Rabbi Brant Rosen's Post on Palestinian Food and Israeli Culture
David Shasha
Friends,
Let us not be fooled into thinking that committed Ashkenazi Jewish Leftists who support peace and reconciliation are free of anti-Sephardi racism.
Here is yet another case in point dealing with the political football of Arab cuisine and Israel:
http://rabbibrant.com/2012/12/30/pay-a-visit-to-the-gaza-kitchen/
The key assertion is made clearly by Rabbi Rosen:
I personally consider the legacy of Israeli cuisine to be a complex and painful one. Reading through this book through the eyes of an American Jew, I was constantly reminded that so many of the foods that we assume to be uniquely “Israeli” are in fact dishes that have long been indigenous to Palestinian culture.
It is certainly true that there is really no such thing as uniquely “Jewish food.” To be sure, Jews have lived (and cooked) in a myriad of societies and cultural contexts over the centuries – and our cuisine has traditionally emerged from a (pardon the expression) fusion of Jewish sensibilities with our respective host cultures. Given the circumstances of Israel’s creation, however, I have long been troubled by Israel’s appropriation of Palestinian/Mediterranean culture – and the assumption, for instance, that dishes such as hummous and felafel are somehow “uniquely Israeli.”
While it is certainly true that Zionism has acted in racist and imperious ways vis-à-vis the native Arab culture of the Palestinians, it is equally true that this Arab culture is not limited to Muslims or Christians, but is shared with Jews who are native to the region.
But when we read the statement we can clearly see that native Arab Jews are not even a possibility in the author’s mind. Being an Israeli Jew means being an Ashkenazi Jew. Arab Jews continue to be invisible; without any voice in the discourse.
It is not that Ashkenazi Israeli Jews have not stolen culture, history, and freedom from Palestinian Arabs. That is certainly true and we should be on guard against it. But when we look at culture, history, and freedom being stolen, it is not something limited to the Palestinian Arabs.
In advocating on behalf of the oppressed Palestinians, Rabbi Rosen asserts Ashkenazi hegemonic privilege and completely ignores the fact that the food culture of Palestine is shared by Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Beyond food, these groups share literary values, religious values, philosophical values, and much else.
https://groups.google.com/group/Davidshasha/browse_thread/thread/bdd64635d3bbbefb#
https://groups.google.com/group/Davidshasha/browse_thread/thread/02a85beb4963b166#
Zionism has robbed the Arab Jews of their culture and history. Those criticizing Zionism, like Rabbi Rosen, should not repeat this Zionist theft of our Arab Jewish civilization. And yet it seems like the Ashkenazim – whatever their political beliefs may be – cannot help themselves.
https://groups.google.com/group/Davidshasha/browse_thread/thread/c089b2e1e08e3ea3#
The nameless Arab Jews have no role to play in peace discourse or in the formation of Israeli culture:
http://groups.google.com/group/Davidshasha/browse_thread/thread/67c80edee8a0c504#
For the Ashkenazim all Jews are Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” All Jewish food is Gefilte Fish, Chopped Liver, and Matzoh Ball soup. It is not in the realm of the possible that Palestinian “Arab” food can be Jewish food as well.
It is not that we should appropriate this food for Israel or Zionism, but to clarify what is the truth of the matter and to restore Arab Jewish culture to its rightful place in the discourse.
I have addressed it most recently in item 9 in the following “Weekly Items of Note” post:
Even though I have written about this matter extensively in the past, it seems that I will have to continue pointing it out for the foreseeable future:
http://tpcmagazine.org/article/assessing-myths-interfaith-dialogue
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-shasha/the-voice-of-um-kulthum-t_b_595161.html
http://www.tikkun.org/article.php/may_jun_09_shasha/print
Once again it shameful to point out that reliably Progressive Jewish voices are themselves harboring racism against fellow Jews who because they are not Ashkenazi simply do not exist.
David Shasha