No Need For Fear
Mazal Tov Cocktail makes the third example headlining an article that came out today asking: “Do hipster Jews help or hurt?”
Though the article hints at distaste with self-started “trends” such as Heeb magazine and Storahtelling, it also gives credit to these cultural organizations for “keeping Judaism alive.”
Roger Bennett, 36, vice president at the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies in New York and a leader in supporting innovative programs for young adults, contends the Web sites, clothing and performances are not an end in themselves. They are a “distribution point” for experiences that lead to deeper exploration of what it means to be Jewish, he says…the outlook of young American Jews is not so different than that of youth in other faiths, who also are less inclined to join a worship community and instead express their spirituality informally with friends and through individual prayer, books and magazines. Evangelical Christian leaders understand this dynamic and have responded by developing new Christian music, literature and film – a model Jewish leaders should follow, Bennett said.
“Jewish history is one of challenge and response. Its very strength is that it changes from generation to generation,” Bennett said. “It’s nothing to be afraid of.”
are you still soliciting for mazel tov cocktail? i thought a previous post had said you had sort of given up, because I’d love to work on something for it.
I just “stumbled” onto your site (being a klutz) and it looks very intriguing. What I like about the “trend” described is that it doesn’t involve the prosteletizing and moralizing (and lack of humor or style) of many evangelical/fundamental ist Christian movements. As a Jew (or half-Jew; my dad was not Jewish), I’ve always felt like a big part of my Jewish identity was cultural/philosophical anyway. I think you can still identify with your Judiasm even if you–gasp–don’t even fast on Yom Kippur.
Similar article here.
Now that it’s an official “trend,” expect articles of this sort three times a week for the next ten years.
I find myself wondering why LSJ spotlighted the Mazal Tov Cocktail site when there isn’t any actual content on it yet. This is NOT a criticism of mobius or his future project (which is a fine idea), but rather of LSJ.
Elvira,
You are Jewish… According to Jewish Law (Halakah) a person is 100% Jewish if their mother was Jewish. So why do you believe you are half-jewish? Didn’t your mother teach you about Judaism? You should be proud of your heritage, not trying to hide it… Maybe you should try fasting on Yom Kippur like a good jewish person. Once you try it, you will continue to do it because it makes you feel good and makes you a better person.
Michael
“Maybe you should try fasting on Yom Kippur like a good jewish person.”
Maybe you should take your head out of your ass.