Wrapping My Mind Around Cultural Appropriation Using Chanukah

 I align well and easily with most things from the left side of politics.

But there are some exceptions.

I've had a hard time with cultural appropriation.

Because in my mind, cultures should learn from each other and share.

And really...if we're not supposed to wear and experience things from different cultures, what does that do to all those stores in Epcot's World Showcase?  And if we actually travel to a REAL foreign country, is it horrible if we buy traditional clothing?

Are we being offensive by eating sushi at home?

Was it wrong of us to make Pavlova and Lamingtons? 

Is it okay for us to make Kimchi at home, because Tim was born in Korea,  but it wouldn't be okay for my cousin to attempt to make it?

I just don't like a world in which we're supposed to wear, use, eat, and celebrate only what's from our own family's culture/cultures.

Also, whenever I've heard of Gentiles doing Jewish things like having a Seder or celebrating Chanukah, I'm not at all offended. In fact, I feel the opposite. I'm very touched and excited by the whole thing.

A few months ago, I read this article that helped me understand things better. 

A Black woman defends her passion for Irish dancing. The idea is she makes it okay by learning about the origins of the dancing and giving the Irish proper credit.  

So I thought about things and this is what I decided:

If I heard about some Gentiles wanting to learn more about Judaism, so they read about Dreidels, learned how to play the game, and held a Chanukah party, I'd be super cool with that.

 And they don't have to do all that for me to be content. Simply playing the game and knowing that it's a Jewish custom...that would totally be enough.  

Here's what would not be at all cool:

I come across people playing a game. It has a name I've never heard of before. I watch them play and see it has the EXACT same rules as Dreidel. It's just all the words are changed. There are no Hebrew letters.

I ask the people playing if they know the origins of the game. They shrug their shoulders. It's obvious they don't care. They just want to be left alone.

I start to tell them it's a Jewish game we play at Chanukah.  They do their best to ignore me. They show no interest in the origins.

If THAT happened, I'd be very offended.  

How would our world change if we knew for sure there was life after death, and it was easy for our dearly-beloved to talk to us via the Internet?   

The Dead are Online, a novel by Dina Roberts