Hit by a Wagner

As a Jew, one needs to be careful as to where to lay one's cultural head. Opera, for example. Opera should be a Jewish thing -- it's educated (you have to be able to read to enjoy it, learned in a foreign language to truly understand. It's expensive. It's big in New York. It has snob appeal. However, while a Jewish opera buff is safe cruising along, relishing "The Magic Flute" or delving into "Einstein on the Beach", let your guard down and you and you could be hit with a Wagner! And then what. Does an excuse of "art is art" make up for that art coming from brain also pickled in anti-semitism? It's an awkward position to be in, kind of being a vegatarian who indulges in marshmallow Peeps (gelatin, you know).

Food is a big one for us Jews. Even when we don't care about Kashrut, eating pork in front of non-Jews, who know about our being Jewish, feels like being on the hot seat. I participated in a interfaith retreat once, and while I don't keep kosher, I felt I had to eat the nasty, Meal Mart packaged food brought in just to be appreciative of those thoughtful enough to want to feed the Jews and to prove my "I'm into my religion but still can relate to others" cred.

What about politics? Can you be anti-immigrant if you grew up hearing stories of your great-grandparents escaping with just the clothes on their back from The Old Country and weeping for joy when seeing the Statue of Liberty? Or can you support bilingual education when, in the same story, you hear how your grandparents "learned the language and didn't expect anyone to do them any favors."

The ultimate conundrum is Israel. It used to be if you were a Jew, you supported Israel, the israeli government, military, period. Now, not only do we reckon with the label of "apartheid" and scenes of Palestinian or Lebanese civilians caught in the crossfire, but you also are standing shoulder to shoulder in your support with Evangelical Christians who might be the same ones supporting anti-immigration, as well as anti-abortion, anti-homosexuality, and anti-secular legislation.

You've got to look both ways before you take a stand, or you could be hit with a Wagner and not even see it coming.