Challenging Rabbinic Misogyny — With Paper Cuts

Just (finally) listened to my friend Jacqueline Nicholl's podcast on the Sisterhood blog at Foward.com about her "Ladies Guild Collection" - a truly, truly amazing collection of work, based on papercuts as doilies .


Jaq insightfully - and cleverly / deftly - brings together misogynist quotes from Jewish tradition, and places them in the context of both a beautiful craft (papercuts) and a depth of knowledge of Jewish tradition, combined with a creativity that straddles all of this.

Amazing, inspiring work. Totally loving it.

My grandma's Seder plate

My grandma's Seder plate
Originally uploaded by sashinka-uk

Most seder plates have six sections, but for some reason, my grandma's has seven - we've often debated the extras.

I think that the top middle one is something in yiddish that might mean either salt water or egg, and the one to its left (kotzech?) I'm always meaning to look up the root of..

Anyway: tomorrow night (second night) is the first seder I'm making in my house.

It's a big deal.

I mean, it's a small seder: we've decided to be just the three of us, and start early with the plush seder plate so that Zaphod can.. do whatever 17 month old toddlers do at seder. But I hope he... enjoys the vibe and the matzah (his new word for the day) and the songs and the food...

But it's big because, well, making your own seder. We're the grown ups. We're a family, doing the things that families do.

Anyway, gut yomtov:)

Eingemachts 2010 finished product

Eingemachts 2010 finished product
Originally uploaded by sashinka-uk

With correct Yiddish spelling (I have consulted with specialists to ensure this).

Largely delivered: roll on Pesach.

Making eingemach, 2010

Making eingemach, 2010
Originally uploaded by sashinka-uk

So I have chopped 6lb of beetroots, blanched almonds, and I'm off to bed to start the earnest work of making eingemach (beetroot jam) at the crack of dawn.

Charedei milk

Charedei milk
Originally uploaded by sashinka-uk

See, there's milk, and then there's kosher milk, and then there's fresh kosher milk, and then there's fresh, kosher, charedi milk.

Welcome to the Jewish season of silliness.

Glee Club

Just caught up on 2 weeks of Glee - loving it.

For me, it's more about the writing than the music (never been a musical kinda gal) although I do find myself feeling - in a slightly Grange Hill way - that they're all rather professional. Love the uber-ironic characters, how everyone has their own meta-narrator.

Can't help wondering if in real American High Schools girls truly walk around in their cheerleader outfits all day (a la Heroes' Claire Bennett). In fact, now I think about it - almost all high-school related stuff is living in the shadow of John Hughes' (RIP) Breakfast Club.

Reminds me: great piece in Vanity Fair about John.

Do you want a FLAP?

I love Timbuk2 bags (and kinda hate that it costs too much postage to get a bespoke one in the UK), and I'm dead excited about their FLAP bag in development.

Basically - I shouldn't say that, should I - it's a solar powered LED light that's disguised as a messenger bag.

Dontcha love it?

And perfect for your cool-green credentials and the coming energy crisis. You read it here first(ish, I mean, it's the interwebs, ferchrissakes, there is no first anymore).