Bitchin' Blog Posts
: Jewish
May 03, 2010 | Monday | 97 Comments
First, the brainy and still making my head spin around with the ideas: Why there is no Jewish Narnia from the brand new Jewish Review of Books. The author, Michael Weingrad, examines why there is no Jewish fantasy author on par with Tolkein and Lewis, particularly given the depth and history of Jewish mysticism. His answers and ideas are so thoughtful and interesting I am still pondering, and I had to share. If you’re a fantasy or science fiction fan, this article looks at the genres from allegorical perspectives, and draws some conclusions as to why Jewish writers number very…
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December 17, 2009 | Thursday | 20 Comments
BoB’s Hanukkah contest - wherein BooksonBoard is giving away a Cybook Opus, a book light, and a $25 gift certificate to BooksonBoard to whomever wrote the best book pitch that featured a character named Bob, a Jewish holiday, and a reference to BooksonBoard. By an overwhelming number of votes, and with the laughing confirmation of Kana at BooksonBoard, we announce that The Playgirl Shikseh’s Virgin Dreidel Boy, by Kathlyn, is the winner - Happy Hanukkah Kathlyn! Thank you to all who entered, and if you’d like to experience the virgin drediel boy joy again, her winning entry is reprinted below.…
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December 08, 2009 | Tuesday | 15 Comments
Hanukkah, oh, Hanukkah, come light the menorah! Let’s have a party and go to Bora Bora! See, it’s a little known fact that we don’t actually dance the hora on Hanukkah, even though it rhymes so nicely with menorah. So not that much dancing occurs, though there is commemorative eating of foods fried in oil. Sadly, the only thing “light” about the Festival of Lights is often the actual candles themselves. But in the interest of terrible transitions in topic, how about a contest? BooksonBoard and I came up with a fun way to give away a digital reader, and…
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September 15, 2009 | Tuesday | 61 Comments
Last night when I heard that Patrick Swayze died of cancer at 57, a link went around Twitter from New York reporter Mandy Stadtmillerto the YouTube footage of the final dance scene from Dirty Dancing. I freely admit: I cried while watching it. I know a lot of people looked at the death of Michael Jackson as a loss from their childhood, of a person who was responsible for the soundtrack of their youth. For me, it wasn’t Jackson - it was Swayze, particularly Dirty Dancing. I was 12 when the movie came out, and I wasn’t, if I recall…
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August 05, 2009 | Wednesday | 7 Comments
Today is the 15th of Ab in the Jewish calendar - which sounds like a day you ought to do some type of crunch workout. But no - it’s the day of love, celebrating matchmaking, romance, and happiness. If you’re in Israel, you probably hear a lot of Barry White on the radio, I’m guessing. But here is my very favorite line from my very favorite page from ALLLLL of Wikipedia: The fifteenth day of Ab was a popular holiday during the Second Temple. The holiday celebrated the wood-offering brought in the temple.(See, Nehemiah 10:35) Josephus refers to this holiday…
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February 16, 2009 | Monday | 11 Comments
My mother in law signed my family up for the PJ Library, a free book subscription service that provides Jewish-themed bedtime stories to children based on their age. Funded by The Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the program sends one book per month to each registered child. I cannot even tell you how spiffy the books this month are. Baba O’Riley received a book about Tu B’Shevat, which is the New Year of the Trees, or colloquially known as Jewish Arbor Day. He wasn’t so into the story itself but was all about the illustrations of the trees. But Freebird’s PJ book…
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January 16, 2009 | Friday | 65 Comments
After reading two romances, one historical and one category, DocTurtle, it seems, has fallen and fallen hard… for you guys. He had such a great time reading and blog-reviewing Sex Straight Up and An Infamous Army that he asked for more romances to read and review for the awesomeness that is the Bitchery audience. As he wrote to me: I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had reading these books and writing these reviews, and how much I will be delighted to continue my association with your blog in whatever way you’d like me to…. I’ll leave it to…
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December 29, 2008 | Monday | 39 Comments
I can’t even measure the size of the dent my head left on my countertop (ow) upon reading this story. The small saving grace is that Hillel Italie yet again does a bang-up job of covering it: Berkley Books has cancelled Herman Rosenblat’s memoir Angel at the Fence after it was revealed that, well, it’s not a memoir. It’s fiction: [Rosenblat] acknowledged that he and his wife did not meet, as they had said for years, at a sub-camp of Buchenwald, where she allegedly sneaked him apples and bread. While Rosenblat was indeed at Buchenwald, as historical documentation proves, his…
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December 23, 2008 | Tuesday | 362 Comments
If you follow the site, you know that I’m Jewish and Candy is Agnostic Badass but it’s Christmas season here, there, and everywhere, and Hachette’s Forever Romance wants to make sure you have a whopping pile of books to read this holiday season. It’s still Hanukkah, it’s nearly Christmas, and there’s ample time to read, right? So let’s get going with a Holy Big Honking Ample Prize offering. Leave a comment between right this minute, describing one thing you’d really like, esoteric or literal, this holiday season, and I’ll draw one random winner from the group. Comments close at midnight…
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December 22, 2008 | Monday | 14 Comments
For y’all who are lighting candles tonight, may it be a warm and peaceful evening. Happy Hanukkah and have a kickin’ yule.
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October 18, 2008 | Saturday | 42 Comments
In my house, we roll out of bed on most Saturdays, and hang out in our jammies, eating breakfast, playing games, watching tv, and reading. Here’s a story that will give you that warm-jammies-and-hot-beverage feeling, with proof that true and abiding kindness and love can flourish in the most hideous of circumstances. A children’s book has been written based on the story, and a film and autobiography are now in the works. There’s some online (of course) who question the veracity of Herman and Roma Rosenblat’s story, but in my slippers with my family, warm and safe, I’m happy to…
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October 09, 2008 | Thursday | 8 Comments
For those of you observing Yom Kippur tonight, have an easy fast.
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September 29, 2008 | Monday | 13 Comments
To all the Jewish readers of this here hot pink site: l’shana tova. This evening is the start of the Jewish New Year 5769. Seriously. Could there BE a more fabulous opportunity for Jewish inspirational erotica? I mean, 57 varieties of 69? Hide the pickle?! Here, I’ll even give you a visual for creative inspiration: I’d also like to share a greeting to all of you, Jewish or not, which I received today from an Israeli SBTB reader named Vera: Just wanted to Wish you a happy Jewish New Year, Shana Tova Ve Metuka. May your readership increase like the…
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