Comments on: Christopher Ickens on Chanuka

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:30:58 +0000

OMG!!!! That is HYSTERICAL! ROFL! Wow – I might have to post that. Oh my Gawd. lol

At least the grocer almost spells Chanukah the same way I do – I don’t use the h at the end.

Wow. That is going to be in my mind for a long time, that photo. lol

That “killed us, we won, let’s eat” thing – yes indeed – very popular.

And applicable to so many Jewish events! (that’s a kidding thing, though it does seem to work for Purim and Passover too)

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:14:52 +0000

Here is one response to Hitchen's essay. A short extract: Among the normal, everyday Jews I live with, the somewhat reductivist view of this [Hannukah] holiday, like most, can be expressed as: They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat. On the topic of Hannukah comestibles, here is a collection of pictures that I found really funny (YMMV).

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:43:10 +0000

Not a bad combo I guess for some of us? lol

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:27:15 +0000

I think you’ve nicely put your finger on why for so many serious readers, his writing simultaneously repels and attracts.

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:53:37 +0000

I love his writing – the passion and rawness of it – it’s visceral (can something BE visceral or do you have to say “it’s visceral quality?).

But it also just sounds like a rage – what does it do? Does it really convince anyone of anything? It’s got so many conclusory phrases in it.

Sigh. What do I know. I’m certainly not him.

By: John Ettorre

John Ettorre — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:48:59 +0000

Poor Hitchens. You have to feel sorry for the guy. So much talent, but so much anger and hatred too. He loves being the contrarian bad boy, roasting the most surprising subjects he can think of, like Mother Theresa. Now he wants to take on every major faith and people of faith. Good luck, Chris. That’s a bit more than even you can handle. But I always try to cut him a break, reminding myself that he suffered the ultimate trauma–his mom committing suicide. Something he has in common with Karl Rove, interestingly enough.

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:10:49 +0000

Trust me, Joe – you don’t have to tell me that.

By: Joe Amschlinger

Joe Amschlinger — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:00:48 +0000

Hitchens is an interesting and engaging writer. I worry about sweeping generalizations made by him though that all religious people are mindless fools. Anytime you blast or place upon a pedestal a people based on a category such as race, religiosity, gender,or ethnicity it is a cause for concern. With one exception: Lawyers, all lawyers = bad. We all know that! KIDDING!!!

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:32:42 +0000

Well Jeff – as you know – we aren’t in as small a minority as we would like to be – we are lighting candles, making latkes and yes, playing dreidel with gelt and giving presents. We’ve really de-emphasized the presents over the years, but even when they were younger, it was more the out of town relatives who went to town. Now – we reserve at least two or three nights for basically no gifts but rather acts or deeds. And as the kids get older, we work more of that in.

But yeah – I kind of like the gift-giving excuse. There – I’ve said it!

By: Jill Miller Zimon

Jill Miller Zimon — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:30:42 +0000

Oh – I know re: Hitchens and his views of religion. I just think he could put himself to such better use. Why – why bother bashing this stuff? I don’t know – it makes little sense to me – the feelings about it: valid. But the writing about it? I don’t know. Then again – I’m a blogger – who am I to say what people should or shouldn’t write about!!