Thursday, December 22, 2005

Just Jew it? Muqata Holiday Greetings.

Reading about Holiday parties in the USA and the trials and tribulations of dealing with the Winter Holiday season, I'm very thankful to be in Israel.

All I have to worry about for next week at work is the nightly chanuka lighting party -- with the following email reminder that just went around:

"The Sufganiot are Mehadrin and parve. The latkes are Rabbanut."



(click image for video)



Got this video from a friend about 3 minutes ago, and I don't understand what Aish is trying to say. That you're supposed to light a menora at a Christmas party? I certainly don't think I would.

Would YOU do that?


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

No,

Aish is trying to tell you - "Don't be afraid of your Jewishness".

By showing that you are proud of being Jewish, all of the closet Jews will show their faces as well.

It's a pretty cute flash.

Truth said...

I agree with anonymous, but they presented a good thing pretty lamely.

Now, in Israel, the point is moot, but Aish and their ilk don't want to go and cut off their meal ticket, now do they [by pointing out forcefully that a real Jew belongs in Israel]?

After all, who pays for all of their groovey programs [and salaries], if not those proud yet frei yidden?


Truth.

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Truth: We don't have to bash Aish over the flash movie. GH goes after them on other stuff anyway.

I remember a great cartoon movie "Lights" which was much better for presenting the message of "be proud of your Judaism."

Critically Observant Jew said...

The thing is that the GH will not go after them for not promoting aliyah. Though I'm not saying that we have to do it here - it's too obvious for those who understand the issue and still out of reach (aliyah, that is) for those who don't.

I've heard a rumor, however, that the Jewish Agency agreed not to be too vocal about aliyah in the US/Canada in return for funding. Interesting if that is true.

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Greg: You won't get people to make aliya from the US by bashing them either. Its the carrot and carrot method.

I'll be posting about some of these carrots next week.

Anonymous said...

What was weird though is that we're supposed to believe that this Christmas party was 90% populated by Jews. I think that the last scene would have resonated a little more if the population split was something a bit more realistic.

I felt a little bad for the one Christian family (or were they supposed to be Jewish holdouts) in the last scene (day 2) who were sitting there wonering what happened to their Christmas party. And I think that they had a right to be annoyed!

-Aryeh

rockofgalilee said...

I thought it was a dumb movie.

Irina Tsukerman said...

Um... It was almost as bad as the stories I hear about Christians decorating Christmas trees with Chanukkah-related objects. I say, to each his own!

Anonymous said...

It seems the newest fad is to have Christmas ornaments become Stars of David all over the tree, whenever the lights get turned off, or if you put on some "groovy" 3-d glasses.

I guess it makes Jews who have Christmas Trees, but called them Chanukah bushes, feel less guilty. Unbelievable.

yitz said...

Hey, y'all, first anonymous is right. But ya don't know the whole story. I got THIS e-mail, from someone who's saying "bdidi havei uvda" - this happened to me. I know the guy, he lives HERE IN ISRAEL, so it's reliable!

He wrote:

Hi.I sent a true (and personal) story to my friend at Aish thinking that he was going to post it on their website. Instead, he told me that he wanted to turn the story into a movie! I agreed, and so did my Mom. This story actually happened to me many years ago, and it's a thrill to watch it, along with millions of other viewers, on the internet. Enjoy! And Happy Hanukkah.

Here's the link: http://www.aish.com/a/JustJewIt.asp

You just NEVER KNOW!!!

[BTW - Jameel, check my site & you'll see that you're now linked! Please reciprocate?]

yitz said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
tafka PP said...

I remember that "Lights" film, Jameel. They made us watch it in Cheder. Gave me nightmares!

I would venture that Aish movie has been made to combat the phenomenon known as "Chrismukka" which has been sweeping the US for a few years now. I imagine your American readers know more than I do on the subject. Still, lighting a Menorah and enjoying the sparkly lights and singing "Winter Wonderland" don't have to be mutually exclusive. I say, somewhat defensively!

Jerusalemcop said...

reminds of the song from a Jewish album called destiny that came out in the late 80's. One of the songs was called "colored candles". It was about an "asimilated" Jew deciding bthat instead of bringing home a christmas tree that year, he would light channuka candles with his kids. On the second night, half the block was lit up with candles. if anyone has a link to song, let me know

J.

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Parrot; Actually, I loved the "Lights" film; thought it was one of the better produced films about Chanuka's message of Judaism.

MC Aryeh said...

Why must Jewish cartoon characters glide while people of other religions in other films get to walk?....

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