Film Comment: Kike Like Me

"Kike" is an ethnic slur word directed against Jews. Most dictionaries say it's origin is unknown but Leo Rosten (1908-1997) in The Joys of Yiddish (1968) says that it arose on Ellis Island among the Jewish immigrants who who were registered there. Since many of the immigrants were illiterate, when they were asked to "make their mark" during the registration process they chose to draw a circle (Yiddish "kikel") rather than an "X" because they thought the "X" looked like a cross. The term became an affectionate word among the Yiddish immigrants and only later became a slur. (Much like the evolution of "guapo" into "wop.")

The title of Kike Like Me (2007) is a play on the title of the 1964 film, Black Like Me. Director Jamie Kastner sets out to examine the question, "What does it mean to be perceived as Jewish?"

Kastner travels to a Lubavitcher seminary in Brooklyn, conducts a failed interview with Pat Buchanan, visits an ethnically "tolerant" mixed suburb of Paris, and goes to see Auschwitz. Along the way he talks to Jews and non-Jews about being Jewish.

The documentary is at the same time humorous and uncomfortable, itchy even. Kastner becomes progressively more shocked and sarcastic. He is unable to complete his tour of Auschwitz, stopping before he sees the ovens. He is sickened that it has become a tacky tourist destination. It even has a gift shop.

Kastner becomes prickly about being asked if he is Jewish. He insinuates that to ask "Are you Jewish?" is anti-Semitic. He thinks it influences how people react to and treat others. The events in the film seem to show that it does.

There have been times when being asked if you were a Christian has been a dangerous question to answer. We should all consider what our answer would be if those times were to return for us.

Another light bulb joke

How many Nazi's does it take to change a light bulb?
Vun. He vill change it und he vill like it!

Gone!

     I just spent the last week in Mundelein and Vernon Hills in Illinois and came away with an odd feeling.  I saw maybe eight black people the entire time I was there and several of them were employees of restaurants and stores I visited.  I saw plenty of Asians and Hispanics but almost no blacks.  It felt creepy, a whole group of people suddenly just gone.  I live in the Deep South where African Americans have a heavy and very visible presence.

     During my alone time during the week I read Cracking the Bible Code by Jeffrey Satinover.  One of the prime movers in the Torah Bible Code movement was Rabbi Michael Dov Ber Weissmandl,  who spent the last years of his life pursuing the codes.

     The more obvious historical significance of Rabbi Weissmandl is his role in at least being able to delay the extermination of the Jews of Slovakia by bribing and deceiving numerous Nazi officials.  It haunted him the rest of his life, but, ultimately the rabbi was not able to save even his own immediate family.  In total, over six million Jews were murdered.  It was as if the entire Jewish population (about 5.2 million in 2009) of the United States were missing.

     The near absence of black people reminded me of the sudden disappearance of the Jews from Europe.  There and then suddenly just gone.  

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian.   Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, their religious beliefs, or their actions.  This will be a recurring segment in this blog.

Rudolf Wolters (1903-1983)  German architect, Nazi government official, diarist.  He helped in the rebuilding of West Germany after World War II.  He was raised as a Catholic.

Erik the Red (950-ca. 1003)  This Norwegian navigator left Iceland in 982 and explored Greenland, eventually establishing a colony there.  Tradition says that he became a Christian on his deathbed at the urging of his wife Thjohild.

Absalom Jones:  (1746, Delaware - 1818)  Black clergyman born as a slave.  He taught himself to read using the New Testament and was a co-founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Alfred Charles Sharpton, Jr.:  (b. 1954)  Pentecostal minister, social activist, writer, radio and television commentator

Frances Octavia Smith:  (1912, Texas - 2001)  aka: Dale Evans.  Writer, singer-songwriter, actress.  Wife of cowboy movie star, Roy Rogers.