Sightseeing Zagreb – Arts and Architecture

Zagreb feels very European in a way that makes me think of Vienna and Prague, though I’ve never been to either. It does make me want to visit there as well. This totally makes sense if you look at the growth of the city and the influences on it’s architecture. Sarajevo has three distinct architectural phases – Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Yugoslav (think communist-era utilitarian), expanding outward from the city center. Only a few hours further north, in Zagreb, by way of contrast, there is little Ottoman influence to be seen. The Austro-Hungarian influence, however, is vast. What a difference geography makes.

The Cathedral in Zagreb is magnificent. (Most Croats are Catholic). It made me think of my thrill in visiting the National Cathedral in DC my senior year in high school, while I was studying art history. “Look, Ma – flying buttresses!! How cool!”. So back to Zagreb, the Cathedral is artistically and architecturally gorgeous, and very different in style to the few others I’ve visited -- e.g. the Cathedral in Mexico City which is Mexican baroque with a vengeance (this is not meant as a criticism, I have a very soft spot for the place), very different from the more subtle dynamic at play here. (I don't have pictures that could do any of the above mentioned Cathedral's justice, but do a quick google search if you're interested to get a sense.) One of the things I love about visiting cathedrals is experiencing another culture putting its best foot forward – this is the way it wants to see itself. The other thing I love about it is something that is both intentional and unintentional at the same time. From my perspective, a great Cathedral is truly awe-inspiring, as it was designed to be, but for me the awe has a more human than divine focus. Look what beautiful works mankind can do when energy and talent are put towards building something lofty!

Along the same lines, I have also visited several art museums while in Zagreb. It’s a great city for art galleries as there are many – private collections and public, including collected works from Europe and around the world and local artists. Today I visited Meštrović Atelier, the home and gallery of Croatia’s most famous native sculptor Ivan Meštrović, and it was very much worth while. I can appreciate Greco-Roman sculpture in theory -- it is designed to be aesthetically pleasing --, but it is not very interesting. The people often seem very reserved. Meštrović's sculptures are perhaps less perfectionist of the human form, but more emotional, and I found some of them to be quite compelling, and almost all of them to be interesting.

Wandering Through Sarajevo: Random Observations

When I was 17, and headed off to travel without my family for the first time, on a trip to Israel, I invested my lifesavings in a fancy new camera. The photography advice my mother gave me then stands by me today. It also is good advice for just taking in and writing about a new place. She said, "Look around you, and figure out, what do you see that would let you know that you weren't in Los Angeles? That's what you should take a picture of."

Here, then, are a few observations from Sarajevo, in no particular order:

• Cobblestone streets are quaint and charming, and a pain in the neck (or ankle). They are slippery (no traction) and uneven – not so great for paving a large pedestrian area. (This observation is not new per se… Try walking through the Palatino ruins in Rome in flip flops. Actually, don’t try it. Take my word.) This is something I’m daily reminded of in old town Sarajevo.

• Bosnian Muslims seem to be more religiously observant than Kosovar Albanians, at least in their dress. This is not to say they’re super religious; they’re definitely not. It’s all relative. In Kosovo, where the population is now around 90% Muslim, I saw very few women in hijab. Fewer than I see randomly in Beantown. In Sarajevo, (the Muslim population of BiH is unknown as there’s been no full census since the war, but pre-war it was a little under 45%) the number wearing hijab is much larger. Clearly not as large as the Muslim population itself in the town, but quite prominent, in a colorful sort of way. I love seeing the coordination between headscarves and outfits.

• I’ve also seen a few women wearing their headscarves in the manner I associate with Tichels worn by married Orthodox Jewish women (knotted in a bun in the back – covering the head but not neck & shoulders). The women here who do so are always wearing it with a turtle neck or equivalent to remain modest. This is clearly not the mainstream style, but is also not completely isolated. Totally fascinating.

• Not un-relatedly, Sarajevo is great place to shop for scarves (to be used as headscarves or otherwise). There are shops selling beautiful colorful options all over the place.

• If you have a sweet tooth, you’re in luck. Bosnians love their slatičarnice (approximately dessertaries). It seems like every third shop you’ll find one of these small cafes selling ice cream, pastries, and of course coffee.

• Other specialty food shops are čevabdžinica (places specializing in ćevapi and other grilled meats), and buregdžinica (places specializing pitta – burek (meat), sirnica (cheese), krompiruša (potato), and zeljanica (spinach, with cheese).*

• *In Serbia all these pitta dishes are called burek, and are specified more by naming the filling, whereas here they all have specialized names. Thus Bosnian sirnica is what Serbians call burek sa sirom. (Cheese burek). Etc. These filled savory filo-pastries are really not equivalent to what Americans call burekas. Similar concept, but very different. Among other things these are cooked as huge flat (think pizza pan size) circular dishes, and you are served a large slice. It’s a meal by itself.

• As in Serbia, the preferred national coffee is what we would call Turkish Coffee. Though here I’ve often seen it called Bosnian Coffee. Go figure.

Cultural excursions

Sadly, my first interview which was supposed to be today (perfect, with one day to get oriented in Pristina before diving in) was postponed to Thursday, so I now have extra time. The result of that, however, I got to accompany my new American friend to the Dečani Monastery, which is about a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive from Pristina. As an added bonus, it was beautiful, warm and sunny there, unlike Pristina which seems to have perpetual thunder storms.

The Dečani Monastery was constructed in 1327-35, with the frescos completed in 1350. While there were some additional icons added a couple centuries later, the original work is all still visible, remarkably well preserved, and has never been restored. It’s the real deal. The Monastery is part of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The stone building itself is built in a Western style – the monk there told us that it was actually commissioned from a Catholic architect. But the inside frescos (covering the walls floor to ceiling as well as the ceiling and cupola) and mainly in the Byzantine style, with artists imported from Constantinople to work on it, but also borrowing from Romanesque influences. Truly the meeting of Eastern and Western Christianity of the time. The guide book said that that this is the place to go in Kosovo if you only have one day in the country, and it was certainly well worth a visit once here. The extent and detail of the frescos and the way they are so well preserved in the original space is really amazing to see. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site considered endangered, along with 3 other UNESCO sites in Kosovo – which are all medieval Serbian churches. Despite the fact that it is protected by KFOR soldiers because of real threat (there have been past attacks on it), it was very peaceful, there were several other visitors, and the monks were very gracious and welcoming.

Tonight, after a bit of wind-down time, we met back up for dinner at a place recommended by both my guidebook (the only guidebook to Kosovo that exists, at least in English), and a friend who has spent time here previously. We explored in the afternoon to make sure we could find the place since Pristina can be difficult to navigate, what with curving streets and no signs. Good thing we did, because the place was super tricky to find. I would’ve given up if I were on my own, and still would’ve if it hadn’t been recommended by a friend. But it was worth hunting for, cause it was great. It serves Albanian food and attracts both an international and local crowd (a plus, cause you know its good, but they speak English and understand vegetarian). I was a little worried since they have no written menu, you just have to know, or ask, or have the waiter bring you stuff. But it seemed worth a try given the double recommendation. Anyways, it was lovely. They served a warm traditional bread (sort of like pita, but different) with cheese spreads, and a very nice salad to start. Then you get a main dish (the waiter picked for us, vegetarian one for me, and meat for companion). All the main dishes are baked in clay dishes. The veggie dish was simple -- a veggie medley cooked to perfection over a long time and topped with some goat cheese. And of course a macchiato for dessert – the favorite coffee in Kosovo. No room left for baklava with it, which is also traditional. All in all, a very good, but exhausting day.

Once Upon a Wedding, Or, Jewishly Conscious Wedding -- Part II

(The previous post told you about resources. This one talks about the decisions we actually made.)

Things we did to walk the orthodox/egalitarian line, and make a halachic wedding that was also inclusive of women:

• Our RCA halachic pre-nup was signed (and notarized) before the wedding, by friends who would not be valid halachic witnesses, but are totally competent to sign this particular religious document because it simply requires witnesses to meet the standards of American juridical practice.



• The rabbi announced at the tish that the pre-nup had been signed ahead of time, so that, even though the signing was not public, it was made public knowledge. (We also explained that we had done so in our wedding program).



• The ketubah was not signed during the tish, but rather at the bedeken, so that both of us and all our friends and family were present.



• To effect the kinyan of the ketubah, rather than having the groom lift an insignificant object (e.g. pen / handkerchief) to signal his assent, I personally gave the him a ring I bought for him; he took it and lifted it to signal his acceptance of the ketubah obligations. Thus I was able to publicly give him a ring in a way which produced a halachic effect, and that could not possibly be interpreted as interfering with kiddushin.



• Under the chuppah, during Erusin, I announced my intention to accept the ring bought for me by the groom, saying, “Behold, I am prepared to accept this ring for the purpose of kiddushin according to the laws of Moses and Israel” (in Hebrew). This announcement not only adds equality by giving the woman a voice under the chuppah, but it also adds clarity to what takes place since she verbally announces that she intends to accept the ring rather than working on the basis of “silence is acceptance.” After I made this statement the groom gave me the ring he had bought and recited the traditional formula.



• For sheva brachot under the chuppah we chose to have one person (in this case a family member) sing all 7 brachot rather than calling up a rotating list of friends. We love the person who did so, but the decision was also made for cosmetic reasons – you cannot get around the halachic requirement to have a man say the sheva brachot under the chuppah, but it looks and feels very different to have one man do so versus a parade of men.



• Benching was led by a man, but sheva brachot during benching were recited by a mix of male and female friends.

Jewishly Conscious Wedding -- Resources

As you may have guessed, not only have I thought long and hard about various social, political, and environmental concerns about the wedding (see previous post), I have also put a great deal of thought into the Jewish aspects of the wedding.

Specifically, here are some resources I found useful in trying to plan a wedding that is both halachic and meaningfully inclusive of women:

• Most important are the following JOFA Journal issues:

i) On making halahcic weddings more egalitarian: Summer 2003 JOFA Journal's special wedding edition.

ii) On the issue of halachic pre-nuptial agreements, and other means to avoid agunah issues, see the Summer 2005 JOFA Journal on the subject.

• Relatedly, here is the RCA (Orthodox) halachic pre-nuptuial agreement.


• Additionally, I would point out that there are many other relevant resources available on the JOFA website about Jewish marriage from an Orthodox, Feminist perspective.


• We also found this article, "What's the Truth about...a Chatan and Kallah Not Seeing Each Other before the Wedding?" quite illuminating. Turns out this is not an ancient, time-honored Jewish custom, but rather a relatively recent innovation.

Also worth knowing about is JUFJ's Green and Just Celebrations Guide, which provides a lot of ideas about making simchas more environmentally and socially conscious. This of course relates to the subject of the previous post, but with a particularly Jewish bent, so I'm including it here.

Post-denominational egalitarian girl in an orthodox world

So, what does an egalitarian girl do when she’s engaged (much less married) to an orthodox boy? This is a question I expect I’ll be answering over and over again in different ways for the rest of my life. And, as usual, there isn’t an easy answer other than to approach each issue as it comes up.

At the moment the interesting thing is that figuring out how to strike the right balance in our wedding is much more difficult than figuring out how to live our lives together. That makes sense actually, because as it turns out our practice, apart from the egal davening, is not very different. So setting up a life together is relatively easy on that count. And we are happy to continue to daven in two minyanim. We are particularly lucky in our current locale in that we can do that all in one building, but even if that does not remain the case, we’ll be okay.

But planning a wedding? That’s a bit more complicated. Luckily we have great resource in Rabbi Linzer’s article for JOFA (circa 2003), which indicates a variety of ways to make Jewish weddings more egalitarian within the boundaries of halacha. Stay tuned to see just what our balance will be. It promises to be an interesting ride.

When school meets the sabbath day

I don’t actually have a problem with talking about school (which is after all my “work”) on Shabbat. Maybe it would be different if I didn’t like what I did. Certainly I choose to avoid the aggravating related subjects (homework), but I am happy to talk about the content. After all, I chose to study IR because I’m interested in it. I’m fascinated with how the world works. Moreover, as mentioned previously, politics of all kinds are also a hobby.

On a day-to-day basis I get caught up in the frustration of coursework. So I actually really appreciate the chance to talk about what I’m learning. For one thing, it makes me step back and think about that question, and that helps put the whole school thing in perspective. So last week, when E asked me about international criminal law, I jumped at the opportunity to explain.

The problem is, as my friends used to point out in undergrad, that the stuff I choose to study is frequently depressing. Really. What did you learn about this week? Genocide. Not really shabbos dinner conversation. Not even for me.

Counting

Why is this year different from all other years? All other years I intended to count the omer. But I never succeeded. This may seem odd to people who know how detail-oriented I generally am. But the problem is that I have never managed to start. That’s right, I keep thinking if I could just manage the first day then maybe, just maybe, I would pull it off. At least that would be a beginning. And it is rather ridiculous that I’ve never managed even that.

So, why is this year different from all other years? This year I actually started!

Moreover, I am very excited to note that as of today (last night) I have made it half way through! During my week-long road trip with a friend, we counted together every night. And being the dorks we are, that made us very excited! :)

Productive Procrastination

In honor of Spring Break (which is really a misnomer because it is NOT spring in New England, no matter what the calendar says!) and Purim, Sunkist Miss presents some fun and productive ways to procrastinate (at least if you share some of my interests). These are a few of my favorite things:

1. Geography as procrastination. It’s a map game! Addictive and educational. Perfect for your local internationalist, and anyone else who likes to know where other countries are. (Hint: it helps if you turn the sound on. I know the noise is annoying, but it is useful for knowing when you are getting things right or wrong).

2. Free Rice. Seriously, this is a great procrastination tool for those who are verbally inclined (not that we know anyone like that!). And it’s a feel good game, because as you play, you donate rice to the World Food Program (paid for by ads, of course).

3. Beverly Hills Chabad. Say what?! Yes, really. So, maybe normal people don’t sit around learning leyning when they’re procrastinating, but who ever said I was normal? Anyhow, this is an awesome resources – I kid you not, it’s an online tikkun! How cool is that?! (Yes, you can also check out Bible ORT, for a verse-by-verse dissection, but for basic tikkun functionality BH Chabad is totally the way to go!).

Happy Purim!

Mikvah Ladies in a Post-Denominational World

Ima Shalom is a friend and former neighbor, self-described as a “work-at-home-stay-at-home mom living the post-denominational life with her son and Orthodox husband.” About 6 months ago, when her baby was 9 months old, she started a collaborative blog with several other Jewish mothers of young children. It’s a really lovely effort. The reason that I mention it today is that yesterday she wrote a post that I think several of my readers will find interesting. The post talks about her recent invitation to help coordinate the schedule at the local mikvah.

This is particularly interesting in light of the shul politics of the area where she lives... There is a substantial constituency of people there who are active in both the orthodox shul and in (a) the local post-denominational egalitarian minyan and/or (b) the local partnership minyan. The people in this situation have been explicitly excluded from serving as mikvah attendants lest their (varying levels of) egalitarian practice imply loose observance of niddah and thus taint the mikvah. (The ortho shul has also taken issue with men who participate in these minyanim, but that is not the subject of this post.) Anyhow, interestingly enough Ima Shalom attends the ortho shul (where her husband is very involved and respected) and both of the above-mentioned minyanim. As she notes, being a mikvah scheduler is an important way for her to participate, even if she cannot serve as a mikvah attendant. Anyhow, you should read her post. And, if you’re interested, check out her blog regularly.

Some days I feel like a Conservative

In a post on the Conservative Movement, Elf wrote:

So it doesn't bother me that the movement doesn't always reflect my ideals, or even that it doesn't seem to have a clear-cut mission. From my perspective, the movement's function is to serve as an umbrella organization for similarly-minded Jewish leaders to build and sustain communities, grapple with contemporary issues, and educate the next generation. Granted, it doesn't always do these things very well, but it hobbles along. And since I don't generally expect much from religious institutions (or institutions in general), I'm not seriously disappointed.



Elf very much reflects my feelings on the matter despite the fact that I (a) grew up in the Conservative Movement, and (b) sometimes identify as Conservative. 



Actually growing up with it, I don't think I ever had the idea that it was supposed to be any different than what Elf describes. And it met my needs by providing us with the UJ, Hebrew High, and the United Synagogue Website (which was my way of figuring out where I might want to daven when entering a new city -- seriously, I must have been the only college student to actually use this tool!)

As for identity, well, when I identify as Conservative (which is not always) I do so first because it's convenient (other days I prefer to say observant, or observant and egalitarian, for example, but what does that mean?!), and secondly because I appreciate being able to label myself as somehow still under the same umbrella as my family despite being at a quite different place on the spectrum that is Conservative Judaism.



Of course, I’m a bit unsure of the utility of the Conservative label for someone who isn’t involved in the Movement. I tend to agree with those who say that the distinction between Conservative and anything else to the right is mixed seating. You may think I’m exaggerating or referring to an old-fashioned distinction. But truly – one of the 2 Conservative shuls where I grew up had mixed seating but did not count women for minyan nor allow women on the bima, while the last post-denominational minyan I was involved in has separate seating but allows women to do basically everything. Moreover, if this really is the distinction, and I if I have concluded that seating arrangement is not a deal breaker (which clearly I have, given my involvement in said minyan), then can I really claim to be Conservative? Perhaps not. But today it’s the best I’ve got. If you want tomorrow’s opinion, you’ll have to ask then!

Now, regarding Katrina's observation about disproportionate disillusionment among Conservative Jews... I have to admit that most of the conservative, formerly-conservative, and would-be-conservative-except people I spend time with fall somewhere close to the conservadox / observant-egalitarian / post-denominational / modern orthodox fault-line. Which is to say, I'm not convinced that I have a representative sample.

That said, is it a problem that the most educated and involved Conservative Jews seem disillusioned with the movement? Yes. That can't be good.

But then again, J is going to be a passionate Conservative rabbi someday – one who actually believes in the movement for its potential. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the happens.

And why don’t I personally feel angsty and disillusioned? I guess I think the Conservative movement did well by me, and made me who I am. And, despite all the musing in this blog post, I actually don’t feel required to stick myself in a label/box. I can therefore accept that legacy without worrying too much about whether it is for me today.

The Rest is Commentary

Today I read Sun Tzu’s Art of War, which dates to the 6th Century BCE. My mother told me that the thing that’s important to understand about Sun Tzu before delving in, is that it's like reading Talmud – it is published with the original text embedded with various commentaries.

This turned out to be very helpful advice. For example, let’s start at the very beginning:

Sun Tzu said:
War is a matter of vital importance to the State; the province of life or death; the road to survival or ruin. It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied.

Li Ch’üan: ‘Weapons are tools of ill omen.’ War is a grave matter; one is apprehensive lest men embark upon it without due reflection.

I begin to see why this is still arguably the most important book on military strategy. And yes, that lasting impact is another parallel. 

In fact, thus far I have found Talmudic logic a useful corollary in several of my courses this semester. Another example is in comparative law, where we have been studying the development of civil law and the jus commune, which began with the glossators at the University of Bologna (11th-12th Century CE) expounding on the text of the Justinian (roman) codes with interlinear commentary.

Transcontinental Haftarah

Some 2,990 miles, and three time zones apart, my mother and I read the same haftarah this morning, in shuls with the same name! This is something we are both, separately, learning how to do. It was kind of nice to know that we were both doing this today.

I’ve been leyning for several years, but didn’t learn haftarah trope till recently when I decided to teach myself as a procrastination technique when I was avoiding research papers. Yes, I am decidedly a nerd!

(Okay, so I did read torah and haftarah at my bat mitzvah many moons ago, but at the time I was really not able to learn the trope. Funny how at a later age I learned it effortlessly. I was just ready.)

I think I prefer torah reading to haftarah. As someone commented to me recently, it’s sexier! It’s also easier for me. True, you don’t have the vowels and trope in front of you, so it requires substantially more practice. But the language is easier. And much as I’d love my Hebrew to be so good that I don’t mind the poetic mumbo jumbo – at least it's reassuring to know that it’s good enough that I notice the difference! (Sort of like when I was studying for my Bat Mitzvah and my mother said that she felt good knowing that I was struggling with the words to the kaddish cause it meant I knew the difference between Hebrew and Aramaic!)

Shavuah tov!

Proselytizing en Español

[Disclaimer: As noted when I started this blog in November 2007, I already possessed a file titled "If I only had a blog", beginning in November 2006. While I am not planning to post all those proto-blog entries, I will post and back-date any that are relevant to future posts on an as needed basis.]

Well, today I had a unique experience. Not that having someone hand you a piece of paper telling you their religion is the right one is so unique in the US, just this particular incarnation of it. First of all, normally I spot such people coming and put on my I’m busy don’t bother me attitude, and it generally works. However, today I was in CVS looking at shampoo, and thus off my guard. What happened is this: a little old lady approached me in CVS and asked “¿se habla español?” I responded affirmatively, expecting that she needed help with something, which after all is normally the reason people ask me if I speak Spanish. Of course, why they pick me to ask is another question. Sure, I speak fluently, but how do they know? Any Jewish person can pick me out in a heartbeat. But also, in my experience, many Latinos pick me out as one of their own...mostly they think I’m Mexican/Chicana. (More stories on that subject another day!) This is particularly true in LA. Today was a first in Boston. Anyhow, without missing a beat she handed me a paper to read on the fact that the end of the world is approaching and we all need to find the true religion now. (This was all in Spanish, so I’m summarizing the jist of the headlines, since that’s as much as I read). Actually, I found this less grating than other experiences of proselytizing I’ve had, probably because I didn’t feel targeted by being Jewish. After all, she probably was assuming I was Catholic!!