Interesting piece and food for thought. If I understood correctly, you are longing for an environment where we are not who we have always been? Or, is it that the onus should be on the those who’ve indulged their propensity to hate us by framing us (and watching in wait) within their imposed dichotomy of who is good and who is evil (gleefully and consistently placing us, on the evil side of the Venn) and would they kindly just stop and leave us be and see as just regular … like them? Nothing really stops us from singing about nothing. I read/invested a lot into this kitschy business the past few years and I’m ok with standing our in the crowd and revelling in such an accomplishment (it is one that has happened numerous times too, I learned. Not bad for a tiny country and a while lot of trauma and resilience and a fight for light and joy. I’m happy for Bulgaria - most of all for being kind to Noam/us. If that - and Noam graciousness are what it is or what it should be about then, I will wiggle my his and harms in kitsch euphoria and embrace the breakaway. Have you read Hen’s piece. It was brilliant and I think adds a number of layers that needs to be considered. For now, I will enjoy a little bit nya-nya-nya-nya-nya at the expense of the haters and a giant feeling of love and warmth from the lovers. I don’t know all their reasons for it, but I do know they didn’t have to. And, frankly, after finalizing the dissolution of yet another friendship a few hours ago with a non-Jew who has been dead silent since October 7th except to post a meme that said “Ceasefire now” a few weeks later and who works at McGill and saw, up close, , the unbridled Jew-hatred, had the nerve to text me this response to the recent Bill Maher video I shared with him: “I will not engage on matters about Israel. The situation drove me to seek mental health support and medication in 2022. I need to maintain that boundary for my health and sanity.” He never explained the year 2022, but I let him know it was some next level chutzpah to appropriate our trauma and that I should somehow set mine aside as he works through whatever tf he was working through and that I should therefore, deny my identity in his presence. This … from a gay man, no less🤦🏻♀️. It must be so hard to live on the sidelines silently rooting for the ones who pretend they are on the side of social justice and have your JEwish friends call that out. Sorry … not about your article. But maybe why I feel a little extra pep in the ay-yi-yi-yi of my steps when Noam Bettan sings that silly love song. Everything and everyone who is Jewish and alive today is here and becasue of all that we have survived. We may as well embrace that and sustain the outcome.
Fun read, and a lot of the sub‑topics really resonated. I’m not sure I share the wish for “fallow ground” where "Jew" carries no inherited meaning. It’s the double standards and the negative projections that are repugnant — but I do value our distinctiveness and the contributions that make us who we are. Still, as you note, maybe the uniqueness and the burdens come from the same trunk, and you can’t fully separate one from the other.
Interesting piece and food for thought. If I understood correctly, you are longing for an environment where we are not who we have always been? Or, is it that the onus should be on the those who’ve indulged their propensity to hate us by framing us (and watching in wait) within their imposed dichotomy of who is good and who is evil (gleefully and consistently placing us, on the evil side of the Venn) and would they kindly just stop and leave us be and see as just regular … like them? Nothing really stops us from singing about nothing. I read/invested a lot into this kitschy business the past few years and I’m ok with standing our in the crowd and revelling in such an accomplishment (it is one that has happened numerous times too, I learned. Not bad for a tiny country and a while lot of trauma and resilience and a fight for light and joy. I’m happy for Bulgaria - most of all for being kind to Noam/us. If that - and Noam graciousness are what it is or what it should be about then, I will wiggle my his and harms in kitsch euphoria and embrace the breakaway. Have you read Hen’s piece. It was brilliant and I think adds a number of layers that needs to be considered. For now, I will enjoy a little bit nya-nya-nya-nya-nya at the expense of the haters and a giant feeling of love and warmth from the lovers. I don’t know all their reasons for it, but I do know they didn’t have to. And, frankly, after finalizing the dissolution of yet another friendship a few hours ago with a non-Jew who has been dead silent since October 7th except to post a meme that said “Ceasefire now” a few weeks later and who works at McGill and saw, up close, , the unbridled Jew-hatred, had the nerve to text me this response to the recent Bill Maher video I shared with him: “I will not engage on matters about Israel. The situation drove me to seek mental health support and medication in 2022. I need to maintain that boundary for my health and sanity.” He never explained the year 2022, but I let him know it was some next level chutzpah to appropriate our trauma and that I should somehow set mine aside as he works through whatever tf he was working through and that I should therefore, deny my identity in his presence. This … from a gay man, no less🤦🏻♀️. It must be so hard to live on the sidelines silently rooting for the ones who pretend they are on the side of social justice and have your JEwish friends call that out. Sorry … not about your article. But maybe why I feel a little extra pep in the ay-yi-yi-yi of my steps when Noam Bettan sings that silly love song. Everything and everyone who is Jewish and alive today is here and becasue of all that we have survived. We may as well embrace that and sustain the outcome.
Fun read, and a lot of the sub‑topics really resonated. I’m not sure I share the wish for “fallow ground” where "Jew" carries no inherited meaning. It’s the double standards and the negative projections that are repugnant — but I do value our distinctiveness and the contributions that make us who we are. Still, as you note, maybe the uniqueness and the burdens come from the same trunk, and you can’t fully separate one from the other.
Really, really beautiful piece here. Thank you!