can’t forget how fortunate I am… Continue reading The Story of Cukes
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