surgery, several writers visited her bearing hearty soups and flowers. One woman showed up with a volume of Pablo Neruda’s work, and they spent the afternoon sipping tea and reciting poetry to each other. These writers swap their work outside of class, and during the workshop, they listen to each other with respect, compassion and an increasingly discerning ear for language and narrative structure. One of my favorite parts about our meetings is the chance to steal wisdom from the stories I hear. Empty-nesters and grandmothers speak wistfully of their years changing diapers and playing marathon games of Crazy Eights. I remember their words when my kids are bickering or a snow day interferes with the time I’ve set aside for work. They tell me through their poems and memoirs, “Enjoy, this intense parenting phase will be over in a nanosecond.” They’re right. The son I carried when I heard Faye read is now in kindergarten, and last session, our youngest member brought her infant to class, the first baby born to the group. The baby girl, swaddled in pink with cheeks to match, nursed and nuzzled while a few of our writers read poems about mothers and daughters. The young mother listened intently, and when it was her turn to read, she told of the kabbalistic thread that binds the souls of her grandmother and her baby. A few days later, we learned of the death of our Neysa, the eldest member of the group. Be it the lost family members who show up in our collective writing or Faye’s Miss Bartlett or Neysa, we are bound to the living and the dead through memories and the stories they summon. Michelle Brafman teaches creative writing at George Washington University. Past winner of the Lilith Magazine Fiction Award and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Prize, her short stories have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best New American Voices 2009.
W
e at the JCC take our middle name seriously. In a world where it’s increasingly difficult to find time to connect to others in person, we decided to think outside the box—or in this case, the building. Many of us have forgotten how to get together with like-minded souls for anything that’s not absolutely necessary, and the only way to get back to it is with a big jump start. A retreat serves as a reminder of the sense of purpose and engagement that comes into our lives from sharing common interests with new people, learning together, and of course, relaxing and having fun, without the distractions of cell phones, computers, work and family. We are there for a purpose—in this case, writing—that unites us with the goal to challenge ourselves and each other. This taste of condensed community is never enough—after returning to our busy lives, participants inevitably long to see each other again and feel grateful to have a place to do so at the JCC. Many find themselves newly committed to finding more ways to integrate a sense of connection and inspiration into their lives, and the JCC is there waiting with open arms. Jean R Graubart Director, Leo and Anna Smilow Center for Jewish Living and Learning
Opinions, ruach welcomed. ING CALL CC J ALL :
S EXEC
S 2010 Washington, DC | January 24-26 Join the dialogue: contact steverod@jcca.org
www.jcca.org
jcc circle 17