Once More with Chutzpah by Haley Neil

Author:Haley Neil
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

This day needs to be over.

When we get back to the hotel, Chaya has one more thing she wants us to do. She sits us down in a conference room.

“Today was tough, I know. So why do we do this? On a tour of Israel, why do we need this day?

“This is a part of us and of our histories. As Jewish people, we are told to remember. To honor.

“So I want a space for us. I want to hear your stories. I want you to honor and remember the personal things that you have been through. This is a time for the processing.”

It’s quiet for a while. Then Joshua raises his hand. “When I was in elementary school, kids used to throw pennies at me. Called me a greedy Jew.” He looks at the floor.

Gabriel claps him on the back. “Same thing happened to me, with the pennies.” He pauses. “There were other things too. One time, I was at this work party for my mom, and one of her colleagues asked me if I knew Drake because he’s also Black and Jewish.”

A girl raises her hand, Yael I think? “I’ve been told I’m not a real Jew because I don’t look like one. What does that even mean? I don’t look like a Jew. Are we all supposed to be clones?”

“Oh, well,” Sammy starts without raising her hand. “This girl from my high school once asked me if my daddy was going to pay for a new nose when I turned sixteen. I asked her what the hell she was talking about and she was all like, No, I heard that you JAPs always get new noses, and then she said I should be happy that I have enough money for it.” She folds her arms over her chest and slumps down in her chair.

I think about the propaganda at Yad Vashem, depictions of Jewish people with large, crooked noses, hoarding money. I can’t believe Sammy went through that.

I’ve never faced such blatant antisemitism. The worst comments I’ve heard about being Jewish are when people say things like, “I’ve never met a Jew before,” or, “You’re not like other Jews,” and then basically look at me as a spokesperson for a whole group of people who are Other.

Jess raises her hand. Chaya looks over at her, head tilted like she’s surprised, but then nods.

“You know, I’ve been through it too,” Jess says. “I was at a party, and this girl asked me to help her get some cookies out of the oven. Then she said, ‘You’re Jewish, right? Your people are real comfortable with ovens,’ and started laughing.” Jess huffs. “Holocaust jokes, great way to lighten up a party.”

I don’t understand how anyone could think that is an acceptable joke.

I think about the picture of my great-grandparents that was hanging by Uncle Ezzie’s door. My great-grandma lost her family in the Holocaust. Treblinka, I think. I wonder if she ever found out how they died. Did they get sick? Were they sent to the gas chambers? I feel nauseous even thinking about that.

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