Pesach dead hand of the past
(April 8, 2009)
I am fuming. I was just in West Side Judaica (Manhattan’s Upper West Side) where a little boy was saying to his grandparents, “We need a Miriam’s Cup.”
Grandfather (60-something, could pass for a liberal-congenial-spirit): “No, we don’t.”
Moi (seething): “Yes you do.”
Grandfather: “What did Miriam do?”
Moi: “She provided the well of fresh water that kept the Jews alive in the desert.” (I was so enraged, I didn’t even mention Miriam led the women a
song of rejoicing after the crossing of the Red Sea.)
Grandfather: “That was after Passover.”
Moi: So angered, it didn’t even occur to me to say So was Elijah.
But final shot: Grandmother taking Kos Miriam selected by the little boy to the cash register, where the Orthodox male will ring up the sale.
Hag sameach.
–Amy Stone
3 comments on “Pesach dead hand of the past”
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For readers who may not be aware of this, it should be noted that this is the same Amy Stone whose landmark article in LILITH played a major role in opening the doors of the Jewish Theological Seminary to female rabbinic students.
Amy, is there a way to get a copy of your article on feminist funerals that was in Lilith. I do not have access to the magazine. Or have you talked about it other places?
Hi, Judy-
You can read Feminist Funerals online at http://phpstack-508129-1620562.cloudwaysapps.com/ and to keep the magazine alive & well it’d be great if you become a subscriber — at the same webite.
thanks,
Amy