CELEBRATING JEWISH IDENTITY
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The Jewish Studies Area of the Popular Culture Association is organizing at=20
least one panel on constructing modern Jewish identities, beginning in the=20
1970s for the 2007 conference of the ACA/PCA in Boston, Massachusetts, April=
 4-7,=20
2007.=20
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Since the 1970s, being Jewish became acceptable and comedians and actors=20
retained their Jewish names. Barbra Streisand, Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser,=
 Robin=20
Williams, Paul Reubens, Adam Sandler, Jon Lovitz, Rob Schneider, Gilda=20
Radner, Adam Goldberg, and Jeff Goldblum are just a few of the many successf=
ul=20
Jewish entertainers who retained their Jewish identities. Most times they d=
o not=20
take on specifically Jewish characters, but at times they do. Examples of t=
his=20
are Jeff Goldblum as David Levinson, the Jewish hero of Independence Day; Jo=
n=20
Lovitz as Hannukah Harry on Saturday Night Live; Adam Sandler composing and=20
singing =E2=80=9CThe Hannukah Song=E2=80=9D on Saturday Night Live, and writ=
ing and starring=20
in Eight Crazy Nights; and Adam Goldberg as the eponymous hero in the satire=
=20
The Hebrew Hammer. =20
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In addition, Jewish characters are at the forefront of some of the most=20
popular television series from the 1970s to the present. Examples of this a=
re=20
Rhoda Morgenstern in Mary Tyler Moore and the spin-off Rhoda; Paul, Jamie, a=
nd Ira=20
Buchman in Mad About You; Fran Fine in The Nanny; Monica and Ross Geller and=
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Rachel Green in Friends; Grace Adler in Will & Grace; Josh Lyman and Toby=20
Ziegler in The West Wing; and Don, Charlie, and Alan Epps in Numb3rs. Many=20=
times,=20
these Jewish characters are played by actors who themselves are Jewish, whic=
h=20
gives their characters greater validity in the minds of the viewers.
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Presentation proposals should examine this popular acceptance and celebratio=
n=20
of Jewish identity in popular culture. =20
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Proposals should be approximately 250 words in length and must include your=20
mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
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All proposals should be emailed to both the Area Chair and Associate Area=20
Chair. DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS. Please copy-and-paste your proposal into t=
he=20
email message.
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Area Chair: Daniel Walden -- dxw8_at_psu.edu
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Associate Area Chair: Barbara Silliman -- JewishStudiesPCA_at_aol.com
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Deadline for submissions: October 1, 2006=20

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Received on Wed Aug 23 2006 - 17:58:21 EDT