NUJLS (again)

I loved seeing old friends at NUJLS this year, and especially meeting new ones. Who knew there are so many amazing queer Jews?

And now back to reality...

NUJLS CONFERENCE 2009

NUJLS (National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students) is holding its annual conference this Shabbat (AKA right now) at Penn. So far I've managed to catch up with old friends and meet a few new ones. I am excited for the workshops, which start Saturday afternoon. It is wonderful and necessary to have an organization that empowers (I cannot believe I am using the word) Jewish queer folk to be secure in both their Jewish and their queer identities *at the same time.* NUJLS has certainly benefited my life, in everything from education to confidence, religiousness to my friends. I am glad that I, as a conference organizer, am able to help bring those benefits to other queer Jews.

Also, this year our keynote is Kate Bornstein, which is unbelievably awesome.

My only regret is that not all religions have such groups as this, and young people from those faith traditions suffer because they feel they are alone. One such young person was my beloved, and every NUJLS conference I go to, her life is on my mind (moreso than usual).

Mourning Jonah Dreskin

Jonah Dreskin, son of Rabbi Billy Dreskin and Cantor Ellen Dreskin, both teachers of mine, was found barely alive outside his college dorm room at the University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) late Wednesday night and subsequently pronounced dead at an area hospital. It seems, at first, weird to mourn someone whom I did not know personally, but as a Jew, I have practice. From an early age, I was taught to mourn the victims of the Holocaust -11-13 million, including 6 million Jews. But this is different. Jonah was the victim of a singular tragedy. I guess I'm not so much mourning my loss of him, but the loss of those around him.

Command Day

I'm also a regular nerd.

Square Root Day

The math nerd re-emerges!