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A Letter from Rabbi Perkins to Parents of Temple Aliyah Children March 9, 2004 Dear Parents, As I’m sure by now all of us are aware, Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion of the Christ” has become a blockbuster. Within the first week of its opening on Ash Wednesday, the film grossed over one hundred million dollars. (See my sermonic review on-line at www.templealiyah.com.) Talk of “The Passion” is very much in the air. Although the film is rated ‘R’—appropriately enough, given its graphic violence—reports have suggested that, unfortunately, many children have seen this film. Even those who have not may very well have become exposed to the ‘buzz’ about the film. This is an issue for Jews, especially Jewish children. The reason is that the film’s version of the Passion is hardly flattering to Judaism or the Jewish People. Judaism is depicted as a cruel, heartless and corrupt faith. Even well-meaning Christian children who see this film may very well leave the theatre contemptuous of Jews and Judaism, if not angry at “The Jews.” As unfortunate (and shameful) though this might be, it wouldn’t necessarily be dangerous were it not for the fact that most people—especially children, Christian as well as Jewish—are woefully ignorant of the historical issues in the Gospel accounts. That is, most viewers will accept the film version of what happened as “true,” because they don’t know any better. Even otherwise well educated Jewish children may very well feel confused and defensive—if not fearful—when confronted with the claim that, “The Jews killed Jesus.” How many of them, after all, have a clue who Jesus was, when he lived, what he did or how he died? There are reports of Jew-baiting among children in other metropolitan areas. Although I hope it will not, it may spread to our area as well. I have no doubt that our local public school teachers and administrators are well aware of the potential for this, and are preparing for it. But we cannot depend on that. As Jews, we have the responsibility to “know what to say to those who would challenge us.” To this end, I thought it would be a good idea, prior to Good Friday (April 9), to give our children (grades 6 and up) a very brief age-appropriate introduction to the life and death of Jesus, in order to help them, should the topic come up in a conversation with their peers. I have already spoken with our Prozdor students and our older Religious School students. To the extent that she deems it necessary and advisable, Dr. Beverly Schwartz-Katsh will be speaking with the younger children. It would be helpful, I think, for you to follow up on my presentation. You may want to ask your child whether there’s been any talk about the film at his or her school and whether any hurtful things have been said. (If so, please get in touch with me right away.) Ask your child what he or she took away from the session with me. (Don’t be surprised if it seems distorted; children under the age of fifteen rarely have a well-developed historical consciousness.) As you talk about this with your child, questions may come up which you feel unqualified to answer. I urge you to consult a very useful Q&A prepared by a colleague of mine, Rabbi Richard Block. If any other questions arise which leave you speechless, please feel free to get in touch with me. You may also want to consult the material on the website of the Boston College Center for Christian-Jewish Learning or that of the ADL. Needless to say, I wish I didn’t have to write this letter. I’d so much rather be writing you about a more positive topic. And yet, there is the potential for good to come out of this. If Mel Gibson’s film gets people talking about the Passion, learning about early Christianity, realizing that the Gospel accounts are polemics, and therefore not entirely “historical,” if the film helps Jews and Christians learn how much pain and suffering have resulted from these historical distortions, and inspires a renewed dedication to the efforts, undertaken during the past forty years, to heal the breeches between our faiths; if the film invokes revulsion at its stereotyping and engenders the commitment to overcome it—then harei zeh m’shubach—this is worthy of praise. Let me wish all of you a healthy and kosher Pesach. Please don’t hesitate to contact me to follow up on any of the issues I’ve raised in this letter. Sincerely, To read Rabbi Perkins’s sermon of 2/28/04 on “The Passion,” click here. |
