tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171081842012-01-16T14:39:21.027-08:00Aliza Hausman is a first-generation Dominican-American Latina Orthodox Jewish convert or “Jewminicana” who discovered she was born Jewish of Sephardic Jewish Turkish ancestry post-conversion. She is also a writer, blogger, educator & speaker. This blog chronicles her thoughts on being Hispanic & Jewish, focusing on identity, Judaism, Jews of colors, Latinos, diversity, race, ethnicity, conversion to Judaism, culture, multiculturalism, illness, disability, books, films, news & more….Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comBlogger12471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-55784370823650231492012-01-15T03:45:00.000-08:002012-01-16T14:39:21.057-08:00

Another head covering eaten by my afro. Yes, dear, I owe you a blog post. There have been many recent developments I'd like to share. Unfortunately, none of them mean coming back to blogging full-time as I am still trying to recover from the downturn in my health since April 2010. But there's plenty of goodish news in there somewhere. Please keep praying for me. My Hebrew name is Aliza

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-39109617085833163132011-11-03T14:48:00.000-07:002011-11-03T15:00:14.578-07:00

More than once, a friend has confused me for someone who believes in Creationism. They see me as an Orthodox Jew and therefore, as a "fundamentalist" and so, of course, they figure I must believe in Creationism like some of the Christians they've heard of and fear. As non-Jews or even secular Jews, they can't distinguish between different kinds of Orthodox Jew and the term Modern Orthodox Jew

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-48751252574104531272011-10-26T19:28:00.000-07:002011-10-26T19:28:29.705-07:00

My friend Hadassah, who is an awesome daily blogger, just wrote a post defending converts and their right to privacy. Please visit the post, it's called "Conversion is Private" and please weigh in with your personal thoughts. Especially if you agree or disagree! In my responses, I mentioned Jews of color, including converts of color, and the fetishizing and exotification and downright

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-66298561722339313242011-10-12T12:40:00.000-07:002011-10-27T01:51:35.715-07:00

This Rosh Hashanah, I was accused of un-Rebbetzin-like behavior by a stranger who didn't even know me, who didn't even talk to me, at a local minyan I attended. I don't know this person. I don't know this person's name or anything about him or her other than the casually uttered harsh words this person said to my family members who passed it on to my husband and no one wanted to share them with

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-13625964399799922802011-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:002011-10-04T10:23:08.174-07:00

Hope you had a great Rosh Hashana and are gearing up for Yom Kippur this upcoming Shabbos. Ug, I hate when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos but after all the food I had over Rosh Hashana, which this year fell so close to Shabbos it created a 3-day yom tov, I think I'll be fine! In the meantime, it's time again to vote for your Jewish Community Heroes. The winner wins $25,000 for their organization!

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-30391220799773269832011-09-28T11:48:00.000-07:002011-09-28T11:48:31.671-07:00

Rosh Hashana Plush Set from Brochin's The Jewish new year is upon us again! Boy, in some ways that went by really fast and in other ways...painfully slow. I can't believe Rosh Hashanah is back though already and I'm hoping, as always, that next year will be better than the last. Rosh Hashanah starts tonight (Wednesday, September 28th, 2011) and ends Saturday night, October 1, 2011. Why?

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-60168500504788019712011-09-23T05:16:00.000-07:002011-09-23T05:25:59.596-07:00

Beverly Hills High School, one of the best public high schools in LA, has a large Jewish student population. If you talk to laypeople in the Orthodox community about the conversion crisis, you'll note very quickly that most of them are living under a rock and don't even know what you're talking about even in prominent Jewish circles and events. Unless they are rabbis and rabbi's wives or know

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-40777595104289238752011-09-09T01:23:00.000-07:002011-09-12T00:51:42.981-07:00

And now (because I'm so Jewish) I will turn into a matzoh ball! Okay, HOW did I miss this video of MaNishtana that pulls in interviews and pieces from his most infamous and awesome videos? The funny thing about moving to New York Los Angeles (Sorry, folks, that was just a homesick typo, I've never MOVED TO New York 'cuz hey, I was born there!) is having to search for other Jews of color all

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comLos Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.243684933.7354072 -118.50012840000001 34.369061200000004 -117.9872414tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-24189594364281217152011-09-09T00:43:00.000-07:002011-09-09T01:32:16.532-07:00

I must confess, it wasn't until fairly recently that I heard the term M.O.T., as in member of the tribe. But then the person who asked if the guy I was telling him about was an MOT, probably had never heard of JOCs, as in Jews of color. I'll never know. I didn't ask when he looked at me like I was nuts for not knowing what an MOT was. Yes, I am a member of the tribe but I have to repeat it,

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comLos Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.243684933.7354072 -118.50012840000001 34.369061200000004 -117.9872414tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-8558477419530753072011-09-08T22:21:00.000-07:002011-09-09T01:33:14.660-07:00

I remember when I used to stay with my girlfriends for Shabbos in Washington Heights. There was a point, right before candle lighting on Friday night, when all the girls would squeeze in together between the wall and the big claw-foot tub to put on their makeup in front of the medicine cabinet mirror. They used outrageous amounts of makeup, they said, because they planned on sleeping in it and

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comLos Angeles, CA, USA34.0522342 -118.243684933.7354072 -118.50012840000001 34.369061200000004 -117.9872414tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-35139608084143011322011-09-02T12:55:00.000-07:002011-09-02T12:55:32.340-07:00

Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen? I'm slightly obsessed with it even though when someone gave me a gold "Aliza" pendant, I sort of freaked and had a flashback to my ghetto childhood. All the "cool" girls who used to rag on me wore their shiny little MEAN GIRL names around their neck. Thanks to fan Rachel Lavin aka @fideoqueen for suggesting the perfect 5th anniversary present. Now

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-91485681856137651672011-08-30T10:49:00.000-07:002011-08-30T11:17:08.594-07:00

I woke up this morning to find that Mexican Jewish food had been featured in The New Yorker blog! Was I still asleep? Was I dreaming? When American Jews think Judaism or even Jewish food, they think Ashkenazi or Eastern European food. They don't think Hispanic Jewish food. People don't think of Jews as a dual-heritage or multi-heritage people though American Jews and Ashkenazi (Eastern European

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-75859239140711722732011-08-13T23:28:00.000-07:002011-08-13T23:31:31.510-07:00

Right-click on the Chrome shortcut, then add "--disable-print-preview" to the end of the target file name. Remeber the two spaces before the --. It should then look like: "C:\Users\User Name\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --disable-print-preview" [the part before "--disable-print-preview" or "space,space--disable-print-preview" is whatever is already in your TARGET section]

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-61112728945434002862011-08-13T22:25:00.000-07:002011-08-13T22:28:54.897-07:00

Camp Be’chol Lashon near San Francisco brings Jewish summer camp to an emerging population of Jews of color. Diane Tobin, the camp's director, read clues to a scavenger hunt with camper William Kahn, 11. Jim Wilson/The New York Times A long time ago, I stopped reading the comments section of my articles and then eventually, the comments section of all articles. I saw that even the happiest and

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-75235182794264742912011-08-12T17:18:00.000-07:002011-08-12T17:26:07.767-07:00

I get this question all the time from people in the conversion process (the answer is a little bit different) and people have already converted. When I was in the conversion process, I couldn't go five minutes without telling people, quite excitedly, that I was converting. Or was it that I couldn't go five minutes without people asking me if I was a convert (except at the Sephardic synagogue, of

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-5937047944060249072011-07-31T18:49:00.000-07:002011-07-31T18:49:16.789-07:00

‎"Estas son las mañanitas" is the song the elders in my family sing to us youngins on our birthday. Hear it: Learn about the song and read the translation: http://gomexico.about.com/od/historyculture/qt/mananitas.htm Not quite sure why this Mexican birthday song is a tradition in our American-Dominican-Turkish-Jewish-Puerto Rican-Venezuelan-and-who-knows-what-else family but it is!

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-49186847430678471842011-07-18T18:52:00.000-07:002011-07-18T18:52:59.919-07:00

7/12/2011 Shalom uvrakha to all members and supporters of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. During the past several weeks, I have had many meetings during our stay here in Jerusalem. I've met with current and future authors of articles for our journal, Conversations, and our website jewishideas.org. I gave a lecture at the Pardes Institute, and will be speaking this Shabbat at one of

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-77481407259810517302011-06-17T15:34:00.000-07:002011-06-17T15:50:22.708-07:00

Watch the video and can I just say how much I love how committed G-dcast is to always including Jews of color in their videos!!! Parshat Shelach Lecha from G-dcast.com This week's storyteller is writer, scholar and activist Jay Michaelson For my husband's thoughts on this week's parsha, please read: "The Secret of Life: Parashat Shelach-Lecha" More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com BUY

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-59890026011511423032011-06-17T15:15:00.000-07:002011-06-17T15:15:34.625-07:00

BDJ's (Bnai-David Judea Congregation's) Design-It-Yourself Summer Beit Midrash Is there something you would like to study this summer, but you're not sure where or how? Would you love to study Tanach, Midrash or Talmud, but can't seem to find anyone to help you? Then come and join BDJ's Summer Beit Midrash! Beginning June 20th, at which Rabbi Yehuda Hausman will be available to study with you

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-69473889248446787092011-06-15T17:03:00.000-07:002011-09-22T22:01:14.357-07:00

My pain is acting up from too much typing so I have to make this briefer than I'd like but longer than I should. :) Yesterday, as everyday, I had to push myself to go to the gym and run errands but I was terribly exhausted after having overdone it the day before at the gym and running errands. I knew when I woke up, I'd never make it to the gym so I already felt like a failure for the day. But

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-2038051445631930342011-06-02T10:39:00.000-07:002011-06-03T18:36:59.416-07:00

When I started to "become religious" (as in Jewish), I stopped writing God and started substituting that with G-d instead. And no, not because of any mispeling vyrus I caught from reading too many Thursday Next novels in quick succession. Many of my friends as you can imagine were perplexed, especially since I was an English teacher and a very good speller. I'm most notable for acing every

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-38427428733818439312011-05-27T15:58:00.000-07:002011-05-27T15:59:34.583-07:00

Sorry, dear readers. I haven't felt up to writing very much and I find, that amazingly, I have very little to say. My health keeps me much too preoccupied so aside from my little updates on books, articles, TV and film I'm keeping up with, I don't have much going on. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing but my wrists definitely aren't complaining. In the meantime, my husband has

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-91966149838474490362011-05-13T16:31:00.000-07:002011-05-13T16:33:26.635-07:00

Parshat Behar from G-dcast.com More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com And be sure to scoot on over to my husband's blog for more thoughts on this week's Parsha Behar: You Shall Dwell Securely."

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-57829978806782101062011-05-13T15:40:00.000-07:002011-05-13T15:40:07.885-07:00

I had to post this beautiful trailer for the film, "The First Grader."

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-82647592020110025212011-05-05T15:03:00.000-07:002011-05-05T15:04:23.326-07:00

A friend emailed this to me. "The 11 most absurd instances of accidental racism" Should we laugh or cry or perhaps, a little of both?

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-78030750779093754792011-05-02T21:07:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:28:53.654-07:00

Lady Gaga is partnering with Robin Hood, New York City's largest poverty fighting organization, to give away $1 million. 100% of the money will help teens living in poverty. One organization, Lawyers for Children, that is very dear to my heart is in the running. So far, they have only 7% of the votes. The Door, another awesome organization that helped me obtain free healthcare as a teen, is

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-462236756065748652011-04-27T23:13:00.000-07:002011-04-27T23:13:06.369-07:00

Rabbi Marc Angel answers: Is it permissible to study cultures where people traditionally are not dressed according to our standards of modesty e.g. various tribes in Africa, aborigines, peoples of tropical cultures? Like this video? Check out IDEALS: Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals and sign up to receive their amazing print journal, "Conversations". The website and the print journal

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-23156101766296084672011-04-06T18:21:00.000-07:002011-04-07T14:00:36.162-07:00

For too many people, all they think when they hear Planned Parenthood is "abortions." But I've been to Planned Parenthood many times since my 18th birthday to utilize their gynecological services, especially when I was uninsured and I could count on their sliding scale or free services. The first time I went, I was 18 and uninsured and even though I hadn't had sex yet, my Seventeen magazine said

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-73437688304071469102011-04-03T15:01:00.000-07:002011-04-03T15:11:15.692-07:00

"Come on ladies, it's almost bikini season!" my Aqua Aerobics teacher likes to yell whenever she reminds us to "engage our core muscles" during our weekly class. [My doctor makes me go to these water aerobics classes because they're very good for my joint hypermobility syndrome (HMS) and my fibromyalgia (FMS) . Before I knew I had HMS, I learned to swim at age 27 to help my fibromyalgia but

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-44736980201433007552011-04-01T00:07:00.000-07:002011-04-01T00:07:37.996-07:00

Tamar Fogel speaks about the brutal Itamar murder of her family members, including both of her parents and siblings, and the state of Israel. I was shocked to see this young woman speak so coherently, so passionately, so intelligently about what will probably be one of the defining moments of her life. She is only 12, folks. Twelve. To say that she has had to grow up "too fast" is a vast

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-68209167558047292822011-03-29T19:56:00.000-07:002011-03-29T19:56:12.472-07:00

I am a workaholic. I think I inherited this from my father, who is a workaholic, but also it stems from the fact that my mother was on welfare most of my childhood and I was deeply ashamed of it. Though in our area of Washington Heights, just about everyone was getting some kind of public assistance, I was frequently mercilessly teased by other kids about our situation and I remember my mother

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-16783627325565590842011-03-23T09:05:00.000-07:002011-09-22T22:04:39.229-07:00

When they say it almost never, ever rains in Los Angeles, what they don't tell you is that when it does, it rains all at once like G-d is trying to pull that Noah's Ark business all over again. And that's the kind of rain that hit here this Purim. Rain is my kryptonite (okay, how is that NOT in the Blogger dictionary?). I can be inside, indoors, not even know it's raining, not even see it or

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-38058885035023154242011-03-23T00:59:00.000-07:002011-03-23T06:47:40.404-07:00

This is in response to this fantastic post, "On Being Black" that makes me wish all good bloggers got paid! The photo below was taken from Mocha Momma's awesome blog. Dear Mocha Momma: (Click there and read her cool bio!) A friend just pointed me to your blog. I guess something about my latest post, told her that if I wasn't reading your blog I should be reading it. I just finished

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-23159454265039986702011-03-22T23:04:00.000-07:002011-03-22T23:04:17.826-07:00

I have ALWAYS felt out of place. Like there was no place I would, could, should fit. I think this is what helped me find Judaism and when I gave speeches about my life story that was the biggest theme. That I fit in everywhere and nowhere. I am black, white, Native American, Spanish, Jewish...everything...but to some people, I am too many things so I am nothing. But I have lived long enough to

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-70251332122543933812011-03-14T22:39:00.000-07:002011-03-14T23:14:42.512-07:00

I never thought Glenn Beck and I would agree on anything. That is, until I saw this. Beck says: "God will judge us for what we do and what we won't do. If not God, it will be historians."

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-1774547905176019892011-03-09T21:06:00.000-08:002011-03-09T21:06:37.452-08:00

Special thanks to the fan who donated to this blog in honor of International Women's Day. Please watch this video starring Daniel Craig (aka James Bond) in drag narrated by Dame Judy Dench.

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-19333954969772397092011-03-08T03:36:00.000-08:002011-09-22T22:05:19.242-07:00

February was hard especially after a January that was a bit easier even if I couldn't pick up the phone and wish everyone I'd hoped a "Happy New Year." One relative (no Jewish guilt there) said she thought I was dead after it took me two months to return her New Year's message. Okay, not dead, just REALLY worried. I had to explain to this relative about how the joint pain and inflammation,

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-83381867829518779102011-03-08T02:10:00.000-08:002011-07-18T18:27:29.190-07:00

" "Urban Outfitters Finds Frum Inspiration?" talks about how head scarves have suddenly gone hip, even hipster...and not just on the heads of Orthodox women. Now, this head scarf innovation isn't new. I should note that I've seen many non-Jewish women, particularly black women, wrap their locks up in elaborate head scarves. Just walk around Harlem and count the head scarves. I even know a young

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-71604093527369489392011-02-03T14:25:00.000-08:002011-02-03T14:25:02.036-08:00

Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Laugh-out-loud ridiculous at times though written with such poetry. I almost took a star away because the ridiculous was so ridiculous but rarely has a book made me laugh so hard and care so much and hurt so much about such flawed characters. View all my reviews

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-46845200622343883532011-01-26T00:25:00.000-08:002011-01-26T00:25:01.167-08:00

Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore My rating: 5 of 5 stars One of the most twisted, shocking, disturbing graphic novels I've ever read. But haunting, thought-provoking and stunning nonetheless. A side of the Joker few have ever seen and many won't want to see. Oh and Batman rocks as much as ever. This is DEFINITELY not Cuban-American Cesar Romero's Joker. View all my reviews

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-14272985163044857602011-01-26T00:20:00.001-08:002011-01-26T00:26:23.455-08:00

Batman: Hush, Vol. 1 by Jeph Loeb My rating: 4 of 5 stars The difference between Clark Kent/Superman and Bruce Wayne/Batman? According to Batman himself, "Deep down Clark is a good person...and I'm not." On a graphic novel kick and the Los Angeles Public Library does not have Vol. 2. I bet the New York Public Library does. Yes, I realize them is fighting words. View all my reviews

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-48720648834184518682011-01-25T22:01:00.000-08:002011-01-25T22:33:47.348-08:00

Back by popular demand! So many of you sent me emails thanking me for posting about the following comedian but I didn't except him...fellow JOC (Jew of color), Samson Koletkar, the hilarious Indian Jewish comedian, to personally invite me to his Los Angeles show! (See details below.) Samson will be sharing the stage with one other Jew of color: Joe Nguyen, aka VietJew, a Vietnamese American Jew

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-62670917308105187342011-01-24T19:33:00.000-08:002011-09-22T22:03:34.878-07:00

Before this painkiller runs out on me, I thought I'd squeeze in a blog post. Because of the immense facial pain and carpal tunnel pain, I've been unable to keep up with friends and readers alike. I've never felt so isolated, especially living away from home, from New York, for the first time in my life ever. I find that because so many friends, family and readers alike were already confused as to

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-28938391759474420972010-11-20T20:58:00.005-08:002010-11-20T22:20:27.551-08:00

Greetings! After nearly 8 months and thousands of dollars later, I have mostly recovered from the digestive crisis that made me balloon 20 lbs., put me in the emergency room several times with severe abdominal pain and routinely left me vomiting...among other things that would fall under the category of TMI (too much information). It was a really, really hard 8 months recovering from high doses

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-75455980539894900572010-11-20T19:48:00.004-08:002010-11-20T20:06:12.079-08:00

A clip from Samson Koletkar's "Mahatma Moses Comedy Tour" recorded on Aug 11, 2010 at Rooster T Feathers Comedy Club in Sunnyvale, California.When I started attending a Sephardic/Mizrahi shul in Los Angeles and I mentioned to friends that a lot of the congregants were from as far as England, India, Iran, Burma, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Iran, Argentina, the Dominican Republic (a visiting rabbi)

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-48924373472789180642010-10-26T02:49:00.005-07:002010-10-26T03:17:12.205-07:00

"There are Hispanic Jews? No way! I've never heard of any." Wish I could send this article below to every Jew (especially Jewish New Yorkers) who has uttered that statement in my presence! Doesn't anyone remember what the Spanish Inquisition was about? And don't they know that "Don Francisco," host of the beloved "Sabado Gigante" show is a Chilean Jew who was born Mario Luis Kreutzberger

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-78121989121388006332010-10-26T01:10:00.004-07:002010-10-26T01:26:53.850-07:00

Sorry I didn't post this sooner but you've only missed one class if you decide to make next one!Class: Crash Course in Reading HebrewDate: Began Sunday, October 24, 2010Time: 9:50am-11:20amPlace: The Jewish Learning Exchange, 512 N. La Brea, Los Angeles, CA 90036Call: 323-857-0923 Email: info AT jlela.comWebsite: www.jlela.comCo-Sponsored by The National Jewish Outreach Program (1-800-44-TORAH)

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-12191127083096753072010-10-23T21:17:00.004-07:002010-10-23T21:23:56.686-07:00

Please read: "Interior Ministry's Oz police unit accused of beating U.S. immigrants" (The Jerusalem Post)By the way, I thought that last quote says it all."We have so much love for Israel. But it seems like Israel does not love us back."I have long ago lost patience with the Jews, white or of color, who refuse to see the pain so many converts and/or Jews of color suffer at the hands of other Jews

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-43671835434058050672010-10-23T19:59:00.003-07:002010-10-23T20:24:56.135-07:00

Good morning,As a mother, I can only imagine how devastating it would be to lose a child. So I was shocked and saddened when I heard that several young people had taken their own lives recently after being bullied for being gay -- or because people thought they were gay.No one should ever feel so hopeless or tormented that they take their own life. Bullying of any kind, for any reason, is

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-5516789931384646182010-10-21T19:51:00.004-07:002010-10-23T19:54:28.535-07:00

Everyone's been telling me I need to check out this song but I didn't get a chance until loyal fan, Debbie B. sent me a link. Check out India.Arie's, "I Am Not My Hair." Dare I say it...it's pretty awesome!Ran into someone today from shul where I haven't been going as much as I'd like because of all my health problems. (Fingers crossed--wait, someone told me that was avodah zarah, hmm!!!--it

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-46533282231452529102010-10-14T19:59:00.005-07:002010-10-14T20:20:45.356-07:00

A warning, this trailer is definitely not for kids though the scene that inspired me to write this has children in it.Event: Press Film Screening of Nora's Will (Cinco Dias Sin Nora)Date: Friday, October 15th, 2010Time: 10amPlace: Laemmle's Royal Theatre, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025-3094Phone:(310) 478-3836Details: Tell them Aliza Hausman sent you. I was personally invited by

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-61905387941143614102010-10-12T21:13:00.001-07:002010-10-12T21:14:30.644-07:00

Oh the years of heartache I could have saved myself if I had seen this video as a child!

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-76471233310194203332010-10-12T04:04:00.004-07:002010-10-12T04:14:47.869-07:00

Event: Taste of LimmudLA: "Post Traumatic Conversion Disorder" Date: Saturday, October 23, 2010Time: 8pm-10pmPlace: Milken Community High School, 15800 Zeldins' Way, Los Angeles 90049 (parking on site)Join (my friend) Avi Montigny, public speaker, teacher and founder of the only website, jewsbychoice.org, connecting Jewish converts worldwide no matter what stream of Judaism they have converted

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-27005881493494923432010-10-12T02:43:00.007-07:002010-10-19T19:20:07.679-07:00

The new Mr. and Mrs. Smith-like TV show, Undercovers follows a black couple getting back into the CIA spy game after retiring five years earlier to have "a normal life" and run a catering business. I can't remember the last time I saw a show on Network TV that had not one but two people of color as the main protagonists, can you?Along with Undercovers, many new TV shows like Outlaw, Law & Order

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-9049045281250409772010-10-12T02:08:00.008-07:002010-10-19T19:21:46.397-07:00

Hey from LA!Wow, I've really been getting a lot of email lately from new readers and fans! Thank you for sharing so many of your amazing stories with me! I hope that people can be patient awaiting my responses. I am no longer responding to every email but I do read all of them and I try to answer the most time sensitive ones as quickly as possible. For the next few months, I'm also avoiding

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-88855102346163677502010-10-08T17:30:00.006-07:002010-10-08T17:50:38.586-07:00

Some great quotes: “And from there the Lord scattered them over the face of the entire Earth.” (Gen. 11:8). What was the sin of the Tower of Babel, and why was it necessary to scatter them and create many languages? Are not geographical distance and the differences of language and culture the primary bases of misunderstanding and fear of the other? What did this people do to deserve that

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-51595516229777544892010-09-15T23:41:00.004-07:002010-09-16T00:03:52.501-07:00

Why is there a dating website for Jews of color by Jews of color?Isn't that "racist"?My good friend Shais Rison aka blogger MaNishtana writes a rousing response to the flood of emails he's received asking this particular question about his recent decision to start JOCFlock, a dating website for Jews of color and by Jews of color open to any Jew open to dating interracially and across racial and

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-88475481009385836832010-09-15T21:53:00.003-07:002010-09-15T21:59:36.236-07:00

There are Jubans (Jewish Cubans) and Jewyoricans (Jewish New York Puerto Ricans) and as we all know, there are Jewminicanos and Jewminicanas like moi. But a fan tells me that there is a much cooler term than "Latino Jew" or "Hispanic Jew" coined and probably copyrighted by a clever Jewish New Yorker in the '60s at (where else?) Jewish summer camp!SPANYID. :)

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-80779757070315480642010-09-15T20:47:00.000-07:002010-09-15T20:48:45.769-07:00

Yom Kippur from G-dcast.comMore Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-9991725954481956002010-09-12T14:17:00.003-07:002010-09-12T14:20:26.655-07:00

A Chinese Jewish Wedding In Jerusalem - Click here for more home videosWait, what, what does he mean he always wanted "one of those"? Oy vey. Mazel tov and...good luck!

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-11608028345777189982010-09-07T17:51:00.004-07:002010-09-07T17:57:16.165-07:00

Collier Meyerson was born Jewish but that hasn't stopped someone from questioning her Judaism at any and every Jewish event, pushing her further and further away from Judaism, especially when a Judaism that others insist doesn't and can't include people who like her."Last December my roommate decided to throw a Shabbos dinner. It was also the first night of Chanukah. I created a makeshift Menorah

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-19150271207545578192010-09-07T00:51:00.006-07:002010-09-07T01:13:40.598-07:00

According to some people being Jewish now means that I'm no longer Hispanic (I've gotten this one from Jews and non-Jewish Latinos alike) and according to some people being Hispanic means I can never really be Jewish (I've gotten this one mostly from Jews). Some people surveying my situation have noted that as a Jewminicana, I fit in nowhere because I make both the Jews and Dominicans--and even

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-28362456198674493662010-09-06T22:47:00.005-07:002010-09-06T23:32:55.388-07:00

So a bunch of us women folk are sitting around discussing the drama that is female body hair. The summer never ends in Los Angeles so even on Labor Day, we're talking waxing, bleaching and laser removal. Fun times. Tomorrow, we'll move onto Jewish guilt and cooking for an army and still feeling we haven't cooked enough.Once we're done discussing who has a mustache and who doesn't, who has the

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-31048969350732933722010-09-05T12:28:00.002-07:002010-09-05T12:30:38.209-07:00

"Jewish tradition is exceptionally clear: The vulnerability of converts mandates us to treat them as equals. If it is forbidden to remind a convert of his or her past, shouldn’t it be forbidden to make them (proverbially speaking) register for marriage on the back of the bus? The solution suggested by the chief rabbi puts the onus on the convert, as if he did something wrong, rather than on those

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-59823447586098433502010-09-01T23:02:00.009-07:002010-09-01T23:34:17.212-07:00

Akira Ohiso with his son Simcha at the Jewish Multiracial Retreat 2009Even out here in my new home in "La-la land" aka Los Angeles...where there is about as much Jewish diversity as you'd find in Israel with Jews of all kinds of color and from all over the world...I still can't get away from those impertinent queries about my maiden name (a new but just as annoying twist on "Are you a convert?")

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-90883758738629848152010-08-28T21:34:00.005-07:002010-08-28T21:40:09.627-07:00

Robert Stolarik for The New York TimesIt is sad that Yoseph Robinson had to die so tragically (his killer is now in custody) before the world (according to the NY Times) would take notice of Jews of color. Yes, duh, there are black (Orthodox) Jews. There's actually a heck of a lot of them!Jew of color powerhouses Yitz "Y-Love" Jordan and Shais "MaNishtana" Rison are featured prominently in the NY

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-87083576582205712512010-08-24T22:20:00.001-07:002010-08-24T22:20:49.826-07:00

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-59155688634097844242010-08-21T22:47:00.006-07:002010-09-01T13:31:22.389-07:00

Yoseph is survived by his parents; his children, Chelsea, Chae, Cordell and Chana and his girlfriend Lahava Shneor and a multitude of friends who will miss him dearly.Please watch this fascinating video and more from Yoseph Robinson's YouTube page:Blogger MaNishtana will be collecting funds this week in order to donate Yom Kippur machzors to the Flatbush Park Jewish Center in Yoseph Robinson's

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-5466433195726700062010-08-20T18:43:00.001-07:002010-08-20T18:43:44.285-07:00

It begins as a misunderstanding, then, an argument follows. The argument becomes a confrontation and by week’s end, a former friend is now counted a foe.The chasm is daunting—the feud—seemingly, irreparable. Days go by, months perhaps, even years.But in the heart, there is some regret. There is a seed of doubt, a specter of apology, but the past holds us. In the parched earth of anger, there is

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-51382754019833212522010-08-19T23:59:00.004-07:002010-08-20T00:09:20.192-07:00

Yoseph Robinson, a 35-year-old Jamaican former hip-hop record exec who converted to Orthodox Judaism, was killed last night during a robbery at the Flatbush kosher-wine store where he worked, police and witnesses said.Readmore: "Brooklyn liquor-store slaying"Yoseph, we kept saying we were going to meet to discuss your memoir but we never did get together. We were never in the same place at the

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-71049366500173732642010-08-12T08:14:00.005-07:002010-08-12T08:45:19.247-07:00

I'd heard this story before and even posted a You Tube video, which put me in tears, of watching the descendants of Kaifeng Jews arrive for the first time in Israel. But what all the previous stories seemed to forget, this new story in The Forward, "Israel’s Keenest Yeshiva Students Catching Up With China’s Kaifeng Jewish Community" focuses on. It puts names and stories to the faces of the

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-49478962029524928572010-08-11T23:24:00.009-07:002010-08-13T09:31:46.193-07:00

Blogger MaNishtana is getting serious and asking people to sign a petition to help a black Haitian Jewish convert who has been treatly unjustly by child services both Jewish and non-Jewish and has lost custody of her son ("Let's Sign This and Get Something Done") it would seem because of her conversion to Judaism. A fact: Anyone can call child services anonymously on a parent and make their life

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-46355299474451455262010-08-09T23:27:00.005-07:002010-08-10T04:13:54.809-07:00

Not a big fan of Shalom Auslander but I couldn't put down his latest piece in Tablet Magazine, "Up in Smoke: Imagining the day they come to take your Judaism away".It was like a train wreck I couldn't look away from. I'm still processing what I read. Whenever I talk to people about what has been going on the last couple of years in the world of Orthodox conversion and what has been going on in

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-91646074122376094892010-08-07T23:47:00.006-07:002010-10-26T03:17:09.001-07:00

Dear Fans:I am really thankful to all of you who have sent such wonderful fan letters my way. I am so glad that you've found the blog interesting, entertaining and even educational!Unfortunately, there have been so many letters lately that answering them, in my current health condition, has become overwhelming and impossible. I promise that although, I am unable to currently respond to each email

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-83729239878295822942010-08-02T04:23:00.003-07:002010-08-02T04:53:54.261-07:00

On Shabbos, someone tried to sing "Happy Birthday" and someone else switched to the Hebrew version and last but not least, the Spanish version: Feliz Cumpleaños! But none of those were right. Where were my great-grandmother Abuela and my grandmother who I still call Mami there to sing this for me?Here is the song my family sings along with "Happy Birthday" or rather "Feliz Cumpleaños." It's

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-5809341877255637242010-08-01T15:39:00.004-07:002010-08-02T04:33:43.095-07:00

Yesterday, I turned 30 years old. Thanks to the fan who donated $25. She didn't even know it was my birthday but it was the perfect present! Of course, now that I'm 30, I will be telling people I'm 25. Until I'm 40. Anyway, now that I am 30, I look back on how far I've come (and how far I hope to go), I don't even know what to say. If at 13, the first time I had decided to convert, you would have

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-17412099321331748432010-07-30T03:18:00.005-07:002010-08-01T15:39:04.364-07:00

Should be sleeping but instead rewatching episode 1 of Dexter Season 1 while juggling any and every task that can be completed late at night around the house...which is quite a lot of them, you'd be surprised!In episode 1, Sgt. James Doakes, an African-American police detective who later uncovers that Dexter (who has always given him the creeps) is not just a blood splatter analyst by day but

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-38015863780997741562010-07-29T22:02:00.005-07:002010-07-29T23:00:06.008-07:00

Been meaning to post this for a while! You can now watch the entire Jewish Channel episode of "Jews of color" for free on You Tube. Watch me along with an unbelievable cast of other Jews of color, including social worker and moderator Joel Sanchez, rapper/writer/blogger Yitz "Y-Love" Jordan, founder of Ayecha and my mentor Yavillah McCoy and also Akira Ohiso who is publisher and author of the

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-13548843159088318902010-07-29T21:52:00.004-07:002010-07-29T22:00:23.769-07:00

This is an all too familiar story if you've been reading this blog: a non-Jewish woman married to a Jewish husband wants to convert but the Jewish family is horrified and they tell her "be Jewish but don't be too Jewish!" In this wonderful video, Lori Platanik tells us the story of her friend Leah in Paris who converted, got married and had a baby all in the span of two glorious weeks! Mazel tov

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-40542648691166240712010-07-12T10:14:00.003-07:002010-07-12T10:19:07.391-07:00

Hi, dear readers. Thank you for all the emails you've been sending to check up on me. I'm sorry I haven't gotten to all of them, especially to those of you who have been expecting a response for months now.Periodically over the next few weeks, the blog will be open or closed to readers. Won't go into the details but if you check back every other day, you might catch it open or closed. If you

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-70238397980130521692010-06-15T20:14:00.003-07:002010-06-15T20:47:59.028-07:00

I definitely overdid it today trying to squeeze in seeing a bunch of friends in one day. OUCH. This morning, I saw my best friend from my teaching days. As it happens, she is the wife of a Presbyterian pastor! Yeah, this is not the beginning of a joke. We have been trying for years to get our husbands in the same room just so we can make THAT joke.This afternoon, fellow blogger MaNishtana made a

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-26286256148795696792010-06-11T13:18:00.004-07:002010-06-16T09:23:30.256-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, even if you don't like hip hop, you've heard of Drake this week. Drake is everywhere right now in both Jewish and secular magazines and everyone's talking about the fact that he's black (biracial) and Jewish.Check out this interview in Heeb (which I never read but this interview's pretty good!) magazine:"Drake: The World's First Black Jewish Hip Hop Star" (

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-58463059602197287142010-06-09T09:19:00.004-07:002010-07-29T22:01:21.192-07:00

Look, it's me on TV with some of the coolest Jews of colors you'll ever meet. Check us out on The Jewish Channel's "Jews of Color" show.For more details: "Jews of Color 01" on The Jewish ChannelWant to watch the show for free? If you have Cablevision, go to the On Demand main menu—channel 500 and go to ‘Shows and Specials’. You’ll see a category called ‘Jewish Channel Previews.'

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-67670400711448217432010-05-27T20:21:00.004-07:002010-05-27T20:41:21.161-07:00

Every once in a while, I get a letter from a non-Jewish woman who wants to convert to Judaism.She's married to a Jewish guy and the more she learns about Judaism, the more she wants to be Jewish herself and raise a Jewish family. She thoroughly checks out all her options and decides she can only convert Orthodox because only an Orthodox Jewish lifestyle will do for her soul, her marriage, her

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-37685710956805545792010-05-22T22:41:00.005-07:002010-05-22T22:47:15.068-07:00

"The Shavuot story of Ruth might retell the journey of the most famous convert to Judaism, but South African-born Ilana Skolnik, who became a Jew more than 20 years ago and has lived in Israel ever since, has no less of an amazing story.Born Ellen Peters, Skolnik, who was raised as a Protestant in a 'colored,' or mixed-race, family under apartheid, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that she had

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-34596006424611124072010-05-18T13:15:00.003-07:002010-05-18T13:26:11.137-07:00

"Following Their Truth Paths" (Jerusalem Post)"African American women who chose to convert to Judaism praise their mothers for the success of their spiritual journey."

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-24164987125399271022010-05-18T04:22:00.000-07:002010-05-18T04:22:00.083-07:00

In "Tired of Living in Fear", Ariella Barker, a convert to Judaism talks about the struggles of being an outsider in Judaism...just in time for Shavuot. Unfortunately, this is what it's come to for a lot of us. While many Jews go about their days cluelessly, the rest of us live and breath a Judaism in which converts, the children of converts, the grandchildren of converts, the loved ones of

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-76663044085206800812010-05-17T04:30:00.000-07:002010-05-17T04:30:02.446-07:00

In "How a girl named Yomaira became Yehudit" (The Jewish Star), we meet a beautiful young woman named Yehudit who was formerly known as Yomaira. Because the Orthodox Jewish world, especially the one on Facebook, is "this big," I remember seeing Yehudit's wedding photos pop up on my "news feed" earlier this month. When I saw her face, I smiled as I often do when I see the happy, smiling, smugly

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-67464465921814886892010-05-16T18:54:00.004-07:002010-10-10T15:14:42.418-07:00

Where in the world is Aliza Hausman?Honestly, I'm starting to feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience. I am neither here nor there. And I'm definitely not quite sure where I'm going to be in the next few months. I know where I wish I was...Los Angeles, Israel or the Dominican Republic (in no specific order of importance). But remember that even though you're not hearing from me, if you're

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-42940244722094432742010-04-12T14:56:00.008-07:002010-06-07T20:04:24.758-07:00

Sometimes, every once in a while, I get this heady sense of how far I've come in the last few years. Five years ago, I couldn't have told you the difference between Reform, Conservative and Orthodox, forget the differences between Haredi, Centrist Orthodox, Modern Orthodox or even Open Orthodoxy. Okay, so I cheated and looked up all the terms on Wikipedia!Four and a half years ago, I had

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-84406579218746549642010-03-27T22:50:00.010-07:002010-04-01T20:46:57.543-07:00

With "Worth it? Really?" Blogger MaNishtana responds to the hateful comments posted in response to my interview in the latest issue of The Jewish Press. Honestly, the whole thing just makes my heart hurt. It's truly unfortunate what some confused, misinformed individuals believe I stand for (I have never pretended to represent anyone but myself) and how they've twisted my words and my life story

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-82411512174860805952010-03-24T23:21:00.002-07:002010-03-24T23:30:17.598-07:00

Wheew, I miss you guys. I hope you miss me! I have all these writing ideas rolling around in my head and no one to share them with. Not ready to make my comeback though but living life temporarily unplugged is interesting. Still doing a terrible job of juggling what I should be doing for my health and what I want to be doing for my career and my ever-changing role in the Jewish community. In the

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-52790567079677258842010-03-16T19:56:00.011-07:002010-03-18T12:33:08.166-07:00

I know I keep saying I'm going on hiatus, I'm taking a break but something happens and I get sucked back in. I can't seem to help myself. Literally, can't seem to HELP myself. When I went on disability in 2006, I told myself I was going to work on my health. Instead, I became a cook-aholic. My body was a mess from doing a whole bunch of stuff (cooking up a storm, doing loads of laundry a day, etc

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-37887399732378685552010-03-16T19:43:00.001-07:002011-09-22T21:58:52.005-07:00

I think talking about my health to the NY Times, to the public on my blog has misled people to think that this topic is open for discussion and debate. I know many of you do not read my blog regularly. If you did, you'd know exactly how I feel on this topic and all of this entire post will seem redundant. Because I have been bombarded recently with so much email about it, I am creating this

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-42505204642893671932010-03-16T19:04:00.002-07:002010-07-29T21:58:40.037-07:00

A short video on growing up in Washington Heights:I love the Heights. With Dominican food, Dominican people and Dominican Spanish at every street corner, I can't help but feel like I'm home when I come down from Riverdale to visit. I am, after all, a Dominican-American so why wouldn't I feel most at home in the epicenter of Dominican life in America? And now that I'm Jewish, I can appreciate the

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-78878820662099205212010-03-16T14:18:00.004-07:002010-03-16T14:20:40.021-07:00

"This is a battle for the soul of Judaism," writes David Harris about the Knesset bill "that attempts to bar any non-Jew who ever visited Israel from claiming Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return, if they convert to Judaism subsequent to their visit."To read more: click here: "A Welcome or a Wall?"

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-90311335240915709212010-03-15T21:02:00.009-07:002010-03-23T22:05:29.201-07:00

My husband's tribute to my good hair day and the hair covering that was swallowed up by it. Most people are socially appropriate enough that they don't or won't comment on what's going on with your hair unless it's on fire. I think that's pretty fair. I mean, if you're having a bad hair day, aren't you the first to notice anyway? Do you really need other people raining in on your frizzy parade?In

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-49014403856312357002010-03-15T17:54:00.011-07:002010-03-16T18:41:29.660-07:00

Emailed in by a reader:Racism in America: Episode OneWARNING: Contains colorful language.Okay, now I have to go wash the inside of my brain because I made the mistake of watching their videos that weren't racism related. Oy.Also, I kinda wish I could just play this for people whenever someone asks me or says all the things the white people do in this video. But then I'd probably just get called "

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-82683808648594057962010-03-14T21:52:00.000-07:002010-03-18T12:24:43.609-07:00

Event: Orthodox conversion documentary "Leap of Faith" in Washington, DCDate: Tuesday, March 23, 2010Time: 7:30pmPlace: The Screening Room, Washington District of Columbia Jewish Community Center | 1529 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20036 | (202) 518-9400Trailer: http://www.leapoffaiththefilm.com/Synopsis:The feature-length documentary, LEAP OF FAITH, is the first film to explore the phenomenon

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17108184.post-30603835908532690712010-03-14T21:50:00.000-07:002010-03-14T21:50:00.813-07:00

Actor Hank Azaria was born to Ladino-speaking Sephardic Jews parents. Wonder if his Ladino is as bad as my Spanish?Earlier this Winter/Spring, I almost signed up for a Ladino class at the JCC Manhattan (groovy new site!). My sister, though, stepped in and said that I did not have THAT kind of money to be spending on taking classes in a language that none of my friends even speaks. And she added

Aliza "La Jewminicana" Hausmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867752362566335019noreply@blogger.com