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Ronit and I meet one temperate early winter day at Dupont Circle’s Teaism to chat about her PhD work, moving to DC via Philadelphia, experiencing the DMV as an adult for the first time, cell death, Lin Manuel Miranda, cookie dough, and a lot more!
Samuel: What brought you to the DMV?
Ronit: Mostly family. I’m originally from Mexico City, but my family moved here when I was seven. We went back and forth a few times because of my dad’s job. What brought me back now, after finishing school, is a combination of work and wanting to be close to my parents again. I also have the opportunity to explore DC now, as someone who lived in the suburbs but never got to really know the city.
Samuel: In moving back and forth, what did you and your family’s Jewish community look like growing up?
Ronit: Growing up in Mexico City, the Jewish community always felt huge. I was in the bubble – my grandparents were born in Mexico City, so it was three generations there. Moving [to Potomac], the Jewish community is both similar and different in a lot of ways. It definitely wasn’t a culture shock. From my experience in Mexico City, the community seemed very vibrant, maybe because it’s a lot smaller. In DC, it feels like there’s so many options, and you kind of have to pick and choose what you want your Jewish identity to be. I’m still working on what I want for myself Jewishly. I do like going to synagogue – I get to sit with my mom, and we get to chat, and all these things – but I’m still sort of figuring it out.
Samuel: What do you think you’re looking for as you go through that process?
Ronit: Building community. Having moved here and not knowing many people, I’m looking for spaces where I can meet people, chat about Judaism, and hear their stories. It does seem like DC has a lot of opportunities…I just need to start doing it.
Samuel: What typically resonates for you Jewishly?
Ronit: I really like Passover. That’s always been my favorite Jewish holiday. The storytelling aspect is fun – we’re celebrating, but we’re also telling the story of why we’re doing this celebration. And, we’ve all heard it the year before and the year before that, but it feels new every time. I get something out of it every time, even though it’s the same thing.
Samuel: Switching gears. You’re coming to DC via Philadelphia, where you just finished a PhD. Tell me about that!
Ronit: I studied microbiology and how pathogenic bacteria are sensed by the host they’re infecting. I focused on bacteria that you ingest, and how your immune cells know that there’s an infection and respond.
Samuel: Do you eat raw cookie dough?
Ronit: Only if it’s from a verified safe-to-eat source.
Samuel: That’s disappointing, and a bad sign for me. What’s something that you learned that you find yourself continuing to think about, even after the program is done?
Ronit: I focused on cell death, which is a little morbid, but…basically, when your cells are infected, they die, but the death is actually good. It signals to neighboring cells to help come in and clear the infection. It’s a little counterintuitive, but you want your cells to die in order to be healthy.
Samuel: Do our cells have control over that? What does cell death look like?
Ronit: There are different forms of death. There’s non-inflammatory and, like, very inflammatory. So if a cell dies in this loud, inflammatory way, the consequences are very different than if it dies and no one notices. Some cells will blow up and release everything inside of it, including all those signals to neighboring cells, who then are like: Oh, we should go check this out. But there’s also a silent form of cell death where the cell dies and everything is like it was before.
Samuel: I’m sure it’s more nuanced than this, but is it better to be loud or quiet?
Ronit: The key is the right balance. If you don’t have any inflammation at all, that’s bad. It allows the pathogen to win. But if you have a lot of inflammation, that’s bad for you, too.
Samuel: What inspired you to pursue this line of study?
Ronit: I like how science is like a puzzle. There’s a problem, you don’t understand how it works, and it’s all about the questions that you ask. You can ask one question that will lead you down one path, but you can phrase the question slightly differently and end up somewhere else completely.
Something I learned in grad school is how to ask good questions, which is harder than you might think. And, to not be afraid to ask questions that sound crazy – there’s always a way to test something. I’m really proud that I did this whole PhD thing.
Samuel: “This whole PhD thing” seems like a huge understatement – it was five years of your life!
Ronit: I mean, it’s this huge unknown. You go in not knowing how long you’ll be there, what you’ll research…you don’t know anything. I definitely feel proud of myself for finishing and getting published. It feels really good.
Samuel: A few quick ones to end. I heard you’re into theater – what’s your favorite show right now?
Ronit: I’m really into musicals. Hadestown is like my favorite thing right now. It has that Greek mythology and jazz influence, which I like.
Samuel: You mentioned exploring more of DC now. What’s something you’ve found that you really enjoy?
Ronit: Being close to the zoo and the fact that it’s free. I can walk around and call a friend and look at the pandas. I like the big cats, too. They’ve always intrigued me.
Samuel: What’s something you’re bad at?
Ronit: I’m pretty bad at riding a bike. I’ve just never gotten the hang of it. In 2018 me and my dad biked around a small town in Tuscany, and…let’s just say I was a little embarrassed.
Samuel: You’re hosting Shabbat dinner and can invite any three people. Who are you bringing?
Ronit: One would definitely be Larry David. I think he’s hilarious and I love his hot takes. Every Yom Kippur, I always watch a Curb episode at the break between services, and it just boosts my energy. Then, Lin Manuel Miranda. He’s such a genius musically, and his lyrics are so interesting. It would be cool to chat.
Samuel: In the Heights or Hamilton?
Ronit: I’m more of an In the Heights person. And then my third person would be my grandpa from my dad’s side. He passed away when I was in eighth grade, and I would just love to know how he feels about the world right now.
Samuel: Last one. Finish the sentence: When Jews of the DMV gather…
Ronit: People are open to learning about other people’s stories. Have it be a welcoming place.
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