Frisco, Represent!
An unfortunately titled piece in today’s San Francisco Chronicle recognizes my beloved minyan, some wonderfully talented friends, and of course (good grief) an item that’s sold out on my website.
I urge you to look past the “hipster” nametag – which you and me and everyone disdains – and read a bit about some wonderful artists and community builders who call the Bay home. Amy, Yoav, Mickey, Judah, Jeremy and the ultimate hipster, Rabbi Langer, hold it down fiercely on a daily basis. Out here on the fringe of the diaspora, it takes blood, sweat, tears…and a lot of Gan Eden Cabernet Sauvignon.
Jewish hipsters celebrate outsider identity
Hey Sarah!
Just saw your mention on SFGate {The SF Chronicles} web site. Wow, I just learned about you yesterday, and today you are featured on the front page of the Chronicle! What a coincidence 😉
I agree, the hipster thing was a little much. I am a Bal Teshuva like most people here. After my Bar Mitzvah I drifted pretty far away from my Jewish roots. I grew up in the New York area {Connecticut exactly} and moved to LA in 1984… By way of jobs I ended up in the North Bay area. I suffered my “Three Tests” between 2001 and 2003, these being:
1) Losing my brother on 9/11. He worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of WTC tower 1.
2) Losing my job at a time when the Software Engineering field was loosing steam {late 2002}
3) My wife of 10 years left me for a friend.
I got back to Judaism with a ferver. I now have two minyans which really want me there. One is an Orthodox minyan, being held by the rabbi of Touro University here in Vallejo. The other is at the Conservative-Reform synagogue I belong to here in Vallejo. I have been on a journey to find the best and most uplifting Jewish music. I found Hip Hop Shabbat on my own, found bands like Yad, The Beetniks, Robbi Sherwyn, Devorah Gila, and most recently the AWESOME Matisyahu {whom I anxiously await his latest release}. I was QUITE A DEADHEAD for almost 15 years. I got into the Grateful Dead way back in 1986 and ended up seeing those guys over 30 times in 10 years. I was the quintessential deadhead, wearing tie-dye and following the band around California. Thus my affinity for the Haight Ashbury area, where the Dead lived at one time {wayback in the 60’s}.
I am interested in the groups you attend… I tried to get involved with SF JCC even attending one of their dating events right after I got divorced. I don’t drink much, so the beer events dont sound so great for me. I really look forward to going to a Matisyahu event as I envision the experience for me as the closest to the feeling I used to get going to a Dead show. I felt the electricity and the love and the life which flowed between fellow travelers who also loved the Deads music.
Shalom.
Michael U
michael, the mission minyan meets on the first shabbat of each month in san francisco. come join us on jan 6/7!