Shvayg Shosh

I want to write her name in the sky. And watch it blow away in the wind.   I want to scream her name with joy Pronouncing every syllable Savoring each sound like fine wine Or rich chocolate cake. I want to fold perfect paper airplanes filled with each letter And fly them into space.   I want her name in a bottle Across the sea. I want her name to mean something in this world. I want to know it is more than a whisper from my mouth Or a dream inside my head. I want the idea of her to be Honored and exalted.               She is holy and her name is holy   Her name is my love Her name is forgiveness Redemption And light Her name is my devotion my loss my grief my pain my wonder Her name is my secret My heart is broken but when they cut it open, no matter how they poke and prod, her name will remain in my swishing heartbeat in the oxygen that fills my body Lifting my exhaustion...

When I was editor of the Jewish VOICE, I wrote a reflections article on my problems with Passover. As Passover approaches, I thought it would be good to share. Liberation Theology By Shoshana Kohn, Editor I spent a long time staring at a blank page.  Why? Because as a part of a greater Jewish community, I realize that we are hold our own beliefs and these beliefs mean everything to us.  However, I think most of us struggle with something in Judaism, and if we don’t talk about it, and share it, we may never get over that struggle.  So, let me start by saying, while you, dear reader, may not agree, I, Shoshana Kohn, am a Biblical skeptic.  Therefore, as I grow older, I find myself more and more troubled with Passover.  When it comes to historical fact and the bible, the academic world is very complicated. We know King Solomon was real. We know there was a Kingdom of Israel and a Kingdom of Judah.  Clearly, we know there was a Babylonian exile. Howe...

This morning I read an article on Huffington Post, This is 38 . It didn't sit right with me. Not because her reality wasn't truthful, but it was so different than my own reality. So, on the edge of my 35th birthday, I thought I'd write my own version. ( And, a note to the grammar police, I decided to write 35 instead of thirty-five. ) This is 35 35 is rejections you thought would be over by now keep coming. It is losing the job that looked so impressive on paper. It is realizing that you hated your boss anyway. It is wondering where that perfect job you worked so hard to have will jump in your lap. At 35, looking towards 40 is much more appealing than looking backwards at 30. Being 25 sounds awful. Getting carded is no longer fun; it’s just confusing.  Being 35 means leaving your old life and starting another. It means ex-husbands and anger. Missing children and sadness. It means that being the First Wife is a much happier life than being the Forever Wife. 3...