In January 2022, Mazel Pups progressed from being a vague idea in Rabbi Robyn Frisch’s mind to a Facebook Group. She thought it would be fun for dog lovers like her who are Jewish, or Jew-ish (however they define it), to have a place to share their love of dogs, post pictures of their dogs (sometimes, though not always, looking Jewish or doing something Jewish), wish each other Shabbat Shalom, etc. She also thought that it would be a fun place for people to learn about Judaism through their love of dogs. She didn’t know what would become of the group or how Mazel Pups would evolve. She decided to just start the Facebook Group and discover from those who joined what they were interested in.
At first, Robyn invited every Jewish person with a dog she could think of who was on Facebook to join the group. Then, a couple of days later, she encouraged everyone in the group to invite people that they knew. Within a week – as her family and good friends can attest – she was totally obsessed. She “friended” friends of friends – and friends of friends of friends – on Facebook whose profile pictures indicted that they were Jewish (because their picture was of a family Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or their photo had a frame showing their love of Judaism, support of Israel, etc.) who had dogs in their pictures. Did you know that Facebook limits you to having 5,000 “friends”? Robyn learned this pretty quickly in her quest to become friends with every potential Jewish dog lover that she could find.
Soon, people with no connection to Robyn were joining the group. People were sharing in the group and telling her in private messages how much they appreciated being part of a community of people who adored dogs as much as they did. Members of the group were sharing pictures of dogs who’d passed away and being offered comfort by others who understood the depth of loss that they felt; they were posting Bark Mitzvah pictures and being wished Mazel Tov; and they were sharing everyday pictures of their dogs as well as funny dog memes and videos, etc. Most of all, members of the group expressed how, with all of the hardship and sadness in the world, the Mazel Pups Facebook Group was a community that gave them a chance to smile and experience joy.
A few months later, Robyn started a Mazel Pup Facebook Page and a Mazel Pups Instagram Account (@mazelpups). These feature pictures that have been posted in the Mazel Pups Facebook Group as well as pictures of dogs that Robyn follows on Instagram that have something Jewish about them.
This Mazel Pups website was created as a way for Jewish and Jew-ish dog lovers to learn more about Jewish dog-related topics. This website is intended to be for YOU – so if there are things you’d like to see included, ideas you have, etc., please contact us and let us know.
Media Mentions
Philadelphia Jewish Exponent (Feb 3, 2022)
Link: https://www.jewishexponent.com/2022/02/03/dog-facebook-group-brings-people-joy/
St Louis Light (May 3, 2022)
