Re: "Jewish Night" at Shea Stadium

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

Lorele et al.:  Eliott has this pretty much right, except that the first 
Jewish Night was at least _two_ years ago, since I was there. (The kosher 
hot dog line took about an hour's wait.)  I think they started this (at 
least) _three_ years ago--actually, I see that Eliott says that--and were 
foolish enough to have a "German Night" among the featured ethnicities, but 
no Jewish Night, on the grounds that we're a religion not a nationality, 
etc.  Well, that didn't fly, and they quickly retreated after no doubt being 
inundated with angry phone calls (and worse).  It's just a Mets thing, 
though, not a New York State thing--no constitutional questions involved.  
Just typical NYC ethnic politics.

The problem, for me, is that what they call "Jewish Night" is really "Israel 
Night," with all Jewish identity being subsumed under Israeli.  It would 
make much more sense, for example, to have a klezmer band--since, to a 
degree, klezmer music can be enjoyed by all sorts of Jews, and the klezmer 
revival is very much part of a distinctly American Jewish scene--than 
another Israeli singer (though Sharabi is a better choice than last year's, 
whose name I've repressed).

--Robert


>From: Eliott Kahn <Elkahn (at) JTSA(dot)EDU>
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: [Fwd: The New York Mets Host Yoel Sharabi]
>Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 09:30:40 -0400
>
>Lori:
>
>Every year for the last three years, the NY Mets baseball team has 
>sponsored an "international week" out at Shea Stadium. I guess it is to 
>celebrate the ethnic diversity of the Borough of Queens, now the most 
>ethnically diverse county in America (the world?).
>
>Last summer they held the first "Jewish night," a really fun event, I've 
>been told, by some of the folks who attended. I know this year they're also 
>having an Irish night and also a Hispanic night, but don't know the other 
>groups for the other nights.
>
>And, yes, kosher food is available at Shea Stadium (and kosher hotdogs at 
>Yankee Stadium now, as well).
>
>There's usually a concert of ethnic music after the game.
>
>And if Mike Piazza hits a home run, everyone dances the tarantella.
>
>Let's go Mets!
>
>Eliott Kahn
>
>
>At 09:06 AM 8/10/00 -0400, you wrote:
> >A friend of mine sent this to me.  Thought some of you might be 
>interested.
> >And what the heck is Jewish Day?
> >
> >Lorele
> >
> >
> >
> > > Yoel Sharabi will sing from home plate at the Shea Stadium on
> > > August 13th, at 12:30 P.M.
> > >
> > > New York Mets Vs. San Fransisco Giants.
> > >
> > > Come and join us as the Mets celebrate Jewish Day at
> > > Shea stadium and hear Yoel Sharabi live in concert.
> > >
> >
>
>

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