It really sucks being a Jewish person in fandom spaces because even with things I like and enjoy there’s virulent antisemitism. Sometimes it’s huge and big and in your face and sometimes it’s something subtle, that people don’t even realize is antisemitic but causes actual harm.
And I wish people would actually listen when we talk about this stuff. A lot of goyim think they’re listening, but they’ll still do shit like make content for a blatantly antisemitic source, or make content of Jewish characters celebrating Christian holidays.
Sometimes it’s something as simple as refusing to accept that a character or race is an antisemitic caricature.
It fucking sucks, and you can reblog all the posts about supporting and protecting Jewish people all you want, but until you start calling that shit out, you can’t say you support us.
The story of Superman and Moses are actually very similar. Both were sent away in a capsule, as their family was about to be killed, and were adopted into another family. After reaching adulthood, they used their special powers to benefit those around them
Yeah it’s almost as though Superman’s creators were Jewish and that was an intentional parallel.
The superman and Jesus parallel was probably more intentional.
But the parallel Moses and Jesus is also intentional for another reason.
no, i promise you it wasn’t. the creators of superman were Jewish they were not referencing Jesus at all. Superman’s name is literally Ka-El. It’s Hebrew. There are multiple books about Superman’s Jewish origins. (Up, Up, and Oy Vey; Superman is Jewish?; and Mensch of Steel. It’s also covered in the book Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero). It’s been suggested that Siegel and Shuster would have almost certainly been familiar with (also Jewish!) strongman Zishe Breitbart, who was billed as the “Superman of the Ages.”
no one was paralleling jesus in the creation of Superman.
other people superman was based off of/inspired by:
creator Jerry Siegel, who posed for some of the early designs (and was obviously Jewish)
his father, Mitchell (still Jewish) who died after an armed robbery
Stanley Weiss, who was Jewish, and posed for the design updates in 1945. below is a picture of his son, holding one of those sketches:
Siegel and Shuster were not paralleling Jesus.
“Superman and Jesus parallel”
Hey, Christians: NOT EVERY PURE OF HEART PERSON IS JESUS.
Jews appreciate every moment of life. It doesn’t matter if things are going the way you want them, stop and pause, and raise your glass to the delicious opportunity life is giving you right now. You’ll never get that moment back again.
I made a rant post earlier and promised I’d be a bit more constructive later. This is (one of) my constructive post(s).
I’ve been thinking about things I’ve read/seen on jumblr, and seen/heard in in-person Jewish communities and here are a few general ideas for how individuals and communities can help patrilineal Jews, Jews of color, Jews who weren’t raised Jewishly (or just weren’t raised as observant as they want to be), and Jews who have trouble accessing Jewish resources for other reasons (socioeconomic, transportation, disabilities, working/parenting etc.). Surprisingly (not.) many of these ideas that help one group help other groups.
Most of these ideas are for helping adults access Judaism because I believe (and I’m not the only one!) that helping parents and potential parents access Judaism will help their kids access it. Not only that, but having more, and more diverse adults who are comfortable in their Judaism present and active in communities provides more role models for kids.
Don’t ask people about their status (unless you are like the rabbi of that community or officiating a wedding). If it’s a matter of giving someone an honor that requires them to be Jewish (i.e. aliya) then don’t push it if they back out or don’t otherwise ask why. Trust people to respect your rules. This especially affects Jews of Color. Stop judging people this way, really.
Find ways to avoid ever needing to ask people about their status. Some conservative communities and organizations are encouraging everyone to dip in a mikvah for a giyur l’chumra [as a precautionary conversion] before weddings or at other opportunities.
If you don’t consider someone halachically Jewish (i.e. patrilineal, non-Jewish intermarried spouse, adopted but never undergone conversion), still affirm their connection to the Jewish peoplehood, tradition, and future. In synagogue, offer them honors they don’t need to be Jewish for (i.e. dressing the Torah). Invite them to participate in cultural and educational activities.
Provide introduction to Judaism classes and robust and diverse continuing education for adults. Provide them at different times. Provide them for free. In ways that are accessible to people with different learning styles. Create learning networks for folks to skype/call/meet and study together or tutor one another. When free tutoring isn’t possible across-the-board, see if tutors will donate time or arrange for scholarships for adults who want to learn to read Hebrew or Torah. Provide online learning. Provide book swaps (also a suggestion under #5) and encourage borrowing from synagogue libraries.
Provide book swaps and ritual object swaps or give out free/low-cost supplies for people who are starting out Jewish households, whether as young adults or as reclaimants or converts. Thank you Chabad! Seriously, we all need to be doing this. And re-#4, offer education on Jewish home practice (holidays, putting up a mezuzah, ways to approach kashrut, etc.).
Reach out to interfaith families and combat antisemitism so they feel safer raising children Jewish.
Encourage Reform and Reconstructionist families to dip patrilineal kids in the mikvah as babies/children. In my experience, Conservative rabbis and communities generally want to count someone as Jewish if they can justify it.
Promote mikvah existence, use, and accessibility. Make mikvah use a normal part of Jewish life. Many small, non-Orthodox communities don’t have a mikvah. Many mikvahs that do exist aren’t disability-accessible. Encourage mikvah use so that being asked to go to a mikvah isn’t as alienating or frightening, and isn’t only associated with someone’s Judaism being questioned. Giyur l’chumra and encouraging mikvah use around holidays and life-cycle events can all be part of encouraging mikvah use. Run mikvahs on a request-donations rather than pay-to-play basis to increase economic accessibility.
Rework and reframe the “conversion” process when non-halachically Jewish Jews want to become halachically Jewish. Flexibility being super important here. Besides #4 (normalizing adult education including at basic levels), #2/#7 (normalizing giyur l’chumra & mikvah use), we should: [a] Consider approaching these conversionwith other words. I’ve heard of rabbis referring to conversions of folks who are Jewish in some sense but not others as “reclamation,” or “reaffirmation.”[b] Create multiple educational paths and be flexible. Young adults, working parents, folks with disabilities, and folks without cars are just a few groups I’ve heard complain that their rabbi’s study requirements aren’t possible/accessible. Is there a book or an online class they can take instead of an in-person course? Could they skype the rabbi or a knowledgeable congregant instead of meeting for in-person learning? etc. [c] Let people move through the process quickly if they already ‘know what they’re getting into’ in terms of their movement’s halachic commitment.
Feedback/critique (including examples of things you’ve seen communities do to improve accessibility) are very welcome.
this is bullshit all my jewish friends are related to magneto
It’s true I am
Me too
ok so I’ve been holding back but I need to tell you I too am related to magneto because I am jewish so
I feel like I need to step in here and clarify that not every Jewish person is related to Magneto.
Basically, all Jews can be divided into four groups based on tribal ancestry: Cohenim, Levites, Israelites, and Magnetoim. Halachically, only Jews who are descended from Magneto through the paternal line are Magnetoim, although you can become a Magnetoim through marriage. For example, my mother’s family are Levites, but because my paternal grandfather wasn’t Jewish, I was, for most of my life, an Israelite. However, my husband is a Magnetoim, so now I am, as well. When we have children, they will also be Magnetoim.
I hope that explains everything!
Also, if you are a non-genetically Jewish adoptee adopted by Jewish parents OR a genetically Jewish adoptee adopted by non-Jewish parents you’re automatically a Magnetoim. It’s a little known Halachic quirk.
Yeah, the Halacha on this is really wonky, because while adoptees automatically fall under the umbrella of Magnetoim, Gerim are usually designated as Israelites, unless they possess the ability to bend metal at will, in which case, they are halachically Magnetoim by default.
Yup! I remember hearing a d’var Torah on this a few years back. It’s really interesting!
So, uh, what about ethnic Jewish people who can trace their metalbending back to a Bei Fong on the gentile side of their family?
“they couldn’t make the Maximoffs Jewish because they can’t make any reference to Magneto”
did u kno…. magneto is not the only jewish person in the world……
Be careful with this, in 1000 years this could be the most important page of the Tumblr Tractate of the Talmud.
Do you carry star of davids to use as projectiles
They’re actually more intended as hands-free eating utensils. I have a meat set and a dairy set but not everyone is so strict.
(I’ve seen this post a few times, it’s always great :D)
Now, see, the next question is whether mutant powers can be used on Shabbat.
There’s a clear deliniation between passive and active abilities here. For instance, someone who has telepathic communication would not have to (and should not) refrain from it- especially if doing so causes pain. But on the other hand, something like throwing spikes from your hands is forbidden as work.
Also a second note, as we can not put out flames during Sabbath, someone who has accessed fire based abilities before Sabbath may not retract them until they have naturally ran out of the energy to sustain it.
“The goal of the High Holidays, perhaps like the journey of life itself, is to emerge on the other end as a more righteous and godly person, more conscious of life’s fragility and beauty, and more grateful for the blessings of life.”
— Source: Words of Rabbi Amy Eilberg, exerted from Mishkahn HaNefesh for Yom Kippur (p. 211)
I am not a Rabbi because I know that G-d exists. I am a Rabbi because I love Jews.
Rush's tumblr archive 