Чайпитя (chaipitya), or tea drinking, is a practice we grew up with in our homes since childhood. Our families drank tea every morning and every night - in the kitchen, on the train, in the forest. Tea drinking punctuated the day. In the context of Soviet secular socialism, чаепития was a site of grounding, connection, and political discourse. 

Tea drinking persists as a ritual practice in the post-Soviet Jewish diaspora across generations, families, and chosen families. As we continue this practice, we are also learning and critically reclaiming Jewish traditions that our families lost due to state violence, oppression, and assimilation. 

While we did not grow up with the tradition of mikveh, our ancestors likely participated in this ancient practice of water immersion meant for purification and transformation. Drawing on the Simple Queer Mikveh Guide created by Rebecca Erev and Zohar Lev Cunningham, we release mikveh from its patriarchal and misogynistic histories, instead channeling it toward releasing shame and calling in solidarity and mutual aid. 

As post-Soviet immigrants, we involve our ancestral plant allies - берёза (the birch tree) and шиповник (rosehip) - в лесу (in the forest). For us the forest is magical. It is the site of many Russian-language fairytales, and the place where our souls dwell. It is also where our ancestors resisted violence and fought back against Nazis and their collaborators. The forest is also a place of mutual aid and nourishment, where we hunt for mushrooms, gather berries, and learn about the healing powers of plants. It is where we go to connect to our ancestors, ourselves, and the future we are building together.