Holiday Grab Bag

First of all, a big chag sameach to everyone. Maybe because I work in such a Jewed up environment, I don't resent Hanukkah this year the way I often do. (It's NOT the Jewish Christmas, and please stop asking me--that kind of thing.) I got to teach someone how to make latkes, but it's been lower-key than usual, and I am profoundly grateful. Let's keep it that way. Some interesting other things:

1) Big ups to de little yout'
I saw Matisyahu in concert last night (with my parents!). Quite a different crowd than three years ago, in a basement at Sarah Lawrence. The experience was a bit diluted by the unruly crowd in my area, and the fact that a lot of people didn't seem to bring the same Jewish connection. Still, there's nothing like doing the bracha for the candles in alt-shul Yeshivish with a Lubovitcher reggae star and four hundred other people. Ditto the calling of Moshiach. Maybe because his sound has gotten so (over) souped-up, there have been moments when I've doubted his sincerity, but seeing Matisyahu live pretty much wipes such doubts from your mind. I don't ascribe to his particular beliefs about a lot of things, but it's beautiful stuff, and he helped spark the JewMusic movement that has meant so much to me. Vos ir lebt hundert-tsvontzik yorn un makt muzik di ganse zeit, Matis.

2) I know this is old news, but I was thinking about Dennis Prager and his ridiculous rant about Keith Ellison recently (check out Jewschool or pretty much any J-blog for many vitrolic commentaries). All I have to say is Article Six, Section Three, you dumb mofo. Try reading the handbook next time, or James Madison and I will come by and kick your ass. End of rant.

3)I was musing on Hannukah this week and the relative levels of importance that it plays in American Jewish and Israeli culture. By now the fervor has, I'm told, dropped down in Israel, but a certain Zionism professor once explained that because this is a holiday that focuses on Jewish military victory, it was one of the few recognized by the early vatikim. I guess it doesn't hurt that you can get through a big chunk of the story without mentioning God. Quite a contrast to America, where it's capitalism and not raging idealism that has elevated the status. But hey, at least we get a lot of fried potatoes. Who doesn't love fried potatoes?

Kol tov...