Hey Everybody,
Menachem Cohen here. It’s about time I introduce myself. I was born and raised in Chicago and the surrounding environs. I’m 37 and married to Wendy Lauter. We are expecting our first child in Dec (due date is the 15th, the first night of Channukah, but so few kids arrive on due dates). Currently living in Oak Park, but very much wanting to move closer to the water up east Rogers Park way. I have a BA in English:Creative Writing and minor in Women’s Studies from Beloit College, an MFA in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Smicha from Hebrew Seminary of the Deaf in Skokie.
At the end of June I took a job at the Night Ministry as a youth outreach minister working with homeless youth who were kicked out of their homes or ran away. Belmont around Clark/Halstead is a natioanlly known place to go for homeless youth so most of my work is in Lakeview.
I am the founding rabbi of the Mitziut Jewish Community (www.mitziut.org). We gather for shabbos the 1st and 3rd shabbos of the month, have a Jewish drum circle, classes etc.
For the last 6 years I have gone to Burning Man (www.burningman.com) and done shabbos amidst all the beautiful craziness that is the Playa (the anicent lake bed where we camp). For the last three years we’ve had a Jewish camp (www.metatronics.net/burn), first Cong. B’nai haMidbar and then the Black Rock JCC, and we’ll be out there again this year. Our main event is friday night shabbos davening and potluck. Definitely the most colorful shabboses I’ve been to (Jerusalem Camp Shabbos at Rainbow– www.jerusalemcamp.org –is the Shabbos with the best vertical jump). We’ve also had midnight mediations, Chasidut discussions/teachings and camp games. If you’re heading to Burning Man and want to hang with us let me know. There’s still even time to camp at the JCC.
Last year I was invited to join Synagougue3000’s, aka S3K, working group on Emerging Sacred Communities (www.synagogue3000.org). At the end of the month, just before Burning Man, I’m heading to the next gathering, over in the Big Apple.
I’m into comic books/graphic novels, evolution of Halacha, poetry, the Jewish fringes, Jewish healing prayer, fantasy role playing games like D & D, etc. I may post about this stuff as well as thoughts, ideas, developments in what I talked about above. See you around.
shalom v’ahava,
Menachem
welcome menachem. to paraphrase what we say in chicago, post early and post often.
Jewish Drum Circle?!?!?
I have a djembe and years before I converted, my drum teacher was a lovely Jewish man in Colorado. So glad you are writing with us, can’t wait to meet you online and off!
Women’s Studies? sounds interesting. welcome to the blog-o-sphere.
I am the founding rabbi of the Mitziut Jewish Community
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I’m into comic books, graphic novels,
Another Jew who likes comic books?!!! And a rabbi yet (not the first comic book rabbi I know of, though).
Perhaps you would enjoy a visit to the Jewish Comics Blog at http://www.jewishcomics.blogspot.com/
Not many people know this, but the Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons is actually Jewish:
“Worst…Haftorah…ever…”
menachem, you brought a crowd!
Welcome Menachem! My doumbek is itching to get out the house, i’ll be sure to swing by and say hello to you folks in “meatworld” (you know, as opposed to on the internets) and am looking forward to writing with you here online.
and he’s a darned fine poet rebbe at that