mmmm, chametz...
I wrote this e-mail to a friend, and thought it would be good to share with all the inter-webs:
I'm keeping passover, and I'm asking myself why. It's really because a few
of my friends are doing it, so help me if that isn't always a good reason
to do something silly. It's also because I like to have a little bit of
tradition in my life, and a little of doing something for its own sake.
It's kind of annoying when my own family doesn't go with the tradition, though.
Yet in the same breath they want me to marry Jewish. Doesn't that seem
racist? Before I answer that...
I derive pleasure from my Jewish identity. I like the sense of community I
can find. I like the rich culture, including a language, holidays,
clothing, and music. I like that when I went to the Hillel acapella concert,
one of the non-Jewish campus groups renamed Cake's song "Short skirt,
long jacket" to "Long skirt, black jacket" in reference to Orthodox Jewish
women, and then replaced the lyrics with lines like:
"I want a girl who bakes hamentashen? (chorus: "bakes hamentashen!")
I want a girl who knows what's best (chorus: "for everyone!")
I want a girl who drinks Manischewitz, (chorus: "drinks Manishewitz!")
and whose eyes burn like a menorah lamp"
After which they raised the lead singer up, Bar Mitzva style, up on a chair
above their heads. I like that I can finally explain my entire childhood simply
by saying that I was a "weird little Jewish kid." I like that there are
people out there who take the religion way more seriously than I can know,
and that I can imagine, at any time I want, that there's a Jew out there
who is donning a funny hat, rocking the curled peyas, and chanting nearly
indecipherable mumblings. Most of all, I like the values which I've been raised with.
I suspect this combination of values is distinctly Jewish. I especially like that I'm
in many ways predisposed to "succeeding" in this world. I'll want to pass all
of this on to my children.
Yeah, I guess it's mildly racist, but it's not wrong when looked at in
light of all of this. Besides, what's more racist than choosing one mate
among billions?
I believe that there's something special about the Jewish people. I mean,
here is a group of people that has been persecuted in all corners of the
earth for thousands of years, and yet here we are, more prosperous than
ever. Every one of the oppressive societies has since fallen, but we
remain. This makes me question whether or not we're truly some sort of
"chosen people". Of course, maybe I just like being on a winning team.
I can enjoy all of this without eating matzo for a week, or avoiding
mixing meat and dairy even though I'd have to believe in "spiritual
cleanliness" to justify that one. However, it brings me closer to this
culture which I feel fortunate to be a part of, and maybe that's enough.
I'm keeping passover, and I'm asking myself why. It's really because a few
of my friends are doing it, so help me if that isn't always a good reason
to do something silly. It's also because I like to have a little bit of
tradition in my life, and a little of doing something for its own sake.
It's kind of annoying when my own family doesn't go with the tradition, though.
Yet in the same breath they want me to marry Jewish. Doesn't that seem
racist? Before I answer that...
I derive pleasure from my Jewish identity. I like the sense of community I
can find. I like the rich culture, including a language, holidays,
clothing, and music. I like that when I went to the Hillel acapella concert,
one of the non-Jewish campus groups renamed Cake's song "Short skirt,
long jacket" to "Long skirt, black jacket" in reference to Orthodox Jewish
women, and then replaced the lyrics with lines like:
"I want a girl who bakes hamentashen? (chorus: "bakes hamentashen!")
I want a girl who knows what's best (chorus: "for everyone!")
I want a girl who drinks Manischewitz, (chorus: "drinks Manishewitz!")
and whose eyes burn like a menorah lamp"
After which they raised the lead singer up, Bar Mitzva style, up on a chair
above their heads. I like that I can finally explain my entire childhood simply
by saying that I was a "weird little Jewish kid." I like that there are
people out there who take the religion way more seriously than I can know,
and that I can imagine, at any time I want, that there's a Jew out there
who is donning a funny hat, rocking the curled peyas, and chanting nearly
indecipherable mumblings. Most of all, I like the values which I've been raised with.
I suspect this combination of values is distinctly Jewish. I especially like that I'm
in many ways predisposed to "succeeding" in this world. I'll want to pass all
of this on to my children.
Yeah, I guess it's mildly racist, but it's not wrong when looked at in
light of all of this. Besides, what's more racist than choosing one mate
among billions?
I believe that there's something special about the Jewish people. I mean,
here is a group of people that has been persecuted in all corners of the
earth for thousands of years, and yet here we are, more prosperous than
ever. Every one of the oppressive societies has since fallen, but we
remain. This makes me question whether or not we're truly some sort of
"chosen people". Of course, maybe I just like being on a winning team.
I can enjoy all of this without eating matzo for a week, or avoiding
mixing meat and dairy even though I'd have to believe in "spiritual
cleanliness" to justify that one. However, it brings me closer to this
culture which I feel fortunate to be a part of, and maybe that's enough.