33 — Naso: More Like “Dropsy of the OVER IT”
This week, we talk about water that's maybe poison, maybe magic, and maybe an abortifacient! But maybe just water. Also, we discuss people who are built-in societal dissenters because they're straight-edge genderqueer punks with long hair — I mean, nazarites who have taken a vow not to drink alcohol or cut their hair. Plus, there's a bonus priestly blessing origin story and the same thing 12 times with a different hat.
Full transcript here.
If you're enjoying our work, you should also check out the work of Black queer Jewish creators, such as...
Rabbi Sandra Lawson, including her podcast (sadly no longer running), music, and writing.
Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell, a Yiddish singer who combines traditional Ashkenazi and African-American musical traditions. You can buy his music here.
Michael Twitty has a book called The Cooking Gene about Southern cooking, family, history, identity, and more which you can purchase. He also has a blog here.
Chris Harrison writes for the Union for Reform Judaism. His most recent piece is Black Jews are Tired
Y-Love, a formerly Hasidic rap artist, whose music you can buy here.
If you've got spare dollars, we're also donating to our local bail funds and urge you to do the same. Here's another list of Black-run orgs you can donate to (and some other additional resources, such as petitions to sign). You can also give directly to things like this fund for Black trans protesters. Also, a Native youth organization in Minneapolis was damaged and could use some help.
Find the Black-owned businesses in your city; here's a list for New York. Plus, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice has a script for NYC about defunding the police that you can adapt for your city, as well as this similar script. Here's an article about the Minneapolis Park Board cutting ties with the police and a petition to end the University of California PD; you can push that where you live.
Here's the children's blessing. The book Jaz read is Leadership in the Wilderness by Erica Brown. The strengths of different ages is from Pirkei Avot 5:21.
Support us on Patreon! Send us questions or comments at kosherqueers@gmail.com, follow us on Twitter @kosherqueers, and like us on Facebook at Kosher Queers. Our music is by the band Brivele. This week, our audio was edited by Lulav Arnow and our transcript written by Jaz Twersky. Our logo is by Lior Gross, and we are not endorsed by or affiliated with the Orthodox Union.