Race, Religion or both?

Today in class we discussed what race is and what Judaism as a whole is considered by our society. We specifically looked at African American Judaism and looked more closely at Beth Shalom B'Nai Zaken: Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation. First off, I found it to be interesting that their website says an Ethiopian hebrew congregation. While I was in Israel, I worked on a community service project at an Ethiopian absorption center,  so this is a targeted group of people Israel hopes to connect with all over the world. We watched a video about this group of people an a few things that people said stood out to me. One woman tried to explain the differences between this congregation and others. She used the word "Amen" as an example to say that the other African Americans understand what she means when she says, Amen! It is more explosive and they connect on a closer level. They also believe that the Ethiopians are the "true" Jews, and they do not say they are Jewish or call their religion Judaism. They call themselves Hebrew Israelites and consider that they are African American descents from Egypt.

Beth Shalom tries very hard to connect with other Jews of color. They think there needs to be more room for all these ethnic people who have found their way back to Judaism. The support Israel just as much as countries like Nigeria and South Africa and consider it to be just like home. The video that we saw made it seem like the congregation incorporates cultural things like song and dance associated with African Americans with Jewish traditions to revert to Judaism. Things like this and even food doesn’t belong to one “identity” ex: soul food can be  black and Jewish. Many African Americans are unsure where and how to practice Judaism so Funnye's goal is to encourage reverting back to Judaism.

As we discussed further the history of African American Jews, I thought it was interesting that it originated during the Civil Rights Movement. Both minorities came into alliance because they were being oppressed and this this created an entire generation of black jews. In general, they tell the story about the jewish people being very inclusive and inviting to these new Jews so a community arouse. I also find it compelling to see how minorities can come together or compete. One of the representatives from the African American Jewish congregation perceived their identity as being the "true" Jews. This creates a hierarchy and creates more division amongst the Jews.

Overall identity, race and ethnicity are very problematic topics. Who we are is not comprised of one identity. We aren't just Jewish or just Asian, it is much more complicated. To see the assimilation of identities like in the congregation Beth Shalom is both inspiring and a positive shift for Judaism as a whole.

The Kotel, Green project and Shabbat

Once we got to jerusalem we went to the Kotel. This was one of my favorite places we visited, and the Jewish connection there is overwhelming and immediate. The history and story behind it is very unique and the experience was one I will never forget. There were hundreds of people here, many dressed as Orthodox Jews, and the men and women pray on different sides. We had to wait for awhile before we were able to go up, touch the wall, pray and put a note into the small cracks that are already filled with tiny folds of white paper. It was a very spiritual place and there was also a Barmitzvah going on the Thursday we were there.
After that we went to the hotel we were staying at and heard about this recent campaign that was started called Nu. They told us about their organization and they make t-shirts with very cool designs on them and print the story of the organizations the picture is representing on the inside. Since they just started only 20 percent goes to the actual charity but they hope to eventually donate 100 percent of proceeds to the specific charity, pretty great idea. They hope to bring these t-shirts to college campuses to spread the word about the different charities and get young people involved with Israel since we are the future. 


After this we worked on something called the Green Project. It was working with a community of activists that turned a garbage dump into a green space. It was SO beautiful, and the view was breath taking. We helped improve the terraces and moved rocks to create a path. After this we went to the shuk which is a huge market place, if I could compare it to anything it would be something like canal street. Lots of little shops and a ton of food. We go falafel and walked around, and since it was friday there were SO many people buying groceries for shabbat. I have never seen anything like it, it was hard to even move! Being from NY gave me an advantage because we know how to be pushy! After this prepared for Shabbat and we started off the night lighting candles. They gave us the option of going to a local temple, going to the service in the hotel or staying for an open discussion of Shabbat in the hotel. I went to the temple and it was SO different then what I have experienced at my temple at home. The women sit behind the men to pray and there was a lot of singing and dancing. Those who were part of the congregation were very welcoming and the service lasted about 2 hours. After we had a special shabbat dinner and then had an oneg which is kind of like a Shabbat party. We all bought snacks from the market to eat, played games and sang songs. The next morning there was optional worship for Shabbat and we went to the Kotel again to pray. Then we had a workshop on the weekly parsha and the discussion lead us to the topic of heros because of the story of purim. We talked about some of the biggest heros in jewish history which was very inspiring. My group focused on Hannah Senesh, one of the bravest people I have every learned about. People do such unbelievable things with their lives. After lunch we reseted for Shabbat then had havdallah which is the prayer that is said at the end of shabbat. After we had a free night to get dinner, on Ben Yahuda street. Being in the Old City really allowed us to connect to Judaism and seeing so many Jewish people in one place was refreshing. Everyone we met was so grateful for our help and the people of Israel really love and care about their land.

Yosi's farm, the crater and army base

Another experience I had over the eight days I spent in Israel was at a place called Yosi's farm which is literally in the middle of nowhere in the Negev Desert. First we met the man that owned the farm and he explained to us how the only people who are there are him, his family and 1 volunteer. Must be a ton of work to take care of the land with so few people but he told us he didn't have the money to employ people yet. They are hoping that as more people come to this area, the tourism will bring them income. We started working on his olive trees around 9, and pulled out weeds, raked, and put stones around the tree in a circle. He said that the weeds take water away from the trees and by raking the soil around them we were helping more air get in. After helping prep the land on his farm, which will over time bring more people to visit the Negev, we saw one of the worlds biggest crater in the world. It was massive and I have never seen anything like it and after went to the israeli army base camp for people who are training to become officers. Basically what this means is that they are extending their time in the army (women are required 2 years, men 3). We had a girl show us around and also met the rabbi on the base. He showed us their synagogue that was funded by JNF when there was a need for a bigger one to fit all the soldiers. The architecture was inspired by the burning bush, and the building resembles flames of fire. He told us that the meaning behind this is that even though the bush was on fire, it did not burn- it stayed strong and held its ground, just like israel. It was also a very simple building, no painting or color just concrete. The reason for this is that israeli people feel people should just be simple and not flashy and take off their outer "mask". He told us this is what israeli leaders in the army are like- they sacrifice their wants for the good of the country. We went inside of their work room first which is a place with a long table and chairs with a lot of hebrew books. This is a place for the soldiers to come during their free time to read and learn since to traditionally religious israelis, learning is a necessity in everyday life. Then we went upstairs to see the synagogue which was also very simple for the same reason as I mentioned above. There were 2 floors because the men and women pray separately- men on the floor, women upstairs. He also showed us the torahs which were absolutely gorgeous. They have 3 different ones so that when people have to leave the base and go elsewhere they can bring the torah as they travel. After this we walked around a little more and then met some of the soldiers. First we had a more formal kind of question and answer but then were able to interact with them on a more personal level. It was so humbling to see these people, some were even younger then me. They ranged from ages 18-21 and it was really unbelievable to here them talk about their experience and why they do what they do. They said that in the army if you are still capable of giving you must, its not a choice or a thought but an instinct. They all spoke so highly of their experience and said that although it is very hard they feel that the army gives back even more that they give to israel. A few of them said they wanted to make this into their career and they only get to see their family 1 time in 90 days! They get no days off beside shabbat and have days from 520 am to 11 pm! The people were just so nice and sincere, you could tell how passionate they are about israel, something you do not always see in the US. 

ASB, day 1

I took a trip to Israel with JNF's ASB to spend my spring break in the Negev desert and Jerusalem, working on community service projects to help build Israel. It was such an amazing experience and I participated in several Jewish activities that I would have been unable to experience without this trip. The first day we spent there we went to an absorption center called Earth's Promise, where Ethiopian immigrants come and live in Israel. Many came to israel to escape persecution and now live in government housing that seem like the project's we see here in the US.
We worked on a communal garden that every family in the building is giving a plot of land in. They explained how important this land was to their pride and dignity, and it allows them to feel like their farming skills are making them relevant and useful in today's fast paced, technologically advanced society. They split us into groups and we worked on a bunch of different things like a plot for kids to play and garden in, a fire pit where they have bonfires, we made a brand new elevated garden and loosened up the dirt, added composte and hay and it was just such a rewarding thing. We got to see the people who lived in the community and there were a lot of kids running around and playing so it was really nice to actually see who we were helping. They also brought in some one who works with the ethiopians to tell us about the history and the current situation for the ethiopian people. We also planted an olive tree as a group and its so great knowing that we could come back in 10 years and see the exact tree we helped plant. After the garden we went to Ben Gurian University which felt similar to a school like IU, and our tour guide told us that it gives Israeli students a college experience more similar to in the US because many other kids live at home if the go to school in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. After the university we saw the biggest on going program JNF is working on, a river walk. They have done about 2/5ths of the work and hope to make beer sheva an upcoming place for people to visit and live in. It was very motivating to be in Israel and share such a connection to other Jewish people from the communities we visited and the other participants on the ASB trip. A lot of the work I did this week is going to affect the bigger picture of Israel, and will hopefully make it a more popular place for people to come support and help make even better then it already is.  

Jewish Film Festivals

Jewish film festivals take place in many different locations including San Fransisco, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, Seattle, Maine, Connecticut etc. Many of the websites were from the same organization- Jewish Film Festival (jff), but each place had their own website . For example, sfjff.com would be for San Francisco and bjff.com would be for Boston. Each festival focuses on a different aspect of Judaism and their overall missions differed although they all wanted to bring Jewish culture to each city or state. Since I am from New York, I decided to look further into the Jewish film festivals that take place there. 

The information for the New York Jewish Film Festival was on the thejewishmuseum.org under "Exhibitions." The website, more generally is dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the cultural and artistic heritage of the Jewish people. They use collections, exhibitions and education programs to encourage the understanding of Judaism. The festival will take place from January 12-27 at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center and is their 20th anniversary. It is presented by The Jewish Museum and The Film Society of Lincoln Center. The Lincoln Center, which is a very well known and renowned NY establishment for the performing arts is a great way to encourage people to come see the NYJFF and the relationship that the Center has with NY gives the NYJFF credibility and the venue alone can attract a bigger audience. The website explains what the festival is and lists what the program includes. There is a diverse selection for the NYJFF including narrative features, documentaries and short stories with world, US and NY premieres. They include a link to this year's line up which consisted of over 20 titles! I was not expecting such an assortment but it is beneficial to the NYJFF because people are very likely to find at least one thing that interests them enough to buy a ticket. The tickets are $12 for the public, $9 for students, $7 for Jewish Museum and Film Society Members and $8 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased online or in person, and the discounted price for members gives people an incentive to join the Jewish Museum or Film Society and get more involved. You can also sign up for newsletters and give your email to receive information about whatever section interests you. They make it very easy to navigate and find what you want, however there was barely any information about what makes a film eligible to be in the NYJFF. 

As I tried to look for what I unsuccessfully found on the previous website I visited (what makes a film "Jewish") I had better luck at the film festivals in Pittsburgh and Denver. The Denver website, www.maccjcc.org had an application for people to send in to try and get their film chosen to be presented. I was unable to see this because the entries for the upcoming event were already closed. However, when I went to their "2010 FAQ" section, they had a response to the million dollar question, what makes a film Jewish? Their response was that there is not one answer, but they show films to celebrate the human experience from a Jewish perspective or topic. The festivals main focus is on contemporary film with genres probing Jewish identity, history, culture and experience. In doing this, the themes of the films are on a more universal level that everyone can relate too, uniting all people. They also briefly explain the way that films are chosen, listing two ways. First, they look to other festivals to see what they are showing and research the ways that they function. They also build connections with film distributors and their festival director requests films they find, and like for previewing. In addition, they have an open call for submissions. Any film maker can submit a film which is then evaluated by their selection committee during the summer into the early fall. 

The Pittsburgh festivals' website has a note from their chairman, Iris Samson describing what makes a film Jewish. She goes through the criteria they look when selecting the films for that year. The storyline must have a Jewish theme, the subject matter must be prevalent and of concern of the Jewish community, the characters, actots or director are Jewish themselves and peripherally look at Jewish issues and lastly, the film should convey some aspect of Jewish life or culture that we wouldn't ordinarily be exposed too. 

Having a set of criteria is a good way to organize the Jewish Film Festivals but I find it problematic to just say that a film has to have a Jewish theme, because it brings up a similar issue- what makes a theme specifically Jewish? 

These festivals create a sense of unity amongst Jewish people because everyone can relate to what is being presented. They also do a good job assimilating Judaism into our modern society and are entertaining and enjoyable for everyone, even those who do not identify as being Jewish. In general, they bring more publicity to Jewish film which otherwise does not get very much attention. 

John Galliano- this seasons fashion faux pas! Sent out the "Dior" and headed to rehab?

Being an apparel merchandising major here at IU, I wanted to blog about the latest John Galliano scandal which combines the high end fashion world with Judaism, one unlikely match. I wanted to approach this story from two ends to get an opinion from someone who is identified as being Jewish and someone who just reported about the topic to write an article for a newspaper. I looked at the "Fashion & Style" section of the New York Times magazine online where they had an article titled, "Dior Fires John Galliano After Biogtry  Complaints." The article discusses the video that surfaced with Galliano drunkenly making anti-Semitic remarks at a restaurant in Paris and discusses how Dior and its parent brand LVMH had to act quickly to defends the brands integrity and reputation since what was said by Galliano are words that strongly go against values Dior has defended for years. I watched the video on Youtube that was posted from a CNN News show. He speaks in a slurred voice saying, "I love Hitler" and "people like you would be dead, your mother and your forefathers would f***ing gass and f***ing dead." They also recount the reaction from Natalie Portman who recently signed a deal with Dior for its Miss Dior Cherie perfume. She claims to be disgusted and surprised by the things he has said and will no longer be supportive or associated with the designer in anyway. In addition, Portman chose to wear a gown from Rodarte instead of Galliano for the Academy Awards. The designer is still denying that he has made any anti-Semitic comments and submitted testimonials from employees and witnesses to try and disprove the complaints that were filed. In addition, some people are encouraging John to head to rehab for his alcoholism to try and excuses his actions. However, alcoholic or not, Galliano is now fired and could be facing $31,000 in fines and up to six months in prison but Dior plans to go through with his 2011-2012 collection. 

Next, I looked on jpost.com to see if the content or attitude of the article differed from the one published in the New York Times. There was an article about Galliano in the "International" section but it was less detailed then the one I had read before but when I searched "Galliano" on the website, multiple articles came up. The article I looked at next was called, "Disgraced Galliano said to have claimed 'Jewish roots'" and had pretty much the same information that I had just seen but they included speculation of the history of Christian Dior's collaboration with the Nazis. According to the German and British press when Dior was alive he designed clothing for the wives and mistresses of leading Nazi's. As mentioned above, the company released statements reassuring the public that what Galliano said is not what Dior promotes but they have said nothing about the Nazi history of its founder. Considering that both of the articles I looked at came from published places there was little room for opinion and they both just gave pretty basic information about the situation. I was curious about the area that bar this took place at was in and found an article on express.co.uk which had an article under world news called, "Paris and its Dedicated Followers of a New-Found Fashion for Anti-Semitism" This talks about France and the bar Galliano was at, and how it has become a spot for people who hate Jews to congregate at. One would not typically expect behavior from a neighborhood like this one because it is wealthy with nice houses where important and famous people often go. People have reported anti-Semitic songs, the yelling 'Seig hail!' 'Seig hail' and even Nazi salutes outside of the front door. 
Although this is illegal in France, these people do not seem to care and there according to the Jewish Community protection service, anti-Semitism has grown since 2000 to about 500 attacks per year. Why anti-Semitism has become "fashionable" anywhere is beyond me and the entire Galliano dispute has brought much attention to the fashion world and Judaism everywhere. I am interested to see how it will effect our society in the future and if anything will change because of this huge public happening that has become a priority for such a huge industry and has forced them to take action and make changes.