As the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, begins this Friday night, Angela Epstein reflects on the traditions that define Judaism, even as Britain's Jewish community faces a rise in antisemitism.
Writing in the Daily Express, Epstein describes the struggle of preparing enough food for family gatherings, from honey cake to tzimmes, a sweet stew with prunes and raisins. She notes that the compulsion to overfeed is "in the DNA" of a classic Jewish mother, and that hours in the kitchen are "life affirming."
Real Face of Judaism
Epstein highlights the Rosh Hashanah gatherings, synagogue services, and long dinners with songs and debate as "the real face of Judaism." These traditions, she says, have endured for thousands of years, reflecting a determination to remain unbowed despite a history of persecution.
She acknowledges that sorrow and fear are not the only things defining the community, but she does not dismiss the impact of rising antisemitism. Living in Manchester, she passes the Heaton Park synagogue, where a terrorist atrocity took place nearly a year ago, a place where she was married. She says the memory of that event remains a reminder of the horrors of antisemitism.
Political Gesture Condemned
Epstein criticises the decision by Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband to boycott goods from Israel's West Bank, calling it a "pathetic, self-serving gesture" that gives antisemites justification for their agenda. She also notes that Yom Kippur, when last year's terrorist attack left two men dead and three injured, will be a time of sorrow.
Yet she insists there is more to Judaism than sorrowful history, pointing to humour as a key element. She cites comedians like Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld, Joan Rivers, and Jackie Mason, saying Jews "take no pleasure in melancholy" and prefer to grab life by the throat.
Spirit Unbroken
Epstein mentions co-founding the Jewish Mother Me podcast, which chats to celebrities about the families that shaped their lives, particularly their Jewish mothers. She describes this as "the real Judaism: colourful, calorific, funny, and vital."
She concludes that while the battle with her freezer may be lost, the war against those who seek to break the Jewish spirit will always be won.
