Leigh B. Pennington, at The Blogs

Leigh B. Pennington

Nov 17, 2021, 3:12 PM

Reacting to Humanity: YouTube and Mel Brooks

We all know the satisfying feeling of introducing someone else to a movie or TV show that is near and dear to our own hearts, our sense of identity. The YouTube reaction channel is nothing new in the world...

Jul 30, 2021, 6:20 PM

The Chutzpa of Simone Biles: A Lesson for All

So we all saw what went down in Tokyo when Simone Biles shocked the world and withdrew from the team event. She explained her decision in several interviews saying her head wasn't in the right place; the fear, pressure,...

May 27, 2021, 5:16 PM

Re-writing history: The Marcus David Peters Circle

Earlier this December, while I was visiting family in the US, Israel closed its doors to foreign nationals and I got grounded in Richmond, Virginia. During my stay I became re-acquainted with the city of my childhood and...

Feb 24, 2021, 7:25 PM

Connecting two worlds

Interviewing someone I have only met in 2-D is a very new experience for me. Normally I have the pleasure of meeting the people I talk to in person at least once or twice. There is something to be...

Nov 26, 2020, 4:31 PM

A Southern Jew in Jerusalem: The Hunt for Crisco

In the 2011 film The Help, one of the main characters, a black maid named Minny says “I reckon if there is anything you need to know about cooking it’s this (Crisco), the most important invention since they put...

Nov 15, 2020, 3:01 PM

‘A Learned Man Will Learn’

Geza and Phoebe's house (left side) in Nachlaot, Jerusalem, 1920.

(Disclaimer: Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals) About five months ago I was in a frenzy to seek new surroundings. The depressive lockdown funk that had descended over me had seeped into...

About Me

Born and raised in Richmond Virginia Leigh Pennington currently attends The Hebrew University of Jerusalem pursuing a Masters degree in Jewish Studies at the Rothberg International School. Prior to moving to Israel Leigh studied Anthropology, Art History, and Religion at Concordia University in Montreal. She has been involved in several cultural preservation and historical institutions and currently interns for The Ethiopian National Project as an oral history consultant for Project Ti'ud.