Here’s what it means to be a minority religion/culture within a majority society: Every time something is scheduled on one of your holidays, you have to decide whether it’s worth the pushback.

Purim began on Monday night (all Jewish holidays start at sundown, as does Shabbos). I also had a meeting on Monday night. I serve on the board of this group, and I already knew the meeting date couldn’t be moved. Attend the meeting or bail on it?

There’s a bit of a hierarchy of Jewish holidays, which is good since we have a lot of them. I would never do work, volunteer or otherwise, on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. Passover seders are supposed to be held on either the first or second night. Hanukkah is more of a minor holiday and also lasts eight days/nights, so I’m not worried about getting a celebration in.

Some of this decision-making depends on the person’s observance level—I wouldn’t take time off for Passover or Sukkot, but another Jew might, especially if they’re attending synagogue or hosting guests.

Still. Every time I have to make this type of decision, I think: If I don’t push back, am I making things worse for other Jews? Will people point to me as the reason why other Jews shouldn’t be accommodated for holidays? It weighs on me.

My interfaith-secularish family celebrates Purim our own way—we retell the story (using the goofball play I wrote), eat dinner, eat hamentaschen. I could do all that and then get to the meeting, so I did. Right decision? I’m still not sure. But it’s an ambiguity I’m used to living with.

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I’m pretty unlikely to weigh in on the current war here. Except to say this: Please get information about it from actual reporters. There’s misinformation and propaganda (and AI) spreading through social media, and a lot of it devolves into hatred, from all sides. Skip it and read real news publications.

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In writerly news, I’m expecting my contributor copy soon of a Sherlock Holmes-themed anthology I’m in, and yes I am nerding out about this. I’ve been a Holmes fan since I was a kid. In my story, Mary (Morstan) Watson doesn’t die but instead ends up having an adventure in America with Irene Adler. Super fun to write. You can find the anthology here.

Just putting it out there that I also love Star Wars and Critical Role, in case anyone’s looking for writers.

I recently submitted stories to two long-shot anthologies, like “here’s my lottery ticket!” kind of anthologies. I really like both stories, so we’ll see what happens.

In the meantime, I think my fantasy novel-in-progress is starting to look like something. Although now I’m not sure if this is one book or two. I would like this manuscript to make up its dang mind.

Hope good things happen for you this weekend. Stay safe.