I read this article a couple of months ago and really enjoyed this very unique contrarian take I hadn’t heard anywhere else! Now I’m ready to write a response. There are things in this article I agree with and disagree with. I will start with the areas I agree with Jake on. First off, the atrocities the Maccabees committed against Hellen…
I read this article a couple of months ago and really enjoyed this very unique contrarian take I hadn’t heard anywhere else! Now I’m ready to write a response. There are things in this article I agree with and disagree with. I will start with the areas I agree with Jake on. First off, the atrocities the Maccabees committed against Hellenistic Jews (which they saw as not practicing Judaism “the right way.”) were horrendous and sickening. I was not aware of these atrocities. I learned a lot of history in this article I frankly was not familiar with before. Jews who celebrate Christmas instead of Hanukkah such as Jake should NOT be stigmatized for doing so! There is no “right way” as it were, to be Jewish. Each individual Jew should be able to decide for him or herself what traditions they will follow, holidays they will celebrate, how or if at all they will practice the Jewish religion, etc. Lastly, I see the clear parallel you made between the fanaticism and purist attitudes of the Maccabees and the current far-right in Israel. The things they said and did I was unaware of but not surprised by. Itamar Ben-Gvir having a picture of Cave of Patriarchs shooter Baruch Goldstein in his home is pretty on brand for him. Meir Kahane was a monster and I’m glad he’s no longer around to pollute the world with his hatred. These people really are no different than the Islamists in the Palestinian Territories. Bezalel Smotrich recently reinforced your point by saying starving two million Gazans “May be justified.” In a remark rightly roundly condemned by the international community.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts Noah! I really appreciate your perspective on this. I love your point about allowing Jews to navigate what traditions they personally feel right engaging with versus blind repetition.
I know there's a lot of value in tradition and will be the first to warn against also blindly throwing all traditions out simply because they're traditions. But you do a great job of describing the healthy middle ground between both these sides, which is a more conscious, individualized assessment of traditions. I've always thought that was a powerful way for people to still connect with and engage with their background/traditions while not becoming foot soldiers for a collective at the expense of their growth and often the progress of their society!
And yes, I appreciate that you also see the parallels between the fanaticism of the past and the present in certain sects. If more people could see this, maybe the conversation could be more driven by moderate voices instead.
I read this article a couple of months ago and really enjoyed this very unique contrarian take I hadn’t heard anywhere else! Now I’m ready to write a response. There are things in this article I agree with and disagree with. I will start with the areas I agree with Jake on. First off, the atrocities the Maccabees committed against Hellenistic Jews (which they saw as not practicing Judaism “the right way.”) were horrendous and sickening. I was not aware of these atrocities. I learned a lot of history in this article I frankly was not familiar with before. Jews who celebrate Christmas instead of Hanukkah such as Jake should NOT be stigmatized for doing so! There is no “right way” as it were, to be Jewish. Each individual Jew should be able to decide for him or herself what traditions they will follow, holidays they will celebrate, how or if at all they will practice the Jewish religion, etc. Lastly, I see the clear parallel you made between the fanaticism and purist attitudes of the Maccabees and the current far-right in Israel. The things they said and did I was unaware of but not surprised by. Itamar Ben-Gvir having a picture of Cave of Patriarchs shooter Baruch Goldstein in his home is pretty on brand for him. Meir Kahane was a monster and I’m glad he’s no longer around to pollute the world with his hatred. These people really are no different than the Islamists in the Palestinian Territories. Bezalel Smotrich recently reinforced your point by saying starving two million Gazans “May be justified.” In a remark rightly roundly condemned by the international community.
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts Noah! I really appreciate your perspective on this. I love your point about allowing Jews to navigate what traditions they personally feel right engaging with versus blind repetition.
I know there's a lot of value in tradition and will be the first to warn against also blindly throwing all traditions out simply because they're traditions. But you do a great job of describing the healthy middle ground between both these sides, which is a more conscious, individualized assessment of traditions. I've always thought that was a powerful way for people to still connect with and engage with their background/traditions while not becoming foot soldiers for a collective at the expense of their growth and often the progress of their society!
And yes, I appreciate that you also see the parallels between the fanaticism of the past and the present in certain sects. If more people could see this, maybe the conversation could be more driven by moderate voices instead.