An interview and photo shoot with Miriam Anzovin. Miriam works at JewishBoston.com and is a writer, an artist, and a host of The Vibe of the Tribe podcast!
“I have an addiction to Agatha Christie novels. I either read them aloud or get the audio book so my dog, Sansa Stark-Lannister-Bolton, can also listen along. Most of my time outside work is spent with Sansa. She was a feral street dog, a rescue from St. Thomas, and she’s part chihuahua, part pit bull, and part demon. I’m a huge nerd for sci-fi and fantasy, so I’m always on the hunt for something to replace the gaping hole in my heart Game of Thrones left behind (Sob). Every day, I do Daf Yomi (a page of Talmud learning) and I’m committed to that for the next 7.5 years! I listen to the day’s Daf at 5 a.m. every morning, while I’m doing my makeup. Martial arts have played a large role in my life since I was eight, when I started training in Tae Kwon Do as a kid. In my teens, I started doing Shotokan Karate and American Kenpo. When I was 17, I was introduced to Filipino Martial Arts, and that’s been a real passion for me. It’s a very practical approach to fighting, with movements that translate between stick, knife, and empty hand combat. I highly encourage women, especially Jewish women or other folks especially at risk, to get involved in combat training that has a focus on practicality and survival, not achieving a black belt or a certain rank within the system. I carry knives with me pretty much everywhere I go, and in these photos if you look closely you just might see one!”
“I was raised Orthodox—and now I’m an atheist.” Hey wait!” You may be asking yourself. “Didn’t she just say she does a page of Talmud per day?!” What excellent noticing, dear reader! The best way to explain this is that I’m the biggest nerd for Judaism, Jewish culture, and Jewish history in the same way I’m a know-it-all obsessive about, say, Game of Thrones. My goal is to be able to answer questions about the Targaryens or the Twelve Tribes of Israel with equal enthusiasm and accuracy. In addition to any graphic design work I do at JewishBoston, I’m an artist (www.miriamanzovin.com).”
“Educationally speaking, I went to public school until 6th grade, went to a Lubavitch Yeshiva for grades 6-8, then homeschooled myself from grades 9-12. Other things folks might not know: I drink lemon juice every day (NOT from concentrate. It’s too weak.) I do this 95% for the flavor and 5% to make sure I never get scurvy.
I also have an addiction to buying beauty products. I should not be let into a Sephora unsupervised. The best pickles in Boston I’ve had are from Zaftigs, because they are so sour they physically make me cry and it’s so, so great.”
“I moved out here in 2008 to go to an art school. This is where I really became an adult. I love everything about Boston, except everything I hate about it, namely: The joke that is our public transportation, the parades after a sports victory, and how damn cold it gets,. I do love how the letter “R” is entirely obsolete, however. That makes up for a lot.”
What are your hopes and dreams?
“I’m doing app dating, after I got divorced last year. It’s been a weird and hilarious experience, let’s just say that. One day I hope Michael Aloni swipes right on me. I know Michael Aloni is 1. A celebrity 2. Not single 3. Lives in Israel, but look, THESE ARE MY HOPES AND DREAMS!!!”
“As a kid I worked for my parents who were writers and editors and ran an animation studio so I helped them out. Here in Boston, I worked at Mayyim Hayyim and then at The David Project before coming to Combined Jewish Philanthropies and JewishBoston.”
“One day, I’d like to be able to bring my dog with me wherever I go! So in this imaginary dream day, Sansa and I go on a quest around Boston to find the greatest Boston Cream Donuts. Then we sit on the Greenway while cute guys with their own dogs come up to meet me and Sansa. Michael Aloni and his dog Bruce come to sit with us. Gal Gadot is somehow also there, mentoring me on how to have an Israeli accent and be flawless at all times. Later I’d go visit the Mount Auburn Cemetery, because it’s so beautiful and one of my favorite places on earth. The ghost of Isabella Stewart Gardner would come out of her mausoleum to tell me I’ve inherited unbelievable wealth. I’d immediately start a dog rescue sanctuary. Later, I’d turn on the news to see we have a new president. What a great day!”
“I swear I didn’t buy this shirt specifically for this photoshoot, but it worked so great! Thanks, Amazon Prime!”