shel

The Transsexual Chofetz Chaim

Mutant, librarian, poet, union rabble rouser, dog, Ashkenazi Jewish. Neuroweird, bodyweird, mostly sleepy.


I write about transformative justice, community, love, Judaism, Neurodivergence, mental health, Disability, geography, rivers, labor, and libraries; through poetry, opinionated essays, and short fiction.


I review Schoolhouse Rock! songs at @PropagandaRock


Website (RSS + Newsletter)
shelraphen.com/

Anonymous User asked:

How religious are you, if at all?

........... Have you seen my blog..... I would say I am very very religious but in a "I have three tattoos referencing Jewish religious iconography" way and not a "I think tattoos are forbidden per the principal of putting a fence around the Torah" kind of way.

Another way I've put it is I'm very very Reconstructionist. I regularly go to shabbat services but I don't keep shomer. I keep kosher but only to the level of effort that is still meaningful to me i.e. I will not eat pork but I don't need my food to be certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. I believe in G—d!!! But I don't believe everyone else is wrong for not believing in G—d.

I think I'm thus, probably, more religiously adherent than the majority of American Jews and maybe even the majority of Israelis. But I just don't follow the Orthodox movement and I believe that all Zionist variations on Judaism are a form of idolatry


You must log in to comment.

in reply to @shel's post:

Nationalism is idolatry and Zionism is nationalism. It supplants the divinity of HaShem and instead directs religious devotion and fervor towards The State. People are worshipping the nation-state instead of HaShem. Turning towards The State of Israel instead of turning towards the temple