72 things I love about being Jewish

Nothing like a holiday centered around persecution and hope to make me feel all warm and fuzzy about being Jewish.

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah.

It’s always a beautiful - physically and thematically - holiday. But it’s felt especially meaningful and necessary this year. (Cut to me crying to Ma’Oz Tzur at Temple Friday night).

The thing about feeling targeted, is that it’s made me feel more devout. More nostalgic. More proud of my heritage and more committed to raising my children Jewish than I ever felt before. I’m doubling down in a way. I’ve gone to temple more times since October 7 than I have since I was bat mitzvahed. And while I won’t lie and say that I feel 100% safe and comfortable going there, I do feel like it’s important.

It’s also had me reflecting on why I love being Jewish. It’s the little things combined with the Big things, all mixed together like a warm kugel.

(Pst: this post was inspired by an article on Kveller.com written last year, so check that one out, too).

1. Debbie Friedman’s music (esp “Miriam’s song” and the Mi Sheberach)

2. At Jewish group rallies, no one dies or is assaulted

3. Feeling like I’m part of an exclusive, secret club

4. Donating money in increments of $36 and confusing the goyim

5. Our ancestors were fucking badasses

6. The peace of Shabbat

7. The smell of fresh challah

8. Being encouraged by our faith to ask questions, dissent and argue

9. Hummus + falafel

10. Closing your eyes when you say the Sabbath prayers

    

    Marc Chagall’s drawing “Shabbat”

11. Hamsa necklaces and home decor

12. Going up and down in the chairs at weddings and b’nei mitzvahs

    

    My dad up in the chair at his wedding in the early 1980s

13. The concept of tzedakah

14. Yiddish words - so satisfying to say (kvetch, schlep, plotz)

15. Yamalkes with sports teams on them

    

    So fun. So tacky.

16. “May their memory be for a blessing”

17. Getting chills during The Kedushah

18. Going to someone’s home and seeing a mezuzah hanging in the doorway

19. The blessing over children

20. The freedom of knowing there’s no right or wrong way to be Jewish

    

    Saying the prayers over the challah at my Bat Mitzvah with all 4 of my Jewish grandparents.

21. Dancing the hora

22. Strong Jewish women who won’t stand down because other people are uncomfortable and will make damn sure your order at the restaurant is correct

23. Making hamantaschen

24. Matzah ball soup

25. Jewelry with Hebrew Names, Magan Davids, Evil Eyes, ALL OF IT

26. Mandy Patinkin. Just everything about him.

27. Little kids singing “Bim Bam”

28. Chinese food and movies on Christmas

29. Our collective anxiety

30. Our collective tummy troubles

31. Having a Hebrew name

32. Playing Jewish Geography with randos

33. A really dope bagel with cream cheese and lox

34. The release of believing that there’s no heaven or hell

35. Our resilience

36. Singing “Eliahu” at the end of the Passover Seder

37. The darkest humor possible

38. Jewish Summer Camps forever and all they teach about community, independence, identity, support, and acceptance

39. Adorable old yentas and mensches at synagogue who share TMI

40. Matzah and charoset

41. Gal Gadot. That’s it. That’s the tweet.

42. Beautiful ketubahs and the idea of signing a marriage contract

    

    A peek at Brad and my ketubah.

43. The beauty of Havdallah services

44. Knowing we are all so different and so similar

45. Jewish comedians: Mel Brooks, Sarah Silverman, Marc Maron, Albert Brooks, Adam Sandler, Larry David, Fran Fine, Amy Schumer, etc. forever

46. Babka

47. How anyone with an Israeli accent sounds like a sibling or cousin

48. “Sabbath Prayer” from Fiddler

49. Hebrew calligraphy

50. The concept of a bashert

51. All the yentas out there trying to make matches

52. The Shehecheyanu

53. Placing stones or rocks on graves instead of flowers

54. Braiding your grandpa or father’s tallit in synagogue

55. The wild, tacky-ass menorah designs out there

    

    This is def on the “less tacky” end of the spectrum

56. Getting chills when singing nigguns

57. Seeing other Jews walking to synagogue

58. The sound of the ark opening

59. Tashlich

60. Free books from PJ Library

61. The Kotel

62. Watching my husband and kids bake challah, light the menorah, etc. (“from generation to generation”)

    

    I mean…

63. The buzzing of a Hillel at so many U.S. colleges

64. The concept of the chuppah and how it symbolizes the home that the couple will build together

65. Rabbi Joe Black and all his songs for kiddos

66. Climbing Masada at sunrise

67. Feeding your friends and family as a love language (and also worrying if they’re cold)

68. Knowing you always have a community or group of friends somewhere

69. Not having to go through the whole Christmas rigamarole 

70. The sound of the shofar

71. How hope is deeply coded in your DNA

72. Watching my kids sing Jewish songs

Abby rocking her Shana Tova headband.