FitYaf.com
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Fitness
    • Group Exercise >
      • How I Became an Instructor
      • Group Exercise Schedule
      • Class Reviews
    • Fitness Friday Workouts
    • At Home Workouts
    • Running >
      • Races
  • Nutrition
    • Shakeology® >
      • Shakeology Taste Sampler
      • Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse
      • Shakeology Sampler Pack
    • Beachbody Ultimate Reset™
  • Health and Fitness Coaching
    • Challenge Groups
    • Testimonials
    • Beachbody Promotions
    • Shop

Why FitYaf?

6/28/2013

1 Comment

 
After sharing my website with my friends and fellow fitness enthusiasts, one of the most common responses I got was, "Jillian, I love your website, but why FitYaf?"
Picture
It all started about 30 years ago...  When I was born, as part of the Jewish tradition, my parents gave me a Hebrew name at a Jewish naming ceremony.  The name they chose was Shayndel:
Picture
which means beautiful.  Appropriate, right?  Years later, when I began Hebrew school I was told by my teacher that the name Shayndel was Yiddish and not Hebrew.  She informed me that the Hebrew equivalent of Shayndel was Yaffa:
Picture
which also means beautiful, but in Hebrew, not Yiddish.  Over the next 5, or so, years, slowly my name morphed back into Shayndel, and that was the name I used at my Bat Mitzvah on November 11, 1995.

Thirteen years later, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel (photos below) on a birthright trip with Oranim [shout out to my fellow birthright-ers on bus 819!!].  Again, I was asked, "What is your Hebrew name?" and again I was told that it was Yaffa, not Shayndel.  My friend Kerry was also on this trip with me, and she decided that Yaffa was the perfect "nickname" for me, so when we returned home, she continued to called me Yaffa.  The nickname was so popular, it caught on, and now, my husband calls me Yaffa at least 20 times a day - I think he even says it in his sleep.  He has even given a nickname to the nickname and sometimes calls me Yaf.
Picture
Picture
Picture
So, about a year ago, when I was considering changing my Twitter handle, I tossed around a few ideas and took a few votes from my friends, and @FitYaf was born (follow me).
Picture
Naturally, when I dreamed up this fitness website, FitYaf.com was the best choice, so that's how you wound up here, reading this blog.

Do you have any great stories about how you got your nickname?
1 Comment
Ali K. @ Hit the Ground Running link
10/7/2013 08:05:49 am

I found my way here through @SweatPink and just wanted to say that I love the history of your site name. I had such a great experience on my birthright trip, too, and I think it's awesome that you've incorporated a huge part of your Jewish identity into your blog!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Jillian [FitYaf]

    fitness enthusiast.
    coach.
    marathoner.
    bioengineer.

    Fit Approach
    FitYaf's Bulu Box
    Picture
    FitFluential Is Fitness Found

    Archives

    February 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Insanity Certification

    Categories

    All
    21 Day Fix
    At Home Workouts
    At Home Workouts
    Beachbody
    Bodypump
    Bulu Box
    Burpee
    Cardio
    Challenge
    Charity
    Choreography
    Crossfit
    Diva Dash
    Fall
    Family
    First Blog Post
    Fit
    Fitmapped
    Fitness
    Fitness Challenge
    Fitness Challenge
    Fitness Friday
    Fitness Friday
    Fit Pregnancy
    Fityaf
    FitYaf Answers
    Focus T25
    Friends Of Fityaf
    Friends Of Fityaf
    Gadgets
    Group Exercise
    Group Exercise
    Group Fitness
    Group Fitness
    Half Marathon
    Healthy Eating
    Healthy Eating
    Healthy Habits
    Healthy Habits
    Les Mills Bodypump
    Low Impact
    Marathon
    Music
    Nickname
    P90
    P90x
    Paleo Diet
    Parties
    Party
    Philly Phitness Tour
    PiYo
    Pregnancy
    Pull Up
    Pull Up
    Pull-up
    Pushup
    Race
    Recipe
    Richard Simmons
    Running
    Shakeology
    Shakeology Recipes
    Shaun T
    Soulmate Workout
    Spinning
    Step Aerobics
    Strength
    Summer
    SweatSync
    Travel
    Treadmill
    Weight Loss
    Weight Loss
    Winter
    Workout
    Yoga

    RSS Feed

    To my readers, please note this website and blog is for educational and informational purposes only. For medical advice, dietary restrictions, and/or medical diagnosis, and before beginning any diet and/or exercise program, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional. 
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.