golem!

[rm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/world/europe/11golem.html

Interesting stuff. But also, golem? Serious business. The idea of it as a souvenir tschotke is a bit disconcerting.

But then I am of the school of "I don't care if we're all supposed to know it's not real, here's a list of stuff you don't mess around with."

Comments

[sethg]

How can it be a souvenir tschotke golem if it doesn't have the Hebrew on the forehead? Even for kitsch, there should be some standards here.

(I also have this vision of silent clay-faced men patrolling the streets, wearing black windbreakers with white GOLEM across the back. You know, kind of like the POLICE jackets they wear when they're doing a bust.)

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Whereas I think it would be in worse taste if it had the letters.

On the whole, I think that if tschotke-izing legends (not central parts of the religion) is an aspect of Judaism becoming a normal part of the non-Jewish world, it's a really small and acceptable price.