Hermione: Jewish?

[foxmoth at qnet.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 6631

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Snuffles MacGoo <msmacgoo at o...> 
wrote:
> "A question--how would her being Jewish really impact a story if
she's not
> very observant? If it doesn't affect her lifestyle? Because I can't
see from
> the books any such impact on what she does, so would it really make
any
> difference?
> 
> Just curious,
> Amanda"
> 
> Maybe its more like the gay/lesbian thing. At this stage in the
story it hasn't 
> made a lot of difference - but it might be a point in which people
can read 
> themselves into the story.
	
	There are different streams of Judaism.  Observant non-assimilated 
Jewish wizards probably have their own wizarding Yeshiva and learn 
Jewish magical traditions, which developed in medieval times and are 
quite elaborate. 
	However Hermione's  family could be Progressive (reform) Jews. 
They would celebrate Hannukah, but not keep Kosher. She might find it 
very meaningful to reflect on the meaning of the Holiday, which deals 
with the struggle of a small group of people to maintain their
identity 
and resist tyranny. Lots of parallels with the Potterverse, IMHO.