I don't know when it started to be cool to be Jewish. But somehow, the stereotype of the Jewish comedian has morphed from the nebbish Woody Allen to the cool Jon Stewart and Sarah Silverman. Jews have gone mainstream. This is progress. No longer sidelined as much, maligned by the mainstream, or ridiculed, Jews have the opportunity in modern America to be cool. (Just ask Drake if you don't believe me.)
Growing up as this transition was happening, I was taught to appreciate the successes of fellow members of the tribe. Most notably, this appreciation is codified in Adam Sandler's Chanukah Song, but it extends to other industries as well. When a Jew gets a promotion or gets elected, I am supposed to be proud, simply because I am also a Jew.
However, this acceptance of Jews into the mainstream allows Jews to feel a part of that mainstream. Which means? Jewish Republicans. And I am supposed to be proud that a Jew is House Majority Leader. I am supposed to say "look at our progress" when a Jew is on the frontline of the fight to deny Americans basic rights? I'm sorry, but I can't feel proud of that. It's a shonde.
2 comments:
I think this a good analysis, separate from the Republicans thing, which I'm totally on board with you on. (If I don't have to be happy at the prospect of Sarah Palin being VP, then I don't have to be happy at Eric Cantor being majority leader.)
More generally though, I think this is the conflict at the heart of identity politics and the book the Joys of Yiddish. What counts as success? What are the benefits and detriments of being in the mainstream? What does it mean to be 'cool'?
I think on the whole it might be a good thing for Jewish cultural identity, but possibly less so for Jewish religiosity and spirituality, since cool people don't tend to be intensely connected, or at least no promote that as the cool part of their public identity.
Interesting insight! When pressed to think of a counterexample, most of those who broadcast their Jewish religious identities have identities that are marginal within the Jewish community.
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