Hey god, you still there?

I wouldn’t say I have the best relationship with the person up there, I usually say their name in vain if you must know; I have even questioned god’s existence more than a few times when I asked god for a parking spot at UCT and I didn’t get one. But aside from the petty …

I am as shaky as a fiddler on the roof

Being Jewish has always played an integral role in my life; it determined by education system, my value systems but more literally it affects the way I speak, interact with others, think, believe and socialise. You know, us Jews don’t have many musicals we can confidently claim as our own; aside from Joseph and Fiddler …

The Imperative to Tell

  Based on the works of Dori Laub entitled “Truth and Testimony: The Process and the Struggle” Loosely based on the desire to know my heritage, strongly based on trying to the tell the story of a man who was not able to tell his own. It’s a conversation every Jewish parent has to eventually …

Chicken Soup for my Jewish Soul

It must be noted that every time a Jewish child gets sick, it is immediately taken to a medical professional, given antibiotics and put on a severe dose of chicken soup. In fact, the only good thing about getting sick is the parcel of chicken soup delivered by my grandmother who insists on giving me …

Married at first sight, or just about

 “Even if I had to go back and bring my head down to earth – I would still say yes again and again and again” I sat down with Shifra Ross, a religious Jewish woman, a newly-wed and an aspiring teacher to chat with her about young marriage, religious Jewish culture and what it means …

Youth Movements & Jew Camp

Alright, I can guess that you are already slightly bamboozled by the idea of (a) A youth movement - I'm sure you're imagining a weird Christian worship group where we sing Jesus rock numbers and stuff. If this is the first thing that came to mind. I'm sorry, but you are completely incorrect. If (b) …

Keeping up with the Kawalskys

If you haven't realised by now, my family is pretty damn crazy. Most people ask me how I live in my own house, I simply don't know how to reply. I think that I have just been conditioned to extremely loud noise and a lot of drama. I don't quite think you understand what a …

“But Giovanni’s Make the Best Liver in Cape Town” – Granny Meril

After much debate, I had the privilege of watching my gran make Chopped Liver – it is a very seldom occurrence because “Giovanni’s make the best liver in Cape Town” and it seems to be a lot less of a mission to simply call and collect.  This year for Pesach, I begged her make it …

UJC says “Giving Back is Easy” and everyone agrees

On 15 March 2017 Jewish community members of Cape Town received a bulk email from the United Jewish Campaign (UJC) in the form of a witty YouTube video to promote donating to the Jewish community organisations for 2017. The UJC released a humorous video in March to fundraise for the year 2017. In a very …

House of Simchas

Simcha: a celebration At my cousin's Batmitzvah last weekend, my aunt referred to the house that we were all standing in, family and friends, as the "House of Simchas". It all seems to start with a grandparent. You’ve all been forced to visit your grandparents. The vivid, thick smell of chicken soup, the smell of …