Does Celebrating Valentine's Day Make You a Bad Jew? |
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 by Izzy Grinspan, February 14, 2008 |
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Not kosher: Valentine the heart-spotted pigLast week, when I posted Alex the Videographer’s call for love, a user named Levitt8 replied “Tell me again why a Jew needs a date on St. Valentine's Day?” True, the holiday is named after an early Catholic martyr – but the “saint” part has really disappeared from the holiday. Beliefnet explains that Vatican II took the day back from St. Val because the Church was “embarrassed by the presence of saints on its calendar who might never have existed” (you know, because religious leaders around the world tend to come down hard on stuff that defies the historical record.) So even though it’s named after a Christian figure, literally no one celebrates it as a religious holiday any more.
Some Jews have another reason for staying away from the holiday: In 1349, it was the occasion of a massive pogrom in Strasbourg. So if you prefer holding 648-year-old grudges to eating candy and sharing warm feelings with your loved ones, then yes, a boycott might be in order.
Keep in mind, though, that no less a Jewish authority than Shmuley Boteach thinks you should celebrate Valentine’s Day. Boteach suggests showing up at your sweetie’s house wrapped in a bow. For the record, when I was in high school a boy actually did this to my best friend, and she was VERY impressed. It might not work on women over the age of 15, though.
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Cavanaugh
Valentine's Schmalentine's.
I have beef with Valentine's day because it's purely an opportunity for retailers to try to make me feel guilty for not buying enough. My partner doesn't like the holiday either, so that gets me off the hook.
This week, incidentally, is Freedom to Marry Week over at Let California Ring (I just heard about this from JSpot.org). I ask you: Isn't trying to make sure everyone's love is recognized as equally valid a better way to observe the holiday than spending money on petroleum by-product balloons, pesticide and preservative-treated flowers, and candy produced by exploited workers?
(I'm kidding on the square. I do think it's a better idea but I don't really have any problem with someone who wants to pick up some Colombian chocolate and a rose shipped in on a refrigerated truck to show their bashert how much they care.)
Jonathan
Amateurs....
"So if you prefer holding 648-year-old grudges to eating candy and sharing warm feelings with your loved ones, then yes, a boycott might be in order."
Come on, Izzy, Jews are notorious for holding grudges for far longer than that. At 648 years, we're just getting warmed up.
Izzy Grinspan
ha!
I was just WAITING for someone to say that. Jonathan, you definitely win the prize for the day.
Jonathan
But....
...do I get comment of the week? That would take care of one goal in my life....
ChevyNazi
Sounds like Jonathan...
wants to go out and kick some gentile ass!lol
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