One of my friends once told me how he had never taken a sip of alcohol, coffee (!) or puffed a cigarette or taken any other drug. While I respect his resolve and will, I don't think this is a form of moderation as much as it's just hardcore asceticism.
Some people are surprised to learn that ultra-ortho Jews can do almost all of these things, are even commanded to do so, because one's body should not be ignored. Is Straight Edge, or possibly other ascetic doctrines like Jainism, just an immoderate level of moderation? They are the opposite of too much: they are not enough.
6/13/10
6/11/10
Malamud's The Fixer
Just started it (it rules) and am already noticing ties to Aleichem's Tevye; namely, how is one a Jew when his or her profession is not ''Jewish"? Tevye is a farmer, and Yakov a repairman--they aren't Talmudists!
We shall default to Mordecai Kaplan's inclusive and proto-postmodern rubric: all Jews service Jewish civilization just by being and doing. Yakov and Tevye are notably aware of their vocations and roles in life, and, more simply, their identities as Jews. Sounds good enough to me!
6/6/10
Contra-Chabon
The douche wrote this new article, a long, rambling critique of Jews' lack of intelligence, inspired by the events of the Gaza flotilla debacle.
I really wish it weren't shaded by his purple prose, then i'd have more respect for him. but i'm always always reminded that he's another douche with an mfa, whose fame rests on adjectives, silly descriptions, and a general awkward word choice defined by mostly esoteric (and perhaps therefore inane) rhetoric.
which THEN just reminds me that he has no academic anthropological or historical background, and will never (thank god) write a truly important work of merit. fiction included. And so when he does sit on his high horse, it makes his preaching that much more unbearable; he is not a font of knowledge to which we should lend our ears.
He also needs a refresher course in post-colonial theory and basic Jewish principles, which, while not excusing or obfuscating stupid behavior, certainly doesn't purport any type of ethnic or tradition-based exceptionalism.
Jillian: and also, just because some jews are stupid and israel has made some questionable decisions does NOT mean that we should abandon the idea that we are special in some way, but he sees exceptionalism as fodder in itself for ant-semitism [which Chabon gets right].
me: right. if he is railing against religion, why not rail against "secularism" for creating men like Madoff?
Basic premise of po-co: all people(s) are different and therefore special.
6/2/10
Epic Debate! (kinda)
Original is here
Michael and Gedalya: learn about postmodernism, ya schmucks. Making generalized statements about the One True Facet which comprises Yiddishkeyt is an ignorant (and offensive) move. What's next, debasing feminism/feminist exegesis of Torah? How about blaming assimilation for the Holocaust?
"I am speaking from significant personal experience," as someone who wrote a thesis on Saul Bellow, Bashevis and Cynthia Ozick. Do these names even ring any bells for you, whose noses are stuck in Chumash all day? Open yourselves to the multiple types of Jews who inhabit your (not narrow!) world; Jews who certainly know what being Jewish means, and especially with regards to living in modern society.
This is what JTS is about, and I welcome criticism of the institution, just not ignorance that champions Orthodoxy as The Only Path--you sound like a goy. Please familiarize yourselves with Rabbi Marc Angel. Then come back. There's a story in the Talmud which recounts Rabbi Meir chasing after Aher on the Sabbath to learn Torah, yet the latter is riding a horse, thereby violating the seventh day. There are things to from those we don't deem completely pious or knowledgable about halakha--but to call these people (i.e. me, the Masorti, and Ben Abuyah) completely ignorant of living a Jewish life is a grave disservice to the totality of Judaism and the various types of Jews who inhabit the planet. I do not have to attend a Yeshivah to learn about Judaism/how to be a Jew.
To say something like "Only when you go through the rigorous training in Jewish law and Torah then and only then do you even have a right to discuss what you think is wrong." Just...wow. This is why Jews today lose their religion or identity: because people like you do not preach acceptance or understanding, even within your own religion, and believe that your way is the Only Way. Learn some humility, or I wouldn't be so vitriolic to begin with. Simply: how can I respect Orthodoxy (which I do, see my reference to Rabbi Angel) when it doesn't respect me and my lifestyle decisions? I don't want to argue further about that.
To return to the issue at hand: the Jews who attend JTS deserve nothing less than praise. These young men and women should not be faulted for not having, some would say, an ample religious background; it is Jewish society's fault, then, that young Jews are not being raised in this way (not my stance, just pointing out you orthos' hypocrisy). Was Moses himself not raised as an Egyptian, living the good (heretical pagan) life, yet he returned to the fold and became the greatest mensch of all time? Jews are entering JTS, and therefore re-entering Jewish life, to learn what has been torn from them due whatever circumstances beyond their control. Oh, and for the record, I'll say it here: Halakhah is not adequate for meeting the demands of modern Jewish life. Kashruth does not ensure the safety of animals, for one example. For another, nothing excuses the abuse women face at the Kotel at the hands of the Haredi. If Halakhah is what makes one a Jew...well, it is simply not good enough.
Michael and Gedalya: learn about postmodernism, ya schmucks. Making generalized statements about the One True Facet which comprises Yiddishkeyt is an ignorant (and offensive) move. What's next, debasing feminism/feminist exegesis of Torah? How about blaming assimilation for the Holocaust?
"I am speaking from significant personal experience," as someone who wrote a thesis on Saul Bellow, Bashevis and Cynthia Ozick. Do these names even ring any bells for you, whose noses are stuck in Chumash all day? Open yourselves to the multiple types of Jews who inhabit your (not narrow!) world; Jews who certainly know what being Jewish means, and especially with regards to living in modern society.
This is what JTS is about, and I welcome criticism of the institution, just not ignorance that champions Orthodoxy as The Only Path--you sound like a goy. Please familiarize yourselves with Rabbi Marc Angel. Then come back. There's a story in the Talmud which recounts Rabbi Meir chasing after Aher on the Sabbath to learn Torah, yet the latter is riding a horse, thereby violating the seventh day. There are things to from those we don't deem completely pious or knowledgable about halakha--but to call these people (i.e. me, the Masorti, and Ben Abuyah) completely ignorant of living a Jewish life is a grave disservice to the totality of Judaism and the various types of Jews who inhabit the planet. I do not have to attend a Yeshivah to learn about Judaism/how to be a Jew.
To say something like "Only when you go through the rigorous training in Jewish law and Torah then and only then do you even have a right to discuss what you think is wrong." Just...wow. This is why Jews today lose their religion or identity: because people like you do not preach acceptance or understanding, even within your own religion, and believe that your way is the Only Way. Learn some humility, or I wouldn't be so vitriolic to begin with. Simply: how can I respect Orthodoxy (which I do, see my reference to Rabbi Angel) when it doesn't respect me and my lifestyle decisions? I don't want to argue further about that.
To return to the issue at hand: the Jews who attend JTS deserve nothing less than praise. These young men and women should not be faulted for not having, some would say, an ample religious background; it is Jewish society's fault, then, that young Jews are not being raised in this way (not my stance, just pointing out you orthos' hypocrisy). Was Moses himself not raised as an Egyptian, living the good (heretical pagan) life, yet he returned to the fold and became the greatest mensch of all time? Jews are entering JTS, and therefore re-entering Jewish life, to learn what has been torn from them due whatever circumstances beyond their control. Oh, and for the record, I'll say it here: Halakhah is not adequate for meeting the demands of modern Jewish life. Kashruth does not ensure the safety of animals, for one example. For another, nothing excuses the abuse women face at the Kotel at the hands of the Haredi. If Halakhah is what makes one a Jew...well, it is simply not good enough.
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