Can I be Jewish for Halloween?

[rosends]

The second one is where I certainly disagree, so I will start there. The dressing as an instance of a subset is just that. The claiming it represents the larger subset is something more. Hence my statement, that the costume is not offensive without something more. now, I do not see it as something more to acknowledge that one's instance, while part of a particular subset, is also an instance of the larger set. This is because this is true. I agree that given the instances of racism that it is very easy to assume that something more is present. But we still need to have this something more in order to say the act is offensive. Once this claim to represent all Jewish people exists, then the person is engaging in stereotyping.

I am not worried as much about racism as I am about reducing Jewish identity to certain tiny aspects and encouraging (even if only tacitly) others to see the whole as summarized by the bits. The costume isn't as much offensive via stereotypes as it is offensive on the intellectual level of reducing being Jewish to these items.

...while I understand cutting the tzitzit would be disrespectful and some would reasonably take offense, I find it hard to understand how just wearing them would be.

Many Jews felt offended when Madonna wore tefillin while not so dressed in the Die Another Day video. Many would feel offended if the Halloween party had a stripper show up. The environment is not one which is appropriate for the religious item because of an inherent sanctity. The intent of the wearer is immaterial if the concern is about the religious object. If someone wanted to dress as a rabbi and carry a torah scroll with him, I would not say "it is just part of his costume" because if he puts it on the floor, then, even if he puts it down gently, he is besmirching something which I hold dear. A Halloween party is not exactly the best of all places necessarily, but that might not amount to anything which really devalues the tzitzit. But what if things DO get raunchy? What happens if the person wearing them just goes to the bathroom and they end up dangling into the toilet. He might not care and might not even intend anything by it. But it happens. The potential for a bad message or encouraging mockery or anything like that is completely separate to me.

The kippah has no inherent sanctity but is a shorthand and would still make me wonder why this person is choosing to dress up as a Jew as symbolized by the kippah. I also can't understand the logic behind wearing it to enjoy a culture or for enjoyment. That devalues its inherent position as a religious symbol even if one without inherent holiness.

 

[roger1440]

How bout dress up as someone from New Jersey? You could be either a gangster or a corrupt politician. If you wanna be a Jersey girl make sure you don't forget the big hair. The point is a costume works best if it's a caricature. Go up to the buffet, while your gazing at the culinary delights being offered and ask the host/hostess, "Is there any pork in that?" "You sure, are you really, really sure?"

 

[roger1440]

Most non-Jews do not even understand what a kipah (yarmulke) and tzitzit really are, what they are for, and what they represent.

If I'm not mistaken the yarmulke evolved from the prayer shawl.

 

[Aquitaine]

Rachel Dolezal might disagree (said only half in jest).

We cannot escape our genetic blueprint, but we can escape our religious customs and cultural norms. Then again, as we've both agreed, this is the crucial point where we disagree, and where our differences of opinion here are formed.

 

[rosends]

We cannot escape our genetic blueprint, but we can escape our religious customs and cultural norms. Then again, as we've both agreed, this is the crucial point where we disagree, and where our differences of opinion here are formed.

I would also add though, that the genetic component of race is difficult to pin down and not exclusive, so people can escape, and in the future, will have less of what is called "race" to escape from.

 

[Aquitaine]

I would also add though, that the genetic component of race is difficult to pin down and not exclusive, so people can escape, and in the future, will have less of what is called "race" to escape from.

Perhaps so one day, but not now.