@Janine: Of course, it’s the competition with Christmas. But as someone with kids who do not celebrate Christmas, I am happy for it — it eases their sense of oddness, living as we do in a community where they have been the only Jewish children in their grades through their school years.

But Purim raises so many possibilities — cross dressing, maybe? and Passover … talk about hiding the Afikomen. Rwarrrrr.

@Sherry Thomas: Sherry, I like that analogy, and I see Maili has answered your question (thanks Maili!). Yes, I believe that was the problem, that the state could support religious freedom but not at the cost of supporting ethnic discrimination.

@dick: Well, there seems to be a lot of romance fiction with at least “light” BDSM, whether m/f or m/m, so I am not sure your view that this disqualifies it from the romance genre (if I understood your comment) is widely shared. I guess it goes to the question of what counts as romantic, and I see so much disagreement there among readers on so many issues (infidelity, for example).

@Janet W: Thanks so much for the links!

Personally, I think Judaism is a religion, an ethnicity, and a culture, though not necessarily all of them for all Jews.

You took the words right out of my mouth, Meri.

Re. Hanukkah, I think the reason such a minor holiday gets so much more attention in proportion to Jewish holidays that are much more important is that it runs more or less concurrently with Christmas. Non-Jews sometimes mistake it for having Christmas-like significance to us Jews, no doubt in part because of the present-giving tradition that was not part of the holiday originally but has evolved here in the U.S. (and perhaps in other Christian countries?)

Am I the only one who would like to see Passover get some play in a book? That is quite possibly my favorite holiday. Although if the book were to be set in Israel, I would be tempted by the costumes of Purim or (even better IMO) the bonfires of Lag BaOmer.

I looked up the JFS, and it receives state funds. What I would like to know, Jessica, or any lawyers present, is that do you think the decision would have been different if this was a completely private school?

No, it wouldn’t.

I think becoming a Christian or a Buddhist or a Muslim is like becoming an American. A pretty commonplace procedure.

Whereas becoming a Jew is more like becoming Chinese.
No matter how much you know about Chinese art, history, food, language, etc., you will always be a bit of a curiosity if you aren’t born into it..

Pfft. ‘A bit of a curiosity’ is surely the politest way of putting it.

Personally, I think Judaism is a religion, an ethnicity, and a culture, though not necessarily all of them for all Jews. It’s very complicated.

Hannukah is too minor a holiday to be interesting. Yom Kippur is too holy for anyone who’s really religious, though the time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur might work. Purim could be work, it’s a fun holiday.

(thank you)

Whereas becoming a Jew is more like becoming Chinese.
No matter how much you know about Chinese art, history, food, language, etc., you will always be a bit of a curiosity if you aren’t born into it.

I looked up the JFS, and it receives state funds. What I would like to know, Jessica, or any lawyers present, is that do you think the decision would have been different if this was a completely private school?

azteclady :

I think you could talk about me

Reply

ok, I will. Watch for my email.