Comments on: Kippah Grip Redux

By: Louisville, No the Other One | CHICAGO CARLESS

Louisville, No the Other One | CHICAGO CARLESS — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 04:26:09 +0000

[...] Art Institute, he was visibly shocked when I took off my hat and had forgotten to remind him that I wear a yarmulke. Later that evening, as he stood outside the car having a smoke break in the middle of a [...]

By: Michael Doyle

Michael Doyle — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:45:26 +0000

You’re welcome, Elizabeth. What a wonderful story. I remember when I first wore a kippah in public–in a downtown garden next to the Art Institute, no less, several months before I officially converted. It felt…right. Weird at first…but right. I can remember wearing my first kippot at all times…except taking it off when i entered synagogue during the week because I felt funny about my rabbi finding out I was wearing it. And the one day I left it on, and that was that. His response when he saw it: “Where did you get that nice kippah?”

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 01:21:51 +0000

Thanks for this wonderful post! It was about 6 months ago when I felt the tug to cover my head. At first it was hats, with hair still showing but that still did not feel like enough, then it was a few scarves and as I began to purchase more scarves and looking for resources on tying them I came across the websites of some wonderful orthodox women and discovered tichels and how to tie them with flair. I have covered my hair during almost all not wet waking hours for about 4 months now. First and foremost, for me, the hair covering is more about a feeling of G-d’s hand on my head, not about tznuit – heck I look WAY more attractive in a tichel than I do without!

All of this served to awaken the Jewish Soul that I really believe has always lived within me. I am so excited to be on this journey. I expect that I will continue to cover my hair for the rest of my life, and when I am formally accepted as a (reform) Jew (G-d willing) I am sure it will be an issue for some – but I only know that I am doing what I believe in my heart that G-d wants me to do.

Thanks for your encouragement

By: Mike Doyle

Mike Doyle — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:24:15 +0000

Good for you for sharing an alternative perspective on how to be Jewish!

By: Mike Doyle

Mike Doyle — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 21:23:26 +0000

Too funny!

By: Mike Doyle

Mike Doyle — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:15:14 +0000

Marcey, thank you for the marvelous reply about Hebrew Seminary of the Deaf, and for clearing up my misconceptions about the school.

By: Marcey Rosenbaum

Marcey Rosenbaum — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:40:12 +0000

Hi Michael,

I have attended the Hebrew Seminary of the Deaf now for four years and I am unaware of any “one specific focus” of the school, other than the opportunity to study by achieving the Hebrew and Aramaic skills to engage always in the primary texts. Our Hebrew “Professor” (Dr. Bernard Grossfeld), is a renowned scholar with a PhD in Biblical Aramaic, our Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Goldhamer, has smicha from both Telshe Yeshiva and HUC and a Phd in Islamic mysticism and is an incredible scholar in Kabbalistic texts and Chasidut among other things, and all of his classes are taught with original texts. Our Talmud program, taught by Rabbi Benay Lappe is extremely rigorous and has provided me with the skills to pick up any Mishnah or masechet of the Shas and be able to get what is going on in the gemara. We have learned Midrash, and Mishneh Torah and trope and liturgy with Cantor Michael Davis; again primary text only. I could go on and on about my many other teachers (Rabbi Larry Edwards, Rabbi Pinchas Eisenbach, Rabbi Rachmiel Hayyim Drizin to name just a few), and we are a small school as you mentioned (though it is the hope of all of the school to be expanded as it is an amazing program) yet as you can see there is a wealth of educators investing their time and talent despite a small group of learners.

Oh… by the way, we also learn ASL in addition to the many courses I mentioned and the ones I didn’t mention. And I should also note that we are a trans denominational school, our teachers coming from the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Orthodox movements, so that when somebody asks me what “kind” of Rabbi I am going to be, I can answer: I hope a good one.” and when they press and say: You know what I mean….”, I can reply and say: “a Jewish one.” So maybe that… is the “specific focus” of HSD.