Poetica Magazine

I’m back with more adventures to report from the Jewish Book Council tour of Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie’s Adventures in Love, Loss and the Lotus Position.

.

In Houston, Texas, everything is big – breakfast, hair, the state itself. I arrived on a Monday night at 6 pm, but by the time I schlepped my bags to the fancy schmancy limousine waiting for me, (the benefits of celebrity!) it was close to 7 pm. The room at the Marriott is pleasant enough (with an excellent view of Starbucks) and I sleep like a baby, looking forward to a hot cup of strong coffee.

.

I am invited to speak to the Beth Yeshurun’s Sisterhood’s Annual Luncheon at the local synagogue. Sandy, my escort, grabs my hand and with a mild drawl, says, "tell me about the rock" (my engagement ring). And so it goes. She tells me she is married to a “jubba” – a Jewish Bubba, who happens to be a doctor, a Dr. Jubba. Later, over delicious raspberry sorbet, as I was signing books, I find out that in Yiddish, jubba means frog in Yiddish!

.

The Texan ladies are charming. One woman, though, sticks in my mind. She said, “darlin’, you were fabulous this mornin’! I really enjoyed your reading, But you read so much from your charmin’ book, that I don’t feel compelled to buy it now. Good luck, sweetie pie!”

.

Oy vey. I sold quite a few books, and signed a few gals up for my Yiddish Yoga Cruise to Aruba and Curacao (March, 2010!) and headed to Indianapolis where I was treated to the most delicious Greek food I’ve ever had by my lovely hostess. I also reunited with an old friend from the University of Chicago Divinity School. My poor mother thought I’d be a rabbi, and I ended up studying Protestants and Capitalism. I’m happy to report there is a vibrant Jewish community in Indianapolis.

.

P.S. If you are interested in joining Ruthie and Lisa for the First Annual Yoga Cruise on Holland America Line please call 1-800-695-5253. Lisa will teach yoga classes and a writing class called Facing the Blank Page, Facing the Yoga Mat. Hope to see you at sea kvetching and stretching, twisting and schvtizing!

.

You can read more about Ruthie’s adventures and memories as she kvetches and stretches her way through yoga poses and braids the yoga tradition with her Jewish tradition, like a braided challah bread in the book Yiddish Yoga: Ruthy’s Adventures in Love, Loss and the Lotus Position.

                                                                       .

Thank you for reading JWorld Cafe, The Poetica Magazine Blog

Lisa Grunberger, Guest Blogger

                                                                            .

Lisa Grunberger was raised in Long Island, NY, by an Israeli mother and a Viennese Father. She holds a doctorate in Comparative Religions from the University of Chicago Divinity School, is a Yoga teacher, a college professor and a published writer. Her chapbook of poems, Root Canal: Love Poems is forthcoming from Poets Wear Prada Press (Roxeanne Hoffman, editor, Hoboken, NJ). She has been published in such journals as The Paterson Literary Review, Mudfish, Nimrod, The Drunken Boat, and Bridges: A Jewish Feminist Journal. She has taught at universities including Hofstra, the Bronx Community College, SUNY at Old Westbury and Parsons, and the School of Design at The New School. She is currently an Assistant Professor in English at Temple University in Philadelphia. Her illustrated gift book, Yiddish Yoga: Ruthy’s Adventures in Love, Loss and the Lotus Pose was published by New Market Press in September, 2009.