Birthright "Israeli" AWESOME

This past Shabbat morning, I had the honor of delivering our congregation’s weekly Israel update since I had just returned from Birthright. Below is the speech I gave. It sparked some interesting discussion. I hope it can instigate some conversation here, too. Not to mention, now you can all know where I was during my blogging hiatus. Please note that the below is my interpretation of the group’s experiences while in Israel, but do not reflect the opinion of the group as a whole.

I just returned from Israel three days ago. I have not yet readjusted. In fact, I would say I have a long way to go. I have not yet come back down to Earth from the overwhelmingly uplifting ten-day experience with which I have been blessed. I have not yet gotten used to being an individual using New York public transportation, instead of being one in a group of 40 young Jews on a chartered tour bus. I don’t know how to eat breakfast alone anymore. I’m not sure how to sit at an office computer from 9AM to 5PM instead of taking in the breathtaking views and feeling the goosebump-inducing spirituality of Israel from 7AM to…3AM. I’ll get back to real life eventually, but it’s hard to let go.

For those of you who don’t know, Birthright is a gift. Literally. Sponsored by private donors, the Israeli government, and the Jewish Federation, it is a ten-day Israel experience gifted to young Jewish adults between the ages of 18 and 26 who have not yet been on a peer trip to Israel. Birthright approves multiple trip “organizers.” No two itineraries between organizers are the exact same. Each organizer adds their own flavor. I chose Mayanot for my trip.

In typical Ruthie fashion, I didn’t choose my program at random, I read up on all of the programs and compared itineraries and descriptions. But five years ago (yes it has been that long), I chose Mayanot because they seemed to have the most hands-on Israeli involvement (including an interactive volunteer project and the addition of Israeli students and soldiers to our group for part of the trip). After applying to Birthright six times (truly I lost track but that’s a solid estimate), I left on a plane with the rest of Mayanot 608 on Sunday, July 15.

We all immediately bonded over the long, long flight on Aerosvit. That’s what you get when you combine bad airplane food with no televisions – a lot to commiserate over. We appropriately renamed our cruddy airline—let your imaginations run wild—and it became our first of several hundred inside jokes on the trip.

Our first destination after landing was Tiberias in the North.

Full disclosure. I have been to Israel once before, but with my family five years ago. We stopped off in the North. Personally, it was not my favorite. Now? I LOVE THE NORTH.

We stayed at our hotel for three nights, so we were parked for a solid period of time. Our first morning we went on a hike through the Gilabun. Stomping through the brush, maneuvering over slippery rocks, it was a great exercise in team-building while we also learned that Israel is not a total desert. I also learned where all the Jewish gentlemen have been hiding, as many of my strapping young Jewish male friends offered their hands and their help in navigating through branches and streams. Seriously, it was like “Ohhh, here they are!”

But anyways.

After our hike, we boarded the bus to Mt. Bental—the site of the former Syrian bunker when this piece of the North was actually Syria. It’s unbelievable to visit a country and stand on land that your army has won. On land that your people have earned. On land that in recent memory had not been yours, but had, in fact, been a strategic viewpoint to more easily aim at you. It was our first taste of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It was the first moment we learned of the idea of DEFENDING the land of Israel. Not fighting for it, DEFENDING it.

Later that day, because we were so timely (and that was the last day we ever were), we were able to add in a stop to a local Olive Oil Dispensary in Qazrim. Not only did our group hoard olive oil like you’ve never seen in your life, we met with the owner of the dispensary. Avi was a former army commander. Now, he dispenses olive oil; but more than that, he is the sole producer—in the world—of 100% organic olive oil in a 100% sustainable operation. How’s that for an Israel update? Environment. Technology. Food. He’s got it all.

Now briefly: when you press olive oil you are left with olive residue. Olive residue is toxic. When you toss it back to the ground, you poison the land and the water. Avi figured out a purpose for this olive residue: cleaning. He makes anti-acne body wash. He makes anti-bacterial toilet cleaner—all out of olive residue. Avi claims that he has offered this technology (the ability to convert this residue into productive matter) to Jordan and Lebanon and Syria, but they have all refused his help. His philosophy, simple but profound, “You cannot fix yesterday, only tomorrow.” In this vein, he extended the hand of friendship through his product and technology. Even as a man who fought in the IDF and faced bullets from neighboring countries, he held no hate in his heart. He wants to help. He wants to move forward.

I would love to be able to lead you through a day by day account of my trip, but I know you can’t sit here and read all day, so here’s to speeding up.

On Day Two, after some more hiking we visited a kibbutz directly on the border of Lebanon. Directly as in I could reach out and touch the border fence. Our speaker was Aryeh, a 70-year-old Israeli who had emigrated from Detroit, Michigan about 50 years prior. I did not like Aryeh. In fact, I was so angry about Aryeh I cried burning angry tears after I finally escaped the room he spoke in. Aryeh also fought in the IDF. He has lived on this border since he moved to Israel.

Now he may say he holds no hate in his heart, but his words certainly sounded hateful to me.

He spoke of his dislike for his neighbors. He spoke of the barbaric people that are the Arabs. He clearly stated that he was not a warmonger. He did not like to kill. But that when he is threatened, and his country is threatened, he absolutely will shoot a gun without regret. He argued that Islam is a religion that teaches hate and war. He argued that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of religious spite, and not about land at all. These were tough sentiments to hear.

Many of you heard me speak a couple of years ago about my studies of Israel during my undergrad. I was blessed to learn about the start of the conflict back in the 1800s. I learned from both the Israeli and the Arab perspective. The Jewish and the Muslim sides. I believe the conflict, while now a deep ethnic and religious battle, was rooted in a conflict about land.

Bottom line, this man was bitter and angry. He opened up the floor to questions by saying, “I am not here to hear your opinions. I will NOT debate anything I have said with you. If you have a question, fine. I will answer it with the hard truth, but I will not engage in a discussion because nothing you say means anything.” A little abrasive? A little condescending?

What made me so upset, was that I knew that on Day Two many of my friends on my trip didn’t really have much other word to go off of. I didn’t want them to hear his voice as the lone opinion. I didn’t want this man to breed hatred in their hearts. I wanted us all to learn and understand. Many Arabs are hateful, many are not. Many Muslims distort the teaching of their religion into violence. Many do not. This man may have been telling HIS truth, but it was not an ABSOLUTE truth as he claimed.

I believe there are two sides to every story. I think the best way to support Israel is to tell both sides and simply make the better argument.

Fast-forward five days. It was Sunday night. Our speaker, Neil Lazarus, asked us what day of the trip it was. We didn’t know. His response, [insert British accent here] “That means it’s about Day 6 or 7. That’s when Birthright trips have no clue where they are. I swear, the man who created the Birthright itinerary was absolutely a sadistic human being.” We laughed through our Birthright coma.

Neil approaches “the conflict” from an academic perspective. He is brilliant. As he walked us through the situation of the Middle East today (i.e. Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iran), he showed us a video clip. I honestly do not remember in which country this speech was made, or where the rally was held. But I do remember feeling sick to my stomach and crying.

This rally for the Arab Spring (as it is called) called for Muslims to take up their guns and fight. Not against the dictators in their own oppressed governments, but to take up their guns and take back Palestine. To take Jerusalem--out of the hands of the Jews--as their capital. To fight until the death. To kill. To hate.

Next I saw a video clip, basically off of someone’s iPhone, of a missile strike in Gaza. The sirens. The earth shaking. And then I understood why Aryeh, after living across a line in the sand from the Lebanese Hezbollah, is the way he is.

Israelis live in a warzone. It is as simple as that. The good news is that it is quiet right now. The bad news is, that’s just right now.

Six Israeli peers, both active soldiers and students who had finished their IDF service, had joined our trip by this point. We were supposed to have seven, but one was called away to be with his unit to deal with the crisis in Bulgaria where a bus of Israeli tourists had been bombed.

We bombarded our new friends with questions about the army. How does it work? How do you get your assignment? Do you have friends who are combat soldiers? And questions about life. Where is the cool bar to go out? What music do you listen to? You live on a kibbutz? How does that work?

But I think the biggest understanding we gained, was a feel for the enormous swell of pride that each Israeli we met feels for their country. This is something that as Americans, none of us on the trip currently feel about our country of birth. This idea that you believe in the mission of your country, that you love your countryman as your brother, that the Jewish people of the world are really just one big spread out family who deserves a home, was foreign to us.

Yet, this concept is not foreign to all Americans. As prep for our visit to Israel’s largest military cemetery, we watched a movie about the fallen American IDF soldier, Michael Levin whose grave we would visit later that day. A young man so dedicated to Israel, Michael broke into an Israeli government building to enroll in the army. To further prove that the Jews of the world are one big family, I received a shock that morning when I realized that I know Michael’s family. They were my host home at USY International Convention 2005. Michael’s mom was my mom for three days. His sisters my sisters. His home my home. Michael died fighting August 3, 2006.

The idea of fighting a war to sustain the existence of your country—rather than our wars fought outside our land—became very real. We felt Michael and every young soldier’s commitment and pride viscerally.

But of course, we also had a blast. It was not only the people, but the land itself that made 40 young Americans fall in love with Israel. From our hike in the Gilabun, to our hysterical rafting down the Jordan River; from our meandering through Tzfat, to our Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel; from our wave-jumping at the beach in Tel Aviv to our trek through Jerusalem’s Hezekiah tunnels; from Masada to the Dead Sea, we learned firsthand the beauty of Israel. We fell head over heels.

When we visited Independence Hall in Tel Aviv and listened to David Ben Gurion declare the State of Israel, we had tears in our eyes and when we rode camels through the desert we had smiles on our faces. We challenged each other in discussions about how to prioritize Jewish values to pass on to the next generation. We stared in awe at the graves in Mt Herzel.

And after all of this, after ten days that felt more like ten months, it was time to wrap up and say goodbye. During our closing ceremonies, we all had to pick a highlight of the trip and declare something non-material that we were taking home with us from Israel.

It was in this moment that I realized that Birthright is going to save the Jewish people. Kids that came with little religion, kids who questioned G-d, kids who felt no connection to their ancestry or the land of Israel all declared that they felt like they had a home in Israel—that they are now proud to be Jews. And after struggling in the past few years with my Jewish identity, I felt I was able to reconnect with the help of my Birthright staff and peers.

My love for Israel, my understanding and compassion for my people, grew on this trip. The last time I visited I thought to myself, “This is a beautiful place, but I could never leave home to move here.” Now, I completely understand why friends of mine move to Israel. I understand the desire. They are moving home. It’s not out of the question for me anymore.

The last time I was home in CT, Gail Weinstein’s Israel update was about numbers and the Jewish population around the world. After hearing those numbers, I wanted to cry. I worried that the Jewish people would evaporate. But I can guarantee, that as long as we send my generation and the coming generations to Israel—particularly on Birthright—that we will flood the world with our culture and love.

If you know of any young Jewish young person, whether they identify as such or not, you must tell them to go on Birthright. This will be your contribution to Israel and the Jewish people of tomorrow.

Shabbat Shalom.

On a jet plane

for Birthright I am finally on the plane to Israel. I am sitting next to a woman who looks like yaya. I will blog if I can but get ready for stories upon my return.

Dancing through life

This past week was completely packed. While looking back on it and trying to draw connections I realized that the last seven days had two major things in common: expectations and dancing.

July 4, as we all know, landed on a Wednesday and I was hell bent on making my bonus day count. I began frantically emailing friends about their plans for the day. To no avail, it was the night before and things were still up in the air. There were options. I would see people and spend time with people. I had to let go of a BIG plan. Who cares about a BIG plan anyway? The day would at least be my own instead of my desk’s and that would be enough.

Just Dance, It Will Be Ok

In going with the impromptu feeling of the Wednesday July 4, parties started popping up at the last minute Tuesday night. So I went out dancing! Can I just tell you how good it feels to dance? Because it feels amazing. There has been a lot going on in my head lately, as I tackle new projects at work and search for a new roommate and travel every single weekend out of town and get ready for my trip to Israel. All good things, but just a lot whirring around in my head. But when I go out, and the music blares in my ears and vibrates in my chest, everything goes away. When I close my eyes and just groove, nothing matters. Not to mention, the friends I went downtown with were all fabulous dancers—people who are so into it they need space for their moves. We had dance-offs. We bounced around on the rooftop couches. It was a total blast. My expectations for the kick-off to my day off were met.

The actual holiday of July 4 was the perfect mix of productivity and relaxation. I spent the morning getting the things done I never have time for (see: laundry) while watching Wimbledon (yay tennis) and then spent the afternoon at the pool and the park with friends. No pressure. Just fun.

The Moves Like Jagger

Thursday night, my girl friends and I went to see MagicMike. Can I just say…it was everything I’d hoped for and more? The marketers of this movie are geniuses. They marketed the film as a commercial flick, all skin and sex and no brains. Personally, I might have been ok with that for one movie and one night. After all, have you ever seen a sexier cast than the lineup of Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, Mattew Bomer, and JoeManganiello? Watching them parade around shirtless and chiseled with a serving of Channing’s phenomenal dancing on the side would have been amazing on its own. Yet, the movie was actually a bit more indie and brainy than the trailer let on—featuring thoughtful direction, focused shot-making and a true storyline (not just an empty plot). Brava Steven Soderbergh.

I was SO happy I went to see that movie. It was worth every penny. So while I prefer to dance myself, on nights when I can’t watching amazing choreography is a nice substitute.

For I...Can't...Help...

Then the weekend hit. I was traveling home to CT to hitch a ride with my family up to Meredith, New Hampshire. My brother is performing at InterlakesTheatre up in Meredith as part of summer stock. He is currently in performance for the first of four shows this summer. So we packed our bags and got ready to see the Elvis musical All Shook Up! In the style of Mamma Mia, the show takes the music of Elvis and builds a plot around it. What comes out is a bit of a cheesy show, but it’s so fun and the music is so great that you ignore the corn and love every minute of it.

Prior to this weekend I had seen my family a lot. A lot, as in, every weekend since the summer began. I love my family, and I don’t regret a single trip I took home. But, I was stressing over work and the roommate decisions hung over my head and I was just ready to get in a fight. Plain and simple. 

I was ready for my mom to ask too many questions, to pry. I was ready for her to over-involve herself in my decision (even though I had asked her for her advice just 12 hours before). I was expecting it, like a lion ready for the kill. So when she asked if I had received any more inquiries about the room, I pounced. 

It wasn't fair, to be honest. But because I attacked, she engaged. And then the aura was tense. How you approach a situation can completely dictate that situation. I'm a big believer in the self-fulfilling prophecy. If you expect something to go wrong, chances are it will. So thanks to my attitude, and my inability to control it even when I know it's going haywire, led to a less enjoyable car ride. 

But once again, the power of dance prevails. While the tension broke much earlier than when the curtain rose, any trace leftovers of it apparated the instant my brother took the stage dancing. If I may, he is a ridiculous dancer. His talent never ceases to amaze me. He ALWAYS surprises me with his growth as a performer. Every time I think I have figured out his character type or dance level, he brings something new to the table and baffles me all over again. The show was simply adorable and I learned that I actually really like Elvis music, particularly when arranged a la musical theatre (do yourself a favor and listen to this).


It was a huge treat to be able to travel to see him perform, to see such a quality production, and to (what else?) get up and dance in the aisles during the bows of the Saturday night show. 


While dancing and managing my expectations might seem completely unrelated, my high school yearbook quote lifted from Wicked puts it perfectly: Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters, it's just life so keep dancing through.

It's not worth getting stressed out over things, particularly in advance. No need to anticipate that something will be frustrating, or it will turn out that way. Just let life roll off your back. Relax. Smile. Turn on some music. Dance. I promise you'll feel better.

Happy wedding time

It's July folks. I cannot even believe it. June zoomed right by. Too fast for me to even recognize that June--known to all bridal industry professionals the month of all months for weddings--quickly came and went, though not without some nuptial celebrations. 

This last week of June was the first time such prosperity for the people in my own life coincided with the commercially decided month of matrimony. As part of a really big Jewish family, I have a ton of cousins (meaning first and second) of marrying age. They basically pick the date they can squeeze onto an already full calendar. I've been to fall weddings, winter weddings--June has never been a bigger deal than any other time. Now, the difference is: my friends are of marrying age. And what an eventful June week it was.

I attended my cousin's wedding this past Wednesday and one of my closest friend's wedding yesterday. In between chair-lifting and toasting, another cousin of mine got engaged and yet another cousin of mine announced that he and his wife are expecting! Meanwhile, last Tuesday a distant friend of mine got married and yesterday, out in Ohio, my friend from college got married. It seems my life is busting at the seams with happy couples.

My mood around weddings varies. In the past, weddings were tough since all of my aunts and uncles would bless me, muttering in Arabic, hoping that I would enjoy the same blessings as the bride and groom very soon. It felt like an insane amount of pressure. (Think of my family as Toula's family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Since then, I have adjusted what they're saying in my head to mean "the same for you" in due time. This is a little less aggravating on the nerves and turns a time bomb into a simple well-wish. A happy thought. 

So now, I try just to bask in the glow of happiness of the bride and groom whenever I'm at a wedding. Their wedding is not about my not-wedding, which is important to keep in mind at a time when so many people I know are headed towards wedded bliss. (I know as a twenty-something I am not alone in this.) The day is about them, and what an honor it has been to a be a part of so many happy days!

On wedding days, I get to see two families merge because of a singular love. You merge people, you merge traditions, friends. Your lives basically collide in an explosion to create something brand new. Nifty science experiment, no? 

The wedding I went to yesterday married a man who had been raised as a Reform Jew and a woman who had been raised more traditionally and is an Orthodox Jew. It was incredible to watch the Reform rabbi tag team with the Orthodox rabbi to perform a ceremony with many Orthodox traditions in a Reform synagogue sanctuary. 

The fusion of practices and customs evidenced compromise at its best. It was so cool to watch how two definitive paths merged into one new blazing trail. It inspired hope within me. Look what people are willing to do for those they love. The husband will sacrifice for the wife and vice versa, but each of their families also bend to accommodate a new addition to the family tree. It makes me think that, perhaps, in the world at large compromise is possible.

But most importantly, from all these festive occasions and happy announcements you realize how important it is to pause and fully enjoy these moments of happiness. Not only is there a lot of crap going on in the world, but I find that too often families make the time for each other only for obligatory sad occasions. You get a call when, G-d forbid, someone is in the hospital. You drive a long way on short notice to make it to a funeral. For some reason, tragedies get priority over comedies. Attend the events that you get to sing and dance and drink and eat and laugh and be merry. 

I vote that happy times get just as much attention and priority as sad times. Life is short, moments are fleeting. Indulge in the ones that make you smile, in the ones that give you hope. Invest in the ones that make you feel love. 

And this is not exclusive to weddings. Choose to be a part of a celebration of love or friendship or family. My college roommates and I gathered for brunch our senior spring to reminisce about the past year of friendship and living together. We laughed at old stories and ate delicious pancakes. It wasn't a conventional celebration for springtime, but it was a happy time. 

So happy wedding season and may you find creative ways to experience happy days that far outnumber days of any other kind.

New York State of Mind

My sister, Emma, came to visit me this past weekend for some sisterly bonding, some New York adventures, and a little vacation from West Hartford before she began rehearsals for our town's impending production of Hairspray (if you're in WeHa you need to be there July 26-28).

Now out of my immediate family, I never considered my sister a city person. I live here and love it. My brother thrives when he’s here and plans to move immediately after graduation. My mom used to work here, commuting from Jersey. My dad’s office is here when he’s not working remotely, plus he’s just a foodie and all-out culture junkie. But my sister…I never pictured her enjoying the bombardment of stimuli synonymous with NYC. As is her way, my sister surprised me during her visit, “The idea of living in New York is growing on me,” she said. I looked at her as if she just declared she was moving to a nudist colony. “I mean, if you have this much fun all the time, it could be awesome.”

Well, folks. As you’ve noticed from my blog, I aim to keep things interesting. I do try to have fun all the time. I’m constantly out and about, running from shows to jazz concerts to food tastings to yoga class to street fairs to whatever the hell else I could possibly find to keep myself busy. The truth is, sometimes I’m exhausted from it. I’m absolutely having a blast. But does enjoying New York mean hopping from activity to activity every day?

Like many things in life, the answer lies in the balance.

It’s best to balance those things which are quintessential New York with “regular” life.

Sometimes I think about what I would be doing, and how my life would be, and what my personal calendar would look like if I still lived in West Hartford, CT. Chances are, I’d come home most nights and watch a movie, or read a book, or go for a walk before going to bed. Doing this every night sounds incredibly boring to me, which is perhaps why I live in a place with so many after-work options. That’s certainly how some people live—even if they’re apartment is in New York—but not for me.

This past week, I put a New York twist on “regular” life and also managed some quintessential New York fun for a balance I aim to achieve more often.

So much of New York’s culture relies on our restaurant scene. As of 2010, there were over 23,000 restaurants in the five boroughs. New Yorkers are famous for using their ovens as extra drawers. But on Wednesday night, instead of going out to dinner, my friend hosted an Italian dinner party.

Salad with roasted vegetables and olives, broccoli rabe, vegetable lasagna, whole blue bass and red snapper with Italian cheesecake for dessert. Thank goodness he put in all the effort, because all I had to do was show up and enjoy the food and the company of his guests. A dinner party. Something different. Something you could do in any city in the world. Something mellow. Something "regular."

When my sister came into town, she of course wanted to do New York things. So we went to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, Becco, before going to see Newsies!!! There is a New York Moment attached to this story. Newsies offers $30 tickets through their ticket lottery (see: New York on a Dime). My sister and I showed up dressed for the theater and entered our names. We stood shaking as names were called. It seemed as if they called every name but ours. Just before the last name, my sister and I held hands and closed our eyes hoping that we would win the last pair to see the 8pm show. “I’m channeling Mary Murphy,” my sister said—she’s a judge on So You Think You Can Dance with SO much energy it just feels like she can make magic happen. The last name was not ours.

Totally bummed.

I run up to the front to ask if Newsies has Sunday performances so we could try again. But then Emma yells my name. So I run back to her.

Turns out: The last name called was an Andy Something-or-other. Andy came with his wife and two friends. Andy’s friend, Ryan, had already won a pair of tickets for Andy earlier in the lottery. Andy’s wife saw us holding hands and told Andy to accept the extra pair of tickets FOR US! Wait. It gets better.

“Wait, you look really familiar,” Emma says to Andy’s second friend. “Were you on So You Think You Can Dance?” BAM! YES! It was Evan Kasprzak from SYTYCD Season 5! Evan is IN Newsies and wanted his friends to see the show. So Evan’s brother Ryan, also a contestant on SYTYCD, Andy and Andy’s wife (still no name) all entered hoping that they would win a pair to see Evan in the show. We stood talking to Evan about SYTYCD, Newsies, the other SYTYCDers in Newsies, dance, theater, Kat Deeley, and the woman who’s channeling made it all happen: Mary Murphy. Surreal. Competely surreal.

Evan definitely thought I was a crazy person because I was talking so loud and so fast. I could not comprehend that I was going to see the show that night. And that we didn’t win the lottery, yet those people were just so sweet. And that we met him just chillin outside the theater. CRAZY.

As a side note, the show is INCREDIBLE. I am completely obsessed. Get your ass to that theater. NOW.

Sunday Emma and I slept in before grabbing brunch at Good Enough to Eat—rumored to have a great brunch. It was tasty, for sure. We waited in line for 40 minutes to get in, but we were in no rush. Not rushing felt great. So unlike New York….

We wandered around the Upper West Side a bit. We stopped in to my apartment for an afternoon snack. Having nothing really to do, we decided to go all tourist-y and take a rowboat ride in Central Park. So fun!! I should also mention, the rowboat ride in Central Park seems like one of those things that would be outrageously expensive just because it’s New York. Newsflash, it’s $12 for an hour on the lake. It was nice just to relax in the shadow of the sun as it set, tucked behind the trees of Central Park away from the cement and honking.

To top off our weekend we went to the movies to see Brave. Nothing terribly special. Nothing notably New York, yet completely enjoyable.

The thing is, New York gives you the option. Take advantage of unique New York attractions or just go about your day--that’s the big advantage of living here. Balance. Choice. So yes, Emma, if you live it the way we lived it, New York is always that much fun.

Be Yourself

Monday night I went to Seth Rudetsky’s Not Since High School! benefit concert at this hot little gay lounge called Xl. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Seth’s work, he is incredible. He is a musical genius (in the way of musical direction, vocal arrangement, and crazy piano playing) who has made a career as a Broadway personality. That’s the best way to describe him. 

Between his Playbill column Onstage & Backstage, his Sirius XM radio show Seth Speaks, the fabulous concerts he organizes with phenomenally talented members of the Broadway community, and--most importantly--his Deconstructions, Seth is a musical theater expert. [Side note: a Deconstruction is a video blog session in which Seth chooses music from a show or artist, or a single song to break down and analyze in order to demonstrate anything from stellar vibrato and vocal placement to hilarious lyrics.]

Seth put on a fantastic concert Monday with stars like Chris Jackson (In the Heights, The Lion King), Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz (Catch Me If You Can, Wicked), Melissa Errico (Les Miserables) and so many more. They all sang songs from roles they played in high school. 

Besides nearly fainting from Norbert’s rendition of "I”ll Know" from Guys and Dolls, Chris Jackson was the best number of the night. He was apparently in Oliver! as a teen, and began his number with his cockney traditional version of "Consider Yourself." He commented on the irony of his type casting (the joke is he’s black) and then swept into an R&B rendition of the song, which I hope he makes into a single because I would buy that!

But I'm sidetracking. Seth’s greatest accomplishment is not his concerts, his radio show, his books, his own original musical or his tour schedule. Seth’s ultimate achievement is that he has made a successful career by being himself. 

He is unapologetically flamboyant and sassy, exaggeratedly yet unexaggeratedly Jewish and a complete musical theater nerd. Seriously, I thought I was the only person who swooned that hard at the way Gavin Creel back-phrases when he sings "I Turned The Corner."

His animated facial expressions are completely strange. He edits himself for no one. He’s coined numerous terms just by saying them in his own Seth inflection (i.e. Brava!, delic-i-ous, criz-azy, obsessed). He never takes it down a notch for fear of offending anyone. He never tones down his conviction for fear of startling people with his honesty. In fact, it’s all become part of his marketable persona.

Seth has basically said “screw you” to judgment. Because of this, he is a star simply by being him. He LOVES Broadway. Sometimes I just think of him as the Peter Pan of stage door kids. He gets overwhelmingly excited about talent and displays no shame when it comes to expressing his awe. I relate to this as I have been known to cry speaking to actors at their stage door while they take the Sharpie from my hand and give me the autograph I brag to my brother about.

I admit, however, that simply being myself is a challenge for me. So often I feel like I have to impress people, and I become a different version of myself. I find myself adapting to the atmosphere or the people around me. But Seth reminds me: why be a knockoff version, when you can be the fabulous original?

Seth Rudetsky follows his passion and continues to bare his uncontainable personality in any environment. Musical theater fans all over the nation love him for it. So take a page out of Seth’s book. Be yourself. Don’t just follow your passion, own it. Don’t tone yourself down to blend into whatever industry or situation you’re in. Make a splash. Be yourself. After all, when people meet you, that is who they expect to see.

Combine your passions

This past week was chock full of things to talk about. Seriously, I’m exhausted. But not too exhausted to tell you all about it.

My brother was in town in order to squeeze in as many shows as humanly possible before the Tony Awards—which took place at the Beacon Theater last night. He managed to pack in four shows in three days, compared to my four shows in five. Foiled again! I met a ton of Broadway celebs back stage, at stage doors, and (of course) by hitting the sidewalk lottery jackpot when I ran into Neil Patrick Harris after Evita. (To answer your question, yes there is a photo. To answer your next question, yes it is a cute one.)

Aside from my bondage to Broadway, the week was eventful. Thursday, I snagged a spot at the Meredith table at the June luncheon for Advertising Women of New York (AWNY). AWNY is a networking organization focused on women in the fields of media and communications—not just advertising. Mary Beth West, Executive Vice President and Chief Category and Marketing Office of Kraft Foods Inc., delivered the address. She is the head honcho when it comes to brands like Oreo, Trident, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Wheat Thins, all those foods you’ve never heard of. A gifted speaker, Mary Beth discussed Kraft’s success (re-launching multiple brands and celebrating new ad campaigns) by comparing her business to music.

Naturally, I was smitten with her in a matter of seconds. Mary Beth went on to eloquently describe how her musical education playing classical violin and jazz saxophone helped her lead Kraft to become a trailblazing company. As in music, she believes it is important to mix a classical foundation with elements of jazz. Fusing these philosophies, she urged the forum of business folk in the room to let go and be spontaneous. The fusion of her passions for music and business served up a powerful message.

This got me thinking. The combination of passions created a meaningful message that spoke to a ballroom full of people on multiple levels. Perhaps a key to success in career and happiness in life is to mix passions on a consistent basis.

Another AWNY speaker, Wendy Clark of The Coca-Cola Company, begged her audience to “find what you love.” Perhaps merging multiple things you love will lead you to the thing you love most.

When I was in undergrad at Barnard, there was a void in my life because I had not been cast in any campus musical theater productions. Life without theater was just not the same. (In fact, if you ask NPH life should be more like theater.) My dad suggested that I go write for the Columbia Daily Spectator’s theater section so that at least I’d be able to see theater and maybe score a few free tickets. As many of you know, this foray into arts journalism changed my life. I discovered my passion for writing, but fell in love with it because I married it with my theater obsession.

This concept extends from finding the right career to discovering the right community.

Friday night, after Shabbat dinner, I headed to The Triad to perform as part of the Bikram Yoga NYC Cabaret. I was so excited to sing and this time around I felt like I truly picked a song that fit both my voice and the event. I sang “Somewhere That’s Green” from Little Shop of Horrors.

For those of you who don’t know the show, the character Audrey lives on Skid Row and works in the flower shop that houses the Man-Eating Plant that lends the horror to Little Shop of Horrors. She dates a sadistic dentist who beats her, and so she dreams of a place where life is pretty and simple. The grass is greener on the other side. (A bit morbid, but follow me.) I altered the lyrics a bit to tailor to the Bikram Yoga crowd by playing Audrey as if she fantasized about one day being united with Bikram Choudhury, even though he’s a bit of a yoga dictator.

The crowd really loved the humor in the start of the number and followed me as I turned a bit more heartfelt in this song about the girl who just dreams of a simple life. I felt amazing afterwards. Not only did the combination of humor and emotion totally work, but I love performing in these cabarets. I feel like a part of an incredibly unique community of yogi artists.

We’re all so used to seeing each other basically naked and dripping sweat in a yoga room, killing ourselves to do better and be better. Yet once a month, we get dolled up, throw back some drinks, and show off our hidden talents as hosted by our favorite drag queen Miss Chelsea Piers. (Amazing drag name, right?) I feel so at home in this group of people cheering me on. We’re all bonded because of our commitment to our yoga practice, but also because we enjoy spending a night cozied-up to the performing arts.

 Now, I’m working again to merge two things I love in the categories defined as “Social” and “Career.” In case it is not obvious, I love to write. I am also part of a fabulous organization known as the Urban Girl Squad, which functions as an event-based social networking organization for young professional women in NYC. I absolutely love the event offerings at UGS and I’ve come to meet intelligent and interesting women to connect with and broaden my network of New York friends. Well, UGS was looking for a writer to blog for them. That’s right, folks. I am taking the Internet by storm, one blog at a time, on route to finding what I love to do one combination of passions at a time.

In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy days in which my passions coincidentally collide, as it was yesterday with the French Open tennis Men’s Singles Championship by morning and the 66^th Annual Tony Awards by night. A national holiday in The Book of Ruthie.

Whether it's a coincidental discovery or an active search, I hope you find a way to integrate those multiple disciplines which ignite your passions to live a fulfilling life and land a prosperous career.