Katherine Villyard's Blog, page 2

“Jewish Oaths”

There’s a thing that authors do when they’ve done a lot of research that I’ve heard referred to as “I paid my dues and now it’s your turn to suffer.” ���� You’ll (maybe) be pleased to hear that I toned down/removed the passage about “Jewish Oaths” from my manuscript before sending it to the copy editor:

I needed to leave, to hide. If I were arrested, well. It was common to humiliate Jews in court, to make us swear oaths standing on a sow���s skin while calling down biblical curses upon ourselves and blaming our people for the murder of Jesus. Moses Mendelssohn convinced some states to moderate these oaths, but Prussia���which contained both Berlin and Wreschen���kept them intact. We���d only been citizens since 1821. Prior to that, Prussian law had forbidden us to live in cities and we would have to pay massive ���protection��� taxes to get around that.

(TBH, I removed it because my Jewish sensitivity reader was starting to find the sheer mass of oppression triggering.)

The Jewish Oath is, sadly, historical. The Oath More Judaico dates back to Justinian. At least by Abraham’s time they’d dispensed with the thorns dragged “between the loins”?

Another “fun” law was that Jews were only allowed to testify in court while standing on a three legged stool, forced to pay a fine if they fell off, and lost their case if they fell off four times.

As to the taxes:

Following the expulsion in 1571, virtually no Jews inhabited Berlin for a century. This changed in 1663, when the elector of Brandenburg allowed Israel Aaron to enter Berlin as a court Jew. Soon afterwards, in 1671, 50 prominent Jewish Viennese families were allowed into the city as Schutzjuden, protected Jews who paid for a residence permit allowing them to engage in certain businesses and worship in private homes. The Jewish families were also given a cemetery, a mikveh (ritual bath), and a hospital. In 1714, the first synagogue, known later as the Old Synagogue, was established at Heidereutergasse in Mitte.

This community grew, despite the restrictions on residence and family size, and, by the beginning of the 18th century, there were approximately 1,000 residents of the Jewish ghetto. The community paid a great deal of its income in taxes: a protection tax, a residence tax, a head tax and a payment required to work in certain professions were all used at one point or another to extract money from the community.

Nonetheless, the Jews excelled as merchants, mainly selling precious metals and stones, and as bankers. Soon, they were among the richest people in Berlin, and by the halfway point of the 18th century, the Jewish population totaled 2,000 people.

—Jewish Community of Berlin, Germany

In short: yeah, if Abraham went to court for the situation with his landlady, things would not have gone well for him. It was probably better for the Jews of Berlin that he disappeared.

Louis Lewandowski, Felix Mendelssohn, and Immortal Gifts

Or, Not the Football Player. ����

One of the things I do for fun when I’m not working, writing, spoiling cats, or playing the Sims is… singing in Jewish choirs. Kind of a niche hobby, I suppose. But as such, that means I’m pretty familiar with Louis Lewandowski. He wrote a lot of Jewish choral music. Like, a lot.

He was born April 3, 1821, Wrze��nia, Poland, and died Feb. 4, 1894, in Berlin. Lewandowski was the first Jew admitted to the Berlin Academy. (They didn’t change the rules for him, they made an exception.) Those of you who have read my book might be feeling a moment of familiarity at this point. This is not a coincidence.

As I said in the back of my book, Abraham is not Lewandowski. They just share a birthday–moved a day during edits–a birth place, and a desire to attend the same institution.

But Lewandowski was legitimately admitted at the request of his friend (and rumored crypto-Jew) Felix Mendelssohn. I thought it was more dramatic for Abraham to make the choice many in his position made, and lie. The Spanish Inquisition didn’t consider conversion at swordpoint to be “forced’–they insisted that one could choose to die instead. Abraham didn’t fake-convert at swordspoint, and arguably Prussia had more pressing heresy issues than Jews pretending to convert for academic reasons, what with the whole Protestant Reformation thing going on. But it’s a thing he definitely comes to regret.

Lewandowski, on the other hand, wrote hundreds of songs and had a long, productive mortal life. He’s stylistically very much like Mendelssohn, as you might expect from two friends of similar backgrounds from the same time and place.

Abraham’s pretended conversion owes more to Mendelssohn’s father, Abraham, a banker and the son of Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. At the age of seven, Felix and the rest of his family converted to Christianity in a private home baptism. This was done less out of any religious fervor–Abraham Mendelssohn reportedly raised his children without religion prior to their baptism–and more to a sense that Judaism was doomed. He even tried to get the children to change their last names to something less Jewish. This was unsuccessful; Felix was proud of his Jewish heritage.

As to his actual religious convictions: Felix Mendelssohn was highly reticent on the topic. People have debated his faith, but in the absence of an actual statement from Felix himself, nothing can be proven.

Here are the Lewandowski pieces I’ve sung the most (note: to my Abraham’s horror, Lewandowski was pro-organ-music)

Louis Lewandowski – Halalujoh Psalm 150 // Synagogal Ensemble Berlin CD: “Tuet auf die Pforten”Ma Tovu by Louis LewandowskiLouis Lewandowski – Kol Nidrei // Synagogal Ensemble Berlin CD: “Die Liturgie der hohen Feiertage”Unetaneh Tokeif

Honorable mention:

Louis Lewandowski, Enosh Ps.103

Panel Discussion WITH ME

Check out this awesome panel discussion with Elisa Hansen, EH Drake (moderator), Aisling Wilder, Josephine Napiore, Andrew M Boylan, and ME.

Immortal Gifts – The Sims 4 save file

Do you play the Sims 4? I’ve heard it called “a casual game,” but I’ve never met a Sims 4 player with a “casual” relationship to the game. It’s so addictive!

Because it’s my thing, I’ve created an Immortal Gifts save file, with the following caveats:

It requires Vampires, Cats and Dogs, and might make you download the free Holiday pack. (Cats and Dogs is usually $40 and Vampires is usually $20, but you can pick them up on sale right now until May 15–Cats and Dogs is half price and Vampires is 30% off. If you missed it, they go on sale a lot. Either way, they’re popular packs!)Limiting packs meant limiting career and skill options. For example:The lawyer career comes with Discover University, so I made Ludwig a Patron of the Arts. The medical career requires Get to Work. (I made Morgan an athlete, because that’s her hobby.) Etc. If you own those packs, you can certainly change their careers, but I’m not going to make you buy two more $40 packs just to play the save! The only way to be a veterinarian in the Sims 4 is to own your own vet clinic, so Destiny owns the clinic. I am not able to create Ludwig’s penthouse with Cats and Dogs and Vampires. He lives in the nicest house in Willow Creek. If you want him to have a penthouse, you’ll need either City Living or Lovestruck. (City Living is closer to New York, for what it’s worth.)I can’t really create a “Victorian farmhouse” because my lot choices are… limited, and also I don’t consider myself a good enough builder. (Abraham lives on a big lot! That said, Vampires is the Victorian decor pack… and one of the other worlds does have a nice 64×64…)There is no cello skill in the Sims 4 at all without mods! If you download the mod and want to use it with Bridget, you’ll need to cheat her skill up or endure her practicing a lot. ����Ludwig might not love his clothing choices as much as I would like. ���� I’m spoiled rotten with my bajillion packs and limited packs means limited options. That said, you can, of course, use any other packs you own, or custom content if that’s your thing.If you use the popular mod MC Command Center (free download), certain pets will not age for reasons (install before launching the save). If you can’t or don’t want to use mods, you can turn aging off, or use age-down treats as needed. I generally prefer to play on long lifespan, but it’s all up to you! (I also like UI Cheats and Bienchen’s Dog and Cat sanity. Do be aware that mods break with every patch and require updating.)I built the vet clinic Destiny owns, but I don’t consider myself a builder. If you are a builder, feel free! This save is more about relationships and characters.There is no religion in the Sims 4. (If you own Get Together, perhaps you could make Destiny’s coven, etc., a club and set the club hangout to be a lot you downloaded or built? I wouldn’t buy the pack just for this save, though.)

I started the save in 2022 for Reasons and always intended to share, and the time is now! (Yes, the hairs are all different, see above.)

Some cool gallery lots related to my save (although I cannot speak to what packs they use):

San Myshuno Synagogue. OMG SO GOOD.There are honestly a lot of great synagogues on the gallery, but if you’re looking for a modest neighborhood option, I play with this one.Need a mikveh? Here’s a great one!Have seasons? Want to celebrate Sukkot with your Sims? There’s a great sukkah here! (Just don’t let your vamps burn in the sun!)Need a chuppah (wedding canopy) for your Sims? This one is great!I used this lot for the video above and enjoy it: Dollhouse Victorian I would have used it for Abraham here, but it requires Get Together and I wanted to limit packs.

Download:

Looking for a cozy, comfy experience? (Or new to the Sims 4?) I recommend this version! (Set between the chapters Scheherazade and Coda. Hang out with the characters! Take care of their needs! Go to work with Destiny! etc. This is honestly my preferred play style.)Looking for a bit more drama? I recommend this version. (Set between the chapters Fallout and Scheherazade. A certain someone is available for you to Vampire Duel with in this version…)

Either version might have a surprise or two.

Instructions: This goes in your saves folder. (It’s not a mod! it’s a save!) That’s Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\Saves. If you go to copy it over and it asks you if you want to overwrite, SAY NO. Rename the file–change one of the numbers that is not a 9 to a 9–and try again. When you reach the main screen, you click Load Game and pick the one named Immortal Gifts.

If you don’t have the required packs, it’ll give you an error message about it and not open.

Unlike what you might have experienced with the gallery, you HAVE TO have Vampires and Cats and Dogs. Once a pack has touched a save, it requires it forever more. If you download Sims from the Gallery with packs you don’t have, they might be bald and naked but they will import into your game. Similarly, if you download lots, the game might try to replace missing items and they might be weird choices, but they’ll import. But a save? Sorry. No. It might also force you to download the free holiday pack, but that’s free.

Do you want me to create a version with Seasons and ALL THE HOLIDAYS OMG? Let me know in the comments!

Kosher 101

Disclaimer: I am not an expert. I’m an enthusiastic amateur. When in doubt, please ask your Rabbi (or your Rabbi’s spouse). Also, if I’m getting anything wrong, please correct me in the comments! (Also I am Masorti rather than Orthodox, again, your Rabbi and your specific halachim know better than I do!)

I get questions sometimes with my book–the most recent being “If a Rabbi blessed the blood before the vampire drank it, would it be kosher?” Unfortunately, no.

So, for a food to be kosher (literally “proper” or “fit”), it needs to

Come from a plant or a kosher animal (or be something like milk or eggs of a kosher animal, or honey) If it is meat from an animal, the animal must have been killed in a humane way (there are rules) It must not contain any bloodIt must be prepared in a kosher wayMixtures of milk and meat are forbidden

So, let’s break that down.

Come from a plant: All whole fruits and vegetables are kosher. Do examine them closely to make sure you’re not accidentally eating bugs (ew).

Come from a kosher animal: This is where people start to find it confusing, but there’s a list of dos and don’ts in the Bible. If you’d like the list rendered in hootenany song, check out this video. But it’s basically:

Land animals:Any animal with cloven hooves that chews its cud is okay, soYes examples: Cows, sheeep, goatsNo examples: Pigs, rabbits, skunks, hedgehogs…Water animals:Any thing with fins and scales, so:Yes examples: salmon, trout, tunaNo examples: crab, shrimp, octopus, squidBird (and bird-like?) animalsGenerally, if it’s not a bird of prey, it’s okayYes examples: Chicken, turkeyNo examples: Bats, vultures, American bald eaglesBugsMost are forbidden, there are a couple that are okay that have been lost to the mists of time because no one wants to eat bugs anywayNope!Things that creep around on the ground, like snakes and wormsNope nope nopeNope!

Milk from approved land animals and eggs from approved birds are fine. Just don’t mix that milk with meat.

Kosher slaughter: There are rules–the knife must be very sharp, it must be discarded if there is a nick in it, the goal is for the animal to pass out immediately… but I’m a vegetarian and this topic makes me uncomfortable. That said, it’s strictly forbidden to do things like chop an animal’s leg off and eat it and leave the poor animal to suffer on three legs. Nothing cut off a living animal.

Must not contain blood: This is serious business, you guys. Leviticus 17:10-12 is emphatic. “The blood is the life,” and the life is for G-d. Jews are usually pretty chill about what their neighbors are eating, but Leviticus says to not let your non-Jewish neighbors drink blood, either. Pretty inconvenient for any friendly neighborhood vampires. ���� So meat is soaked and salted to remove any blood before it’s cooked (usually before it’s sold in the US), and you don’t just crack an egg into your mixing bowl, you crack it into a cup and look for blood. NO BLOOD.

Prepared in a kosher way: If you take your kosher hot dogs and put them in a pan that was previously used to make pork chops or beef stroganoff, they are no longer kosher. Yes, your dishes and utensils and pots and pans also have to be kosher. It’s a thing. Most Orthodox mikvehs have a place to kasher (make kosher) your dishes and pans, but less strict folks just buy new. Workarounds include:

Salads prepared in a brand new plastic tupperware container (that’s only used for kosher food henceforth)Oven meals prepared in disposable foil pansWrapping the food in foil before cooking itEggs come in their own kosher wrapper. You can hard-boil them in any pan. Eating your fruits and veggies raw and whole is always okay. Please don’t chop them up with a knife previously used on pork chops. If you’re keeping kosher, you have two sets of pans–one for milk and one for meat. Yes, seriously. Be a vegetarian, it’s easier. ���� Do not make mac and cheese in your beef stew pan, that is not kosher even if the beef, the cheese, etc., were all kosher. This leads us neatly into:

Mixing milk and meat: This is mentioned not once but THREE TIMES in the Bible, and in the days before the printing press when books were written by hand, this was considered a sign of being very important. “Do not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.” Some people think this was a pagan ritual? But it’s a no-no. So:

I can not haz cheeseburger (sorry)No Beef Stroganoff or Swedish MeatballsYou can’t even have a chicken and cheese sandwich, even though chickens are not mammalsSeparate dishes, pots, pans, eating utensilsSome people wait a number of hours between a milk and a meat meal (It has been decades since my last meat meal so I’m not concerned!)Do not chop up cheese with your meat knife

You do see workarounds like Beef Stroganoff made with coconut milk instead of dairy, or Impossible veggie burgers with cheese. Again, I’m a vegetarian anyway, but this is the point where some folks nope out. ����

The separate utensils thing: glass is exempt! Some people have glass dishes. Some very strict people consider glass dishes to be “cheating” and disapprove. The idea is that if a thing is considered porous (I know, I know, metal pots and pans, but you know… handles? food residue?) it must be kept separated. It goes all the way to separate fridges in strict households. If you’re not that strict, at the very least don’t pile an open kosher hot dog package on top of your cheese (ew). Wrap it in plastic and set it on the other side of the shelf.

Fruits, vegetables, and eggs are considered neither and you don’t need to worry about mixing them with your meat or your milk. Yay!

The separate utensils thing is also why when you see kosher restaurants, they are either a “milk” restaurant or a “meat” restaurant. Honestly, this is super helpful if you have other food issues, or are vegetarian or vegan. Lactose intolerant? You’re pretty much guaranteed to not get any dairy at a kosher “meat” restaurant. (You might find fish at the vegetarian restaurant, because fish don’t have red blood so they’re not considered “meat.” Alas… but convenient if you’re just trying to avoid red meat.)

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Countries where I have sold books!

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On drinking, etc.

Scalzi linked to his post on why he doesn’t drink or do drugs here. His daughter Athena recently posted on the subject as well.

Disclaimer: I enjoy the occasional beer or glass of wine!

Unlike John, my parents were not in recovery. My mother did not have a drinking problem! She just hid half-drunk jugs of wine and vodka in random places around the house and sent her underaged daughter (me) out to buy her more wine because it’s not safe for her to go out and get more after she’s downed an entire bottle by herself! Yes, I illegally bought alcohol as a teen… for my mother.

My mother had an undiagnosed anxiety disorder, one that (infuriatingly) she asked for help with more than once. She had a brief stint of Valium abuse when my sister and I were babies, and also asked for help after her divorce and was allegedly told by a doctor, “I don’t like prescribing that stuff. If you’re tense and nervous, why don’t you and your teenaged daughter share a bottle of wine every night?” (Meaning my sister; I was living with my father at the time.) Assuming this is true–alcoholics often have a bad relationship with the truth–it’s possible that doctor killed her. Her death certificate lists “chronic alcoholism” as a cause of death, which, by the way, is kind of a shitty thing to do to their descendants, as you have to present that certificate over and over again and people try to keep neutral professional faces and fail. The bank lady all but sneered at us, radiating disapproval. One woman at the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles was so upset that her hands shook and she completely screwed up my vehicle registration, leading to me being pulled over as a car thief. But apparently the state of New Mexico was trying to “raise awareness” or something. Cool.

My father didn’t have “a drinking problem,” he just consumed a large water tumbler of Scotch every night until he and my mother broke up and then he quit cold turkey. Mayyyyybe a small glass of wine with dinner for a special occasion.

I also remember my sister having loud, dramatic showdowns, demanding Mom stop drinking and then walking out to sleep on the apartment floor of a woman who wouldn’t let her store her food in the fridge. I… went with the flow, and therefore was actually surprised by the death certificate despite things like opening the linen closet to look for a fresh towel and finding a five gallon jug of wine tucked behind the towels, half-consumed. Or the time she got so drunk we had to physically restrain her from going to work in that state. (I called in sick for her.)

Mom would hate that this story is about her: Underworld. I’ll hasten to say that she did not date married men (she would be horrified for you to think that). That said, DIONysus is the God of Wine, and had to go into the Underworld to rescue his mother. Also, there is some unhealthy alcohol use in Immortal Gifts, but apparently vampirism prevents alcoholism, or something. (It’s kind of a cure-all in my universe, a sort of super-aggressive immune system that even cures aging, so that’s not surprising.)

So, uh. Sure. Buy me a beer. But–fortunately or unfortunately–not when I’m sad. It feels fine while I’m still under the influence, but the next morning all those un-coped-with feelings are like an avalanche holding me down in the bed, where I wish I could just decompose, and curse the cruel deity that caused me to survive the night. (I’m not talking about hangovers! I’m talking about waking up plagued with intrusive suicidal thoughts and black sadness that dissipate as I actually deal with the problem instead.) Special happy occasions only.

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