Is the heart of Valentine's Day thumping to a Jewish beat?
Yes, I know that February 14th's murky origins lie in a third century martyred priest named Valentinus, and that Jews already have an obscure day of love, Tu B'Av that is celebrated each summer.
But that doesn't mean all Jews have been left out of the run-up to red day. In fact, we're creators and purveyors of part of the day's pop culture- some of the flowers, candies even card designs popular on Valentine's Day have a Jewish connection.
Not that we spent earlier times denying our feelings of love. In the bible, "The Song of Songs," Shir HaShirim, can be read as erotically charged; complete with seductive kisses, sensual fragrances and the longings of love. Hundreds of years before the Rolling Stones performed "Let's Spend the Night Together," in medieval Spain, Sephardic Jews were writing Ladino love songs.
In 1937, the Jewish songwriting team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote for their Broadway musical, "Babes in Arms," the only song about Valentines to become famous, "My Funny Valentine."
In the 1970's, Jewish designer Milton Glaser created perhaps the most influential heart design ever- the "I <3 New York" logo.
Sweetening the day, especially for observant Jews, is the candy business, with many chocolate companies such as Godiva, See's, and Fannie May, offering kosher Valentine's Day options. A company called Oh!Nuts even offers heart shaped kosher jelly "I Love You" lollipops.
The Jewish flower business has also blossomed for Valentine's. According to a report in Haaretz, Israeli flower growers are expected to beat last year's sales figures for Valentine's Day, by selling over $11 million in red varieties of anemone, buttercups, gerbera and lilies for the holiday this year in Europe, Asia and the U.S.
Israeli chefs are seeing red too, and have made suggestions on how to celebrate Valentine's Day in the Holy Land. Shaul Barda of Eretz Goshen, Culinary Art, for instance, proposes beginning the day with a romantic gesture, "An omelet in bed or even a letter or poem left on the pillow."
To end the day with a romantic gesture, or more, in New York, there's a "Kosher Sex Toys" website created to help "Happily married couples enhance their intimate moments." That is, enhancement without "crude or indecent pictures or text." Though I discovered checking out some of the "toys" might give you a Valentine's Day rush, or blush anyway.
Young Jewish adults are looking at Valentine's as a way to draw participants. The Hillel at the University of Washington is planning a Valentine's Day cookie decorating program, and the Moishe House in Portland is having a chocolate making class.
In Toronto, in preparation for Valentine's, Kulanu, a LGBT organization, has joined forces with LGBTQ Jews, a student and young professionals group endorsed by Hillel of Greater Toronto, to organize a speed dating event.
Last year, nudging the holiday even more into line with Jewish life- particularly the mitzvah of tzedakah- the Charles and Lynn Shusterman Family Foundation, a non-profit "Rooted in Jewish values," began offering a heart shaped image for download. Noting that "People are rebooting Valentine's Day as Generosity Day," they made available a Valentine's Day card with this message:
"Roses are Red Violets are Blue This Valentine's Day I made a donation to ________________ In honor of you."
Of course, come Valentine's Day you could still deny any Jewish association with the day--correctly saying it's just not on the Jewish calendar. You could. But as you explain that to your significant other, the day could turn red anyway.
Edmon J. Rodman has written about making his own matzah for JTA, Jewish love music for the Jerusalem Post, yiddisheh legerdemain for the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, a Bernie Madoff Halloween mask for the Forward, and what really gets stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits for the Los Angeles Times. He has edited several Jewish population studies, and is one of the founders of the Movable Minyan, an over twenty-year-old chavura-size, independent congregation. He once designed a pop-up seder plate.In 2011 Rodman received a First Place Simon Rockower Award for "Excellence in Feature Writing" from the American Jewish Press Association."
Sweetening the day, especially for observant Jews, is the candy business, with many chocolate companies such as Godiva, See's, and Fannie May, offering kosher Valentine's Day options. A company called Oh!Nuts even offers heart shaped kosher jelly "
