Your Dad in Six Words

Meet the Stillers: Ben Stiller and son Quinlin pose for photos. Image by Getty Images

Naomi Zeveloff May 23, 2013

There’s something about the number six in Judaism. God created the world in six days. Six times three is 18 — meaning Chai, or “life” in Hebrew. And six is the number of words we’re asking you to write about your father or grandfather in advance of Father’s Day. What better Jewish tribute to the man who raised you?

That’s right, the Forward is partnering with Larry Smith, editor of SMITH Magazine, home of the Six-Word Memoir®, to launch our latest six-word challenge. Submit your six-word memoir on your father or grandfather below before May 29th. Larry and the Forward staff will pick our 12 favorites and publish them in the Forward for Father’s Day. Those people will receive a copy of the new book “Oy! Only Six? Why Not More? Six-Word Memoirs on Jewish Life,” published in collaboration with the Jewish cultural mavens at Reboot.

Need some help getting the wheels turning? Check out these examples from SMITH Magazine’s library of six-word memoirs. For more examples, check out smithmag.net/jewish

Dad? Italian. Mom? Jewish. Me? Curly.
— Dave Cirilli

Matzo on Easter? Meet Father Gelfenbien.
— Robin Gelfenbien

My father is a rabbi: therapy.
— David Wolkin

Mother: Psychiatrist. Father: Lawyer. Definitely Jewish.
— Mike Gannon

Jewish father. Goy mother. Jewish soul.
— Nicki Moffat

“Dad, six Jewish words?” “Enough, Sandi!”
— Sandi DuBowski & Elliot DuBowski

This survey is now closed. Six Words on the Jewish Father will be published online and in print soon.

Naomi Zeveloff is the former Middle East correspondent of the Forward, primarily covering Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Forward. Discover more perspectives in Opinion. To contact Opinion authors, email [email protected].

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