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Welcome to The Thoughtful Balabsuta blog! My name is Nurit Siegal and I live with my husband and tiny little daughter in Chicago. Originally from Ann Arbor, I went to the University of Michigan where my mother teaches Hebrew and I always knew I wanted to go. Having grown up proud to be Jewish but not religious, most of my Saturdays in college were spent in the architecture studio either drawing, studying or taking a quick nap…or eating a meal, or doing most other things. But after learning more about orthodox Judaism on campus through the organization, Jewish Awareness America (JAAM), my interests slowly started to shift. Still hesitant about religion and passionate about feminism, I changed my major to Women’s Studies to better understand the conflicts between the secular and religious world.

After many discussions at JAAM and in class, I started to leave my Saturdays for Shabbat, went to the Neve Yerushalayim seminary in Israel after graduating, and slowly parted with my feminist identity and became observant. Throughout this journey, however, it became apparent to me that not only did I, but that many young women struggled with their identities, with their beliefs and opinions of religion, and with how to live out their values successfully in practical, everyday life. Whether religious or secular, there are so many messages and ideas to sift through that it can be difficult to cultivate confidence in our values and challenging to find answers. Even though none of us have it totally 'figured out', I still believe it’s possible to take the positive from the age we live in, find direction, and feel confident in our Judaism. This blog was therefore created for any woman seeking clarity on tough philosophical questions, guidance in how to learn and grow from Jewish wisdom today, and inspiration for a delicious, cozy, connected…and even stylish…Jewish life