This morning was spent applying to the Children’s Museum and Phipps Conservatory and Botanic Gardens. Kudos to my sister for spending an hour going over resume and cover letter revisions with me. After I dropped off the Phipps papers, I headed to a supermarket- I’d planned to go to the Farmer’s Market but I needed to be back about 3 to go over dog-sitting details with landlord and the Market didn’t open til 3:30- and then, since I was in Squirrel Hill and had 45 minutes left on my meter, headed to the JCC. They have a lovely photo exhibition about coexistence in the Gallilee. I was sad to see it quiet- a few people in the pool. I stopped at the kosher grocery store on the way back to the car because they have a Help Wanted sign… they gave me an app, but it involves helping in the meat room, and I’m not sure I could handle that.

I also took a minute to read the signs on the Judaica store door. There’s apparently a radio station that runs a Jewish program every Friday, but when I tried it, it didn’t sound like the right thing- maybe they aren’t running it during the Nine Days. I signed up on the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh site, the summer seems kind of quiet in terms of events but a few synagogues or Temples have study sessions and I’m thinking about checking them out.

To be honest, I’m really nervous about trying to join the Jewish community here. Pittsburgh is a very inclusive community- had a great talk with Kathy about Pittsburgh being open to its immigrant roots the other day- and I’ve been told that most Jewish communities are more inclusive than the ones I’ve experienced thus far. Mum and Aaron were right- being in Squirrel Hill on Friday, it hit me that it’s Friday, it’s almost Shabbat, and I don’t even think I’m in walking distance of a shul. But walking or driving, I’ve become so used to a fractured community divided by clique titles that I’m scared to even start. So walking over to the JCC was like a dare for me, and going to the first study session will probably be so as well. With the museum community it’s easy- we have so much automatically in common, we have a place to start the conversation- and my views are progressive but not radical. In the Jewish community, I have less faith that I’ll find acceptance. But let’s find out and see. I need friends, and I want to add to my outlets for Jewish exploration, so I’ll find the entry point to the community.