Sex & Love
Kiss Me, I’m Orthodox
Although I am not a believer in gods myself, I do have many religious friends from many different faiths. We who live in Western countries have the luxury of choosing our own level of observance. For the most part, we … Read More
The Henna Ceremony
Zeek is pleased to present this excerpt from the forthcoming book, The House of Secrets, an inside look at the mikveh and its rituals, by Varda Polak-Sahm. This section focuses on a henna ceremony practiced mainly by Sephardi and Mizrahi … Read More
Queer Midrash
Across the street, over the rooftop, in the next building, a young man in blue cooks his single dinner over a tiny flame. Perhaps a student, I saw him once in the marketplace, bent over a wooden tray of lemons … Read More
When Our Rebbe Taught Us About Anal Sex
By Schwartzie, a contributor to my blog I remember the day in ninth grade when my rebbe was faced with the awkward task of explaining the concept of anal sex. "Ah, boys," he told us, "lets say you have some … Read More
A Midrash on the Month of Av
In the month of Av falls Tisha b’Av, the ninth of Av, when Jews commemorate the destruction of the first and second Temples. A woman who conceives and bears a male shall be taboo seven days, just as during her … Read More
The Mikvah as Foreplay
I was raised in a small town in Connecticut and while I was surrounded by many Jews, I didn’t know any Orthodox Jews. I learned how they live in dribs and drabs, with a bunch of rumors thrown in. Like … Read More