Punk Makes Me A Modern Jew
I’m a late bloomer when it comes to Judaism. I celebrated Hanukkah with my dad, but that was about it until I got to college. My school had an active Jewish student group, and I began attending their events to educate myself on a religion in which I had only peripherally participated.
Learning about your history as a Jew is a hilariously depressing endeavor. It starts, of course, with the Pharaoh enslaving all the Jews in Egypt because he’s worried they’ll outnumber his own people. Then, you get Jews being blamed for the Black Death, forced conversions and expulsions, various petitions to remove Jews from public life, pogroms and public executions in eastern Europe and North Africa, the Holocaust and subsequent theories that it did not happen, and countless attacks and anti-Semitic vandalism on Jewish gathering centers all over the world.
So, how do you deal with literally a millenia’s worth of pain? Some turn to humor, some turn to activism, some simply attempt to lead a happy, well-adjusted life.
I turned to punk-rock.
Here are five songs that helped me find my Jewish voice:
“Bonzo Goes to Bitburg” - The Ramones
Finding out that Joey and Tommy Ramone were both Jewish was a turning point in my life. The fact that two nice Jewish boys named Jeffrey Hyman and Tomas Erdelyi founded one of the most influential punk bands ever meant there was room for me, a nice (depending on who you ask) Jewish girl, in punk. This song was written in response to Ronald Reagan visiting a cemetery in Bitburg where Nazi soldiers were buried in 1985. Joey wrote it knowing that it would piss off Johnny Ramone, his bandmate and inexplicable conservative. Before I really dove into punk, I thought the genre was a lot of yelling about being vaguely but extremely pissed off. This song is such a fantastic argument against that: it’s fun and catchy with a simple chord progression, but the lyrics are full of sharp commentary on specific events and people. It’s Joey, the gentle giant Jewish rock star, telling both the president and his Republican bandmate to fuck off.
“Trauma” and “Tip of a Match” - Ezra Furman
“Trauma” is the song I listen to on repeat when I see yet another headline about an anti-Semitic crime. It’s heavy and hot, and hearing Ezra scream is a form of catharsis. In the first chorus, Ezra sings, “Years roll on and we still have not looked at our sin.” She makes a direct reference to the use of “we” in Jewish prayers on Yom Kippur, a day of atonement. The purpose of “we” in those prayers is to acknowledge that no one person is responsible for the sins of the world, and the community must reckon with their roles in those sins. In the second chorus, she transitions from “we” to “they”: “years roll on and they still have not dealt with our trauma / years roll on and they still have not looked at their sin.” I love this shift because it asks: after all of these years, how much has really changed? I’m still afraid to wear my Star of David necklace in public. Anti-Semitism still permeates the societies of most Westernized countries. So I turn up “Trauma” and scream. When I’m done, I go right to “Tip of a Match.” It has a similar sonic feel: crunchy guitars, heavy drums, Ezra’s distinctive voice. When I get to the refrain, I can’t help but chant along. “I will not admit defeat, I will not admit defeat.” I will keep practicing Judaism, and I will be proud of it.
“Stay Free” - The Clash
Mick Jones has a Jewish mom (cue “one of us!” chant). I’ll admit that at first glance this is probably a confusing pick; none of the lyrics reference anything remotely Semitic. I picked it because it’s a heartfelt song about a friendship that will always be intact, no matter where the friends end up. That’s how I feel about other Jewish people: we all share this wear-tested religion and culture, and unless you convert, you’ll be a part of that bond forever.
“God Lifts Up the Lowly” - Ezra Furman
Yes, three songs I mentioned are by Ezra Furman. I know I’ve broken an unwritten rule of playlist making, but it’s my playlist and I’ll do what I want. Ezra has the ability to put words to feelings that I feel but can’t articulate. Case in point: this song. There’s a line in it that knocks me out every time: “And I’ve looked deep into this frail human body / and I know that I carry a power.” The first time I heard that, everything clicked into place. That’s what I feel radiating through my fingertips and carrying me through difficult days. My Judaism is power, a ball of energy inside me that will never go out. And I’ll always be grateful to Jewish punk musicians for lifting me to that realization.
check out this playlist for a compilation of the
featured songs and some extras! :)