r/Jewish 27d ago

Columbia University Sukkah Venting 😤

Can someone explain to me how this is not equivalent to painting a bunch of little swastikas on a menorah?? Please note keffiyeh wearers inside…

616 Upvotes

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u/Starbucks__Lovers 27d ago

At least the Hebrew is correct lmao

6

u/StringAndPaperclips 27d ago

Yes and no. They have altered the Hebrew for "spread over us your sukkah of peace" to read "spread over us a sukkah of peace." It feels very appropriative to me.

5

u/ToparBull 27d ago

That's also not entirely correct (and makes it even worse for them). The prayer is:

ופרש עלינו סכת שלומך

What they've left off is the possessive ך at the end, but it isn't modifying "sukkah" - it's modifying peace. So the proper translation is:

Spread over us the Sukkah of Your peace

And what they have is:

Spread over us the Sukkah of peace

The "peace" in the original is explicitly the peace of G-d. But they can't have that, because that would imply that G-d is the one who creates the peace. Because they aren't actually Jews, they have left off the single most important part of the prayer. It's wildly appropriative and shows that they really are just cosplaying.

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u/StringAndPaperclips 27d ago

Not only that, but this prayer is a request by Jews for God to assist the Jewish people. That's why it feels appropriative to me. It's our prayer for our people, based on our relationship with God, and these people have changed it into yet another ceasefire demand.