Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot these days about the "are we guests here?" question, which it merits saying is something we didn't used to actually say out loud or bother to defensively insist we're not. The times have definitely brought this out. That's telling in itself.

I also (in our Progressive city, in my Progressive workplace, etc. ) feel this enormous pressure to demonstrate I'm one of the "good" Jews. Not too attached to Jewish tradition, not too aware of Jewish history, not too relieved Israel exists in the event we turn out to be guests here after all.

And this is simply not an area with much of an observant Jewish community. I have to remind myself every time DCUM Jews, who seem to skew very Reform or basically Reform, shock me by proclaiming themselves to be both "good" Jews (as in inoffensive cosmopolitan universalists who have no interest in Jewish particularity) and also that they can be this way and insist that they're still somehow good Jews (as Jews) because they're totally free to decide for themselves, from within their own pupiks (look it up if you need to, case in point) what that means.

Anyway, I recommend this essay, which I thought was a very clear-sighted discussion of Jew-hating moments in the world like the one that has emerged again. The thing is we're inherently uncool, and we'll be punished as long as we refuse to make ourselves cool: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/the-cool-kids

Minus the Ashkenormativity, this is a fair point. But there are observant Jews in DC or close-in suburbs (Kemp Mill, Shepherd Park). And one can be shomer everything and be a bad Jew (e.g., KI rabbi who went to prison) and eat treyf and watch TV on Saturday and be a good Jew from a Jewish literacy/ethics standpoint.

Where's the Ashkenormativity, besides the Yiddish word that's become part of Modern Hebrew? I am of course aware of the more traditional enclaves in the area, but I guess my point was that the average DCUM poster who identifies as a Jew is pretty far (and often weirdly proudly far) from a Jewish community that represents any kind of ancestral and cultural continuity. I draw your attention, too, to the frequent posters who chime in to assure others that "my Jewish husband doesn't care about any of that stuff". Quelle surprise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot these days about the "are we guests here?" question, which it merits saying is something we didn't used to actually say out loud or bother to defensively insist we're not. The times have definitely brought this out. That's telling in itself.

I also (in our Progressive city, in my Progressive workplace, etc. ) feel this enormous pressure to demonstrate I'm one of the "good" Jews. Not too attached to Jewish tradition, not too aware of Jewish history, not too relieved Israel exists in the event we turn out to be guests here after all.

And this is simply not an area with much of an observant Jewish community. I have to remind myself every time DCUM Jews, who seem to skew very Reform or basically Reform, shock me by proclaiming themselves to be both "good" Jews (as in inoffensive cosmopolitan universalists who have no interest in Jewish particularity) and also that they can be this way and insist that they're still somehow good Jews (as Jews) because they're totally free to decide for themselves, from within their own pupiks (look it up if you need to, case in point) what that means.

Anyway, I recommend this essay, which I thought was a very clear-sighted discussion of Jew-hating moments in the world like the one that has emerged again. The thing is we're inherently uncool, and we'll be punished as long as we refuse to make ourselves cool: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/the-cool-kids

Minus the Ashkenormativity, this is a fair point. But there are observant Jews in DC or close-in suburbs (Kemp Mill, Shepherd Park). And one can be shomer everything and be a bad Jew (e.g., KI rabbi who went to prison) and eat treyf and watch TV on Saturday and be a good Jew from a Jewish literacy/ethics standpoint.

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot these days about the "are we guests here?" question, which it merits saying is something we didn't used to actually say out loud or bother to defensively insist we're not. The times have definitely brought this out. That's telling in itself.

I also (in our Progressive city, in my Progressive workplace, etc. ) feel this enormous pressure to demonstrate I'm one of the "good" Jews. Not too attached to Jewish tradition, not too aware of Jewish history, not too relieved Israel exists in the event we turn out to be guests here after all.

And this is simply not an area with much of an observant Jewish community. I have to remind myself every time DCUM Jews, who seem to skew very Reform or basically Reform, shock me by proclaiming themselves to be both "good" Jews (as in inoffensive cosmopolitan universalists who have no interest in Jewish particularity) and also that they can be this way and insist that they're still somehow good Jews (as Jews) because they're totally free to decide for themselves, from within their own pupiks (look it up if you need to, case in point) what that means.

Anyway, I recommend this essay, which I thought was a very clear-sighted discussion of Jew-hating moments in the world like the one that has emerged again. The thing is we're inherently uncool, and we'll be punished as long as we refuse to make ourselves cool: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/the-cool-kids

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot these days about the "are we guests here?" question, which it merits saying is something we didn't used to actually say out loud or bother to defensively insist we're not. The times have definitely brought this out. That's telling in itself.

I also (in our Progressive city, in my Progressive workplace, etc. ) feel this enormous pressure to demonstrate I'm one of the "good" Jews. Not too attached to Jewish tradition, not too aware of Jewish history, not too relieved Israel exists in the event we turn out to be guests here after all.

And this is simply not an area with much of an observant Jewish community. I have to remind myself every time DCUM Jews, who seem to skew very Reform or basically Reform, shock me by proclaiming themselves to be both "good" Jews (as in inoffensive cosmopolitan universalists who have no interest in Jewish particularity) and also that they can be this way and insist that they're still somehow good Jews (as Jews) because they're totally free to decide for themselves, from within their own pupiks (look it up if you need to, case in point) what that means.

Anyway, I recommend this essay, which I thought was a very clear-sighted discussion of Jew-hating moments in the world like the one that has emerged again. The thing is we're inherently uncool, and we'll be punished as long as we refuse to make ourselves cool: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/the-cool-kids