Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz

perpetual Jewish studies minor always on the lookout for kosher hot dogs and playwriting opportunities

She/her/they/them

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

the Torah says I should make for myself a teacher but my stomach says I should make for myself an egg sandwich

[Alon Mizrahi @alon_mizrahi]

The life of (my) life, soul of my soul

I have been calling my daughter what translates from Hebrew as "the life of life" or "love of love" for some years now; this is a modern, Israeli take of an Arabic use of language.

I grew up in a very Zionist place and time. But I was lucky enough to grow among Mizrahi, Arab Jews; both my father and my beloved uncle spoke Arabic as their first language, and the two, childhood friends, marries two sisters, my mom ant aunt, born in Morocco to Jewish parents.

Arab music was part of the soundtrack of my childhood, and from a young age I knew the names and would recognize the voices of legends such as Farid al-Atrash, Abdel Halim Hafez, Warda, Umm Kulthum, Fairuz and others. My father would also take me with him to work occacionally (he was am aluminum worker in construction), and his teammate Isaa, an Arab from Nazareth, was almost a family friend. We all knew him, and loved and welcomed him whoever we would meet.

I never forgot how one cold winter morning, when I tagged along with my father on a work day, Issa's wife made us coffee and tea, accompanied by sweet, delicious sugar powder-covered cookies, as they wouldn't let us just pick Issa up and go (I certainly can't speak for all Arabs homes but I know enough to say with confidence that you don't just pass through an Arab home: you sit and have coffee and eat something and have some small talk. Arabs Jews are also similar in that regard).

Like many second and 3rd generation Mizrahi Jews, I can't speak Arabic, but I pick up quite a lot of it, and the musicality of the language always sounds a little like home to me.

fortunate to have been exposed to Arabs, Jews and just Arabs, from a young age, I was never intimidated by anything Arab. On the contrary: I grew immensely fond of the gentleness, the warmth of heart, the humor, the special sweetness of an Arab street, store or home.

In later years, I was lamenting the forced disconnect between me and my Arab roots created by Israel's paranoid mentality. Like many other Arab Jews of my generation I was not an Arab anymore, but not really an Israeli as well to this day I am not sure what being Israeli means, really, apart from a negation of Jewish experiences and denial of current realities).

Israeli, just like American or English, connotes whiteness. And white we Mizrahi Jews are not, nor will we ever be.

Unlike many Mizrahi Jews, I refused to become an empty shell, filled only with the ideological content of the state: A de-Arabized Arab Jew. That I wouldn't be. I chose to be free instead.
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When I heard of the way Nur's grandfather, Khaled, called her, and how similar it was to the way I call my daughter, and when I see the suffering, wounds, burns, pain and death of Gaza's children, the memory and consciousness of me and my roots, both known and simply genetic, springs to life immediately, undeniable and bare. These kids are not foreign or alien to me. They are me and mine, too. I feel their pain and fear, I understand the terms of endearment and the farewells of their grief-stricken parents, even as I really understand but a few words here and there. My soul understands Arabic is the way I'd put it.

Zionism's message of fear, hate and suspicion towards Arabs and Palestinians is totally and forever lost on me, and I consider it a personal triumph. I will never hate Arab people.

And I ache the terrible dehumanization of Arab people, societies and communities that have so much beauty, gentleness and love in them. The world will know the truth. I am sure of that, and I will do whatever I can to help bring this day about, which is why I write this.

(and that's me and my daughter)

[Ari Drennen @AriDrennen]

Lori Smith had never designed a wedding website when she filed this case. She fabricated a request from a fictional couple, and the ADF took it all the way to the top. There is truly no limit to the lies these people will tell to protect the delusion of their victimhood.

[Keith Boykin @keithboykin]

Justice Sotomayor, dissenting, in the Supreme Court's 303 Creative case, warns that the effect of today's decision is not limited to LGBT couples and could also be extended to discriminate against interracial couples, disabled couples and others.

https://t.co/t2vPdcGweG

[myesha thee stallion @myeshachou]

my student loan providers could be gay therefore i refuse to give them my business

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

@nabramo445 it was mostly gray later in the day it was only super orange around 2

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

okay if we jews really controlled the weather do you think new york city of all places would look like this????

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

to think we should have wasted a beautiful summer day - partly cloudy, mid seventies - for this?????????

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

anyway gonna kiss my posters of megacorporation ceos and wish them all a good day before donning my Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind helmet to exit my building :^))))

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

sure the world outside my window is literally yellow but i can rest easy knowing our government is hard at work making sure to stop climate change in its tracks even as we're being squished to death by the train

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

don't worry though!!! I use a reusable water bottle, take public transport, AND recycle so this will all be over soon :^)

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

photo of me answering emails and scheduling on gcal everything is cool and chill and not sepia toned outside

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

gen z kohelet: an era to slay, an era to flop

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

do you think people out on the open road in the 1800s also did the thing where you have to point out cows and horses? i want to believe

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

it's hard not to believe in a higher power when italy is just out there literally shaped like a boot

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

maybe one of the most musical theatre things i've ever tweeted who can say (if i've been changed for the better)

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

for those who missed my exclusive shower song review of Hair "Chunks of Hair" the NYT described it as "only slightly better than the literal ones in the drain"

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

getting over a cold is hard and i want my range back

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

i know i seem to have it all together....... but this is the real me.........

[Claire "Hey Did You Know I'm Jewish" Abramovitz @claire_ism]

where ARE the shrimple joys of maidenhood?