Tag Archives: jewish

Holiday – Jewish

Nationality: Jewish
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Westlake, CA
Performance Date: April 28, 2008
Primary Language: English

Holiday-Passover

“Passover is basically the celebration of the Jews not being slaves anymore in Egypt. The pharaoh in Egypt was in charge of the slaves building the pyramids. Eventually, Moses is able to free the Jews from the pharaoh’s tyranny through the help from God. This is where the burning bush comes in as a symbol of God. Basically, ten plagues afflict the Pharaoh and the rest of the Egyptians. The last one is most important being the death of the firstborn son. Eventually, this convinces the pharaoh to let the Jews go. So the Jews begin their exits from Egypt. In the middle of getting away, the pharaoh decides to revoke their freedom because he still wants them to be his slaves. So, the Jews did not have the time to let the bread rise that they were cooking for their journey. So, they had to eat matza, which is bread that has not risen. This is why during Passover, for eight days, the Jews keep kosher by not eating anything with flower. If you’re Ashkenazi, you can’t eat rice or corn or anything like that. But if you’re Sephardic, you can have rice. But, all Jews cannot have flour. That’s why they eat matza. So, the pharaoh chased the Jews until God allowed Moses to part the Red Sea and escape. Jewish people celebrate all this by having a Passover satyr once a year, where you have four cups of wine throughout the meal and different types of food. There is a prayer that goes along with the satyr and you’re supposed to leave the door open for Elijah, a prophet, and also have a glass of wine left out for him. Also, you’re supposed to leave your door open so that anyone can come celebrate Passover with you.”

Matt said he learned the stories and traditions of Passover whenever he was a child. Passover is a Jewish holiday so his family has celebrated it every year since he was born. Plus, he went to a Hebrew school until he was in eighth grade so the story of the pharaoh was talked about every year in school. He said that all Jews celebrate the holiday as it lasts for eight days. When I asked him when Passover took place, he said that it varies from year to year because Jewish people follow the lunar calendar. This year, Passover began on April 20th and lasted until the 28th.

Matt said that Passover is a good time for the Jewish religion to remember their history and the struggles their ancestors went through. To honor them, they eat only kosher items throughout the eight days to respect the journey of Moses and the Jewish slaves. This means that they do not eat bread or rice but only matza. This discipline helps remind them that life was never easy for the Jewish religion, as they endured countless struggles to be where they are at today. Matt is proud of his ancestors and shows it by eating only kosher.

Passover to Matt means a dinner with family and an Atkins-like diet for a week. When I asked him about the importance of the holiday, he responded by talking about how the Jewish religion has gone through countless struggles in order to survive. From the slavery in Egypt to the Holocaust, the Jewish people have survived and prospered. Passover is a time for Matt to connect with and feel proud of his religion. Although he made the joke saying that it is a time for him to go on a diet, he really understands the importance of his religion’s history.

As a Christian, I do not understand that much about the Jewish religion because I grew up in a dominant Christian area. However, I agree that Passover is an important holiday for the Jewish religion with many traditions that cannot go unnoticed. For example, there are some variations to this holiday as different types of Jews eat different types of Kosher, as Matt mentioned. This means that different Jews celebrate Passover in different ways, following traditions that their separate ancestors laid out before them. Furthermore, Passover is meant to be a time for the Jewish religion to remember their struggles by going through a struggle themselves, which in this case, is a kosher diet. Although this is not a serious struggle like the Jews faced in history, it does show that Jewish people have discipline and honor.

Holiday – Jewish

Nationality: Jewish
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Westlake, CA
Performance Date: April 28, 2008
Primary Language: English

Holiday-Hanukkah

“Hanukkah, aka the Festival of Lights, celebrates yet another event the Jews escaped out of. The Romans had taken over the city where all the Jews were living in Israel. This is where the holy temple was where the western wall still remains today. So, the Romans come in and don’t let the Jews practice their religion, say any of their prayers, or read the Torah. These practices were essential to the Jews so they performed them in secret. So, a few of them got caught and were severely punished. Then the Maccabees, which were twelve kids, led by Judah, fought back against the Romans and defeated them. The true miracle of the story though was that after the battle, when they went to go pray in the synagogue, there was only a small amount of oil to keep the Holy Candle burning. The candle was supposed to be lit at all times so this little canister should have lasted only a day but instead, lasted eight days until new oil arrived. That is why there are eight days of Hanukkah and eight candles on the Menorah, to celebrate the miracle of the Holy Candle.”

Matt said he learned this story all throughout his childhood from his parents, the synagogue, and Hebrew school. Therefore, the story of the Maccabees and their miraculous oil has been passed down several generations in oral form. He said that all Jews know this story for they all celebrate Hanukkah as a holiday. He said that although it used to be different, Hanukkah has adopted some modern ideas such as presents. In ancient times, they did not used to celebrate Hanukkah by passing out presents to people. Now, however, they receive a present on each of the eight days as they light a new candle on the menorah.

Matt said that Hanukkah, like all other Jewish holidays, follows the lunar calendar. Therefore, the time it takes place varies from year to year. He said that most of the time, the Jewish religion celebrates Hanukkah from late November to mid-December. During this time, they receive presents just as Christians do, yet they celebrate something completely different. Matt likes Hanukkah because it is a good time to spend with family and other Jewish friends.            When I asked Matt what Hanukkah meant to him, he told me that it represented his culture. Matt is very proud of his ancestors for fighting the Romans in order to preserve their religion. He is even more amazed by the remarkable miracle of the oil burning for eight long days. He said that Hanukkah brings him closer to his family as they all go to the synagogue to remember the events that happened thousands of years ago. He also said that he enjoyed the Christianization of the holiday in the sense of presents. He said that children in Israel do not receive presents for Hanukkah but children in America do to compete with Christmas. With all the Christian children getting presents, some of the Jewish children got jealous. In order to make their children happy, Jewish parents opened up to the idea of presents so that their children can enjoy them as well.

I agree with Matt that this story is truly remarkable. For a small canister of oil to last seven days more than it typically would, it shows just how miracles can happen. Also, I think this celebration is a time for the Jewish religion to connect with each other. By lighting candles to celebrate the days the oil lasted, the Jews are showing their respect for those that fought the Romans. Hanukkah represents the Jewish religion well because it shows what they believe in. Additionally, I think that Hanukkah has changed since it first became a holiday. The Jewish religion has taken on a Christian approach with the presents but it has still maintained its traditions and morals.

Food – Jewish

Nationality: Caucasian, Jewsih
Age: 57
Occupation: Hotel Executive
Performance Date: April 30, 2008
Primary Language: English

Jew Food

“Food was very important in out lives. There were always great smells coming from our kitchen. Our table was round and when all 8 of us sat around it, there was a lot of reaching and grabbing the platters. We were 6 kids and had pancake eating contests sometimes for breakfast. There was a blackboard in the kitchen and we would keep score on it. Our Sunday morning breakfasts were legendary.  There would be bagels, lox, smoked salmon, herring, kippered salmon, and whitefish.”

The above describes the food my mother ate at home growing up. She grew up in a privileged Jewish household and a cook was employed to prepare meals for the family. The story about the pancake eating contest surprised me because my mother as I know her today is not one to participate in any eating contest.

The contrast between my mother’s eating then (plentiful and taste-based) versus today (health conscious and small portioned) can be explained due to a few circumstances. She grew up in the 50’s and 60’s when health technology was not as advanced. There were a lot fewer worries about cholesterol levels, diabetes, and obesity was not as prevalent. Perhaps this is why her family’s lifestyle was not that of what my family’s presently is. Also, however, my mother was a child and children do not have as much sense of eating right for health reasons or aesthetic reasons. Also, the thinness that is “in” today was not nearly as dramatic back in those days. Fashion models were not the stick figures that they are today, but yet beautiful, curvy, and healthy looking. Finally, my mother did not have the influence of my father, who is extremely health conscious and runs seven miles a day. Instead, she had the influence of my late Grandfather who loved eating the most fattening foods and later developed diabetes. However, he lived life to the fullest and I doubt he would ever regret eating all those delicious meals.

The latter part of her account of eating is relatable to many Jewish people in the United States, if not around the world (to which there are very few). The typical ethnic Jewish foods are smoked fish and bagels. To an outsider it might sound strange and perhaps not be appealing upon trying it, but growing up with lox and bagels, as I did, makes it a delicacy for many Jews. Still today, our extended family gets together once in a while to share a meal of fish and bagels. To Jews, as it is for most ethnicities, food is an agent for bringing people together.

Folk Speech/Rite of Passage – Jewish

Nationality: Caucasian, Jewish
Age: 83
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Brooklyn, NY
Performance Date: April 30, 2008
Primary Language: English

Period

“If a girl got her first period, we would pinch her cheeks and say Mazel Tov.”

“If a girl got her first period, we would pinch her cheeks and say Congratulations.”

Mazel Tov is a Hebrew congratulatory word. It is often said during times of rites of passage, such as at Bar/Bat Mitzvahs or weddings. It is said with intentions of wishing the participant luck and prosperity as well.

A first period is a time of celebration for fertility as well as a rite of passage, marking a significant time in a young girls’ life. The pinching of the cheeks causes redness to form at the area being irritated, perhaps signifying the blood from the menstruation. I have also heard similar stories of mothers slapping their children in their face. Although traditionally not intended to be threatening or to hurt too much, perhaps this is a customary ritual which warns the young girl that she better be careful not to get pregnant (for the time has come where it may be possible).

Annotation:

*Rites of Passage was first suggested by Arnold Van Gennep in 1909

Joke – Jewish

Nationality: White
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Haverford, PA
Performance Date: May 01, 2008
Primary Language: English

Jewish Joke

“Why do Jewish people have big noses? Because air is free!”

This joke deals with two main stereotypes about Jewish people. One is their appearance, having big noses. The other is that they are cheap.

I must say, being a Jew, I think I am guilty of possessing both of these traits. This Jew joke to me is funny, yet some Jewish jokes deal with trying to make light of the Holocaust, which is something I will never find funny. Light-hearted Jokes like this one, however, are ok with me, as a Jew.

Jewish people may be cheap, I admit it. However, statistically, Jewish people make up less than one percent of the population, but control a large portion of the wealth. Perhaps one of the reasons that Jewish people have such a high success rate of becoming rich is due to their “cheap” tendencies. Especially now, during time of at least an acute economic crisis, perhaps more of the US can learn money saving tips from the Jewish. Yes I might be biased but in reality, there is nothing wrong with trying to save a bit of money.

The big nosed part of being a Jew I cannot explain. It is not to say that every Jewish person has a big nose, but for those who do not, there sure are those who have enough nose for two! My mother, for instance, had a nose job as a result of her dislike of her “Jewish” nose.

The point is, this joke is one that I think many Jews would laugh at because of the validity to it. However, there are some jokes that are just too sensitive to handle, no matter how long it has been after the event that the joke is about. This includes the Holocaust.