September 27, 2007 | 12:18 pm
When I went to Las Vegas to write about Christians reaching out to porn stars, I met a heavily-tattooed and pierced woman about my age named Joanna Angel. She’s an “alt-porn” performer and entrepreneur, and thanks to Luke Ford I just learned that Angel grew up an Orthodox Jew.
Curious, I searched Wikipedia and learned that Angel’s mother was Israeli and her father American. It sounds like Angel still identifies as Jewish; Luke greeted her by phone two years ago with a “Shabbat Shalom.” This is not unusual. Ethnic Jews are prevalent in the porn industry, a story I will get around to one of these days.
But what I found interesting was a Q&A Angel had with a smutty British lad mag called Bizarre. (The link was on her Wikipedia entry, I swear.) Today, it turns out, is the beginning of Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, on which occasion Jews eat and sometimes sleep under tents they have erected outside their homes, and the interviewer asked Angel about the holiday. Sort of.
Can you explain to me the deal with Jew forts?
Jew what?
Jew forts. You know, once a year the Jews build these treehouse things.
OK, there’s this holiday called Sukkot. And you build these little huts next to your house and you’re supposed to eat in them for eight days. You’re supposed to appreciate nature on that holiday or something.
They’re kind of crazy-looking.
Yeah, well, some people think Christmas trees are weird. A tree you decorate is really weird. Lights and balls and a big star on top of a cut-down tree; that’s weird. You’re just accustomed to seeing them that’s all.
Posted by Brad A. Greenberg in 0 Comments — Leave your comment
We welcome your feedback.
Your information will not be shared or sold without your consent. Get all the details.
academia america american jews anti-semitism atheism barack obama books capitalism catholicism christianity crime death education entertainment europe evangelicals god holidays holocaust iran iraq islam israel jesus jihad john mccain judaism los angeles media middle east mormonism personal politics president bush president 08 science sexuality sports the law war
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
Yaron Amitai was the oldest soldier killed in the Second Lebanon War. At 45, he was past the required age for army reserve duty. Amitai nevertheless volunteered to serve as a combat medic in the Paratroopers Brigade scheduled to go into Lebanon
The earnest message was delivered in an opulent setting. First, the customary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served in the Sheinbaum's plush backyard, where a clover-shaped pool, statues and sculptures seemed fixed into the landscape of the Brentwood Hills.
Not only are survivors alive in large numbers -- estimated at 700,000 worldwide, with about 85,000 in the United States -- but they are projected to be a part of Jewish society for another 10 to 15 years, and even longer for child survivors.
Since last summer, when I volunteered for a Barack Obama event, I have received many nonsensical e-mails and heard many nonsensical arguments -- from friends and family as well as on TV -- about Sen. Obama's alleged lack of allegiance to the United States of America.
Parashat Chukat (Numbers 20:1-22:1) Who was Miriam? She is the only woman in the Torah who bears the title "Neviah" -- prophetess. So who was she?
I'm dying to tell you about a fascinating afternoon I spent with an Israeli scientist at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer, but first, I want to tell you how I ended up there