Rak Barak

Last night I had the opportunity to see former Prime Minister Ehud Barak speak at the IU Auditorium. I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity. While I don't necessarily agree with all of Barak's politics, I thought that he was a fantastic speaker. His thick accent was a little hard to understand at points, but his knowledge of the English language was very impressive. As one person said during the Q & A, "Your English is quite impressive as a second or third language...I wish we had a leader who could speak one language correctly."

Attendance was very impressive. I think it is pretty safe to say that the majority of the crowd was Jewish though many Muslim and Christian students and Bloomington residents were there as well. I felt very connected with the audience. When Barak would say something good there was a lot of applause. Of course there were protestors who tried to make points to object to what Barak was saying (both Jews and non-Jews). I thought that Barak handled these comments very elegantly. I was extremely impressed with his responses to these questions.

Overall I really enjoyed the lecture. It made me extremely happy that Union Board brought someone so influential for the State of Israel to IU.

Jewish GLBT Communities

In 1492, the Jews of Spain were given a choice: convert or leave.

I watched the movie "Trembling Before G-d" this morning before class. It really made me sick to see how people within the Jewish community are shunned because of their sexual orientation. There were many instances in the movie of people being told that in order to fit in and be accepted in the community they must change who they are. In class we watched the story of David, a man from Chicago who was told 20 years ago by a rabbi to get therapy to "fix" him. Twenty years later and he's still gay. The same rabbi told him this time he must not live the lifestyle that makes him comfortable because it is just not right.

Essentially David was given a choice: be straight or leave.

Do you see my connection?

Gay Jews are being shunned just as the Jews of Spain were over 500 years ago. Only this time it is by other Jews. In Spain the Jews were expelled because of their beliefs. Many Jews left because they identified as Jews; they couldn't change who they were. And now gay Jews are being told that they must change who they are or else they will be expelled as well. It just seems very hypocritical to me. How could that rabbi say this to David when he knows the history of his people and he knows what it is like to be shunned based on personal feelings and beliefs?

I think by watching this movie I gained a lot more respect for the greater gay community. Jewish or not, it gave me a sense of what people who identify as homosexual must go through in order to be true to themselves.

Jewish Literature

I was just reading over my blogs and I realized that I forgot to write about Jewish literature. This makes me sad because I love reading books about Judaism. Specifically, I love reading fiction novels about Judaism.

Two years ago I took a class at IU about Jewish American Literature. It was a great class (H303 in the Honors college for those of you who haven't yet registered for next semester). We read several books about Jews living in America. One of the books was called The Far Euphrates by Aryeh Lev Stollman. This book is now in my top five favorite books of all time. After we read the book, Mr. Stollman came to IU to give a lecture and came to my class to talk to us. It was a really interesting experience to hear the story behind the writing and to hear him explain how he came up with the storyline. Needless to say, when I saw we were reading one of his short stories for class I knew it would be good. :)

Mr. Mitochondria reminded me of The Far Euphrates in that it uses Judaism as the background for the story, but it is never really mentioned as the main focal point. Yet both are described as "Jewish Literature." Perhaps this could be because Stollman uses Biblical allegories in his stories such as, "Outside the kitchen lay heavy rolls of transparent plastic between the purple pinnacles of Sarah's Handmaiden and the waxy crimson blossoms of Job's Wife."

The most interesting part of the story to me, was the way that Stollman uses mitochondrion to describe Judaism. At least that's what I thought was happening. Adar, the main character, does a report on mitochondria and explains that it is actually a parasite that lives in the cell. It has evolved from a type of bacteria which has evolved and now is accepted by the cell and works to aid the cell by providing it power. Mitochondrion are passed down through a mother's genes.

The way I interpreted this science report was that Judaism is like a mitochondria. Jews went in to exile 2000 years ago and have eventually "evolved" or assimilated in to different cultures. Slowly but surely Jews have been accepted (in the West anyways) and now are able to work hand in hand with the rest of the surrounding communities to contribute to common goals of the community. A Jew is also historically defined as someone whose mother is Jewish; once again matrilineal descent is a commonality between mitochondria and Jews.

Two observations:

1. Jews are not bacteria. (this is me being sarcastic by the way)
2. I wonder what others think of Stollman's comparison and definition of a mother's genetic makeup being passed down to her children.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I've added The Dialogues of Time and Entropy to next summers reading list.

Dan Nichols

Last night Dan Nichols visited IU. He led Reform services at Hillel and then had a concert after later on in the night. I love Dan Nichols. Dan is the man. For those of you who may not be familiar with him, he is a Jewish musician who is well-known among the Reform camping/youth movement. Check out more about him at his website www.jewishrock.com.

This was the fourth time I have seen Dan perform. I have seen him perf0rm in New Orleans, Washington DC, and Utica, Mississippi. All of the other performances have been for many more people, but there is just something about his music and the way that he sings it that brings ruach to the community no matter what the size.

During the concert, Dan told us a story about a quote that someone had showed him. The quote was, "Do as much as you can with the time that you have in the place that you are." It just happens that this quote, which was said by a young boy who was the oldest person at age 11 to still be living after having been born with AIDS, has 18 words in it. Dan's band is called "E18ghteen" so this appealed to him. The boy was not Jewish and had no ties to Judaism, but this woman showed this quote to Dan and challenged him to "find the Jewishness" within it. He said that he loved the quote and could feel a connection but had no idea how to find the Jewishness that existed. He talked to a rabbi about this and the rabbi suggeted that maybe there was a connection to something that Rabbi Tarfon once said, "Lo alecha hamlacha ligmore, v'lo atah ben chorin l'hibateil memenah" (It is not your duty to complete the task. Neither are you free to desist from it.) Through this teaching from Rabbi Tarfon, Dan was able to apply "Jewishness" to something that was not related to Judaism. I think that this really relates to what we talked about in class a few weeks ago about what makes music Jewish. Through this song, Dan shows that music is Jewish based on its interpretations. He interpreted the quote to say something about a Jewish outlook on life.

If you're interested, here are the lyrics for the song. You should really check it out on his website. The song is going to be released this year on Dan's latest CD.

"Do as much as you can
With the time that you have
In the place that you are"
Eighteen words from a kid
With less than a year to live
He knew so much more than we thought he did.

Lo Alecha Hamlacha ligmor
V'lo atah ben chorin l'hibateil mimena

What can one person do
The task is great and the day is short
Words our fathers knew
We can't do it all, but we can all do more

Lo Alecha Hamlacha ligmor
V'lo atah ben chorin l'hibateil mimena

From all that used to be to all that might have been
There's no mystery when we work with what's in-between
All we can do is all we can do, all we can do is all we can do.

Lo Alecha Hamlacha ligmor
V'lo atah ben chorin l'hibateil mimena

Ties to Israel?

The following is a conversation that I had with my boss at work early last Saturday morning:

Boss: So, Sarah, you're a senior right?
Me: Yep.
Boss: Do you know what you want to do next year?
Me: Actually yeah. I'm moving to Israel for a year to do a volunteer program for 10 months and then see where I want to be after that.
Boss: [puts his hand on my forehead to see if I have a fever] Are you OK? You want to go in to a war-ridden country?
Me: Ummmmmmmmm....

Please remember that this conversation took place at about 8:30 in the morning so I wasn't entirely functioning quite yet, but I was completely at a loss as to how to respond. I've gotten questions like this before from people who don't know much about Israel; most of the people who say things like this are not Jewish (though I must admit my grandmother says this same thing to me). I never know what to say. How could my boss ever understand? I can't stand there in the middle of the kitchen at work and explain to him the connection I feel to Israel because of the history, the heritage, the land, the people, the spirituality, etc... How do I describe my Israel education which my camp and synagogue have given me throughout my life? I don't want to describe the feelings I've often had of not fitting in simply because of my religion. He can't possibly understand what it feels like to stand at the Kotel because he's never been. And he never will because he doesn't understand. It's extremely frustrating to try to answer this question because I'm not sure that I entirely understand why I feel the way I do about Israel. I don't know the best way to explain it to others becuase I don't know how to explain it to myself. So, F358, what is the best way to do it?

Jewish Film Festivals

In class on Wednesday, we talked about the rising popularity of Jewish Film Festivals. My community at home has a Jewish Film Festival each year. It is called "Jewish Cinema South" and it travels around the South showing several different films to the local communities. Though most of the communities where the films air are extremely small compared to the Jewish communities of LA or NYC, there is still a big outpour of support from the local communities to support this event.

I think that the main purpose that Jewish Cinema South serves is education. It brings in information about Judaism and presents it to audiences of Jews and non-Jews. Many non-Jews in the area may not know much about Judaism and they may have never actually met a Jew, but they normally know the sterotypes about Jews that popular media portrays. I think that this film festival is a great way to reach out and educate others about all aspects of Judaism.

"Caroline, or Change"

In class today, someone asked the question, "Why is 'Jews in the South' an uncomfortable topic?" To me, Southern Jewry is an extremely comfortable topic, but to others who don't know much about Jews in the Deep South I can definitely understand why it would be uncomfortable.

I can appreciate the issues which the musical "Caroline, or Change" brings to light. The play is about a black maid named Caroline Thibodeaux (what a fitting name for a woman from Acadia) who works for a Jewish family in Lake Charles, LA. Throughout the play, Caroline is faced with many issues of race and struggles to find her role in the world. This play premiered in the American haven for Jews-- New York. This brings up an uncomfortable topic all in itself: there are Jews from other places besides New York! I genuinely think that New York Jews sometimes really don't understand that Jews exist outside of New York and Israel. I know that is a huge exaggeration, but sometimes it really feels that way. Last summer in Jerusalem, I literally spent half an hour trying to explain to a cab driver in broken Hebrew that I was actually Jewish and from Mississippi. He was intrigued. All he kept saying was, "No, you are from New York." For those who are unfamiliar with Jews in the Deep South, this musical could seem very foreign.

It may also make people think back in time to the Civil War. Jews are not often associated with the Confederate States of America, but in fact, the Jews had a bigger role in CSA than one might think. People don't realize that the Attorney General of CSA was Jewish.

And then there's the small issue of race. I wish I could tell you all the questions about race that people ask me when they find out I'm from the South. Generally, however, it has been my experience that Jews and Blacks get together nicely in the South. Perhaps this is because both groups of people have been victims of hate and oppression; and both groups are often the only Democratic voters in the South (I do not mean in any way that all Jews and all Blacks vote Democratic, and I certainly don’t mean that no other people in the South vote Republican; I am just going along with the stereotype that, from my experience, seems valid). Like I mentioned in class, around the time of this play, the Freedom Rides were taking place. This was when young people from the North (generally New York) came down South to try to help black people register to vote. A good number of the Freedom Riders were in fact Jewish, and in most cases, they were not well received by the general white population. There were a few instances where lives were lost over this issue. While in Israel last summer, I was shocked when I told an Israeli that I was from Mississippi, and his response was, "Mississippi? Like Mississippi Burning?" He was of course referring to a movie which tells the true story of the brutal murder of 2 Jewish Freedom riders and a black man.

A few years after "Caroline, or Change" took place, my synagogue in Jackson, MS, was bombed along with our rabbis house. The KKK did it because they didn't exactly like the civil relations between the Jewish community and the Black community. I can remember learning about the bombing when I was in 1st or 2nd grade at Religious School; the congregation left a part of the foundation uncovered so that everyone could see the cracks and remember what had happened. It was scary when I was that young to know that something had happened at my synagogue just because a few radicals didn't like my religion. It was even scarier when I read about it in Jack Nelson's book Terror in the Night.

There are of course people who are a combination of everything in Caroline Thibodeaux's life. Rebecca Walker, daughter of the famous author Alice Walker, wrote a book entitled Black, White, and Jewish. This book recounts her life growing up in the South (mainly Jackson, MS, I believe) as the daughter of a Black mother and a Jewish father. If I could guess, I would say that Rebecca Walker would greatly appreciate this musical because it gives a taste of the racism (from both ends) which she undoubtedly endured during her life in the South.

Reading over my post, I feel like I am making the South sound like an awful place. It's really not. Growing up, I never personally experienced any anti-Semitism that goes beyond what any of my friends here at IU experienced. I was able to grow up in a close knit community compromising of about 4 states of Jews. Everyone knows everyone; we enjoy all of the rich culture advantages of being Jewish (such as the food) and of being Southern (such as the food). Needless to say, we eat very well.

In conclusion, there’s not much left to say except:

Shalom Y’all!

Neshama Carlebach

Neshama means "soul" or "spirit" in Hebrew. What a fitting name for a child of Shlomo Carlebach. He was such a spiritual man, and it seems that his daughter has the ability to touch others souls through music just as he was. She has a beautiful voice, and I really like the production of the songs.

The music included on this album covers a wide range. Neshama sings traditional Jewish songs such as "Adon Olam", music of her fathers, and a few of her own songs. There is a little bit of everything on this cd.

My favorite song (that I was able to listen to from the website) was "Niggun Neshama". A niggun is a melody without words. I love to sing niggunim. It reminds me of Kabbalat Shabbat at camp. Together my entire camp would walk from our cabins to the flagpole all dressed in white to welcome the Sabbath--and we would all sing a niggun. There is something magical about niggunim; a song without words just leaves so much open to the imagination. You are free to imagine the song is about anything you want. With no pre-prescribed words, the mind wonders and you are welcome to connect in your own personal way. I like upbeat melody that Neshama sings in her niggun. The tune is very catchy and easy to get caught up in. I can just imagine humming that tune at camp with a rabbi telling us all a story about the sanctification of the Sabbath or the importance loving your neighbor.

I think that Neshama is a very talented musician, and I really respect the fact that she uses her music to continue what her father started: reviving Jewish spirtuality through music.

"...you're never alone when you say you're a Jew"

Wherever you go there's always someone Jewish
You're never alone when you say you're a Jew
So when you're not home and you're somewhere kind of newish
The odds are don't look far 'cause they're Jewish too.

Some Jews live in tents and some live in pagodas
And some Jews pay rent cause the city's not free
Some Jews live on farms in the hills of Minnesota
And some Jews wear no shoes and sleep by the sea.

Amsterdam, Disneyland, Tel Aviv
Oh they're miles apart
But when we light the candles on the Sabbath's eve
We share in the prayer in each one of our hearts
la da da da da da da da da da

Some Jew wear hats and some Jews wear sombreros
And some wear kafiahs to keep out the sun
Some Jews live on rice and some live on potatoes
And waffles, falafels, and hamburger buns.


These are the lyrics to one of my favorite camp songs. I felt this was relevant to our class discussion regarding a type of Jewish Imagined Community. Why do Jews often "feel something different around other Jews"?

Here's my answer:

Jews often feel an innate bond to other Jews because of a collective consciousness that connects them to one another. Similar beliefs and seniments contribute to this feeling of connection. My favorite sociologist Emile Durkheim would say that Jews have a strong sense of collective consciousness because of shared values; this is exactly like Americans connecting over the value and appreciation of a democratic government. People simply seem to feel more comfortable with others who share common views--especially tradition.

So how exactly does Durkheim's theories connect to my song? Let's take a look at these two lines:

But when we light the candles on the Sabbath's eve
We share in the prayer in each one of our hearts

Lighting the candles on Shabbat is a Jewish tradition. Some Jews do it and some Jews don't. But there is much more to this tradition. I want to focus on two thingst: sacredness and ritualism.

In a sense, one could see this tradition--or even the thought of this tradition-- as being sacred. It represents Judaism. Just as the bald eagle has come to be a patriotic symbol of America, images such as candle lighting or the Magen David have come to represent Judaism. I must admit, when I first visited Bloomington I met a girl who was wearing a Star of David necklace and I got really excited. Sometimes I still get a little excited. But do I get excited over the star? No I get excited over what it represents: a community of which I am part.

Lighting the candles is also a ritual. Like all rituals, it seems to reenergize group sentiments by making a connection. In the songs case, it connects two people who maybe don't even speak the same language. These two people,however, are both capable of lighting the candles. It becomes the common ground; something to share, which in turn will strengthen a sense of traditional solidarity.

I hope my sociological babbling makes sense to anyone who may read it. If not, you can still check out this hilarious video of some kid singing my song... (really...check it out...it's hilarious).

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2193878865485206581&q=Jewish

New Voices

I really enjoyed looking at the New Voices magazine. I really like the idea of having a Jewish publication produced by college students for college students. A lot of the articles really connected with me because they somehow relate to my college experience. One odd example of this was the book review of The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be G-d and Other Short Stories. We read this book in my Hebrew class semester! The Campus Briefs section is also very interesting to read. I like to be able to know what is going on in other Jewish communties around the country just as I like to know what is going on in my Jewish community.

The website for New Voices really speaks to college students. There is a humor section (and the jokes are actually amusing). There is a job section with ads seeking interns and submissions for the magazine by college students. There is even a section calling for Jewish Students to start blogging on their website. Ironic? Just a little bit.

Overall, I think that this publication serves as a great resource for Jewish students.