Check out the following passages in relation to my proposed question ...
(p. 18) - Shira Weinstein's family is said to be “a lot more observant of all Jewish traditions” (Littman 18). Like Bubbe, every Saturday they walk to synagogue rain or shine (Littman 18).
(p. 20) - “Dad says that quitting doing things for Shabbat was find in the olden days, but as modern people living in America, we shouldn’t have to do things like that” (Littman 20).
Does this tension between the ways religion is practiced cause the reader to judge either family in a certain way? Compared to the Weinstein’s, do the Silver’s reflect “positive Jewish content” although they too are Jewish?
(p.63) - Mrs. Weinstein brings Shira and Jussy hot chocolate. Jussy states, “There aren’t that many of my friend’s moms with whom I can imagine sitting around on my bed having hot chocolate and cookies. I can’t even imagine doing it with my mom, because I’d be so worried about spilling my drink or getting crumbs on the bedspread. But it seems cozy and natural doing it with Mrs. Weinstein” (Littman 63). (Compare this to Jussy's tumultuous relationship with her mother.)
Although they ultimately have the same histories, do they share the same beliefs, values, and practices of the Jewish religion? As mentioned before, the Weinstein’ practice Judaism more traditionally compared to the Silvers. Are the qualities in each woman any way reflective of their religion? Is this an effect of the way they practice religion differently? Could the reader maybe associate it in such a way?
I thought of this question, because similar to the Silver's being "twice a year Jews" (Littman 20), my family are sort of "twice a year Christians." We normally attend church on Christmas Eve and Easter. I wondered about the different ways this could be viewed. Although I don't practice my religion "traditionally" I'd like to think my life reflects "positive Christian content" in relation to my beliefs and values. I do see, however, that others may view it in a different way. This made me wonder how the readers viewed the Weinstein's and Silver's.
Littman, Sarah Darer. Confessions of a Closet Catholic. New York: Penguin, 2005.
Silver, Linda R. "Judging Judaica." School Library Journal 48 (2002): 44-5.
(TE 448 Course Pack p. 235-6)
Work Cited
Littman, Sarah Darer. Confessions of a Closet Catholic. New York: Penguin, 2005.
Silver, Linda R. "Judging Judaica." School Library Journal 48 (2002): 44-5.
(TE 448 Course Pack p. 235-6)
8 comments:
As I was reading the book I brought with me all of these personal feelings towards organized religion (that I detailed in my most recent blog) and so I did not see Justine's family as any less "Jewish" than the Weinstein's. In fact, if you have faith in your God and are a good person than I think things like eating meat on Fridays during Lent or observing Sabbath by walking to service do not truly matter.
I liked the part on page 173 where Jussy's dad asks her is keeping kosher would mean "more than just following a set of rules." She says it would and so for her, it is the right thing to do. But, for her parents and, possibly, for her siblings, keeping kosher is just about rules they have to follow. For them it is not important and so it is not Jewish to them.
So, to answer the question, ultimately I do not see either family as depicting "positive Jewish content" any more than the other. They are simply different in what they view as important about their faith. I guess because of my religious background, more so than the portrayals of the characters I view Jussy and her family as doing what they believe is right and I cannot find fault in that.
I completely agree!
For the final part of my paper, I wrote about a selection from the article "Judging Judaica" in our course pack. In the article it talked about how Sigmund Freud was pronounced to be a Jewish atheist, yet his “yiddishkeit (Jewishness) … influenced much of his work” (CP 236). Therefore his biography reflected the "Jewish content" I mentioned in my paper. I feel the Silver's were sort of the same. Although they were not as traditionally religious, they were still religious. Their life reflected such Jewish values and beliefs, just in different ways. I feel Jussy struggled finding her identity within her family because it was harder for her to find and understand this.
I think that the Weinstein family does not promote positive "Jewish content" anymore than the Silver family does. If your Jewish, your Jewish no matter how you choose to practice, and I believe that is the bottom line. The difference is in how you choose to express your religious self. And for the Weinsteins, Jussy and the Silver family, it is all different. The way each family and individual practices their interpretation of Judaism changes throughout the story. I think it took the Silver family a tragedy to realize how Judaism and loss could bring them closer and change how they chose to be religious and spiritual beings.
I thought about my family and my feelings toward religion a lot when reading this book. Jussy reminds me of myself when I was that age in her questioning religion. I was brought up Methodist, but attended to a Catholic middle school and high school for 5 years. It was my first time going to a mass and seeing other traditions. I always felt kind of singled out when everyone went up for communion and I was the only one still sitting around me, a lot like Jussy experienced and, wondered what people thought of me. I was very interested in religion and learning about other beliefs. In a way this distanced me from relating to one specific faith. I agree with what most of you said in response to Erin's question, I don't think the Silver's are any less "Jewish" than the Weinsteins. I think that if practicing those traditions makes you stronger in your faith and gives you a way to express it thats great, but it is not the only way to show your faith and spirituality. If you live your life in a way that is respectful and reflects your beliefs than that can be just as meaningful. I think it is important for people to come to religion on their own terms and find out what faith means to them personally. I think everyone questions their relgion at some point, but in the questioning of it, it is sometimes easier to see the bigger picture and learn the lessons that seem to be universal.
I love how you've all complicated the idea of what counts as "positive content" (and who gets to decide). One of the questions I asked myself when we were considering the book was whether it seemed respectful of different ways of being Jewish (and Catholic, for that matter). It was easier for me to think about the Catholic part, since I was raised Catholic. (As an aside, I think the Macs are an odd representation of most contemporary Catholics.)
I think the acknowledgments are interesting. I don't know Littman's background (I have a guess...), but she consulted a number of Catholic readers and the Chabad of Greenwich.
Hi Erin,
Here is the link to Sara Littman's acceptance speech when she won the Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers: http://www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/publications/proceedings/proceedings2006/littman.pdf. As with many authors, she has used her own experiences in this work of fiction.
Kathe Pinchuck
Sydney Taylor Book Award
Association of Jewish Libraries
Erin, after realizing there's been plenty of time for me to think on the topic, I like how you question the views of the different families. I can see how, as a reader, you would view the Weinstein's as more "Jewish" because they do more of the practice of the religion. The Silver's on the flipside have the faith, just not the day to day practices. Like our fellow group members have said, this really raised questions within myself when questioning my own views on religion. I don't go to church and I pray a few times a year when I'm worried about someone important to me. However, I don't feel like I'm any less of a "good" person than someone who goes to church every Sunday and every holiday. Like Katie said, if you have faith in God and are a good person, then you are all right by me regardless of your extracurricular religious practices.
Another thought would be the fact that sometimes viewing other people is all about thinking the grass is greener on the other side. Jussy may see the Weinstein family as being so faithful because she can see the flaws of her own family. But if she were a member of the Weinstein family, would there be flaws there and ways to think about the Silver family as being faithful and a good family. I suppose that's a side topic, but its really all about perspective. Every family is viewed different from an outsider's perspective.
I just realized that I signed in to the blog with my MSU mail information instead of my gmail information so "allenel3" is really me! Sorry Erin.
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