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Online Torah Coaches

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Like many of my later learning experiences of Torah and parsha, I felt that I needed to learn in a group setting, or one on one in order for any meaningful experience to take place. Well, technology changed all that and it is really making Torah learning much more accessible than I originally thought. The virtual world of education is one that is rapidly growing and it is entering the the Jewish world as well. I did not have a bat-mitzvah but my brother did. Back in the eighties, he learned portion by portion until he felt comfortable with the … Continue reading →

Gender Bias and Stereotyping Can Be Bad Business

It may seem like the business world is one of the last bastions for gender bias and stereotyping (after all, women still do not get paid the same amount as men overall when it comes to compensation)—but in our home businesses, we have both an opportunity and an obligation to watch out for those biases and stereotyping and we might actually find that it costs us customers and money if we persist in sharing biases and stereotypes. The thing is, most people will not tell us to our faces if they are offended by something sexist that we might accidentally … Continue reading →

Watch the Stereotypes in Business

Just because you are a small, one-person business doesn’t mean you can get away with “personnel issues” that large companies can’t. Without policy and checks and balances to serve as guidelines, you might actually be more prone to stereotypes and prejudice in your home business. So, what’s the problem with stereotyping? Well, you could easily offend or drive away customers and clients if you share broad assumptions about people based on race, age, gender, income level, etc. Not to mention, it does not represent you or your business well. Even the most innocent seeming comments can display stereotypes. Saying things … Continue reading →

Being (sort of) Jewish in the South

As I sit here and nibble on my ham sandwich, I find myself contemplating what it means to be Jewish in the South. I grew up in a quasi-religious family; we went to temple on a fairly regular basis, I was bat mitzvah’d and observed the big holidays (Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Passover), but I didn’t really think much about being Jewish. Living in the suburbs right outside of D.C. being Jewish, or Catholic or Muslim or whatever was never an issue, people were more concerned with your political affiliation: are you a Republican or Democrat or what? I never … Continue reading →

Dealing with Stereotypes about Homeschoolers

I just read a post (on a paid membership blog site) written by a mom who is currently homeschooling one of her children due to the child’s diabetes. She says she was treated rudely by homeschoolers because she was not dressed in a skirt and blouse like other “homeschooling freaks”. Her t-shirt and jeans made her stand out and the freaks looked at her as if she were the freak. I was shocked and appalled, as I had been reading this persons blog for a while and they had never said anything so careless before. The comments were hard to … Continue reading →

Confronting Stereotypes: Jews and Money

A while ago, Jamie Egan wrote an insightful blog (Living with Stereotypes: All Jews Have Money) about her personal experiences confronting this stereotype in her synagogue and community. I’d like to add to the discussion by looking at the source of this stereotype and at some factors that might create the impression that Jews have money. First of all, as many people correctly observe, there are many Jews in finance and in the diamond industry. However ethnic groups are often characterized by certain professions; some groups have many restauranteurs, craftsmen or hotel owners among their ranks. It is understandable why … Continue reading →

Beth Chaverim: A True House of Friends

For those of you who have read my other articles in Jewish Families, you should understand how much writing this one means. For those of you who have not, please see “Living with Stereotypes: I’m Not Truly Jewish?” and “Living with Stereotypes: All Jews Have Money.” This blog will mean a lot more to you after you read those. When I was in high school, my family became members of a synagogue — Beth Chaverim. Since many people are not familiar with the Hebrew language, even those who are Jewish, Beth Chaverim means “house of friends.” I went into the … Continue reading →

Living with Stereotypes: All Jews Have Money

For more of my thoughts about Jewish stereotypes, please see: I’m Not Truly Jewish? Of course, the stereotype that all Jews have plenty of money is probably the most popular. Well, I am here to tell you — all Jews do NOT have plenty of money. However, there are many people in the Jewish community who only serve to fuel this vicious stereotype. Gee, how do you think stereotypes originate? In “I’m Not Truly Jewish?” I talked about how I was shunned by the people in my synagogue because I did not become a Bat Mitzvah. I am also certain … Continue reading →