Culture, Religion

Reform Reaches Out to Teens Through Nascar

2.jpgIn an effort to shore up interest in the Reform Movement among rebellious, teenage boys, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, yesterday urged Reform Jewish leaders to consider promoting annual Nascar trips for teenage youth.
“Look, there is this misconception that the Reform Movement is the easy listening jazz movement, but we’re so much more than that!” said Rabbi Yoffie. “We’re pluralistic, and that can mean Nascar, or that can mean tzitzith…whatever new fads the kids are into. There isn’t one way to express your Judaism, and that’s the real message we are sending through Nascar trips.”
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14 thoughts on “Reform Reaches Out to Teens Through Nascar

  1. I thought Nascar was all about alcohol and drinking.
    Maybe Reform is taking a page out of the Chabad kiruv book, liquoring up teens to help the persuasion?

  2. Of course the Reform wants their youth to go to Nascar because Nascar is only for dumb fucking goyim and is therefore a GREAT place for Reform kids to assimilate. There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell they’ll meet other Jews there. I don’t care if they plunked down a racetrack in the middle of the Upper West Side – no self-respecting Yid would ever pay to sit in the hot sun, drink overpriced beer, and watch cars go in a circle for 6 hours – except maybe hipsters for the sake or irony.
    Also, I like the line in the NYTimes article you linked to where Leo Hindry Jr calls Spitzer “the best Jewish Nascar fan they’ve ever had”. For those who you don’t speak racist, biggoted, Southern-goyish, that’s a nice way of saying “you’re a great Nascar fan… but you’re still a Jew”.

  3. Um.
    I am Jewish AND a fan of NASCAR racing, which is how it should be spelled, not “Nascar”. It’s an acronym, standing for National Association of Stock Car Racing, not a noun!
    I have gone to many races and always had a great time. I don’t drink, bring my own food and there are many families, so the “drunk, redneck” phase has come and gone, give or take a pit crew member.
    Last race, which was Watkins Glen, NY, I was sitting near NBC’s Brian Williams. Eliot Spitzer is NOT a NASCAR fan, but he does have a nice road course in his state, so NASCAR officials had to make him the Grand Marshall.
    There are Jews that race on the local level. Rex Johnson, an observant Jew does not roll…or race on Shabbos. His sponsors aren’t crazy about the Star of David on his car, but it’s there.
    Just because Jews aren’t following something in droves, doesn’t mean it’s horrid, or goyish. It may mean it’s not for them, which is fine with me.
    If Reform Jews think that NASCAR is going to get kids re-interested in Judaism, okay, but hook it to a Jewish driver, like Rex or Jon Denning, another Jewish driver in NASCAR. In Denning’s case, because of that Southern Baptist connection, his Judaism became stronger and he is always willing to answer questions about his religion to those interested.
    It’s the same with any sport. Look at Shawn Green of the NY Mets. Nice Jewish boy, who plays baseball. You know how many invites this guy gets to Shabbos dinners? A WEEK? Quite a few, I heard.
    Be open minded. SOMETHING has to get those kids interested. Some manage to become more observant on their own, like the kids at that camp mentioned somewhere here.

  4. CR writes:
    Of course the Reform wants their youth to go to Nascar because …
    QP Writes:
    If Reform Jews think that NASCAR is going to get kids re-interested in Judaism …
    This story was a parody, and you’ve been FISHED IN!!!

  5. A fundraising campain is now underway for a NASCAR summer camp 08 that will bring Palestinian and Israeli kids together. This will hopefully be brought back to the Middle-east and provide a format in which Arabs and Jews can work together.

  6. “I am Jewish AND a fan of NASCAR racing…”
    “NASCAR racing” is redundant. The “R” in NASCAR stands for “racing.”

  7. okay seriously folks last night i had a dream that nascar was sponsoring a haunted house on halloween as the museum of natural history. each person who went through got to put on many layers of gear and then run through dark hallways while being chased by some scary person. it was wack!!

  8. Jon Denning right now is the only Jewish NASCAR driver. He works very hard to keep true to his faith. NASCAR is a changing sport and is not all about drinking. NASCAR is a good role model for young people to get involved with.

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