Jewish Musings, Sunday 6/9

[lee058]

What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.



Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:



Frieda (hopefully)?

Holly

Lee

Louise

Lynne

Peachy



And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Please pray for Israel.

I am still feeling sick, but will do the best I can this week with topics.

Today's topic: Pride Month.

Yesterday, there was a march and rally in DC. It was kind of a warm-up for next year, when DC is hosting a bunch of World Pride events. They are expecting a million (!!) people, according to this morning's Washington Post. I think it'll be very exciting.

Jews have always been involved in pride events, including getting June declared as Pride Month, hosting and organizing events, and putting their lives on the line. I am proud of them for doing so much!

The photos are always spectacular. Check them out if you get a chance.

I'd write more, but honestly am not up to it. Have a peaceful day, Lee

[gazelle18]

Yesterday at about 5 pm, DH, I, and our dear friends decided to Uber to a hot dog place in the back of the French Quarter, in order to eat and listen to some good live music. As we rolled on the outskirts of the Quarter, we realized that there was a lot of traffic. It dawned on us that there was a huge Pride Parade happening, and so we began to look for bright costumes, etc. It was great. Then a bit later on, while still with our eyes glued to the sidewalks, we happened upon a large park, populated with several hundred QUITE naked people! Our Uber driver informed us that this was part of the international “ naked bike ride.” Look it up; it’s really a thing! Yesterday was NOLA’s day to host the naked bike ride. It was quite an eyeful!

[peachymom1]

There are lots of Pride events scheduled for this month here in L.A. - I think Ricky Martin was slated to perform yesterday. We used to attend a number of Pride events, but since DD35 is in Dener now, we've fallen out of practice. I don't do so well with crowds now anyway, but I did especially enjoy wearing my "Straight Not Narrow" t-shirt and getting hugged and high-fived by complete strangers.

[louise]

Never heard of the naked bike ride or "straight but not narrow"! I feel so sheltered. I took a look and saw a lot of undies - was actully glad to see that because it was sounding very uncomfotable! What a hoot. I have not been aware much of pride parades of late. I also didn't realize that Jews were especially active in this. Live and learn.

Did I tell you about the cookbook I got "Shavuot of Longing"? It's a book of recipes from the hostages (well, their families)and was printed at Kibbutz Be'eri, which is home to a very pretigious printing plant which was not damaged (located near Nova and suffered a lot of loss). I selected 3 recipes that I am making for our Shavuot refreshments - 2 no-bake cheesecakes and some cookies. Will display the appropriate pages and the cookbook at our tikkun leyl. The cookies are from a frined of one of myrabbi's daughters who is still a hostage. Anyway, spending my energy today on getting all of that together.

[hollygail]

My congregation always takes part in the San Diego Pride Parade. This year, the office had t-shirts made: gray background, rainbow prominent on the front, with the logo and name of my congregation smack in the middle. I'm planning to wear it for the l'eil Shavuot taking place with two additional congregations (plus my own) at the congregation closest to where I live (the Conservative shul where I attend weekday morning minyan and am not a member).

There was a movie whose name I don't remember at all; I think it may have been filmed in the 1990s or 2000s. It was about a new-ish gay group in England somewhere; it took place in the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic. At one point, there was a strike of some other workers (mine workers, maybe?) and one young gay man talked his group into supporting the strikers. They went to the demonstration and while many of the (mine?) workers were uncomfortable with all these outside gay folks, they ended up accepting their help. Many many years later, the same (mine?) workers showed up at the first large English gay pride gathering. I remember the feeling inside myself (while watching this movie!) of pride (no pun intended) seeing that standing up for someone else meant that they'd stand up for you too.

Alas, I haven't felt that about the situation since October 7. Where have any / all the international women's organizations been? Where have any of our other previous allies been, those for whom we stood up? I have felt completely isolated. I spent so many years of my life demonstrating in support of so many other groups, and I've seen zero of them coming to my support since October 7...