Monday is the Jewish High Holiday. It's the day of atonement. A chance to reflect and ask forgiveness for our sins and transgressions over the past year. In my case, the Shohreh Aghdashloo crack in my Emmy review. It's a day of fasting (Jewish tradition has it that on all holidays you either fast or eat way too much), spiritual reconnection, and taking a break from your daily responsibilities (I will not be hosting Dodger Talk on Monday despite it being a crucial game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and it's 2010 Magnetic Schedule Day at PNC Park).Staying out of work and school is not always easy or convenient.
I'm reminded of Sandy Koufax not pitching the first game of the 1965 World Series because it was Yom Kippur. Don Drysdale pitched instead. The Minnesota Twins bombed him. He was lifted in the third inning. As Dodger manager, Walter Alston came out to the mound to get him, Drysdale said, "Yeah, Skip, I know what you're thinking. Why couldn't HE be Jewish?"
To all who observe: Happy 5770 (which means Mel Brook's 2000 year-old man is now really 3758).
Do you have any Jewish Low Holidays?
ReplyDeleteAs an atheist myself, I try to get high on ALL holidays. Thanks for a good excuse to toke up tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThis was lovely. But you're always lovely. This was especially lovely, if only because it momentarily distracted me from my aching hunger. Really, it's only midnight. It's going to be a long day...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure 2000 years ago Jews eagerly anticipated the arrival of Yom Kippur knowing that meant it was World Series time. It's only in modern times that Rosh Hashanah has come to be associated with the divisional playoff series.
ReplyDeleteHappy 5,770.
ReplyDeleteThe world doesn't look a day over 5,769.
I'm raising a teen and thereby atoning daily for the sins I caused my mother.
I was a 12-yr-old in 1965 and I remember having mixed feelings about this. on one hand, I thought this was a tremendous act of faith, though I was Christan, not Jewish.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I was very happy, because I HATED the Dodgers, who had swept my beloved Yankees in the '63 WS.
Oh and the punchline is that Koufax pitches Game 2, LOSES, and the Dodgers STILL beat the Minnesota Twins, 4 games to 3, when Drysdale wins his next start (Game 4), and Koufax wins Games 5 AND 7. Talk about short rest.
Wew.. that's too long. I can't imagine what I am in that year...
ReplyDeleteI appreciate this could be a sensitive area, but as you raised Jewishness, Ken, I wonder if you had an opinion on whether at all being Jewish made for better comedy or other writing skills, and if so why? This isn't about religion or race, I just wonder if there's a particular Jewish/Yiddish humor that the world prefers, like English tailoring ot German cars (please don't quarrel with my examples - that's all they are). God knows there are precious few Islamic sitcoms. Oh, and happy holiday.
ReplyDeleteBeing a LA baseball guy, did you ever consider naming a son "Chavez"?
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I was listening to Don Imus who said something like this: It's Jewish New Year 5750 and Chinese New Year 4650. How did Jews last a thousand years without Chinese food?"
ReplyDeleteI fell out of my chair, I was laughing so hard. Then I went and got some Chinese food.
blogward: "God knows there are precious few Islamic sitcoms."
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen Little Mosque On The Prairie?
http://www.cbc.ca/littlemosque/
and if you do have ANY personal Koufax stories, please don't hesitate to share. (I go all 'Billy Crystal' with the mere mention of his majesty, Sandy K)
ReplyDeleteMy admiration deepens.
ReplyDeleteI read that Sandy himself was not religious, but that he knew that he was setting an example for young Jewish fans. L'SHANA TOVAH!
ReplyDeleteA POEM FOR YOM KIPPUR --
ReplyDeleteOn this holiest of days,
Your prayers unto your God you raise --
But fearful He may not hear you,
Because He took the day off too.
-- tq
Damn. I keep writing 5769 on all my cheques...
ReplyDeleteIn the early 80's a roster of alumni NLB All-Stars (Willy Mays, Ernie Banks, etc.) showed up here on Maui for a bit of an Old-Timer's exhibition. And pitching on Yom Kippur day, that's right, der frummer Koufax! When I questioned him on how he could have skipped the Series start, but rationalized yom tov Hawaii hurling he blushingly avoided answering...I guess he assumed there were no Hawaiian Yidden.
ReplyDeleteIf my unemployment is atonement, I've had Yom Kippur for the next three decades.
ReplyDeleteTrue story. I was wanting to restructure my schedule to observe shabbos regularly and my mother-in-law pointed out that would be kind of hard in the tech industry where everyone is Monday through Friday short of the lucky guys supporting Orthodox businesses in New York. After weeks of searching a job result pops up in my search the next town over and the hours are Sunday to Thursday.
People sometimes wonder if G-d teases. Yes, that ad proves He does.
@Tim W: Thanks for that. The credits are interesting too.
ReplyDeleteKen may be off fasting, and I'm not Jewish (though I used to "atone" too) but I *have* noticed a Jewish tone of humor in the West Wing (to be expected) and Buffy (not so much). I liked it.
ReplyDelete"Debby G said...
ReplyDeleteThe world doesn't look a day over 5,769."
It's had work done.
It's after sundown here on the East Coast ... I hope you've had an easy fast, and that you are unabashedly enjoying your lox and bagels and kugel (or whatever your "break the fast" food of choice) as I type. Atoning works up quite an appetite, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteShanah tova to you and yours - hope it's a happy, healthy, peaceful year.
I've always loved Mel Brokks' brief dissertation on the meanings of all the Jewish holidays. "We were in a lot of trouble. God got us out of it. Let's eat!"
ReplyDeleteThe years without Chinese food are known to the Jews as "The Dark Ages."
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought that it was color tv.
ReplyDelete