Read below to see some of Marion’s published work:
‘An American Pickle’ Was Just A Little Too Sour
Why did this film have to be about a Jewish character? After the initial sour taste from the Pickle movie dissolved I thought more about my own defensiveness and realized that I don’t think we need to pretend that Jewish people 100 years ago were all righteous by today’s standards, but the problem is there’s no balance.
30 Going on 13, I Think I’m Ready for A(nother) Bat Mitzvah
Let’s be honest, no one really thinks a 13 year old thinks too seriously about the religious commitment they’re making when they stand before the congregation and read from the Torah. More than likely they’re praying that they don’t mess up and embarrass themselves in front of the entire 7th grade class (or worse, their middle school crush). I distinctly remember almost the entirety of my bat-mitzvah even though it was well over 20 years ago. It was a special day to me and I’m not about to launch into a campaign to make any changes to the tradition…but I feel like now that I’m an actual adult I am ready to make an entirely more meaningful commitment to my Jewish identity.
A nefarious sounding illness abroad called Covid 19 had been percolating on my news feed and then suddenly it was here and our lives changed forever. It seemed like it took 24 hours to go from “not a big deal” to “the most significant moment of our lifetime.” And in the wake of its continuous destruction, the Coronavirus has left millions of parents questioning how to possibly continue to create little worlds of safety and happiness for their children at home.
In an instant humans have adapted to social life online and I’m wondering how awkward it will be when we’re allowed to do it in person again. At first when society suddenly shut down there was a determined excitedness for how we would revel in having our restaurants and theaters back open, how we couldn’t wait to do EVERYTHING we were missing out on. As the weeks dragged on though I wondered if these things would be like riding a bike, would we remember how to do it, after being away from the world for so long? Or would we even have the same enthusiasm and interest in them once the ease of virtual half-attendance has become a habit.
The vast majority of Jewish baby boys are still being circumcised, but many parents are choosing to do so in a hospital with only the immediate family there to witness it. Having observed this trend in my own social circles as well as in my own family I’ve got a theory as to why.
If you are spending every Jewish holiday in the home of a relative (or friend) who doesn’t celebrate the way you would like to, it might be time to reevaluate things. Especially when you consider that for your young children this may be some of the first or only Jewish experiences they have, you have an obligation to make them positive.
Despite the distance, many Jewish grandparents are still doing a lot of the heavy lifting (even from thousands of miles away!) when it comes to raising children with some form of a Jewish identity, and many are struggling with how to make it work. So if you are a family looking for some ideas and inspiration for Jewish activities for grandparents and grandchildren to enjoy together, even over a screen – here is a helpful list for you!
A lot of Jewish families correctly acknowledge that Hanukkah is not one of the High Holy Days in the Jewish calendar year, and as such, it shouldn’t receive the prominence it does every December. Yet no one criticizes an over-exuberant Rosh Chodesh festival, it’s the anti-Christmasification of Hanukkah that spurs the hate. So in this holy war on the holidays, who is really winning?
I’m thrilled that today we have some modern Jewish female heroes to celebrate, namely our judicial celebrity extraordinaire Ruth Bader Ginsburg (and long may she reign in good health!). Looking back at Jewish history and the stories of our ancestors it can be tough to find too many other women that receive much championing (though Esther and Miriam do spring to mind). From a feminist or even a female perspective, Jewish history as I was taught it can be a bit dry. I have a feeling though that if my Hebrew school teacher had told me about Judith, the badass b–ch of Hanukkah, I’d have paid a lot more attention in class.
The morning of Erev Yom Kippur arrived and we talked about how Dad was going to fast and how we were going to think about how we were sorry for some of the things we had done wrong this year. I asked my son if he had anything to say sorry for or if he had been a good boy. As soon as the words had left my mouth I instantly thought of Santa Claus.
As someone who grew up regularly attending services the ‘new rules’ of separation that we needed to follow just for the ‘two days’ Jews felt extremely unfair and hurtful. I think it did a disservice to my perception of what the High Holidays are all about. As a Jewish mom, I feel responsible for giving my children a Jewish experience that feels warm, welcoming and joyous – so the babysitting room isn’t going to cut it.
As the school year starts many little ones will be embarking on their first taste of formal Jewish education, and for many that begins at two years old in a preschool classroom. If your Jewish preschool is anything like ours, I want to warn you that you may find something large and surprising on the Shabbat table your first Friday morning there. A dinosaur.
In today’s reality, it’s often the bully who gets to the head of the class, the front of the boardroom, and sometimes even to his own desk in the Oval Office. I am acutely aware of this contradiction in my values vs. my cynicism about the ‘real world’ because I have a two year old.
As we were looking out the window tracing rain drops, my two and a half year old son turned to me and out of the blue asked, “Mommy, who makes it rain?” I thought for a moment about explaining how clouds and water cycles and atmospheric pressure swirl around us everyday but he used the word “who” in his question so I defaulted to a quick one word answer, “God.” Surprisingly, that was the end of the discussion, or so I thought.
As a Jewish mom on social media, I’ve come to realize my #unpopoularopinion is that actually social media is a real blessing. I’d (blasphemously) go so far as to say that if God had known about Instagram when the Torah was written, He’d have commanded us to post.
Step aside Kim Kardashian, meet the trending Jewish Instagram influencers! – Times of Israel
You might think Kim Kardashian’s 142 million followers on Instagram would make her the most influential woman on social media, but for the Jewish community that’s hardly the case.
A Modern Gal’s Guide to the Mikvah – At The Well
The doctrine of self-love and self-care may be a trendy concept lately, but Judaism’s been preaching it since ancient history. The Spiritual Spa as I like to call it, or the mikvah as it is more traditionally known, is what I consider the Jewish equivalent of a yoga retreat. Though many women don’t know what this ritual bath is all about, it is one of the most uniquely physical and powerful transformative opportunities for reflection and prayer.
From Mrs. Maisel to Shtisel, what makes Jewish families so compelling to watch? – Times of Israel
An amazing thing is happening in television right now, there’s actually something good on. The highly bingeable Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Israel’s newest hit to stream on Netflix, Shtisel both offer an entertaining, smart, well written and gorgeously produced backdrop to highlight a Jewish family. In many ways these shows are complete opposites, but what makes them both so addictive is what they have in common: a seemingly inescapable extended Jewish family meddling in everything.
Jewish Superstition Robbed Me of a Happy Baby Homecoming – Kveller
Even before I became pregnant I knew the rules: Don’t say the baby’s name. Don’t buy anything for the baby. Don’t plan a bris. (God-forbid!) Oh, and don’t talk about what life will be like when the baby arrives. Because, of course, the Evil Eye is always watching and you don’t want to tempt fate.
How to Create a Spiritual Birth Plan – Ritual Well
One of the most surprising aspects of Jewish tradition is its absenteeism during childbirth. Although Judaism is rich in prayer and minhag (custom) during almost every other significant life cycle event, there is no religious ritual for women during the birth experience. Maybe it’s because our sages were male or because women aren’t traditionally restricted by the same time-bound mitzvot as men, but as a result we are left with a life-altering experience that can be lacking in spiritual support.
I Sucked at Being Pregnant – Mental Mutha
I sucked at being pregnant. I’m a pretty fantastic mother, but for f*cks sake I sucked at becoming one. It took me two solid tries, the first of which I failed at 5 months in, and the second of which I just barely survived with a labor and delivery that left me with a hairline fracture on a bone in my spine, a ‘frozen’ bladder and some 2nd degree tearing in the netherbits. In total I survived 11 months (5 with my first pregnancy and 6 with my second) of severe nausea. Through the months of recovery that followed the slightly traumatic birth I was often struck by the dichotomy of how lucky I was to have this most perfect lovely baby and how unlucky I had been getting him here.
Being Rich, Famous and Happy Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Be Depressed – Mental Mutha
There’s a core assumption in this week’s news that money buys happiness, and let’s go along with that for a moment, there’s also a second statement being made here that I find even more aggravating – that happiness and depression can’t co-exist. The happiness that wealth affords, and even the comfort that a supportive family and friend network can give you is not always enough to combat the all encompassing aspects of depression.
Slow Storm – NOAA
What happens when hurricanes get stuck? In the midst of a hurricane, rain can feel different. Without electricity or a view of the sun, time changes for the people trapped inside. Torrential rainfall around your home is surreal. Drops can begin to seep in through cracks in the ceiling and windows, and then under the doors. In late August 2017, the residents of Houston, Texas knew it was going to rain.They didn’t think their city would drown.
Weird Weather – NOAA Satellites Keep Watch When Weather Gets Weird – NOAA
From thundersnow to upwards striking lightning, weather on Planet Earth can get pretty weird and NOAA’s fleet of satellites has seen it all!
The NOAA Satellites Dating Game: Be Our Valentine!
In celebration of Valentine’s Day we have hearts in our eyes as we think about our amazing satellites. They each have unique global mapping, atmospheric, weather and environmental sensing abilities. Do you know which one would be the best connection for you? Take this dating game quiz and find out!
Does Space Junk Fall from the Sky? – NOAA
Yes it does! On average, a total of between 200-400 tracked objects enter Earth’s atmosphere every year. That’s about one every day! Thankfully human populations are rarely affected by things falling from the sky (from outer space). This is largely a numbers game. Human populations live on a small percentage of the Earth’s total surface area. So any objects that do not burn up and disintegrate upon atmosphere re-entry are likely to fall into the ocean (which covers over 70% of the surface of the Earth) or a sparsely populated land area.
Zombie Satellites…Should we Fear the Graveyard Orbit of Un-dead Satellites? – NOAA
If you’re prepared for ghosts, ghouls and goblins this Halloween, you might want to also consider zombies…satellites that is.
My Jewish Mommy Life 