Jewish Gratitude List Pt. III

In closing out the month of Marcheshvan, I’m continuing my annual tradition of listing Jewish things I’m grateful for!

Last week, The Shabbat Drop received its first-ever antisemitic comment. Don’t worry—my dad responded and put the hater in his place!

I wasn’t fazed at all because it’s the internet in 2024, and I was coming off a high. A Jewish high. A chai, if you will. Because right before some stranger spewed conspiracy theories riddled with typos, I had met two wonderful Jewish teens I’ll be mentoring for the year as part of a fellowship. These two inspirational women will be spending their time working on a capstone project that will improve their communities while empowering their own Judaism.

So +1 point for the Jews, 0 points for the trolls.

Make that 2 points, because this means we’ve made it, people! Haters = we’re doing something right. Either that, or my SEO game is on point.

Anyway, this is a nice little segue into my annual Jewish gratitude list. No, this has nothing to do with Thanksgiving! I started this tradition two years ago, and was inspired by a colleague’s social media challenge called #NoMarinthisCheshvan, where she posted one thing she’s grateful for each day of the month of Marcheshvan.

The challenge is named for the month we’re finishing up, Marcheshvan, a month known to be “bitter” (mar) since there are no holidays and it’s when our matriarch, Rachel, died. Read last year’s gratitude list here.

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1. Actual good Jewish movies

No, I’m not talking about films with unoriginal plots about leaving the orthodoxy or opening up a bagel shop. I'm grateful for artsy movies that have been coming out in the past year that beautifully tell Jewish stories, tugging at the heartstrings without feeling cheesy. Take Between the Temples, starring Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane, for example. A grieving cantor becomes the bat mitzvah tutor to his former music teacher. Together, they explore Jewish identity, connection, and platonic love. It was a little odd at times, but so is real life! Bonus points for using a brief blast of the shofar during intense scene transitions.

Photo: Searchlight

Another Jewish movie I just saw was A Real Pain, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. Written and produced by Eisenberg (and Emma Stone!), two Jewish cousins who couldn’t be more different travel to Poland together on a heritage trip. I laughed, I teared up, and I became all the more excited and curious for my upcoming trip to Poland next month. Is there a proper way to behave on a Holocaust tour? What about when it comes to confronting pain, your own and the pain of others? This movie delves into these deep questions, and more. We need more of these REAL Jewish stories, please.

2. My new Jewish class!

And Jewish learning opportunities in general. There’s so many if you know where to look. I started a seven-week class on Jewish ideas through the Streicker Center. Each class covers a different topic on Jewish wisdom—from goal setting to relationships—led by Rabbi David Wolpe, who was rated one of the top 50 rabbis in the U.S. It’s like Hebrew school but in your 30s!

We’ve only had one class so far, which included tasty Israeli food and cocktails, but to give you a taste (of the curriculum, not the food), we learned about the four questions you get asked when you die according to the Talmud (Shabbat 31a), which are:

1. Were you honest in business?
   This emphasizes the importance of integrity and ethical behavior in financial and professional dealings.

2. Did you set aside time for Torah study?
   This highlights the value of lifelong learning and dedicating time to engage with Jewish teachings and spiritual growth.

3. Did you build a family?
   This is understood to mean contributing to the continuation of the community, either through raising children or building a meaningful legacy.

4. Did you hope for redemption?
   This asks about maintaining faith and optimism, trusting in a brighter future and the fulfillment of divine promises.

3. Making connections with Jewish strangers

You know the feeling: you give a slight smile and nod to the other person wearing a Magen David necklace on the Subway, or your ears perk up when you hear people speaking Hebrew and join in.

I recently had a cute experience in southern Brooklyn. I was eating alone at a famous seafood restaurant during Sukkot (I’m a Jewish New Englander… what can ya do) when a couple of older men at a nearby table commented on the Chabad men across the street.

“They’re doing the lulav and etrog with people! Shh… don’t let them see us with our shellfish!” the two men said while giggling. I smiled at them because I was thinking the same exact thing myself.

The men saw me smiling at their comments, and we talked Judaism for 20 minutes. It was such a nice exchange that they gifted me a giant panettone, an Italian sweet bread traditionally eaten on Christmas (I swear one of the men was Jewish) that I brought home for Thanksgiving.

Thank G-d for Jewish interactions that make your Thanksgiving a little more Christmasy than you anticipated.

4. Ancient songs with contemporary sounds

I never thought I’d be blasting songs like “Avinu Malkeinu” and “Shir HaMa’alot,” songs that take me back to my childhood synagogue services, while doing the dishes as an adult, but a new Jewish album makes it fun.

Common Blue is an album produced by Havurah, a New York-based artist collective, and celebrates Jewish resilience and unity. Its title is a nod to Israel’s national butterfly, the common blue, and came out one year after October 7th. It’s a collection of Jewish songs—from ancient to classics of the 60s and 70s—covered by contemporary Jewish artists.

Some of my favorites are Ignacio Wer’s cosmic and mysterious version of “Avinu Malkeinu,” and Herman Düne’s stripped down, folksy cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Traveling Light.” Brighten up your Shabbos by listening here:

5. Jewish book clubs

I just joined a Jewish history book club that I found on Whatsapp! Voting for the next read included topics like Abraham and the Jews, Jewish pirates of the Caribbean, and Jews during the psychedelic movement. I’m grateful for book clubs with substance, particularly if they’re Jewish, and all the topics one could cover in them.

Which is the perfect segue to invite YOU to join The Shabbat Drop Virtual Book Club! Our next meeting is on Sunday, January 12th. We’ll be discussing Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew by Emmanuel Acho & Noa Tishby. Register here and get uncomfortable!

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✍️ Shabbat Prompt: What Jewish things (or people!) are you grateful for? Feel free to share in the comments!

Good Shabbos. Grateful for you,