Lost Tribe Introduction

I was so thouroughly intrigued by the introduction to the Lost Tribe book. I thought that Zakrzweski's description of the "Bad Jew" book readings in the KGB themed venue sounds like an event which I would love to attend.

I think that it is so wonderful that there are young authors living authentically Jewish lives, of many varying degrees, who are expressing themselves. I think that it's wonderful that these young authors are in fact pushing the limits of what is acceptable to write about or to say.

I know for instance, I would personally never make a Holocaust joke, however, I do not think that it is innappropriate necessarily to have it in literature, if the author is comfortable with it. For instance, it always baffles me that Israelis make Holocaust jokes all of the time, although, I guess when looking at it from a few steps back, humor is most definetley a coping mechanism, and any coping mechanism is good if it helps people cope with the horrors of the Holocaust.

On another hand, I think it is interesting that one of the genres which was outlined in class was that of the Holocaust. Personally, I think that it is important for people to learn about the Holocaust, but I think that it's a shame when people, Jewish or gentile, immediately identify Judaism with he Holocaust, rather than with say the state of Israel, or with principles of social justice, or with the rich Jewish history, etc...