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Of Pirates, Parrots, and Persecution: An Interview with Gary Barwin
Ever heard of a talking parrot? I am assuming you have. Now what about the 500-year-old immortal, gay, and Yiddish-speaking parrot, who has set the literary world abuzz? Oh! Did we mention the parrot is also the narrator of a tale brimming with pirates, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, and the tragic Spanish inquisition from the 12th and 19th centuries? If that just made your head spin, let us direct you to the source—Gary Barwin, a writer, composer, multimedia artist, and the author of twenty books of poetry, fiction, and books. In his first adult fiction, Yiddish for Pirates, the 52-year-old pulled out all the stops in creating a literary piece…
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Multi-Faith Holiday: Celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah
I can’t say I have ever celebrated Hanukkah in the traditional way, but I did, however, grow up learning about and celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas. My dad’s side of the family is Jewish. He grew up celebrating Hanukkah, receiving eight days of presents, and lighting the menorah. My mom, however, grew up going to church on Christmas Eve and opening her stocking bright and early on December 25th. They worked together to come up with ways that my sister, brother, and I could learn about and enjoy both holidays simultaneously, instead of choosing one or the other. We always had a Christmas tree in our house, but we also…
