A Message From Our Editor
Written by Penina Taylor
Tishrei is coming to an end and many of us are feeling like we can start to breathe again. It feels like it’s been a month of Fridays (and Sundays). Every other day I found myself asking, “Wait, what day is it?”
As difficult as many of us find the fall holidays, we actually need these life-cycle events to keep us anchored in time, without which we would drift aimlessly through life. Judaism does that, it anchors us, connects us, gives us direction, acts as a compass, not only through the weeks, months, and years, but through life. Not just Judaism, but being a part of the Jewish people.
One of the reasons Covid has been so devastating (besides the financial repercussions for so many) is that it caused us to lose our anchors – one day ran into the next -and we did everything alone; no going out to work, no parties, no life-cycle events. Watching celebrations – or funerals – as though they were a movie didn’t help, because in our heads videos aren’t reality. Or if they are, they are someone else’s reality, not our own. No anchor there.
An anchor can be something that weighs you down, keeps you stuck in one place and prevents you from moving forward and making progress. Or an anchor can be something that gives you stability in the storm, keeping you from being tossed and turned and from drifting aimlessly or traveling in circles when the way is not clear. Having a sense of connection to others, and to something greater than ourselves serves as this kind of an anchor.
When I decided to create UNORTHOBOXED, I felt like there could be women out there who felt like myself – like we needed anchors to both Judaism and to the rest of the world. But I didn’t know for sure. Maybe I was alone in this need. Little did I know that there were tens of thousands of women out there, just like me, who were looking for that anchor in the storm. Looking for a place that says, “You belong here.” So, I created UNORTHOBOXED not having any clue if there would be much interest. But my gut told me that I needed to just do it and time would tell whether it was the right decision.
So how did we do? Judging from all the comments and private messages I’ve gotten, it appears that we’re on to something. We’ve had an amazing first month. We have had over 20,000 pageviews, which is an incredible start… I’ve fielded private messages left and right from women (and some men) about how important this publication is, about how we are filling an otherwise unanswered need. That we are providing space for those who don’t fit in the traditional “Orthodox” boxes, but are still strongly connected to their Judaism. We are providing an anchor in a rough and sometimes angry storm.
In spite of having only about three working days this month, our amazing team of writers and editors have managed to outdo themselves with an incredible offering of articles that are sure to inspire, inform and in some cases, challenge you. And as you make your way through our “pages” it is my hope that you will not only enjoy them, but find your anchor in the storm.
