Lots and Lots of Programs, More Ritual Thoughts

Today was a totally program-filled day. This morning during community time, we divided up into small groups and each group spoke with a Holocaust survivor. The gentleman with whom we spoke both had a really incredible story, and was a really wonderful storyteller. The experience was quite intense, without being overdone or melodramatic.

And today at lunch I went to a much more controversial program- about Gay and Lesbian Jewish ritual. The presentation involved two large resource packets, and a description of a particular gentleman's brit ahava (covenant of love, literally) and the brit bat (a celebration for a newborn baby girl) that he and his partner had put together. The descriptions were lovely, but I think there was very little conceptual work really done about what sorts of halakhic issues were involved, what implications were being made, and I think we only touched briefly on the messages being sent by how one crafts such a ceremony. I was also totally unsure about how the brit bat was related to homosexual ritual- feminist ritual, yes, but that is a separate, if related, topic, that really deserves its own attention on its own: linking the two isn't going to gain either set of rituals the attention that they deserve.

There was also an odd mention (and an included text that I haven't looked at in depth yet in the resource packet) for a Jewish coming out ceremony, which just strikes me as odd. I honestly don't see the need it fills, or how that would be a need that should be filled by a Jewish ceremony. I mean, this is the same issue I have with the ideas of a ritual for a girl's first menstruation, croning/menopause rituals, or the like. They're important occasions, and I can see celebrating them- but Jewish ritual davka stays away from such very body-focused markers- after all, the mark of adulthood for a man went from the appearance of 2 pubic hairs to the boy's 13th birthday. Moving backwards seems like an odd choice for feminism to want to make, when it sees itself as something moving the religion forwards.

Somehow a coming out ritual seems to fit itself into a similar area to me. What difference would it make for your status as a Jew, whether straight, gay-without-an-official-religious-coming-out or gay-with-an-official-religious-coming-out. Rituals have to have some effect, otherwise they're purposeless. What status change is created by coming out on the bima, say, to people you've probably already come out to in private/individually? What use does the ritual serve? I'm open to seeing a purpose, but I'm just not seeing it from a religious perspective rather than a emotional perspective. I can see how having some ritual for getting approval and support from those around you could be helpful- but it isn't a religious purpose.

On another note, there was discussion briefly of Joseph as "one of the most queer characters in the Bible" which made me really uncomfortable. I don't see enough reason to read him as gay to see where they're really going with it. Also, I've just never been fond of Joseph particularly- I don't like the character, and something about the person that that community is coopting being a character that I'm Not fond of makes me uncomfortable too.

Lots and Lots of Programs, More Ritual Thoughts

Today was a totally program-filled day. This morning during community time, we divided up into small groups and each group spoke with a Holocaust survivor. The gentleman with whom we spoke both had a really incredible story, and was a really wonderful storyteller. The experience was quite intense, without being overdone or melodramatic.

And today at lunch I went to a much more controversial program- about Gay and Lesbian Jewish ritual. The presentation involved two large resource packets, and a description of a particular gentleman's brit ahava (covenant of love, literally) and the brit bat (a celebration for a newborn baby girl) that he and his partner had put together. The descriptions were lovely, but I think there was very little conceptual work really done about what sorts of halakhic issues were involved, what implications were being made, and I think we only touched briefly on the messages being sent by how one crafts such a ceremony. I was also totally unsure about how the brit bat was related to homosexual ritual- feminist ritual, yes, but that is a separate, if related, topic, that really deserves its own attention on its own: linking the two isn't going to gain either set of rituals the attention that they deserve.

There was also an odd mention (and an included text that I haven't looked at in depth yet in the resource packet) for a Jewish coming out ceremony, which just strikes me as odd. I honestly don't see the need it fills, or how that would be a need that should be filled by a Jewish ceremony. I mean, this is the same issue I have with the ideas of a ritual for a girl's first menstruation, croning/menopause rituals, or the like. They're important occasions, and I can see celebrating them- but Jewish ritual davka stays away from such very body-focused markers- after all, the mark of adulthood for a man went from the appearance of 2 pubic hairs to the boy's 13th birthday. Moving backwards seems like an odd choice for feminism to want to make, when it sees itself as something moving the religion forwards.

Somehow a coming out ritual seems to fit itself into a similar area to me. What difference would it make for your status as a Jew, whether straight, gay-without-an-official-religious-coming-out or gay-with-an-official-religious-coming-out. Rituals have to have some effect, otherwise they're purposeless. What status change is created by coming out on the bima, say, to people you've probably already come out to in private/individually? What use does the ritual serve? I'm open to seeing a purpose, but I'm just not seeing it from a religious perspective rather than a emotional perspective. I can see how having some ritual for getting approval and support from those around you could be helpful- but it isn't a religious purpose.

On another note, there was discussion briefly of Joseph as "one of the most queer characters in the Bible" which made me really uncomfortable. I don't see enough reason to read him as gay to see where they're really going with it. Also, I've just never been fond of Joseph particularly- I don't like the character, and something about the person that that community is coopting being a character that I'm Not fond of makes me uncomfortable too.