#69 - Five More Good Things

On Holding Multiple Truths (and a Tiny Helmet Full of Ice Cream)

The market is performing a dive worthy of an Olympic Gold Medal, and honestly, same. But even as everything dips, drops or you know, just burns, I find that what I crave the most is connectivity (though I’m sorry if I haven’t answered your texts, you know I’m bad at it on a good day). I’ve been doing a lot of reading, a lot of writing and doing things offline as much as possible (she says as she writes on her online platform).

I’m looking forward to Passover, though the price of Gluten Free matzoh is absolutely shocking. Passover tells the story of the Israelites exodus from enslavement in Egypt. The Haggadah (the prayer book we read from) instructs us modern day Jews to see ourselves as if we personally fled Egypt. Call me crazy, but I’m fairly sure this empathy should be thought of as more universal, not just about OUR ancestors, but about all who are fleeing opression. Passover, like Judaism in totality, is based on asking questions not having answers. I think this passover, we have an opportunity to ask ourselves what liberation means for all people. In Israel, in Palestine, in America and beyond. There is a pretty well known quote from Hillel the Elder (a Jewish sage whose interpretation of Jewish law favored leniency, compassion and practicality) that I will leave you with as we move into the Passover holiday:

---

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”

---

And now on to the lighter, sillier stuff - which in times like these is equally important in my opinion.

1. In a feat of believing in myself (and a train ride home from NY after two drinks), I pitched a hot take and 48 hours later found it published on

   Jane Pratt
   ’s newest endeavor, Not Another Jane Pratt Thing, Right here on Subtack. As someone who pored over Sassy and Jane as a teenager, this was nothing short of a bucket lister for me. The subject? Why Val Kilmer is without a doubt the very best Batman. You can read it here.

2. I found the perfect ribbed white tee shirt. The Modern Rib T-shirt reminds me of the shrunken ringer T-shirts from Delia’s in the same era as the magazines of above. The neckline is perfect for a multiple-choker moment and right now it’s $14. I don’t buy anything at full price at Gap, and, in this economy?! neither should you.

   

3. I helped plan an event at our synagogue this past weekend. A conversation between Michael Solomonov and Joan Nathan about Joan’s most recent book “My Life in Recipes.” If you know me at all, you know that two of the things I love most in life are being Jewish and food, and when the two combine, well, she’s my Rushmore. I loved listening to her stories about breaking barriers over food, and how over a table of food, you are more likely to find commonalities than differences with the people across it. I loved listening to stories about why it’s so important to pass on traditions in the kitchen and immediately found myself dying to make my Bubby’s noodle kugel and my grandma’s dilly cucumbers. Anything that sparks a memory of my grandparents is a good use of time in my book.

   

4. Speaking of being Jewish, something you don’t see a lot on TV is Jewish people in moments of individual prayer. It isn’t unusual to zoom in on a person kneeling in a church by themselves, or lighting a candle, or doing the cross. But we rarely see Jewish religiosity (as opposed to Jewish culture) in practice on TV. So I don’t think I was fully emotionally prepared for when it happened on, of all places, The Pitt this week. Noah Wyle (as Nice Jewish Doctor, Dr. Michael Robinavitch) clutched the rather large Star of David that had been hiding underneath his hoodie for his whole shift and began reciting the Shema in a moment of great emotional distress. When explaining his beliefs to a colleague shortly after, he suggests that he doesn’t even know if he believes in God. I found these few moments of TV to be exquisitely formed in their pain and unknowing and clear understanding of what it means to hold multiple truths.

5. We went to the Phillies game on Friday night and my husband went out of his way to find me soft serve with sprinkles in a tiny batting helmet. It was magnificent. We met up with friends I’ve known for my whole, entire life, whose presence always gives me comfort. One of them took the photo below. He also took my favorite photo from our wedding and I wonder if I should just hire him to be our personal paparazzi?

   

BONUS!

Taffy Broddeser-Akner is without a doubt one of my favorite living authors. I devour everything she writes. Sitting in traffic on the way home from the airport yesterday, I felt bad for my taxi driver as I wept while reading her latest for the NYT Magazine. What does it mean to be a Jew in America today? Obviously we contain multitudes, but this is pretty spot on.

As Always - Chic Schmaltz La Vie,

xoxo LCF