Written by Hugo Schwyzer. Hugo is a first-time Jewrotica writer, and a professor of history and gender studies. Follow Hugo on Twitter at @hugoschwyzer.
“Don’t be silly. You’re never going to meet my parents.”
Chana was on top of me still, my cock slowly softening inside her, her long damp curls hanging in my face. Her fingers gently stroked my neck, the transition from frantic coupling to pillow talk already well underway. It was a Sunday afternoon in my tiny Westwood studio apartment. Fellow graduate students at UCLA, Chana and I had been sleeping together for three weeks. We’d been friends for three years, and
I was falling for her. Hard.
“Sweet boy,” she murmured, seeing the hurt flash across my face. “Please don’t make this more than what it is.” I sighed. Chana raised herself on her elbow. “If you fall in love with me,” she said, her voice tender but serious, “we’ll have to stop this. I’ve always been clear with you, right?”
She had been. We’d first met at a new graduate student orientation. I’d been 22, Chana two years older. We were each starting doctoral programs; I was a budding medievalist, she a scholar of late antiquity with an interest in Jewish texts. From a modern Orthodox family in Connecticut, Chana had done her undergrad work at Columbia before a brief and unhappy stint in law school. When I met her that first day at UCLA, she’d just broken off her engagement to a medical student her parents adored and moved out west to pursue her true intellectual passion.
From the moment Chana walked in – late – to the orientation, I was mesmerized. When she sat down next to me, in that hot and crowded Bunche Hall classroom, I could smell the mingled scents of her perfume and her sweat. Her first words to me were an urgent, throaty whisper, her hot breath in my ear: “What did I miss?” Not much, I replied, cursing myself for not having anything cleverer to say. Chana’s extraordinary red hair cascaded down her back, the tight curls glowing in the afternoon light. Our shoulders touched. I barely heard the department chair’s long-winded welcome. At the wine and cheese reception that followed, I felt pangs of jealousy the moment that she chatted with any other man – and a flush of intense pleasure when she turned her attention back to me.
When Chana finally noticed my last name on my nametag (I’d only given her my first) her eyes grew wide with mischief. “A schvitzer? Do you live up to it?” I blushed hot, transfixed by the way her pointed tongue darted out from between her lips. I couldn’t tell if she was flirting with me, but I hoped she was. At the end of the orientation, she tossed that impossibly glorious red mane of hair over her shoulder, locked eyes with me, and said she hoped to see me around sometime. I grunted inarticulately, and berated myself for it all the way home.
I crushed on Chana for the next three years, through the entirety of a brief and very ill-advised starter marriage to a college sweetheart and through Chana’s rather public flings with a couple of fellow graduate students. Finally, in the fall of 1992, we were assigned to the same professor to serve as teaching assistants for a survey course in modern European history. At last, we went out for coffee alone.
Celebrating 10 Years & Marking the End of An Amazing Project
Celebrating 10 Years & Marking the End of An Amazing Project
While many people fear the “sex talk,” Jewrotica offers an opportunity for writers and audiences to speak about sexuality in a open and safe space. When I attended a Jewrotica reading, I heard stories that reminded me that love takes many forms, and that expressing it is a vital part of who we are as a people.
Such an amazing experience! The Sarah Lawrence Jewrotica workshop was more than I could have ever expected – a comfortable, safe, sultry environment where participants clearly felt good about sharing or listening to each other’s intimate experiences and relating them to sexy stories from the Torah. From the moment the workshop began, Ayo had a sweet presence that was kinetic and spread around the room; her storytelling abilities had everyone enraptured and made the conversation topics relata… Read more
I stepped out of my comfort zone to be a part of this. I was glad to open up the topic of sexuality in my community. We are trying to build a safe space to talk about sex. The result I am most happy about coming from this event is that hopefully now my friends know they can come and talk to me, that I can be their ‘safe space’.
You may not tell your mom that you’re going to a live Jewrotica reading (or whatever clever name you will dub these events) but you will tell your friends. However, both would be jealous if they find out that they missed it. I think it will only be a matter of time before Jewrotica helps us reclaim the term “Dirty Jew” the way rap music has done for “The ‘N’ Word.” I know I am now proud to be a Dirty Jew!
Jewrotica is awesome. It expands the mind and for people who were raised with narrow views on sexuality. Whether you are Jewish or not, or in different sects of Judaism like Orthodox, Conservative or Reform, no matter what your background or where you’re from, Jewrotica gets you to see Judaism and how it relates to sexuality in new ways. I really appreciate Ayo being here and helping us learn different ways to connect with our sexuality.
Jewrotica is inspiring Jews and erotica with holiness and coolness, and is the pride of progressive Judaism. Jewrotica – awesome!
My opinion on Jewrotica is: It’s sexy. It’s awesome. It’s Judaism to the next level. It’s what we should all be getting into!
I love the inclusiveness – there is something for everyone, in and out of the Jewish community.
The people behind Jewrotica are quite quality! I have confidence that any project these folks take on will be equally quality.
Jewrotica is a great way to ask interesting questions about the interplay between sensuality and Jewish wisdom. Check it out.
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