I think that placing bread on a seder plate is only emphasizing the belief that lesbians do not have a place in Judaism. Most observant Jews probably have a problem with bread on a seder plate, even if it were only there as a symbol, and would therefore avoid this act of solidarity because it means violating kashrut. Furthermore, I donÌ¢âÂã¢t think anyone should have to violate kashrut on Pesach to show their solidarity with LGBT Jews. There are certainly other more visible and effective ways to do so. After all, can we really compare a crust of bread to a living, breathing person who can play an active role in the Jewish community? I donÌ¢âÂã¢t think so.
The shift from tangerine to orange and from lesbian inclusion to womenÌ¢âÂã¢s inclusion is certainly problematic since most people are not familiar with the original story. But to put a positive spin on the shift, the orange can be thought of as a symbol of all women regardless of their sexual orientation, meaning that this symbol includes lesbians. It is an all-encompassing symbol of womenÌ¢âÂã¢s inclusion, which I think more people can relate to. However, I agree that this does not solve the problem of discomfort that the Jewish community has with gays and lesbians, especially because the seder plate is only on display in Jewish homes for a few days each year. Perhaps itÌ¢âÂã¢s time to tackle the problem of discomfort in our community in a more powerful and permanent way than by placing bread or citrus fruit on the seder plate.
I think that placing bread on a seder plate is only emphasizing the belief that lesbians do not have a place in Judaism. Most observant Jews probably have a problem with bread on a seder plate, even if it were only there as a symbol, and would therefore avoid this act of solidarity because it means violating kashrut. Furthermore, I donÌ¢âÂã¢t think anyone should have to violate kashrut on Pesach to show their solidarity with LGBT Jews. There are certainly other more visible and effective ways to do so. After all, can we really compare a crust of bread to a living, breathing person who can play an active role in the Jewish community? I donÌ¢âÂã¢t think so.
The shift from tangerine to orange and from lesbian inclusion to womenÌ¢âÂã¢s inclusion is certainly problematic since most people are not familiar with the original story. But to put a positive spin on the shift, the orange can be thought of as a symbol of all women regardless of their sexual orientation, meaning that this symbol includes lesbians. It is an all-encompassing symbol of womenÌ¢âÂã¢s inclusion, which I think more people can relate to. However, I agree that this does not solve the problem of discomfort that the Jewish community has with gays and lesbians, especially because the seder plate is only on display in Jewish homes for a few days each year. Perhaps itÌ¢âÂã¢s time to tackle the problem of discomfort in our community in a more powerful and permanent way than by placing bread or citrus fruit on the seder plate.