What a hilarious article!!! I especially liked this line about Edelman's father: "was raised a Jew in Boston at a time when it was really hard to be Jewish, which was between the years 1500 and 1992". In the film, "Ted", Seth MacFaralane has the narrator Patrick Stewart announce that Christmastime was that wonderful time of year when the kids of Boston beat up all the Jewish kids.
I guess I would sort of categorize myself as one of those "Jews on the Downlow", who is completely unreligious and never really announces or promotes my Jewishness. Similar to my mother and you at McSorley's, a lot of people think I'm Irish (my mother was a member of the Tribe, not Irish), and if people inquire about my ethnic/religious background, I usually just tell them that I am an All-American mutt. At the same time, as you say, you can never escape your "Jewishness", and as much as I try to escape it (and my nerdom, as well), it's something you can't really shake off, and culturally, I think I am VERY Jewish.
One of my favorite lines addressing these issues is also from a Woody Allen film, "Deconstructing Harry" from 1997, probably the last actually truly funny film Allen made before embarking nonstop on making serious films. He is in Upstate New York, stopping by his sister's house, and she accuses him of being a "self-hating Jew". He replies, "I'm self-hating, but being Jewish has nothing to do with it!!!", one of the funniest things I ever heard in film, and something that completely resonates with me.
Like Columbo, "just one more thing". My girlfriend Ann Marie is Catholic, and she sets up a Christmas tree, as well as a millon Hannukah signs, decorations, and menorahs, of which I have absolutely nothing to do with. However, last Fall, she came home with a giant menorah, and proudly exclaimed, "Look at this amazing menorah, on sale, only $5.00, at Macy*s Backstage!!!". To which I replied, "A giant menorah for ONLY $5.00 - you REALLY ARE A JEW!!!", and to this day she wears her honorary membership in the Tribe with more pride that I could ever possibly express.
I am totally with Ann Marie! I used to score big on the Hannukah props at the old Lord & Taylor day-after Xmas sale. Nobody at L&T was buying Hannukah props! I cleaned up. Rock on, A-M!
Mark,
What a hilarious article!!! I especially liked this line about Edelman's father: "was raised a Jew in Boston at a time when it was really hard to be Jewish, which was between the years 1500 and 1992". In the film, "Ted", Seth MacFaralane has the narrator Patrick Stewart announce that Christmastime was that wonderful time of year when the kids of Boston beat up all the Jewish kids.
I guess I would sort of categorize myself as one of those "Jews on the Downlow", who is completely unreligious and never really announces or promotes my Jewishness. Similar to my mother and you at McSorley's, a lot of people think I'm Irish (my mother was a member of the Tribe, not Irish), and if people inquire about my ethnic/religious background, I usually just tell them that I am an All-American mutt. At the same time, as you say, you can never escape your "Jewishness", and as much as I try to escape it (and my nerdom, as well), it's something you can't really shake off, and culturally, I think I am VERY Jewish.
One of my favorite lines addressing these issues is also from a Woody Allen film, "Deconstructing Harry" from 1997, probably the last actually truly funny film Allen made before embarking nonstop on making serious films. He is in Upstate New York, stopping by his sister's house, and she accuses him of being a "self-hating Jew". He replies, "I'm self-hating, but being Jewish has nothing to do with it!!!", one of the funniest things I ever heard in film, and something that completely resonates with me.
Like Columbo, "just one more thing". My girlfriend Ann Marie is Catholic, and she sets up a Christmas tree, as well as a millon Hannukah signs, decorations, and menorahs, of which I have absolutely nothing to do with. However, last Fall, she came home with a giant menorah, and proudly exclaimed, "Look at this amazing menorah, on sale, only $5.00, at Macy*s Backstage!!!". To which I replied, "A giant menorah for ONLY $5.00 - you REALLY ARE A JEW!!!", and to this day she wears her honorary membership in the Tribe with more pride that I could ever possibly express.
Thank you for another great article!!!
Glenn
I am totally with Ann Marie! I used to score big on the Hannukah props at the old Lord & Taylor day-after Xmas sale. Nobody at L&T was buying Hannukah props! I cleaned up. Rock on, A-M!