Our Sis introduced me to Guardian Limited’s token Jewish podcast. Nu, with Jews like this, the Jewish people aren’t going to last long. With Jews like this, Moshe Rabeinu (sadly missed at the Seder table, this year and every year) is turning in his unknown grave!
The first episode has token British Jews describing the Christmas trees which apparently traditionally adorn their homes come December (huh?). One woman said she grew up with a Christmas tree, but she got more Jewish in university so now they have a Hannuka bush (A Hannuka bush???!).
Later on they interview a Haredi stand-up comedian from the US, complete with long black coat, who was born as a Catholic. The verdict? Not so Jewish, chuckle chuckle, ha snooty ha. Ya see, these Christmas tree Jews know what Judaism really is about. They know they’ll always be far more Jewish than some goy dressed up in a long black coat. He just doesn’t get the Jewish humor thing. “He hasn’t suffered enough,” they snicker knowingly among themselves. Grrrrrr.
I’m forcing myself to listen to all the following episodes of this aggravating production, if only for its anthropological merits, and to remind myself, once again, of my gratitude to The Dah, for removing me from that toxic atmosphere of shame and embarrassment sadly prevalent among Jews in the British Isles - the fertile soil for these Christmas tree Jews. There, but for the good sense of The Dah…
I have been reading the Bible quite a lot lately, enjoying myself immensely. I’m currently in the book of Judges. Very exciting. All those warriors and battles. Riveting stuff.
It crosses my mind that we secular Israeli Jews have a serious leg up on “Christmas tree” diaspora Jews if we wish to brush up on our traditional Jewish knowledge, for the simple reason that many of the traditional books of Jewish learning and wisdom are available to us, as written, in all their beauty and richness (well, at least those written in Hebrew and not in Aramaic). We are not handicapped by the language barrier. We don’t have to be rabbinical scholars, or even religious, to enjoy them and benefit from them. We understand the language of the Siddur, the ancient Jewish prayerbook - compiled by the wise men of old, thousands of years ago - even if we don’t make use of it. We can. We have a real choice. It’s not a matter of just parrotting words. We can understand them.
Secular study groups of Jewish wisdom and learning are very popular in Israel these days, and I’m not talking about Kabbalah. People are really taking an interest in their roots. Maybe they see it is a matter of learning their national heritage, our national heritage, as a people. I must say I’m pretty blown away with the fact that the Bible was written so long ago, and it’s so rich and intricate and complex. And the Hebrew is so beautiful.
In Friday’s Maariv, Rino Tzror talked of what he calls people with the transparent yarmulkas - a growing movement of Jewish Israelis who take on parts of Jewish wisdom, if not all, without becoming overtly religious. Some keep the Shabbat, others pray the morning prayers, some just do the Friday night kiddush. I guess that’s more or less where I am right now - a transparent yarmulka Jew (or the female version thereof).
Now I know a lot of diaspora Jews have always been like that. I grew up in such a family. But in Israel we have the ability, because of the language leg up, to better understand the words we are uttering in the morning brochas or as we make kiddush on Friday night. If we feel our knowlege is limited, and we wish to remedy that, it’s easier for us, should we decide to do so. As I said, we have a real choice. And it’s easier for us to remain Jewish and open to Jewish wisdom and life, even if we choose not to live a religious life. (Somehow I don’t see Christmas trees catching on in a big way in Israel.)
Nowhere is all this more noticable than at the Seder table at Pesach. As a secular Israeli Jew, I am very grateful.