I came up with the idea for the book in early 2019. ![]() When I wanted to go back to school to get a Master’s that I wasn’t even sure if I was going to use professionally, there was just this idea that the knowledge, in and of itself, is a value.Ĭan you share the journey about writing “Overthinking About You”? A lot of times, higher education is not accessible because of the price of it, but the idea that you can continually learn - that you can sort of self-teach you can seek out more information on subjects that interest you - feels Jewish. ![]() Judaism really loves education and really values learning, and that was definitely something that was prioritized in my family. I’ve obviously grown up understanding what Christmas is, and kind of getting the gist of these classic Christian traditions, but even my close friends didn’t know what dreidel was! Being able to share that was really fun.Īre there any other Jewish values that you appreciate or try to practice? I was the only Jew, and I was teaching everybody how to play dreidel, and I was singing the prayers. I threw a Hanukkah party at my house a couple of years ago, and no one was Jewish. My relationship to that experience has even changed over time at first, I was like, “All I need is someone to yell at me, and then I do a really great job,” but now I’m like, “I don’t like people yelling at me!” I’m self-motivated. Then, I freaked out, doubled down, over-prepared, and gave an incredible. I have a funny story about my bat mitzvah - I wasn’t really putting in the work, and I had a meeting with the cantor, who gave me a tough talking-to about how I wasn’t prepared. What are some Jewish milestones in your life that have stood out to you? I really appreciate having grown up with Judaism in my life, and then, now, as an adult, getting to sort of redefine my relationship to it. I identify as spiritual, versus religious, but I do think that there is room for that in Judaism. I enjoy the traditions and having these different days of the year that mark certain things and getting to see family. It’s been an interesting journey for me to have both things be true at once - and to really enjoy the cultural aspects of Judaism. In a lot of ways, I have a complicated relationship with Judaism because I don’t necessarily agree with organized religion, but I also really identify as Jewish culturally. What does being a Jewish woman mean to you? This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. In a wide-ranging conversation, Raskin shared reflections on mental health and dating, the Jewish values of education, her excitement about 2022 and, of course, stories from her bat mitzvah. I go from student, to writer, to teacher, to podcaster, to very amateur cartoonist.” ![]() When I ask how she navigates all of her projects and responsibilities, Raskin tells me, “I think one of the things that enables me to do all of that is just organizing my time and being able to leave one project - and even one field - behind. She has an Instagram, Emotional Support Lady, featuring hand-drawn cartoons about mental health and self-care, and a podcast, “Just Between Us,” with Jewish co-host Gabby Dunn she blogs for her Patreon and has a second book coming out in April, “ Overthinking About You: Navigating Romantic Relationships When You Have Anxiety, OCD, and/or Depression.” She also spent last year teaching at USC Film School. However, her success as a Jewish woman in content creation, education and advocacy is impossible to ignore. Raskin’s perspective on coping with trauma feels very Jewish, yet aside from the occasional joke, her work is not really rooted in her Judaism. I don’t welcome trauma I don’t think that you need trauma to be a fully-formed, wonderful person, but I do think you can be really proud of yourself for how you handle trauma. “Whereas I feel like I can take the approach that every bad thing means I’m bad or I’m worthless or I should give up, instead, I try to see every bad thing or difficult time as something I can be proud of myself for continuing past, and that I can take lessons from. “With each difficult experience that you go through, it’s further proof that you can survive that,” Raskin tells me over Zoom at the end of 2021.
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