Mid-Tamuz - Grief, Shabbat, Pride, Banana Ice
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We’ve got three events coming up shortly: Erev Pride Walk Shabbat, Pride Walk, and the final online session of the Deviant Yeshiva. Join one or all three!
This month we are looking for volunteers to help us organize for the Pride Walk on 22 July. Is this you?
Contact tori@oyvey.nl.
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On Grief and Trauma
This week marks the beginning of a mourning period, ostensibly for the destruction of the second temple. But what if we don’t actually mourn its loss? How do we mark this time of grief?
Last year, several people who were studying together at Ze Kollel came together to reflect on the meaning of Tisha b’Av (July 26-27, 2023), which marks the destruction of the second temple. We were spurred by the question: How do we find meaning in Tisha b’Av?
Friend of Oy Vey Yona-Dvir wrote:
Currently in my life, I try to hold on to the metaphorical meanings of everything, while remembering they are always also very real. There is a real sense of grief for the destruction of the temple, but it is yet another metaphor for grief itself, for loss itself, be it of a human, a house, or an eco-system. And I think it also helps me to remember that most of the terribly sad kinot and piyutim [mournful and liturgical poems] we are reading on tisha b’av were not written by people who experienced the destruction of the temple – but rather those who survived pogroms, antisemitism, nationalism, hate of different forms, or maybe homophobia?
Er is een echt gevoel van verdriet om de verwoesting van de Tempel, maar dat gevoel is weer een metafoor voor verdriet zelf, voor het verlies zelf, of dat nu van een mens is, een huis, of een ecosysteem. En ik denk dat het me ook helpt om te onthouden dat de meeste van de vreselijk trieste kinot en piyutim [rouw- en liturgische gedichten] die we op Tisha B’Av lezen niet zijn geschreven door mensen die de verwoesting van de Tempel zelf hebben meegemaakt – maar eerder door mensen die pogroms, antisemitisme, nationalisme, haat in allerlei vormen, of misschien homofobie, hebben overleefd?
You can read what others wrote here:
In het nederlands and in English
Tori’s Banana Ice Recipe!
Our recipe of the month is super easy, vegan, and sugar-free! It’s banana ice!
You need a blender or a food processor for this one.
Cut a few ripe bananas into slices and freeze them – 4 ripe bananas makes more than you would expect.
When they are frozen, blend the bananas together until they are creamy. A little vegan coconut yogurt or fatty coconut milk can be used to get the blender started and is a brilliant addition.
Tori also threw in a few cardamom pods, which turned out to be a perfect flavor to add to the banana ice. You can also added frozen strawberries or frozen mango to the mix for a bit of extra oomph. The bananas make it creamy and delicious. And it goes well with falafel.
Serve immediately. As usual, invite Tori over for a taste.
Check Out Our Discussion on Anti-Semitism
Who gets to define Jewishness? What is philo-semitism? How can we have better solidarity with other minority groups? Oy Vey hosted an excellent discussion at Pakhuis de Zwijger and you can check it out online:
Samen Tegen Racisme #12: Antisemitisme uitgepakt! (in English)