[NGFP-BookClub] farewell
Heidi Meyerson
ngfp-bookclub@lists.ngfp.org
Thu, 1 Jul 2004 21:28:23 -0700 (PDT)
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Thank you Ruth, the Memorial Foundation and everyone else. I so enjoyed taking part in this course - not only becaue of the intellectual stimulation (of which there was plenty - sometimes keeping me up at night mulling over people's points), but because in a far-flung community like mine, one tends to feel at times "left out" and alienated from the rest of the Jewish world. A course like this feels like a life-line thrown across the great expanse of time and the Pacific Ocean.
Kia Ora and Shabbat Shalom,
from Heidi in New Zealand
ruth wisse <wisse@fas.harvard.edu> wrote:
I'm afraid the time has come for me to wind up this mini course, with
thanks, sincere thanks, to all who participated. Some of you who didn't
write in, or who didn't write often, may feel that you did not really
"participate." That's not the way I feel about it. Sometimes, in large
lecture classes, I am aware of certain students who are actively listening,
and responding mentally to everything that is being said, even though they
almost never speak up in class. This format doesn't allow us to see one
another face to face. Yet I'm certain that there are silent participants
who have been actively participating. I hope you all share my excitement at
having taken part in such a lively international discussion.
In presenting these books, I have tried to open the discussion rather than
to sum it up with a definitive interpretation. The discussions went off in
many directions, as is natural among adults with varying tastes and
approaches to literature. There is no perfect way to read a book, but I do
think it is important to read a book on its terms rather than reading
oneself into a book. Someone else's experience is being rendered,
not ours, and fiction gives us a chance to experience more than we
otherwise could. Some writers are so very different from us in circumstance
and temperament and outlook that they take getting used to. On the other
hand, I note that some readers were deeply moved by Sabato, although he
certainly emerges from a different world than most of ours.
Many of you asked about several of these works, are they really Jewish
literature? Does this really constitute a "Jewish canon?" Tevye seems
obviously familiar, but if he is the standard, what can be said about K.,
Lyutov, and Sammler? Has Jewish history taken us so far afield? I think
these three works are important for us precisely because they do reflect
major trends in modern Jewish experience. They may be universally
significant, but they draw especially on the challenges Jews have faced and
continue to confront. German, Russian, and American Jews have undergone
extraordinary changes in the modern period. These three books convey much
of their strangeness and estrangement.
Among all these moderns, Sabato may feel a little like a throwback. His
narrator has none of Tevye's irony. The sweetness of his faith seems to
derive from a pre-modern age. This young man is so well integrated into his
community. He looks forward to mature study, marriage, good deeds. Yet with
this book we have entered the 21st century. The Jews are back in their
homeland, facing challenges that none of the other protagonists would have
recognized. The young are called on to protect the rest of the country, if
necessary, through war, that most primitive of challenges. Jews have
adjusted to so many different climates and cultures. Now they face the
biggest adjustment of all, to the climate and culture of the Middle East
which is where they derive from, and where they are now gathered. Until
now, when Hasidim hallowed the moon, as they do at the start of Sabato's
book, their references to "enemies" was somewhat abstract. Here it takes on
political weight. The culture of innocence must protect its innocent from
those who are determined to drive the Jews out. As you pointed out,
"Adjusting Sights" carries the double meaning of learning to shoot straight
and learning to adjust one's assumptions. Sabato's initiation story invites
us to learn along with his hero.
Jews are very fortunate to have so many excellent writers. They also have a
story that bears telling and retelling.
My best to all--Ruth
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<DIV>Thank you Ruth, the Memorial Foundation and everyone else. I so enjoyed taking part in this course - not only becaue of the intellectual stimulation (of which there was plenty - sometimes keeping me up at night mulling over people's points), but because in a far-flung community like mine, one tends to feel at times "left out" and alienated from the rest of the Jewish world. A course like this feels like a life-line thrown across the great expanse of time and the Pacific Ocean. </DIV>
<DIV>Kia Ora and Shabbat Shalom,</DIV>
<DIV>from Heidi in New Zealand </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><B><I>ruth wisse <wisse@fas.harvard.edu></I></B> wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">I'm afraid the time has come for me to wind up this mini course, with <BR>thanks, sincere thanks, to all who participated. Some of you who didn't <BR>write in, or who didn't write often, may feel that you did not really <BR>"participate." That's not the way I feel about it. Sometimes, in large <BR>lecture classes, I am aware of certain students who are actively listening, <BR>and responding mentally to everything that is being said, even though they <BR>almost never speak up in class. This format doesn't allow us to see one <BR>another face to face. Yet I'm certain that there are silent participants <BR>who have been actively participating. I hope you all share my excitement at <BR>having taken part in such a lively international discussion.<BR><BR>In presenting these books, I have tried to open the discussion rather than <BR>to sum it up with a definitive interpretation. The
discussions went off in <BR>many directions, as is natural among adults with varying tastes and <BR>approaches to literature. There is no perfect way to read a book, but I do <BR>think it is important to read a book on its terms rather than reading <BR>oneself into a book. Someone else's experience is being rendered, <BR>not ours, and fiction gives us a chance to experience more than we <BR>otherwise could. Some writers are so very different from us in circumstance <BR>and temperament and outlook that they take getting used to. On the other <BR>hand, I note that some readers were deeply moved by Sabato, although he <BR>certainly emerges from a different world than most of ours.<BR><BR>Many of you asked about several of these works, are they really Jewish <BR>literature? Does this really constitute a "Jewish canon?" Tevye seems <BR>obviously familiar, but if he is the standard, what can be said about K., <BR>Lyutov, and Sammler? Has Jewish history taken us so far afield? I think
<BR>these three works are important for us precisely because they do reflect <BR>major trends in modern Jewish experience. They may be universally <BR>significant, but they draw especially on the challenges Jews have faced and <BR>continue to confront. German, Russian, and American Jews have undergone <BR>extraordinary changes in the modern period. These three books convey much <BR>of their strangeness and estrangement.<BR><BR>Among all these moderns, Sabato may feel a little like a throwback. His <BR>narrator has none of Tevye's irony. The sweetness of his faith seems to <BR>derive from a pre-modern age. This young man is so well integrated into his <BR>community. He looks forward to mature study, marriage, good deeds. Yet with <BR>this book we have entered the 21st century. The Jews are back in their <BR>homeland, facing challenges that none of the other protagonists would have <BR>recognized. The young are called on to protect the rest of the country, if <BR>necessary, through
war, that most primitive of challenges. Jews have <BR>adjusted to so many different climates and cultures. Now they face the <BR>biggest adjustment of all, to the climate and culture of the Middle East <BR>which is where they derive from, and where they are now gathered. Until <BR>now, when Hasidim hallowed the moon, as they do at the start of Sabato's <BR>book, their references to "enemies" was somewhat abstract. Here it takes on <BR>political weight. The culture of innocence must protect its innocent from <BR>those who are determined to drive the Jews out. As you pointed out, <BR>"Adjusting Sights" carries the double meaning of learning to shoot straight <BR>and learning to adjust one's assumptions. Sabato's initiation story invites <BR>us to learn along with his hero.<BR><BR>Jews are very fortunate to have so many excellent writers. They also have a <BR>story that bears telling and retelling.<BR>My best to
all--Ruth<BR><BR>________________________________________________<BR>NGFP-BookClub mailing list<BR>NGFP-BookClub@lists.ngfp.org<BR>http://lists.ngfp.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ngfp-bookclub<BR>Nahum Goldmann Fellowship Online http://members.ngfp.org/<BR>Jewish Heritage Online Magazine http://www.jhom.com/<BR>Judaica e-greeting cards http://cards.jhom.com/<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><p>
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