Rabbi Emily Cohen
@thatrabbicohen
Happy Brooklynite. Lefty in all the ways. Rabbi of West End Synagogue but views here are only my own (She/Her/Hers) www.rabbiemilycohen.com
Looking for High Holy Day plans in NYC? Join us at WES! westendsynagogue.org/high-holy-days
So once upon a time I had a podcast. Then a pandemic happened, I changed jobs, I got married, I had a baby, and suddenly it was 6 years later. But we're coming back tomorrow night and I can't wait to continue telling the stories of the Mixed Multitude!
Just a note that if you're looking for a new shul in NYC, we have an open house coming up this Friday! Would love to meet y'all IRL! (Feel free to DM if you have questions!)
Last night’s Seder in the Streets with @jfrejnyc.bsky.social was so beautiful. Grateful to those who risked arrest at Palantir and to the hundreds of us who gathered to support them and say that our tradition teaches immigrants are welcome here!
Went to the pet store for cat food. The sweet employee gave our toddler his very 1st slap bracelet. Which leads me to 2 observations: 1) Christian hegemony thrives even in Brooklyn 2) The 90s are, indeed, back Which basically means that I’m gonna raise my child in the dark version of my childhood
Marches in isolation are far from enough. And today’s No Kings marchers felt really special. Marchers in NYC took over 2 full avenues for blocks and blocks. The mood was joyful and inclusive and hopeful. I hope this fuels additional activism for a lot of people. Shavua tov ❤️
A 6 year old whose baby naming I did (and whose parents I met the summer after I started rabbinical school) came to our Hebrew school candy seder today. If you want to know what makes this work worth it, stuff like this tops the list. (And yes I do literally mean a candy Seder)
Headed back from an exhausting and largely rejuvenating conference with Reconstructing Judaism. There is so much heartbreak in the Jewish world right now. But there’s also delight. We can’t lose that. The conference organizers making my baby a name tag was 😅. Note his congregational affiliation
Good snow is when you can make a mini snowman at the bottom of the stoop in <5 minutes
Just to say that this kid is the best thing that has ever happened to me and also I miss sleep.
Alright folks. Let’s #shinethelight. Y’all know what to do (Sadly none of our windows are conducive to having a hanukkiah placed so shelf it is)
Another day in the office, another delightful pamphlet from a “friend” in Nebraska. But clearly Ms. Rachel is the antisemite we should be worried about
So just to be clear, the best moment by far of the “Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders join the Starbucks picket line” event in Park Slope today was when a school bus drove by and the children on board started screaming their support out the window. But taking baby to his 1st picket line was cool too
Lots not to celebrate on Thanksgiving but I’m grateful to have been able to watch the parade from Athens. Now it’s time to order the traditional Thanksgiving dinner of (vegetarian) souvlaki 😆 Back to NYC (and my typical news/social media engagement) tomorrow. And maybe mashed potatoes this weekend
This morning I voted for a city where I hope to be able to afford to raise my child, where I pray my child will be safe, and where politicians are for and of the people— not above the people. I voted for @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social and I hope you will too
Welp, I am no longer in the bad place, but apparently the bad place has thoughts about my friends and me. Luckily if “ban female rabbis” is the best she could do I think we win? Love to all of my lady rabbi friends ❤️
The largest #nokings rally this was not but it was sure wholesome to march with neighbors (including many fellow stroller/baby marchers). I hope that by the time my baby is old enough to make his own decisions about going to protests he won’t need to. But for now I’m glad we’re not alone.
Timeline cleanse. Please enjoy my baby enjoying a tiny pumpkin. I love him desperately. I imagine most parents (I know sadly not all) love their children desperately. Everything I do, I do to make the world better for him and for all children who deserve to grow with joy and light.
Apparently they did not. But @jfrejnyc.bsky.social came through and a few of us gathered across the street to show @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social a little love as he arrived and give the press some other perspectives on his candidacy
In timeline cleanse: I don’t put my baby’s face on bsky but please observe his sparkly pants that I am so excited it’s cold enough for him to wear
Hey we’re doing a pre-Shabbat young adult (20s-40s) happy hour tonight at 5! If you’re interested in learning more about WES and will be on the uws lmk and I’ll share location! Alcoholic and non-alcoholic bevs. Cash bar. Join us??
I am once again asking you, people of Bluesky, to please not try to make every single post by a Jew about Palestine. What’s happening must be talked about. And is being talked about. And Jews are entitled to engage in their Judaism in other ways as well.
Yeaaahhhh "Common threads animating this violent [anti-fascist] conduct include anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States Government; extremism on migration, race, and gender..."
More info on how to join us here: www.westendsynagogue.org/high-holy-days
Happening NOW: New Yorkers Against ICE arrested at Federal Plaza ICE has been ruthlessly kidnapping immigrant NYers. We refuse to stand by while ICE abducts our neighbors. So should our leaders. #ICEoutofNY @jfrejnyc.bsky.social @bradlander.bsky.social