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Zoga-what?!

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Had to set someone straight yesterday on the facts of history. Wasn't pretty. Started like this: New guy in shul was of the opinion that our shul's second reading of Parsahas Zachor for women was a travesty, and a step down the slippery slide to Reform. What follows is his argument, briefly summarized:

(1) I never saw such a thing when I was kid!
(2) In Europe, they never did it!
(3) Not only that, but in Europe women never went to shul!

I wasn't there for his childhood, and I confess to being ignorant about European Parshas Zachor practices, but I did have something to say about Point 3. I sidled over to the man, and calmly said: "If European women never went to shul, what was the Zogerin?"

The Zoga-what?

The Zogerin. She was a learned woman who sat in the front of the women's section. She read certain prayers out loud so that illiterate women, or those without prayer books could repeat then lines after her.

Maybe in Western Europe, or Berlin is where they had...

No, no. Eastern Europe. In the shtetles.

I can't imagine such a thing!

Well, I can't imagine people dragging in goats to be slaughtered as a form of worship. Doesn't mean it wasn't done.

At this point, my interloper revealed his true objection."The [certain Hasidic Rebbe] says it's not respectful to the Torah to take it out just to read to women," he said.

Oh really? I don't like to waste time with sexist morons, especially sexist morons who believe their sexism is incontrovertibly true, so after gently pointing out that our shul is not Hasidic, I terminated the conversation and continued on my way.

Sponsored Message
- Celebrate Purim 2009 with Magnificent Purim Baskets - Mishloach Manot from Oh Nuts.

First mention

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In this new and occasional feature, DovBear looks at the New York Time's first mention of various subjects of interest.

Today: PURIM
First Appeared: March 7, 1863





Read the full article here.

Things I learned today:
(1) There was a Purim Ball in NYC in the 1860s!
(2) The Purim Ball was occasionally attended by the mayor (this was in the 1860s!), and the Times treated the Purim Ball as a major social event until at least the early 1900s. (Read an especially lavish descritption from March 23, 1864)
(3) In the 1880s the venue was the Metropolitan Opera House. In the early 1900s it moved to Madison Square Garden, and, in 1907, the Governor made an appearence.

The articles about the annual Purim Ball stop appearing in the 1920s. Why? Three possible explanations, aside from the obvious (i.e. that the Ball was discontinued):

(a) The ball lost its significance, perhaps because the German Jewish socialites who extablished and attended the ball had become more assimilated; (b) The Time's changed its policy on covering social events; or (c) the arrival of the Eastern European hordes somehow changed the general impression of Jews.

I expect the true answer is some combination of the above.

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This is me testing things out

I just want to know for sure that everything works befor I go live, so far i looks gresat

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don’t think that people should be fearful about our future,” he said. “I don’t think that people should suddenly mistrust all of our financial institutions.”
As he pressed forward with ambitious plans at home to rewrite the tax code, expand health care coverage and curb climate change, Mr. Obama dismissed criticism from conservatives that he was driving the country toward socialism. After the interview, which took place as the president was flying home from Ohio, he called reporters from the Oval Office to assert that his actions have been “entirely consistent with free-market principles” and to point out that large-scale government intervention in the markets and expansion of social welfare programs began under President George W. Bush. Sitting at the head of a conference table with his suit coat off, Mr. Obama exhibited confidence six weeks into his presidency despite the economic turmoil around the globe and the deteriorating situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He struck a reassuring tone about the economy, saying he had no trouble sleeping at night.

ipsum locum

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