about me!
hi, im ori. if you got a follow from @orri0nn but only get reblogs from this username, thats my main blog. i post a bit of everything on there.
this side-blog is for jewish appreciation, history, education, musings, and more. ill probably post updates about my personal explorations with judaism; the books i read and podcasts i listen to, things ive heard in the community, my experiences at shul. i wouldnt say im a convert-in-training. right now, im just someone whos been in the community a while, and whos searching and learning and reflecting. who's taking a leap and committing to an ongoing journey into judaism in a way that's meaningful to me.
im always looking to expand in my knowledge and community-orientation, so my inbox is open. maybe even give me a follow if you like what you see/read.
cheers, ori
in the six months since i wrote this post, a lot has changed, and a lot hasnt.
im still learning a lot. reading tons of books and digging around for podcasts, movies and all things jewish. im still maintain ties in the community i found in the city, (which is big enough to present me with conflicting shabbat plans and lectures). im still committed to asking questions and reflecting and taking things as they come.
but i am a conversion student now, and i have been for four months. i take classes once a week, where i learn from rabbis of all kinds from modern orthodox, former-haredi-now-conservative, reform, reconstructionist, renewal, you name it. i love learning about different customs and communities, and it really frustrates me when people think theyre above others for the kind of judaism they practice. i get book recommendations from my sponsoring rabbi and we meet every 5 weeks to talk things through. sometimes im there in person, and sometimes its all virtual, but its all formal now.
im also not working full-time anymore. i have more time for myself, to breathe, to take care of myself and my family, to learn with others, to travel, to read the ever-growing list of books on my to-read shelf. my interest in different topics changes, but the curiousity stays. i've learned so much, but there's still so much to learn.
every day i get a little closer to practicing judaism authentically, with confidence in what i feel, what ive learned, and my place in it all. little by little, my ability to acknowledge my interest and ask questions and place myself in the centre of it all grows. it ebbs and flows. some weeks, i go to class, have shabbat dinner, go to shul, and attend a lecture. others, i go to class and that's my only public and social interaction with judaism. i read, and practice most days, even when it feels a little lonely or confusing.
maintaining ties in one community is hard enough, but soon, ill be making new ties in a new city - meeting more rabbis and jews of all walks of life. part of me is really excited about the opportunities this will bring, and part of me is worried that ill be stretching myself too thin, going between the city i grew up in and the coast every month. only time will tell.
i dont post personal musings as regularly, and that may change, or ebb and flow, too. i still have a lot of thoughts, but sometimes, posting about jewish education and living jewishly is hard. especially when theres so much going on in the world. war, death, displacement, violence, hunger, poverty, discrimination, political strife, antisemitism. i dont normally post about that kind of stuff, mostly because it makes my anxiety spike. i try to balance a healthy amount of staying informed without being in the thick of it. there are others who make far better voices for change than me, after all.
this blog is mostly focused on staying positive, and staying true to myself, as i continue on this journey. its about sharing the beauty of judaism in a confusing, scary world, and celebrating community, art, literature, learning, and life.
cheers, ori
one week ago, i went to the mikvah. it's offical; im jewish now. it's been more than a year since i started this blog, and things are so different now. yet many things remain, and though its odd to think of whats new and whats the same, it help me to reflect, looking back and forward and inward, that way
the thing about coming out of a conversion process is that you know that the learning and doing is never really over. new experiences, feelings, wonderings, hopes, doubts, joys and more will come. though i am at the end of this stage in my life, i am somehow sure it will feel fresh and new for months. as things continue to change in the coming months, as i move, as i find a new job, meet new students, make new friends, deepen my connection to my existing communities and practices, my interest with and engagement in judaism may change. in six months, a year, it will look different - i will be different, im sure.
i am not done learning, reflecting, or exploring. i have lots to share, lots to do, many hopes, and even some fears. i still have a deep love for textiles, poetry, learning, discussion, food, and community. though it will likely still be sporadic, i will continue to use this blog for that - to share the good, reflect, and celebrate in the beauty of being and doing jewish, in spite of it all.
cheers, ori
