The Q+A- two students, two faculty members, each month. This month we sat down with Ms. Jesse Mallor, Jewish Studies teacher.

Conducted by Yasmine Noivan

Editor-in-Chief

Common misconception about teachers: That teaching is easy.

Most creative gift given or received: My sister came over to my house and cleaned and organized my kitchen for me. She’s kind of the queen of excellent presents in our family.

Movie you’ve seen the most: Breaking Away or Hoosiers. I’ve probably seen Hoosiers 50 times, and I still get so nervous during the last few minutes of the final game that I practically break into a flop sweat. I still tear up every time, too!

Book you’ve read the most: Pride and Prejudice or East of Eden

Fictional character you identify with: Elizabeth Bennett!

Obsolete item you won’t trash: I’m really not hugely sentimental, so I’ll get rid of anything. That said, I would give a lot to have the mix tapes that my friends and I made for each other at summer camp and in high school.

What you wanted to be at age 10: A photojournalist tennis champion lawyer fashion designer.

Student pet peeve: Wow, the chance to vent is really tempting. I should probably be all politically correct and say nothing…

Procrastination technique: www.dog-shaming.com, www.cuteoverload.com and www.dailypuppy.com.

Secret hobby: I moonlight as a forensic pathologist. Just kidding. Although that probably would be a lot more interesting than instagram-ing everything and knitting which is, you know, the truth.

Favorite historical figure: I’m making this plural, because it’s too hard to pick one. Herzl, Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, Gandhi, Mandela, Harvey Milk, Emma Goldman…

Favorite piece of art in your home or anywhere: too many to list! In my home, my favorite piece of art is a print my sister bought me after a really special, life-changing trip we went on together. I also have a collection of photographs depicting different street scenes in Israel from the foundation of the state to today.

 Movie star you always wanted to be: Amy Poehler or Tina Fey FTW.

Favorite gadget: knitting needles? an eyelash curler? Oh, wait, no: my Kindle. That changed my life.

Topic you love but won’t discuss at a party: The Black Plague. But honestly, I would discuss that at a party. I can be kind of a goon about things I think are interesting.

The last meal you had: I wish I could say something like, a locally sourced organic salad with fine goat cheese and sugared walnuts, followed by a pumpkin crème brulee, which would make me sound super-classy, but honestly it was a green smoothie and microwaved burritos from Trader Joes.

Funniest English word(s): I have a whole list of words that sound dirty but aren’t. I also have a tendency to make up words a lot.

Most memorable teaching experience: My parents came to visit one year and wanted to see me teach, and on the day they visited class, all the boys came in wearing suits. It was very, very sweet.

Most visited website and why: I do actually read the NY Times every day, but really, once I discovered www.dog-shaming.com, it was all over for me.

Favorite cancelled-too-soon TV show: Either Firefly or Pushing Daisies. Obviously Arrested Development, too. Freaks and Geeks was pretty awesome. Basically, if I like it, it tends to get cancelled.

Most beloved/interesting item on your office desk: This assumes that a) my desk is clean enough to actually see anything on it and b) no, that’s actually about it. I’ve got dreidels from last Hanukkah, yarn and embroidery floss from various Jewish Life projects, books I’m trying to read…

Most memorable college experience: Spending my junior year in London.