The Jew Spot

Is the economy back up yet? We want to go shopping. Here are a few of our favorite things we’ve come across this month. Feel free to add yours by commenting or writing to us at FindMyJewSpot@gmail.com.

Lushae Jewelry

Lushae definitely caters to the “pretty” jewelry look, which is not our thing exactly. But there are some real gems in the bunch – like vintage promise rings! Our favorite called “Bow Tie Love”( left) was sold out so we went for the chunky look and ordered the white gold, cubic on the right. It looks great on my finger. Check out all their jewelry including their Star of David gem at http://www.jewelryartdesigns.com. Thanks Lushae!

Coolil

Coolil is one of those sites that it’s not hard to find something you want, because you want everything. An Israeli company, Coolil offers designer handbags, jewelry, accessories and home décor by the most creative Israeli designers. If we had to choose just two things, this is what they would be…

Modern Tribe

Modern Tribe is one of those Judaica stores with a really funky twist. We’re actually surprised we never bought anything from here yet, cause we love this kind of stuff. With Passover coming up, it might be a good idea to spotlight our two favorite holiday items they’re selling – and maybe even purchase one ourselves! (We’re broke, obvs.)

It wouldn’t do us justice if we didn’t go shopping in our own store. We love our underwear. Check out our intimates and other items here.

What hits your Jew spot?

Meet Van Wallach who wrote in to The Jew Spot with some great ideas of his own about Jewish women and body image (Jewish male body image specifically). Instead of cross-posting, I thought I might direct you to check out some of his writing on his blog at blogcritics.com.

Some of our favorites include:

Our Hairy Jewish Bodies, Ourselves
The Allure of Jewish Women

Tell us what you think.

Cross-posted from Frum 'N Flipping

Since time immemorial, an ancient mating ritual has been practiced, amongst the ultra orthodox sect of judaism, in the holy land of Israel. All details are sacrosanct. Our top investigative reporter reports back to us, below.

Time: 8 PM on the first day of summer Bein Hazmanim.

Place: The Inbal hotel lobby, Jerusalem.

A row of white cabs pull up in the traffic circle. One by one, out step the girls. Each girl is fully made up and in her finest, each is clutching a purse, and each is wished good luck, with a wink, by her respective cab driver.

The guard, standing at a wooden booth beside the potted palm trees, inspects their bags. Again they are told good luck, this time with a grin. One by one they push though the revolving door, into the heart of the Israeli shidduch scene.

Inside stand the young men. They wear black hats, and suits. They can be distinguished by their ties. Beards are optional.

They stand, by the reception desk and the souvenier display cases. The chairs are taken by groups of tourists, in T Shirts and canvas shorts, chattering loudly. They may be the hotel's paying guests, yet in fact they are the trespassers, here in this ancient mating place, during the holy pairing ritual.

For some lucky pairs, this is a second date. Or even a third one, and they are well on their way to engagement. One of these boys will immediately spot his beloved, and stride towards her confidently. She smiles up at him (or down, if she's in heels). She is in love, with this wonderful male specimen, the first man she has ever conversed with at length who is not a first degree relation. Perhaps she is not yet in love, but at least he is not a stranger to her. They have already endured the first awkward meeting, two days previously, and have succeeded in banishing the memory. They are a couple.

The others look at each other helplessly. Who is for whom? A voice may have pronounced their soulmates in the heavens, before they descended to earth, but right now, under the amused eyes of the receptionists, and the guests, it is not of much assistance. The boys are stranded, deserted, surrounded by expectant females, without their mother to turn to.

The girls are better off. Their task is easier. They are but to stand, purse in hand, eyes modestly downcast, until approached by a suitor. They try to look ornamental, elegant and refined, as they do so.

One girl stands out from the others. Under close inspection, she is not any prettier. Nor is she dressed very differently .She too wears a skirt that conceal the knees, and a sweater set, and carries a patent leather purse. Yet she stands differently. She smiles at the men who meet her eye. She finds a free sofa, and perches there, legs crossed. She should not be there, tonight. She can offer no apartment as dowry. There is no noble family tree arrayed behind her. Her own background too cannot stand under thorough investigation. Yet she has come. And she is the first girl they all approach.

"Sara?" one asks. She drifts her eyes down him, and across his girth. "No", she says.He moves on, disappointed, hoping for better luck with the next girl."Tzippora?" asks another. His tie is spotted, instead of striped. Bright colors. She likes it, but not the ill fitting cut of his suit. "No", she says, and he turns away.

Around her, two by two, they pair up. And like the animals in Noah's ark, they match their steps, as they make their way around the corner, to the lounge.

She remains. As does another girl, who's now biting her nails.

The glass door begins to revolve, a long lean shadow is reflected in the marble floor. The two girls wait. One calm, the other afluster.It is a man, a young man, suitably attired in black and white. He is alone. He gazes across, at them both.The first girl meets his eyes, and smiles. She likes his confident stride, as he crosses the lobby to her side.

"Chana Leah?" he asks. Questioning. Hopeful."Yes." She says. "For you darling, I can be Chana Leah." She murmurs to herself, too quietly for him to hear.They exit the scene. Both expectant, both pleased.Only one girl remains behind. Chana Leah.

Interview by Yolanda Shoshana, Luscious Lifestyle Diva


Rachel Fine is a "triple s" when it comes to being a siren. She's a sexy and sultry singer based in New York City that is on the rise. She also does voice over work and she hit the red carpet during Fashion Week to conduct interviews of Project Runway people. Called a major piece of ass by Howard Stern, there is more to her than meets the eye. It's clear that she has talent, ambition and drive.

Fine shares her lusciousness with us this week as we find out more about her music, what she knows for sure, and of course what hits her Jew Spot. Keep your eyes and ears open because she is definitely going to blow up.

YS: What lead you to music and how did you find your sultry sound?

RF: Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The sultry sound is a more recent development. On prior music projects, I felt like I was singing as "big" as I could, trying to prove something, hitting people over the head with what I could do.

When I started working on this cd with my producer, Timothy Schletter, I really wanted to explore intimacy. What if I made the listener come to me? It felt like a maturing. I was vocally inspired by Billie Holiday and her broken, gentle, emotionally-driven approach. And the music we started creating felt good- it felt deliberate and dangerous. I felt like I was sharing dirty little secrets with the listener. As our sound continues to evolve on the next album, I'm interested in finding a way to blend both approaches- give a little more vocal range but keep the confessional nature which has become our signature style.

YS: You recently got a full new band, tell us more about that.

RF: To me there's a difference, in spirit, between hiring a band to play a gig for you and having a group of people who believe in your music, are committed to the project and willing to selflessly invest their time and energy into your vision, because they share it. It took a while to find the right group of people, people I believe will be with me for the long haul. I'm so excited to tour with these guys!
YS: How does it feel to be called a major piece of ass by Howard Stern?

RF: Ummm, awesome!! Honestly, he's a legend. And he doesn't mince words when it comes to "pieces of ass" lol. It is a HUGE, HUGE compliment. Good as it gets :)
YS: What is one thing that you know for sure?

RF: That there's never a crowd on the leading edge. You don't need someone else to understand you or agree with you to make you "right"- if something feels good to you, if you're passionate about something- even if no one else really gets it at first- follow your gut and go for it.

Like minded people will start to come out of the woodwork- people who truly resonate with your vibe. You have to stop looking for external approval and be your own cheerleader.

YS: What hits your Jew spot?

RF: Box-mix latkes, not the made-from scratch kind, with a ridiculous amount of sour cream.

To find out more about Rachel Fine: www.rachelfine.com

By Sarah Aroeste, originally posted at The Forward.

Imagine a politically minded groovy singer-songwriter, an electric rock musician whose work is infused with her deep sense of spirituality and a Ladino chanteuse — all women, all working toward the common goal of supporting the aspirations of other Jewish, female musical talents. Throw in other songstresses and female-led groups — performers of such musical genres as reggae, punk, jazz, Sephardic, klezmer and children’s interest — and what you have is a diverse roster, worthy of its own music label.

Why is a Jewish women’s music label needed? Well, there is a plethora of professional Jewish female-led bands. But until now, there has been no significant communal infrastructure to support and nurture female musicians whose work is inspired by the unique Jewish female experience. While there are highly esteemed Jewish music labels, they are (for the most part) dominated by male managers and rosters. Many Jewish music festivals, series and communal holiday shows often only have one “token” female group on the bill. Jewish female musicians deserve a chance to play more and larger venues; moreover, audiences deserve a chance to hear them do so.

The label would hold its artists to the highest of standards, thus proving that Jewish female musicians are as commercially viable as their male counterparts. It would work with Jewish communal institutions, such as synagogues, JCCs and Hillels — as well as secular venues in different cities — to ensure that female acts are fairly represented in festivals and cultural offerings, and that our music is distributed in appropriate outlets. It would provide its artists access to quality and affordable recording studios, tour managers, promoters, and public relations and marketing professionals. Producing events, such as Jewish women’s music festivals — a “Lilith Fair” in the truest sense! — would also be part of the label’s mission. And the label’s musicians would play a key role in selecting incoming artists.

Established Jewish musicians like Naomi Less, Chana Rothman (the aforementioned electric rock musician and groovy singer-songwriter, respectively) and I (the Ladino chanteuse) have joined together to create a model we plan to replicate in the months to come. We have chosen to mesh our varied musical styles on one stage to demonstrate a new paradigm — one of inclusivity, collaboration and action — for the next generation of Jewish female artists. While we represent very different genres of Jewish music, we all acknowledge what we have in common, and the kind of support we need to reach our full potential. We believe that women can have a much stronger voice when they’re banding together, rather than working against each other.

Continue reading at The Forward.

By Yocheved Sidof, Originally posted at Alefnext.com.

What comes first, the chicken or the egg? What about love or sex? In my life, Love came first; or so I thought…

I grew up in a tightly knit Chassidic community in the Midwest, the first-born child of Iranian immigrants. I was raised with a lot of rules. Some were religiously influenced and others were cultural, but one of the big rules – NO Boys – fell equally into both categories: big-time religious and cultural no-no’s. According to the laws of Tzniut (modesty), boys and girls are separated from a very young age. There is very little socializing, and absolutely no touching, between opposite genders in strict Orthodox communities. (These laws are meant to sensitize us to the power of attraction and the sanctity of sexuality). That aside, there was no way my parents would let their Persian Princess be swept off her feet too easily; it just wouldn’t fly.

I came to New York City at the vulnerable age of seventeen to attend Stern College for Women. It was my first independent foray into this crazy “concrete jungle where dreams are made of” (Sorry, I couldn’t resist). Suddenly, I was surrounded by tons of women who were hanging out with guys, dating, looking for The One. My friends covered the whole spectrum: some dated without touching their partners at all, while others slept with their boyfriends. I fell somewhere in the middle. (Don’t tell my parents.) As I searched for my soulmate, I had one big rule – I would only have sex with my husband.

The issues of touch and sexuality were never so clear-cut for me. My convictions were totally in-line with my upbringing, but it was hard to hold stead-fast when there were so many pressures to deal with. Then, after years of tumultuous relationships and broken hearts, I met my man. We shared common interests, common values, and common goals, but we never shared a bed; we wanted our intimate life to begin as a committed, married couple.

We both believed in the sanctity of sex, and wanted to express that union of body and soul only within the context of a committed marriage. Sure it’s a risk (we all know the ‘test-drive a car’ analogy), but it was a risk we felt was worth taking.

I’m directing a documentary called Can’t Touch This, about the laws surrounding premarital intimacy in Judaism, i.e. Shomer Negiah. We have on-camera interviews with Rabbis, sex therapists, psychologists, and educators, and most importantly, hours of honest conversation with people who grapple with this question almost everyday: What is the interplay between religion and sex? How, if at all, does a person’s belief in G-d inform his or her sexual choices?

Continue reading at alefnext.com.

Bible Raps' Matt Bar Writes in:

In America we have one outlaw: the Aristocrat. And much has been gained by the dissolution of this class. Class it no longer something you are born into, lock in step, stock and trade. Rather, in America, class is that which is to be revealed; always a potential. And we strive to see each man clothed not in his family crest but rather in the garbs of his spirit's potential. In doing so, we judge our fellow man as closely to his eternal soul, as opposed to the vicissitudes of circumstance, as is mortally possible.

Is this not the great Moral gift that America offers the world: The liberality and institutional framework to revere all men by their spirit's eternal potential and not to condemn him by the poison of his circumstance. Is this not the light with a thousand points that Reagan pointed us to? Is it not the gift of an elastic future that we attest to, when we say with Obama, “Yes We Can!”
Indeed, much was gained when America was born in her Revolution against the Aristocrats and their King. In turn, however, it must be asked, what was lost? Such a question was necessarily out of character for the burgeoning America as they were the crude surgeons of rebellion and therefore could not afford to be sensitive to the healthy human flesh mixed with the rotted arteries and diseased organs dripping like ink, the color of blood, from their bayonet-scalpels. Would you have the serenity, enjoyed by merit of righteous cause, cringe? On Revolution's battlefield, there is no victory without peace of mind.

And so America aged into adolescence and reflexively abandoned slavery. Not because “freedom” is the Philosopher's “natural right,” but rather, because the spirit that guided our revolution flexed its muscle again, tearing its antiquated, barbaric garb to shreds. It's always been the case: the best of nations strive to see their spirits naked. From the Civil Rights era to today, piece by piece, we clothe ourselves in the wardrobe of our sacred Constitution with its angel wings and boxing gloves. Until the concept of 'Aristocrat' is gutted and 'slave, serf,' 'peasant,' 'minor' lose all meaning without their aristocratic juxtaposition. At long last, 'Aristocrat' will be but a vocabulary word to be studied in our European History books and the word 'minor' will be but a shred of statistical data.

And so the Liberals, being Americans to the core, empty the dichotomoy of minor vs. noble while the Conservatives clamor to protect the integrity of that very core by upholding some essential American character to be nourished and fenced. They patriotically defend the backbone of our revolution, while, paradoxically, eliciting our nation's instinctual paranoia struck by the identification of an elite class. This is the tension of American Liberal Democracy. Like the tension at an awkward dinner party.

“Good evening,” the Conservative Nephew of the Aristocrat says over cheeseburgers and fries.
“I have the authority to say 'this is how to be American,'” (Indeed, the aristocrats duty to his people was to guide its character, its customs, its ethics, its values, its underpinnings and pinings).

The Liberal Sociopath retorts, “But allowing any and all characters to be, unadulerated, so long as they don't harm others, is what America is.”

And so the dinner squable of American social politics commences on Fox, MSNBC, Eminem albums, Rush Limbaugh, blogs, tweets, coffee shops, barber shops, street corners and Universities. That is the way I see it. I believe most political theorists and practicioners have good intentions. The arena of politics makes strange animals and often ugly beasts of intentions. In light of this juvenile analysis of American politics I have the good fortune to not have to engage in such rankled discourse with my Jewish community. This is not our nation's paradox.
Judaism bypasses this tension by organically and formally institutionalizing an aristocratic class: and they are the educators. Is not our family crest after all the Torah which translates into 'Instruction'? And do not those who instruct carry its image on their sleeve? And is there still not a certain honor and distinction, a nod of our hat and bow of our head, to the educator when crossing her path, whether or not she acknowledges us?

Now I say this not to self-aggrandize. For I am not a Jewish educator. Shedding all modesty, all I could still say is, “Not yet, at least.” I am an American poet with a Jewish soul. My forefathers are Bob Dylan, Shel Silverstein and Nas. And through them I have absorbed their heroes, Woody Guthrie, Walt Whitman, Malcom X. To put it bluntly, yet nebulously, my American words are attracted to the Jewish tradition as it fills them with my soul. The little I know of educating is a mimicking, an aping of how my father once taught me how to play sports while growing up in Iowa City, Iowa.

And from Iowa City I went on a Birthright trip where friendships made took me to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where didactic and deconstructive syllabi ricocheted me to the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerasulem. With Pardes's Torah and the Presentense Institute's guidance The Bible Rapper was reared.

As an immature and cocky visionary, as all young visionaries are, I fancied Jewish Education in America as bereft of spirit; a game of shells with pea-sized victories. But as I toured and traveled from Hebrew School to Day School, college to camp, conference to University, I discovered, to my esteem's suprise: The American Jewish Educator. From the coast of California at camp Ramah Ojai where a lecture of 'Radical Amazement' was given upon mountains with flowers that bloomed like invitations, beneath a healthy sun reminscent of Jerusalem. To the Midwest where the 'wind hits heavy on the borderline' and one Bobby Zimmerman's name was etched on a bedpost at Herzl Camp in Wisconsin's north country. To Limmud Southwest, where confederate Jews taught the slave songs of Israelites in Egypt and sang them to Georgia's uninhibited stars. To the well-mannered society of Bostonian Jews at Lexington, Day School where preparation is on point and the decimal is a decibel for the spirit. Indeed, the Jewish spirit, I discovered, is in good hands. Powerful hands. Caring hands. Their task is most difficult, and from a Jewish perspective, most crucial, and thank Hashem we have these educators: our aristocrats.

Awards, grants and Donations for excellence in Jewish education are our community's contemporary form of sacrifice, of time and resources, the most precious, and therefore, the only worthy sacrifice to Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. In doing so, the Jewish community reveres and elevates the class of “Jewish educator,” from Torah-instructor, to keepers of how to be. Complete with an ethics, an ethos, a tradition, a history, a theology, a book: Torah.

By definition a siren is a woman who is considered to be dangerously alluring and seductive. From the beginning the Jewess was the true definition of a siren. The first woman created kicked it off by getting Adam to eat the apple. Adam knew good and well the apple was forbidden, but Eve seductively got him to take a scandalous bite. Let’s give it up for Esther. She was a total babe who knew how to use it. Without her seductive ways, the Jews would have gotten their butts kicked in battle and there would be no Purim to walk around in costumes saying l’chaim all night long. Though some might argue that Vashti is the sexy one, taking a stand and telling the King where he could go and how to get there.

And then there was the matriarch of all matriarchs, Sarah, who let Abraham know it was time for Hagar to get out of her house and we know how the rest of the story goes. These few examples show that Jewish women have always been hot, sexy, seductive, smart, brazen, and filled with chutzpah.

Somewhere along the way, the notion of Jewish women being sexy got derailed and has been replaced with tons of stereotypes. The most famous of the all is the JAP (Jewish American Princess) stereotype therefore meaning that Jewish women are cold, frigid and manipulative, while only caring about money and shopping. Images on the big screen continue to show that Jewish women are stocky and overweight with out of control hair, plus they nag all the time. There is a problem when famous Jewish actresses like Natalie Portman and Sarah Michelle Geller make it a point to steer clear of Jewish women roles for fear of being typecast as, a Jewish woman.

The effect of all this causes more Jewish women to run to get plastic surgery, straighten their hair, and end up having eating disorders to avoid a certain look. It does not help when a Jewess goes on J date only to be met by profiles that say “seeking white Jewish female, who doesn’t look Jewish”. What does that mean, how can a Jewish woman not look Jewish?

When was the last time there was a long conversation about Jewish women being sex kittens or sirens? It’s wonderful that actress Emmanuelle Chiriquí from Entourage, a Jewess from Canada was declared the number most desirable woman for 2010, but quite frankly is doesn’t happen enough.

It’s time to bring sexy back to the Jewish women to embrace their sexuality and sensuality. The Jewess comes in all shapes, sizes, races, ages and we are all luscious and delicious. Being a siren was set up for us since the beginning, it’s time we take the torch and run with it.

This column, Siren, is dedicated to Jewish women everywhere. This is the wake up call to tap into your lusciousness, be sexy and most importantly own it. Every other week we will learn something sexy, luscious, and delicious from a Jewish woman or women whether she is a biblical hottie, teacher, chef, artist, rabbi, adult star or just the Jewish chick next door. Sexy and Jewish is back, think of it as the new black. It’s time that we Jewesses own it, wear it, and live it.

Yolanda Shoshana ("Shoshi") is a media personality, lifestyle expert, sensualist, courtesan coach, and speaker, known as the "Luscious Lifestyle Diva". Her talents and expertise span in a wide range of specialties in the lifestyle category where she started a lifestyle company for women which swirls sensuality, sexuality, and spirituality. http://lusciouslifestylediva.com/.

If you have a sex or relationship question for Shoshi, email it to findmyjewspot@gmail.com. You can also follow her @shoshi on twitter.

SIREN POSTS
She's so FINE interview with stunning songstress Rachel Fine.
Krasey Beauty, interview with Soviet founder Adina Zilberman.
Succulent Nosh, Recipes.

Alice Schiller who grew up in an Orthodox home, married the man who started the famous Pussycat Dolls burlesque house in Los Angeles. She became an icon of sorts in the 60's and 70's. The New York Times wrote a lovely piece about her. Here is what they had to say:

Mrs. Schiller, who by her niece’s account never drank or smoked or swore, had not set out to own a supper club in which performers left the stage vastly lighter than when they came on. But for nearly two decades, from the early 1960s to the late 1970s, she reigned gamely as a doyenne of the diaphanous, owning and operating the Pink Pussycat with her husband, Harry.

Located near the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, the club was a popular destination of tourists and locals alike, known for its glittering stage shows and equally glittering celebrity clientele.

It was a favorite watering hole of the Rat Pack, and for good reason. Mrs. Schiller shrewdly gave her dancers stage names like Fran Sinatra, Samya Davis Jr., Deena Martin and Peeler Lawford, and the originals soon showed up to inspect their namesakes.

The club was also internationally famous for its attached institution of higher learning, the Pink Pussycat College of Strip Tease, familiarly called the Navel Academy of the West.

Continue reading at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/26/arts/dance/26schiller.html?_r=1.

Our interview with Punk Torah's Patrick A is featured at BustedHalo.com. Patrick A, founder of Punk Torah, is fascinating because he is totally rebellious about loving G-d, meaning he does, a lot, and isn't afraid to talk about it or scream his head off on stage shouting Torah. That kind of spirituality gets us going here at The Jew Spot. Why are Jews so scared to talk about the All Mighty? We asked Patrick at Busted Halo.

BH: Do you feel that the Jewish population has a harder time expressing themselves through G-d compared to other religions?

PA: Absolutely. Rabbi Cheryl Kushner wrote something really good about that. She said the difference between Jews and Christians is that Christians are a club. A club gets together because you have a shared idea. Jews are a family. Families seldom have the same ideas on everything. That goes back again to cultural Judaism and Religious Judaism. My argument is that there is a lot of culture in religious Judaism, and a lot of religion in cultural Judaism. So let’s just call it Judaism. My bias, I want to help create a spiritual voice for the “New Jew.”

He goes on to say... My choice of using punk is because I come from a punk rock background. It’s what I like to do for fun. Because I know holiness and godliness exist in everything, there is a holy and godly place for punk rock. Matthue Roth talked about how Abraham and Sarah were the first punk rock couple. For me, I couldn’t not have music in my life. That would never ever work for me. And luckily I belong to a tradition that not only says that that’s OK, but has a history doing that.

BH: Wait, Abraham and Sarah the first punk rock couple? How is that?

PA: From a midrash [interpretation] standpoint, you have people who are running from town to town. They’re smashing idols. You’ve got this crazy three-way thing going on with Hadar… Then Sarah gets all jealous. You have this sort of misfit couple, very Jerry Springer, can’t get it together. And it’s not denigrating to say that.

By calling it out, I think we liberate the scripture. It’s more real. How many times have people been in relationships where they thought, OK I need to let this person fly away and they’ll come back to me. And then that person flies away into someone else’s arms and they get pissed. That’s such a human thing. If we can, move the characters in the Torah outside their caricature and bring them into now. Let’s just call it what it is and find the holiness in that as opposed to trying to construct the holiness based on a preconceived notion of what it is.

Whoa! Great interview with Patrick. Read the entire piece here at BustedHalo.com. Tell us what you think.