Hipster Jews

Something Cheng mentioned reminded me of this article posted in the NYTimes, "A Happy Hipster Hanukkah." Stephanie Rosenbloom reviewed a Chanukah party held here in NYC called "A Jewcy Chanukah," featuring a bunch of Jewish comics and the Leevees. (I really wanted to go, but sadly, it was smack in the middle of finals.) I linked to the full article below. I think this event personifies the idea of a "cultural Jew" that Cheng touches on. He mentions young Jews who read Hebe magazine and talk about Jewish gansters. It's weird, but I think the latest identity fad is that of the Jew. Maybe it started with the "Everyone Loves a Jewish Girl" Tshirts, but it seems like a lot more Jews (including ones who wouldn't consider themselves "practicing" Jews) are proudly touting their heritage with T-shirts that say "Shayna Punim" or Vote-for-Kerry buttons in Hewbrew. What's so interesting about this to me is that for a long time, the concept of someone considering themselves culturally Jewish, but completely divorcing themselves from the religion, really confused me. Perhaps this is because I did not grow up in NY or LA where there was a large Jewish community. There was a huge lack of Jewish pride among the young people at my high school; I seriously doubt anyone would wear a Jewish Girl tee. Most of the Jews would try to downplay their Jewish background in order to be accepted. (I was considered practically militant because I wouldn't laugh at anti-Semitic jokes.) Anyways, on one hand, I think this kitschy Jewish trend is a good thing because it allows young Jews to proclaim their heritage and feel accepted even if they aren't a traditional Jew. On the other hand, a fad, by definition, eventually goes out of style. In another five years, will it no longer be cool to be a Jew? Will there be a backlash against Jews like you could say there has been against homosexuals after the popularity of "Will and Grace" and "Queer Eye"? Furthermore, when the trend goes out of style, what will be left? Is Jewish identity predicated on a T-shirt and jelly doughnuts? I think this is why the idea of solely basing Jewish identity on cultural factors worries me. It's like some of the people cited in Cheng said--when culture is gone, all that is left is religion itself. A talking canine puppet, of all things, echoes this statement in the article:

"Triumph the Insult Comic Dog riffed on that topic on Sunday night. 'Jewcy is the bold new movement of cool Jews,' Triumph said, his gravelly voice dripping with sarcasm. 'Yeah, we want to be cool. We're Jews, like the Beasties! We don't want to be nerdy, like Einstein.' Then he admonished: 'Crack open a Torah. Learn something. That's right! I'm lecturing you bitches!'

The lecture came lovingly gift wrapped in humor, but like many jokes it contained an element of truth. 'It's not just a kitschy subject matter,' Mr. Smigel said later. 'It can be reduced to that, and that's a fear of the older generation. I feel very lucky that I got to get a real education in the religion.''

FULL ARTICLE