Ki Tov Tuesday: June 17, 2025
The Kiki edit
Dear Chevralah,
Kumzits co-founder Kiki Weingarten so loved the idea of Ki Tov Tuesdays, she came up with a collection of her own. She calls it "Kikitov Kitov" and is always sharing articles, videos, and discoveries to make our days and weeks better and more interesting.
Here's her first contribution to brighten your Tuesday:
Hi everyone!
I'm so excited to share Kitov Kitov with you—a collection of articles, videos, stories, and ideas to make your day and week better and more interesting. As someone who's always sharing discoveries with friends, I’m excited to share these gems with you.
Here's what caught my attention this week, in no particular order:
Israeli artist creates postcards as symbols of hope
I share this story in my news and views class with Holocaust survivors, where I focus on good news. They were deeply moved by this artist's mission to bring hope to the families of hostages.
Trigger warning: This video was filmed before news about the Bibas family emerged, so there are some particularly emotional moments.
Oh how we love Ritchie Torres!
"Moral confusion"—what a great phrase! Ritchie Torres continues to impress with his articulate commentary that perfectly captures so much of what we're witnessing today.
Listen here
The Codex Sassoon returns home
The world's oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible is now displayed in Israel after being delayed by October 7th.
Read more
If you're interested in the fascinating Sassoon family history, I highly recommend exploring their story further in the extensively researched The Last Kings of Shanghai: The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China by Jonathan Kaufman.
"From, To" by David Bezmozgis in The New Yorker
Whatever I might think about The New Yorker's perspective on things, I love their cartoons and once in a while discover a short story gem. "From, To" is one of those stories I highly recommend.
I was actually surprised to find that while not pro-Jewish (hey, it's the New Yorker!), it's not anti-Jewish or antisemitic either. The writing is terrific, and Bezmozgis pulls you in immediately as he navigates the week of shiva with family members and old neighbors he hasn't seen in ages. I deeply related to the idea of being in your old neighborhood yet not "being" there emotionally, psychologically, religiously, or in countless other ways.
It's a beautifully written story with rich Jewish themes that also illustrates much of what we're experiencing now. People who seemed like allies on October 6th have suddenly revealed themselves as—well—whatever we want to call them. Perfect for Shabbat reading and sparking conversations over Friday night dinner or game time. Mahjong or Rummikub, anyone?
Ray Bradbury on writing novels
This speech by Ray Bradbury is sooooo good—essential training for anyone writing a novel.
Watch here
A note on resilience and support
We've been going through so much since October 7th, no matter where you live, your level of religiosity or observance, or anything else. As Jews and allies, this has been an incredibly difficult time. Especially given recent events in Israel, we've been receiving calls for assistance, for help, for someone to listen.
For some, it's the first encounter with this kind of antisemitism and wartime situations. For others, it's intergenerational trauma surfacing. Some are shocked that hatred is emerging so soon after the Shoah, while others feel the simmering hatred they "knew was coming" is triggering its own emotions, anxieties, and fears.
Through the nonprofit I co-founded with my sister Rachel, RWRN, we've started offering quick phone empowerment and listening conversations. We're here for you—not as therapists or coaches, but as chaplains and first responder chaplains. We're doing this as Indie Chaplains to fill a much-needed response to our collective experiences.
If you'd like a complimentary, no-pressure phone conversation to vent, ask questions, or find a safe space to talk confidentially about what you're going through, please reach out.
FYI: I've been a fan of "kitov kitov" since high school—yes, that far back! I ran for student election with the slogan "Hodu LaHashem ki tov, ki l'olam chasdo." Yes, it's true. Yes, that's the kind of high school I attended.
The Weingarten family — led by mom Leah —are writing a sefer torah in memory of their beloved son/brother Tzvi Weingarten Z”L, who passed away suddenly and shockingly in July 2022. While this is a family endeavor, they invite the extended Kumzits family to participate in this mitzvah as well. All donations are tax deductible!
What do you think of Kiki's Kitov Kitov additions to our Ki Tov Tuesday? Do you have suggestions for future good things to share? Drop us a comment below or reply with your ideas!
🎗️Bring Them All Home Now🎗️
I *loved* David Bezmozgis's story, and am glad to see it getting attention here!