Rollin' on Shabbos

If you're an observant Jew in your twenties and thirties living in the United States, you've probably asked yourself, "Why the bejeezus do I observe this stuff, especially Shabbat? What does it matter if I use my Saturday to shop, or whatever, if I find it relaxing?" And then came John Goodman, with his Big Lebowski character, a Vietnam vet and avid bowler who "doesn't roll on Shabbos." I see that as a sea change for Jewish observance.

On that same note, I'm not the first Jewish blogger to link to this well-written story of a journey in Jerusalem by a self-proclaimed Orthodox Anarchist. But I think it's worth a read, as the author shares an encounter that altered his perception of Shabbat observance.

It's enough to make this Urban Kvetcher cough up a coveted slot on the Blogroll. But in the interim, it's given me some food for thought, and made me glad that I didn't attend the Friday night Blogger Bash in east midtown. There will be other bashes. Hopefully not on Friday nights. Because as conflicted as I sometimes am about the strictures of observance, this Jew still doesn't roll on Shabbos.

Comments

[mathematician]

This guy is pretty interesting. I've been reading his blog for a while, and he gave me the idea of applying for the Dorot Fellowship myself. (So I might go over to the Holy Land myself next year.)

I'm fairly secular, but I've been investigating the idea of being more observant. However, I live downtown, and I definitely don't have a Jewish community here. I really like his point about how to be an observant Jew, you need a community. Well, you don't need it, but it definitely helps.

[cadgirl]

That was a great story. I agree with mathematician. I too live downtown and sometimes feel like I'm the only Jewish person in Soho. One day I went to 5 grocery stores in my neighborhood to buy shabbos candles and couldn't find them anywhere?!?