I have a jewish bias

I went to a luncheon today for Jewish social work students, and now I want to be a Mormon-Jew.

There were 8 of us who ate bagels and locks around the conference table while young, smart Rabbi Jacob led us in a discussion on coping in difficult and uncertain times. We read a Yiddish text written by a woman a few hundred years ago who pled, "How long, O God of Israel, will You hold out the rod of punishment toward those who are but dust and clay?"

We discussed the Jewish tradition of "holy audacity" in which people can call God out to make sure that He's keeping His promises. I really liked their bold approach to covenants.

I think that the Rabbi and I might have been the only ones in the group who actually believe in God, but I felt so comfortable and welcomed there. There was a strong feeling of unity around the shared Jewish culture, history and texts.

It made me want to work harder to create a Mormon community in which believers and non-believers, hard-liners and questioners, practicing members and inactives, doubters and non-traditionalists can all feel equally welcomed and embraced.

They invited me to join their JHarvest CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which means that I will get a box of fresh organic fruits and vegetables every Thursday in June through October. Hooray! In addition to being part of the "new Jewish food movement," I'll get creative veggie recipes and chances to go work on the farm.

Let it be known that if I didn't want to marry a Mormon, I'd marry a Jew in a heartbeat.

I'm getting published in the Ensign!

A few months ago, I submitted something to the Ensign and they accepted it! They're even paying me a little. AAAAHHH!!! The article started a few years ago as a journal entry and then morphed into a Relief Society lesson and finally into a talk. I don't know when it will be published yet and they said, "Not all materials can be scheduled for immediate publication; some will be schedule in future months or years according to editorial needs." So stay tuned, but in the mean time, here it is in its pre-Ensign-edited form. Special thanks to MAV, Nathan O, Jeffrey N, and Bro Knowles for their editing assistance!

And here is the published article! It came out in the October 2009 issue of the Ensign. www.lds.org

Belated Tributes to the DR

1. JEN KENG for being an unending source of wit, for packing aloe, dollars and a driver's license, for being a natural alarm clock, for jumping off waterfalls while hating it, for finding and eliminating rotting shells in her backpack (no, it wasn't chicken-noodle soup!), for being a perfect navigator and driver, for teaching me how to eat a whole fish, for getting married and giving us an excuse for this trip.

2. GARRETT HILL for surprising us on the beach with his presence, for being the most easy-going, flexible and optimistic travel-companion ever, for the gift of Trader Joe's honey-cocoa soap and dark chocolate.


3. MITSUBISHI for making a sedan that can be tricked into acting like an ATV.

CHAVE or LLAVE? NOITE or NOCHE?
ELA or ELLA? MAIS or MAS?

4. PORTUGUESE for giving me the false perception of being able to speak Spanish.


5. LONELY PLANET MAPS for being so amazingly detailed that they were our only navigational tool.



6. JACK BLACK for providing our trip theme song: "You're not hardcore. Unless you live hardcore."



7. CHACO'S for being my faithful travel companions in 8 different countries.

8. JOSE, my 19-year-old tandem paragliding guide, for not killing me and for proposing to me mid-air.


9. SANTO DOMINGO TEMPLE for having an ocean view and patron lodging for $3/night.


10. NUTELLA for being a "great source" of protein for long road trips.