She was the kind of person who could walk into a store and walk out with new friends.
“There was a 50/50 chance with every stranger she had a conversation with that they would decide she was their new best friend,” Ariella Rovinsky said of her mother, Selina Rovinsky.
“I dreaded going into new stores with her because I knew the cashier or manager would end up going with us to the botanical gardens or something with their whole family.”
Now, after losing her mother, Ariella is honoring her memory by creating a space for other Jewish women to be seen and heard.
On June 18, she will host a women’s-only open mic night at the JSU House, where her father, Rabbi Mike Rovinsky, serves as regional director of Jewish Student Union.
The event will invite participants to share songs, stories, poetry, comedy, dance, recipes and other forms of creative expression.
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For Ariella, the evening is both a community gathering and a tribute to her mother.
“She was brilliant,” Ariella said. “Not just smart, but it was like there was a spotlight on her whenever she walked into the room.”
A legacy of creativity and community
For years, Selina encouraged creativity and community involvement. She helped with makeup and costumes for performances at Jewish girls schools and later worked with organizations including Arts As Healing, which supports cancer patients through creative expression, and Moms Demand Action.
One example that stayed with Ariella came during high school.
She was participating in an environmental club event when a police officer arrived and told the students they needed a permit and would have to disperse.
Her mother stepped in.
“My mom was like, ‘Hello? They’re kids. They’re doing it for their school club. Just let them speak. Are you really going to arrest a bunch of kids? Your car can’t even hold them all? Just let them finish the speech. It’s almost over.'”
The officer eventually left, and the students finished the event.
The idea behind the open mic
Years later, Ariella said conversations with her mother helped inspire the open mic night.
“I remembered we would talk about how there weren’t many opportunities for Jewish women, especially those who kept Shabbos, to really present themselves or something important to them,” she said.
The idea also carried a symbolic meaning.
“I thought it was good from a metaphorical standpoint, as cheesy as that is — literally amplifying women’s voices.”
The event is open to Jewish women who want to share something meaningful to them, whether through music, storytelling, poetry, comedy, dance or another creative outlet.
What she hopes participants gain
Ariella said she hopes participants who take the microphone will have fun and feel heard.
But she is equally focused on those who choose not to perform.
“I hope even more that those who don’t step up will gain confidence from seeing other women do so,” she said.
“I think that’s what she would have loved most, seeing women getting the strength to use their voices.”
If Selina could walk into the room that night, Ariella thinks one sight would make her laugh.
“If I can be self-centered and a little goofy, probably me,” she said. “We used to joke that we both needed a class called ‘Singing For People Who Have Been Told Not To.'”
Event information
What: Women’s Open Mic Night
When: June 18, 6:30 p.m.
Where: JSU House
Who: Jewish women interested in sharing music, stories, poetry, comedy, dance, recipes or other creative expression.
Registration: Please register online.
