Holiday

On October 4, I went to Coney Island with my parents, who were in town for the night. I always like going to the Surf Avenue off-season when the cracks in the varnish really show their age. Also there is nothing as visually stunning as an empty boardwalk on a Sunny day.

As we walked towards the ocean, we noticed something a bit odd. There seemed to be a pattern. Lots of black clothes. More strollers than on the streets of Park Slope. Black hats on every man's head. Similiar dressed groups of kids.

There were scores of Hasidic Jews all around us.

It was an unusual scene. Jarring in the visual juxtaposition between bleached white sand and long black coat. And it forced us to take a cultural leap as well. I think of Coney Island attracting the proud New York freaks for their soltice parade (Full disclosure: I have participated in two mermaid parades ). I knew it as a Summertime Friday night destination for thousands of teenagers who would ride whiplash mechanics to the booming bass of the top hip-hop hit.

But it shouldn't surprise us. Coney Island, in all of its incarnations over the last 100 years, has drawn a diverse cross-section of New Yorkers. Salt-water taffy, skeet ball, and the wonder wheel don't discriminate.

I found the following book listed online that may reveal a greater history between the jews and coney island than I even thought:

"Coney Island and the Jews: A History of the Development and Success of This Famous Seaside Resort, Together with A Full Account of the Recent Jewish Controversy." New York: G.W. Carleton & Co., 1879. (This was listed as a resource on the PBS Amercian Experience website)

I wonder what the controversy was?

We sat down at Rudy's bar for a soda and I asked the bartender what the deal was.

"It's their holiday," he said. "They come only once every year and you don't see them any other time."

This made sense. Afterall it was the last day of Sukkot . Shows how Jewish I am.

Sukkot is an autumn festival that celebrates agriculture and gives worshippers a fun break after the stress of the High holidays of the previous two weeks.

The bartender seemed to get a big kick out of it. I asked if it was good for business.

"Nah. They don't buy anything. Afterall, they can only eat Kosher."

Posted by alexis at October 16, 2004 10:37 AM