Why Do We Love Noah’s Ark?​

If you travel to the roughly 55 metro areas in the USA that have at least one million people, you will find at least one business named Noah’s Ark in each and every one of them (with the exception of San Jose, Calif.)

Question for your table: Which metro would you guess has the highest number of Noah’s Ark businesses per capita?

Apparently, this distinction belongs to the great city of Cincinnati.

It is possible that I have just doubled (or more) your knowledge about Cincinnati. I may have even taught you how to spell it correctly.

Two questions: Why the appeal in general, and why Cincinnati?

The appeal may be:

• Protection and safety: The Ark sheltered Noah, his family, and the animals from the Flood.
• Care and nurturing: Noah cared for and preserved animal life.
• Rescue and refuge: The Ark saved life from an existential threat.
• Preservation and inclusion: The Ark gathered and preserved many different kinds of creatures.
• New beginnings and hope: Life continued after the Flood, and the world began anew.
• Religious faith: Noah is a central Biblical figure, associated with obedience to God and divine providence.
• Playfulness and animals: The image of an ark filled with animals is appealing and memorable.

Ask everyone at the table what they think??

And what about Cincinnati? The popularity of Noah’s Ark there is presumably connected to the Ark Encounter attraction .

If you have ever read the Biblical story (this week’s Torah portion), you may find the Ark Encounter compelling. However, before you shell out the $55 entrance fee, know that, as with many other things, Judaism and Christianity differ regarding the message of Noah’s Ark:

• Christians present the ark as a prefiguration of Jesus, the “one door” to salvation, with a Gospel message. In Judaism, the ark isn’t a symbol of a coming messiah, it’s about God’s judgment, human corruption, and a covenant with all nations. Jewish readings put more weight on chesed (kindness). The midrash says Noah and his sons barely slept because they were feeding the animals, so the ark becomes a lesson in caring for others.
• While Christians see Noah as a straightforward hero and preacher, The Midrash is ambivalent about Noah. One famous Talmudic debate questions the true nature of his “righteousness” (Gen 6:9). Noah is also criticized for not pleading for others the way Abraham pleaded for Sodom.

The history of searches for Noah’s Ark is a fun read, including the Durupınar site, which is getting more and more attention of late. Many Christians very much want the Ark to be found (click the image above for info on that search); Jews not as much so.

Final question: If the Durupinar site is confirmed scientifically to be a man-make structure of 4,000-year-old wood, how would that discovery impact you?