Neither my husband ( henceforth Mr. B) or I are particularly religious.  Because of the Great Soviet Educational Anti-Semitic and Atheist Experiment, we both know close to nothing about Judaism and sheitls, shiduchim, shlichim, shalom, etc.  I’ve become slightly more nuanced in everything Jewish since being hyperactive in Hillel during my golden college years (2004-2007), and as a result, am constantly trying to impart Jewish wisdom upon him.
Since I realized that Shavuot’s going on right about now (or maybe it’s more of a December holiday?), I signed us up for The Ten: An Alternative Experience at the Sixth and I Synagogue in downtown Washington, D.C. Not only was it free, but Jonathan Safran Foer was going to speak. As someone who loved the movie Everything is Illuminated (but shamefully never read the book, mainly due to chronic laziness,) because of its skillful tackling of USSR/Jewish issues, I was highly excited.
Here's me taking pics of JSF from the balcony like a psycho.
Anyway, the event was great. We learned a lot and met some great people. But, the best part was the lead-up:
Me: *excitely and knowingly* So, Shavuot is coming up.
Mr. B: What’s Shavuot?
Me: It’s a Jewish holiday. And you eat cheesecake.
Mr. B: What’s the holiday about?
Me: I don’t really know for sure. *stalling at this point to retain the upper hand in my Jewish knowledge authority* I think it has something to do with weeks.  Also, you eat cheescake.
Mr. B: Why? What’s the point?
Me: *getting annoyed at this point with his unenlightened Jewish holiday state* Just look it up on Wikipedia. And then tell me about it.
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oh maaaan, I was there too!!! 🙁
@Vick: Baltimore. Couldn’t make it down to DC in time after work. But I’ve heard 6th & I is an amazing place. I should make it down there sometime this summer.
I’m hanging my head in shame, ck. In shame.
Alexithymia, are you in DC?
bittlerelly, Lemon tart sounds good. Maybe next shavuot, since I now am the Shavuot Expert in our household.
For shame Vicki. The book was roughly 18 million times better than the movie. It’s a quick and amazing read. Pick it up. Shavuot is zman matan torah – commemorates Israel’s receipt of the Torah. But yes. We celebrate with cheese products and no meat. And water fights.
Sigh… she loved the movie. Oy.
i love jonathan safran foer. i also love cheesecake. we had a lemon tart for shavuot. i sound like a 6th grader.
But… but… I almost went to this.