Dear Jewrotica,
When I was sixteen, I was sexually assaulted. A boy I’d known since childhood blackmailed me into giving him head in a synagogue.
I had already been diagnosed with clinical depression when this happened. At the time, I tried to write it off as yet another stumbling block in a difficult adolescence.
My attacker was the only boy who’d shown any interest in me physically. Maybe that was why I kept going back to him after that night. Maybe that was why I eventually let him take my virginity. Because as warped as it was, it made me feel wanted.
Ten years have gone by. I’ve started therapy. I have a loving, understanding boyfriend. Sometimes I’m even able to joke about what happened.
But I know, from looking him up online and from hometown gossip, that he’s led a charmed life since then. And while I’m better than I was ten years ago, I’m still hampered by self-loathing and doubt. I still have flashbacks.
I wonder, now, if there were other girls he hurt. I want to reach out to mutual friends and classmates but I don’t know how.
And even if I was the only one, even if I was “special”…I want people to know what he did.
~Rook from New England
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.
At Jewrotica’s Evening of Bedside Readings, students declaimed monologues on sexual encounters that had a Jewish twist. At Columbia/Barnard Hillel, the speakers pushed their own boundaries by performing a range of explicit narratives that challenged how the audience thought of the relationship to Judaism and sex. During the speakers’ preparation, the arguments about which narratives would be appropriate forced students to take a stand and voice their opinion on their own beliefs about Judaism an… Read more
Bedside Reading with Jewrotica was funny, sexy, and hot all at once. The readings were honest about all kinds of sexuality, but the highlight of the evening was definitely the confessions, written by audience participants. Nobody knew who wrote them, and most were tell-alls that would make your bubbe blush. Unless your bubbe was very, very cool. Then maybe she’d make YOU blush!
I’m into Jewrotica. I went in for my second circumcision.
I had a great time deejaying at the Jewrotica event at Columbia University. The live readings were hilarious, informative, and in some cases, deeply moving. I know that I, along with many of my AEPi fraternity brothers, loved being able to connect our Judaism and our sexuality in a way that made all of us feel comfortable and welcome. I look forward to being a part of this again in the future!
Learning about sex and what’s right and wrong when it comes to sex from a Biblical standpoint was an eye opening experience. I completely enjoyed it and think something like this could be a very cool thing to bring to even high school aged Jewish youth groups.
I’m so glad that Jewrotica is represented here at Jewlicious! It’s bringing voices that need to be heard in the Jewish discussion and Jewish climate environment.
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.
What an incredible night Jewrotica was!!!! There was this fantastic moment, in a sea of Jews of all sexualities, ages, backgrounds and denominations, that I realized we were all in this together! I hope that there are many more events coming to Austin soon!
Jewrotica rocks. It’s funny, it’s informative, it’s sexy, it’s interesting. Check it out!
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