Pixish, this site that does image contests and peer review stuff, is posting a contest for the best representation of a friendly cartoon rabbi. Predictably, the three submissions up (at the time of this posting; all by the same guy) are of typical white-haired, bearded males, reinforcing all the stereotypes of Jewish authority as solely in the hands of wizened old men.
Isn’t it time for some new images of rabbis? Why do the creators of cultural output still so often presume that they’re male, or white, or old, or straight or stodgy?
I encourage all of you cartoon-oriented people to have at this contest–and to post your submissions here, too, in the comments. Let’s see what kind of shaking up can be done, hmm?