Jew in the City, A conversation with Allison Josephs

This show was postponed to next Tuesday, January 8, at 10:00 pm (Eastern Time).

Our guest, this evening at 10:00pm (Eastern Time), will be Allison Josephs, founder and director of Jew in the City. Who is Allison Josephs?

Allison has been involved in the field of Jewish Outreach for over a dozen years, teaching and lecturing, working at Partners in Torah, Sinai Retreats, and NCSY. She is, also, the spiritual mentor to actress Mayim Bialik.  She was named one of NJOP‘s Top Ten Jewish Influencers in 2012 and has been quoted or written about in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, and Yahoo News.

Allison has been interviewed on television and radio, including programs such as “What Not To Wear,” Associate Press TV, and NPR;  her articles have appeared in numerous publications including the newly released anthology Like Water on a Rock, The Washington Times, The Jewish Press, and The Forward. She has also written many articles, directed and produced videos for Aish.com and lectures around the country and on WebYeshiva. She received her Bachelor in Arts from Columbia University in Philosophy and lives with her husband and four children minutes from the George Washington Bridge.

We will be talking about her recent video as well as future plans for her website and blog.

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, please listen to last week’s fascinating discussion with abstract painter Igal Fedida about his life’s journey towards becoming an Orthodox Jew and the connection between his art and Sefer Breshit.

Don’t forget to tune us in this evening at Blogtalkradio.com/kosherscene for an interesting talk, with Allison Joseph of Jew in the City at 10:00pm (Eastern Time). We’ll be wait’n for ya!

CS

This show was postponed to next Tuesday, January 8, at 10:00 pm (Eastern Time).

Dimitry knows!

Dimitry Salita, – last evening’s guest on our internet radio show – shows his understanding of blogs and his superb reading taste by giving The Kosher Scene a thumbs up, in the photo below which appeared last eve on The Wall Street Journal‘s website and on page 25 in the Greater New York section of today’s print edition.

Photo by: Astrid Stawiarz for The Wall Street Journal

Seriously, gentle reader, I certainly did not set up this shot, even though I was standing by when the WSJ photographer was taking her photos last Thursday eve, at Allison Joseph‘s Jew in the City‘s event at Kehilath Jeshurun I guess being the only red logo on the poster over the red carpet makes us stick out, being in the center was also a very lucky break! I guess now I can claim, that the big media noticed us… Huh… huh… can I?

CS

Jew in the City

Last Thursday eve, at Manhattan’s Kehilath Jeshurun, Allison Josephs – blogger extraordinaire at Jew In the City – launched her video (JITC’s Orthodox Jewish All Stars)  featuring 10 Jewish Orthodox celebrities. The event was proudly sponsored by Freeda Wigs, The Patchke Princess, Gift of Life and this very blog (The Kosher Scene), among others.

Allison was interviewed by Marshall Hyman from The Wall Street Journal…

Allison Josephs and Marshall Hyman from The Wall Street Journal.

…as well as by Atara Abersfeld from The Jewish Press, Tammy Marks from New Jersey’s Jewish Star and more.

A delicious latke bar (with lots of topping choices), was presented by mother and daughter catering team of Michicas, as well as a donut fondue bar and a superb selection of Israeli wines by Shlomo Blashka (from the Royal Wine Corporation).

Sara Lasry (The Patchke Princess and Kosher Street) this event’s main organizer, followed Dimitry Salita. She explained the significance of this event and what made it important to the media.

Sara Lasry

A member of the Maccabeats lit the candles for the sixth night of Chanukah…

No event of this kind could be complete without lighting the Menorah.

After the lighting, Allison herself gave an emotional speech about her 7 year journey of breaking down stereotypes about Orthodox Judaism. In describing the occasion and her video she said:

This video celebrates freedom – Chanukah is about freedom and contrary to popular belief, Orthodoxy is freedom – it is freedom to seek our path in an elevated way, to become what we are meant to become, the best possible version of ourselves — in a way that is true and fine and full of substance.

The video features nationally known figures from the world of politics, arts, entertainment, sports, publishing and more. It was not only an enjoyable evening with delicious food and wine, not only was a video launched, but the close to 200 people present saw proof positive (as will anyone else watching it) that being an Orthodox Jew does not in any way shape or form preclude following one’s dreams or reaching the highest pinnacles in one’s profession. Nothing of importance is closed to an Orthodox Jew, and neither does he or she need to sacrifice one’s beliefs.

During immediately after the speeches, a interesting and enjoyable music ensemble took over, The Brooklyn Jazz Warriors

Y.A. Gootblatt, vocalist and keyboard player – Brooklyn Jazz Warriors

Bravo, bravissimo Allison! I’d be remiss if I did not again mention Sara Lasry’s herculean efforts, the driving force, in putting together this beautiful event in just two weeks.

CS