The Blogs: Trick or Treat? The Routine of Boycotting Bigotry

When the Art We Love Turns Against Us

Halloween is coming. Yes, I know it is not a Jewish Holiday. People compare it to Purim because we dress up in costumes and have parties. But there are many differences. We know Purim celebrates our salvation from a plot against us in Persia. Things haven’t changed.

Halloween celebrates the Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter. Purim costumes symbolize hiddenness. In other words, how Hashem operated without being named in the Megillah Esther (the book that tells the story of Purim). Halloween costumes were originally worn to ward off evil spirits.

Darth Maul at Purim. Photo by the author. Free for use on commercial platforms

Maybe Halloween is closer to us than we think. We are currently trying to ward off the evilness of antisemitism. Sadly, that’s never stopped since day one. So, the question is, how do we change our routines?

Warding Off Evil Spirits and Bad Actors

Every Halloween, I would watch “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” I saw the Broadway version in the early 2000s and watched it performed in a bar. Nothing like doing the time warp. As we know, leading antisemite Susan Sarandon plays Janet, or “slut,” as we scream out every time her name is mentioned. The question is, do I watch it this year? A year or two ago, I raised this question with an old friend who an expert on this film and advised me to watch it, since Tim Curry, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, was in bad shape. We lost him last August. I watched it. Will I this year? Not sure.

The Jewish Roots of the Incredible Hulk

Then there’s my favorite superhero. The Incredible Hulk has been mine since “The Incredible Hulk” show, starring Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner, began airing in March 1978. There have been several Hulk movies. Eric Bana played him, and now, sadly, Mark Ruffalo, a leading antisemite, plays him. I saw the recent Spider-Man movie. I went to see it as I normally do with all superhero movies. I didn’t even know Ruffalo was in it. I loved the flick until he appeared.

Shortly after, I was at dinner and talking to the maître d’ about superheroes. He casually said Bana was a much better Banner, and that Disney needs to get rid of Ruffalo because he’s a poor actor when it comes to playing him. I would love to know: does Ruffalo ever consider that the people who created Banner and his alter ego, the Hulk—Stan Lee and Jack Kirby—were Jewish? Or is he too much of a bigot?

Should I see the next Marvel movies featuring him as Banner? Unfortunately, he’s set to reprise his role in the 2027 “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Do I wanna pay for a seat at Regal? Should I wait to watch it on Disney’s streaming service, which I already pay for? Not sure.

Judaism runs through most of the superheroes Kirby and Lee created. I remember reading a comic book where Thing talked to the Hulk about his Bar Mitzvah. Magneto is Jewish, as are Shadow Cat, Moon Knight, Wiccan, Speed, and Sabra. Jumping over to DC Comics, Harley Quinn blamed her craziness on her crazy Jewish mother. We all can. Green Lantern, Atom Smasher, Ragman, and Batwoman are halakhically Jewish and, in many instances, exhibit traits of the religion.

Comfortably Numb to the Art, Not the Artist

Let’s jump over to music and the crowned prince of antisemitism, Roger Waters, and his protégé, Elvis Costello. I no longer listen to either. I have seen both in concert. As for Pink Floyd, David Gilmour was the band’s better voice and penned great songs. Different than Waters’. But just as good and, in some cases, much better. I still listen to Floyd. They got better without Waters. He is off the wall. I have seen Gilmour at the Garden a few times.

Stepping Away from the Stars

It is getting harder and harder. A few weeks ago, I was at Yankee Stadium; known antisemite Spike Lee was signing autographs in one of the stores. I was upset and stayed away. Other people and Lee got into a shouting match over his antisemitism. I remember once being in a suite at the former Giants Stadium for a Jets-Giants game. In the suite next to mine were Lee and Joe Namath. I am not a football fan. But meeting Joe was neat. I had zero interest in talking to Lee.

It is time for the stars to wake up. Or take a lesson from the stars, who say, “I don’t talk politics during my performances. I concentrate on performing my music.” I wish Patti Smith, arguably one of the best front persons, would do the same. I walked out of her birthday performance last November when she started bashing Israel.

So, this Halloween, will it be a trick or treat? Will I do the time warp? I know I will listen to Morrissey, former lead singer of the Smiths, and Boy George, both of whom support Israel and do not bash Judaism. Or will I do what “normal” kids do: sit in the pumpkin patch and wait for the Great Pumpkin?