Group therapy in a blog.
Sex Fails to Sell at Harvard Hillel
The Harvard Crimson reported that a recent Hillel event about sexuality, titled “Jewbilation” and featuring a Jeopardy! style quiz show on facts related to Judaism and sexuality, brought only two more bodies in attendance than a minyan would have.
The trivia game addressed a variety of Jewish idiosyncrasies, from famous Jewish director Woody Allen’s views on sex to the need to immerse oneself in the mikvah, a purifying bath, after touching a lizard. “That’s not a euphemism—actually a lizard,†[Harvard Hillel’s Conservative Minyan’s rabbinic advisor Ethan] Linden said. Game-show questions were divided into three categories: “Distance Learning,†“Different Strokes for Different Folks,†and “I ‘Know’ You, Biblical relations.â€
What does this lack of interest mean? Are Jews at Harvard too busy studying or did the subject of Jewish approaches to sex strip the subject of any interest? And which one of these is “worse for the Jews”? And does it matter, now that the birth rate among Israeli Jewish women is rising?
I think the poor attendance might be attributed to the fact that those who can get laid, were busy doing just that. Those who can’t, were playing “Jewish Sex Jeopardy.”
Perhaps, but what really might have been annoying was the ‘Jewish Sex Jeopardy’ part. I mean which part is the funniest? The Sex+Jeopardy or the Jewish+Sex… I could go on. There’s just too many very old hoary jokes here that perhaps the kids grew up tired of hearing. But seriously, who other than Dr. Ruth would show up for a pseudo game show about Jewish Sex & the Bible? I now, the Rabbi, possibly the cantor, their GF’s/wives & whoever mamma’s were catering the event. And the 2 students trying to avoid the bio-chem final. That’s about it.
But sex at Harvard sells. Always has. Sex at Harvard’s Hillel may not just yet. Maybe it’s all in the right sort of catering! Cheers & Good Luck, ‘VJ’
Geez, that line should have read in part…
“I know, the Rabbi, possibly the cantor…” Cheers, ‘VJ’
I agree with Marc. Perhaps the sexually active Jews at Harvard just aren’t interested in the Jewish take on sex– kind of like many of them probably aren’t interested in the Jewish take on……..anything!
Which is the point Cori. I suspect someone was thinking, well if we can’t interest them in sex and then have them come by to the Hillel to visit for a bit of frivolity, then we’ve lost our touch! And then they found out for certain. Reading the Crimson’s story the take on the night was certainly not as exciting as intended. As I suspect they’d actually get more folks to show up if they invited Dr. Ruth to lecture for them, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. You know any elderly Jewish grandma who’s a freedom fighter in her youth, & becomes a world renowned doctor & sex therapist in her dotage and a media star in America. Just like your bubeleh , right? But the bottom line? Try the intellectual tact & some current affairs. Israeli chick lit maybe? I know, it’s harder than it looks! Cheers, ‘VJ’
First off, a dozen or so people is not a terrible turn out. I am a former Harvard Hillel board member, and there is a heck of a lot of programming going on there, plus the fact that Harvard Hillel does not necessary attract the most sexually laid back, liberal folks at all times. Mazel tov to them for trying something fun and different.
Their event sounds very similar to an event that KinkyJews is doing in NY on November 18. Here are the details if anyone is interested in checking it out.
11/18 [NYC]: Kinky Jewish Trivia Night at Karma
Come out for a night of Kinky Jewish Trivia and Hookahs at Karma
Hookah Bar on Sunday November 18. Compete against others and see how
much you really know about these topics:
The X-Rated Bible,
You’re into What?! – Fetishes,
Israel – The Land of “Zion” and
Kinky Jews in America
DATE: Sunday, November 18
TIME: 5:00 PM to approximately 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Karma, 51 1st Ave., Between 3rd Street and 4th Street, New
York, NY 10003-9414
DIRECTIONS: F, V to 2nd Ave
OPEN TO: 21 and over. ID Required.
RSVP: Required, e-mail contact@kinkyjews.com. Once you RSVP, you will
receive our mobile phone number to help you find us in the back of the
bar (if you haven’t been to an event before).
COST: Approximately $10 minimum required per person (for the hookahs –
regardless of whether you smoke or not).
———— ——— ——— ——— ——— ——— –
KinkyJews, the Next Generation of Jewish Kinksters, brings together
hundreds of young Jewish kinksters from across the USA and around the
world. They welcome from the curious to newbies to the experienced.
Similarly they welcome all sexual orientations and all streams of
Judaism. Hip, funky, open minded, interesting and otherwise different
genres of Jews are encouraged to expand their horizons with them as
well. For more information, see: http://www.kinkyjews.com
Wonderful wonderful… a nice Harvard boy pimping KinkyJews
‘The Next Generation of Jewish Kinksters!’ There’s the Jewish sex story in a nutshell. Add some hookahs and you almost know that it’s gotta be hip & happening. And I learn so much every day, plenty of stuff labeled Israeli BDSM & BDSM Israel on their blog roll. Again the jokes almost write themselves.
Yeah a dozen or so folks is, just about average we suspect. They could hope for more. But yeah, why leave all the fun to the Rabbi at Harvard’s Hillel? He did not even have the hookah’s you guys have! But thanks for enlightening us about ‘Jewish Porn’ too. Who knew. The jokes here? They date from before great granddad was born. Classics. All of them. This is where Yiddish comedy started. Believe it or not!
Cheers & Good Luck! ‘VJ’
[…] the way, check out this awesome link to some random blog that picked up on the Crimson’s trashing of Kosher Sex last […]