Rabbi Jon's Website and Blog

Pride and Prejudice and Fiddler on the Roof

This just hit me the other day.

We've been listening to "Fiddler on the Roof" music over and over lately because the kids love it.  It just wandered into my mind that there are some similarities or at least parallels between "Fiddler" and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  Both have relatively poor families with five daughters, and marriage worries are the structure of the story.  Both stories involve a daughter choosing the wrong guy, or at least an unexpected man.  Both have black sheep, daughters who marry beyond the pale (no pun intended).

Could the people who wrote the book for the musical have had this in mind?  I don't know anything much about Sholom Aleichem's original stories.  Has anyone written about this?

Well, one person has -- just a few weeks ago in another blog. 

Think about it....

Synaplex and Crop Walk

Two items for the local readers:

First, this Shabbat is the kickoff of the new version of Temple Beth Abraham's Synaplex.  Read all the details here.  Our goal is to make sure that there is some way for everybody to experience the joy of Shabbat, for yourself and in community.  I've described that vision in my most recent bulletin article.  Whether it's the traditional service and the whole morning, an hour of yoga, a learners' service and discussion, or just my sermon and singing at the end before lunch.  Something for you individually, and a way to experience the power of community.

Second, on Sunday, October 25 is the CROP Walk (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty), the Nashua area interfaith walk to raise money and awareness to eradicate hunger overseas and in our community.  It's important for the money it raises, it's important to join our voices and power with those of many other local faith communities.  It's who we are as a congregation named for Avraham and Sarah.  It will motivate us and inspire us to do more to fight hunger and poverty throughout the year.  You can walk or help with arrangements at the synagogue.  I'm aiming for 100 pairs of feet, which would about double our participation from last year.  If you have any questions write me and I can put you in touch with Carol Gorelick or Becky Green, our organizers.