Mewsings: My Life as a Jewish Cat

By Greta Beigel

From the Author

At a cat writers' conference a few years back a publisher remarked: "Why on earth would you write a book about a Jewish cat?" Yet of all my stories, "Mewsings: My Life as a Jewish Cat," narrated by a devout calico called Ketzel, tugs most at my heart. I love having Ketzel purr away in the kitchen as we prepare for Passover, then sit alongside at the Seder table, watching power plays amongst our Orthodox relatives. So good to have her accompany me on a visit to Iceland and express surprise at the lack of Jewry in this land of lava and mist. I'm often asked how "Mewsings" came about. Well, floating one fall afternoon in calm waters at a North Shore beach on Oahu, Hawaii, and feeling somewhat trepidatious what with the fast-approaching Day of Atonement, I heard myself engaging in make-believe catty conversation: "Oh my," a plump ginger tabby cries, "Oh my, I'm so worried. It's nearly Yom Kippur and what happens if my Mama forgets to feed me?" A kindly Siamese neighbor, generally prone to preaching faith, generosity and love responds: "Don't worry kitty. You can share my dish of fish. I'm not Jewish. I can eat all I want." Talk soon centers on Hanukkah happenings, and love of latkes and spinning tops. Most fun for me was dabbling with those "Dubious Brethren in the Animal Kingdom," a series of meditations on assorted frogs, birds, one fat New Zealand hedgehog and a silly lorikeet I encountered during my many travels. In conclusion, Ketzela has created a glosssary of Yiddish terms, just in case you, dear Reader, need any explanation of the text. Meeow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greta Beigel
• Release date: Jan 2, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452456010

Greta Beigel

American journalist Greta Beigel is the author of "Kvetch: One Bitch of a Life," a memoir about growing up an Orthodox Jew and gifted pianist in South Africa at the height of apartheid. She has published the satirical "Mewsings: My Life as a Jewish Cat" (also an audio CD, with Michael Hoppe, piano), and "A Jew from Riga," a short story about her Dad's mysterious past. Beigel worked for many years as both staff writer and arts editor at the Los Angeles Times. She has contributed to the New York Times, Oregon Jewish Life, Cat Fancy magazine, among other publications. Her recording, "Scholarship recital, piano," featuring works by Bach and Glazunov and recorded in South Africa, is an Amazon MP3.

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Mewsings: My Life as a Jewish Cat

By Greta Beigel

Published by Greta Beigel at Smashwords

Copyright©2014

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CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT

SABBATH IN HAWAII

HANUKKAH NIGHTS/LIGHTS

PLAYING DRESS-UP

PASSOVER

WANDERING JEWS

--ICELAND: ANY JEWS HERE

--NEW ZEALAND: STOP YOUR FIGHTING

IN THE SPIRIT OF ALOHA

--PESACH WITH THE GOVERNOR OF HAWAII

HAVE A GOOD YEAR

ATONEMENT, ANYONE

DUBIOUS BRETHREN

--DEEP FROG

--HEDGING BETS

--BIRDS OF BOSTON

--LORIKEET, CREEP

JUST IN CASE TRANSLATIONS

COPYRIGHT

Mewsings: My Life as a Jewish Cat is