kaddish in two-part harmony
A conversation between an anthropologist and a musician along with a growing virtual minyan, on themes of death and dying, grief, ritual, and the interplay between music and words.about
Tag Archives: parenting
avram and the not so barren sarah — 1.1.8
It was not that Sarah was barren—it was more, perhaps, that she had had enormous difficulty holding a child to term. And those she had lost had all been girls and were not counted by the fathers of her lineage, … Continue reading
secrets of the tzaddik
He wanted it spelled ‘poppa’ not ‘papa.’ He was definitive about that, but not about much else. I always wondered why. It seemed anachronistic, that spelling, but maybe that’s the point. He was from a different era. How could he … Continue reading
Posted in essays, kaddish in two-part harmony, tzaddik stories
Tagged dads, love, Malkah, parenting, secrets, tzaddik stories
6 Comments
abraham, sarah, and hagar, a kaddish for patterns worth shattering
The question is do we feel sorry for Abraham, or do we say goddamn it, you knew what you were getting us into? Or is there some other way to resolve the whole bit? I’ve been thinking about this for … Continue reading
Posted in essays, kaddish in two-part harmony
Tagged Abraham, Chango, Hagar, Ishmael, Jewish identity, Middle East, parenting, Sarah, women, Yitzhak
5 Comments
a kaddish for those who don’t escape
My ordeal was long ago and I’m fine. For far too many others, this story is today, this story is now, and this story is how they will die. Continue reading
Posted in essays, kaddish in two-part harmony
Tagged aggression, child abuse, coming out, domestic abuse, musicians, parenting, penetration, queer, siblings, suicide, trauma, women
19 Comments
a kaddish for those who choose their ends
They offed themselves. Both of them, together. She’s pissed, and devastated, and who wouldn’t be? But I can’t help admiring their decision, even as I share her grief and anger. Continue reading
Posted in essays
Tagged compassion, death and dying, euthanasia, grief, life cycle, murder, parenting, suicide
1 Comment
reasons for staying alive
We were signing papers. Getting them notarized. It was a jocular moment. I was trying hard to keep it that way. I was giving him complete authority to take over my affairs should my brain start to melt and/or body … Continue reading
Posted in essays, kaddish in two-part harmony
Tagged compassion, death and dying, life cycle, mothers, parenting
1 Comment