The Hebrew Mamita and Defining the Jewish kugel within South African Society

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending Limmud Johannesburg, an annual Jewish-themed conference that grapples with such diverse categories as Jewish spirituality, Zionism and arts & culture. One of the presenters I was most impressed by at the conference was a young New York based spoken-word poet named Vanessa Hidary, otherwise known as the Hebrew Mamita. Basing her writings on her experiences growing up as a Sephardic Jew with close ties to people from other ethnic and religious backgrounds, the poetry Hidary performed at the conference centered on (among other things) Jewish mother issues, Antisemitism, gentile boyfriends and, well, general opposite sex issues. One of the most enjoyable  pieces of poetry she delivered was a piece on JAPS (Jewish American Princesses). Focusing on the superficiality of this elite group of Jewish Americans, Hidary imitated the conventional methods of speech that JAPS would use in making bridesmaid speeches. On listening to the perfect way in which Hidary imitated the eccentricities and nasal qualities of the JAPS, we as a South African Jewish audience were fondly reminded of our own SAJPS: the kugel. Now this fond reminder and Hidary's curiosity about the 'kugel' term got me to thinking about a particularly interesting question: how do we define 'the kugel' within South African Jewish society?

In explaining the  'kugel' term, the Urban dictionary offers up a couple of interesting definitions. The most disturbing one is a reference to 'kugel' in its food form. The definition states that 'kugel' is "an entirely vile, disgusting sex act involving noodles, dairy products, dead females and friction" (yuck!). The other two definitions, however, are closer to home, each suggesting particular characteristics that are associated with the South African kugel. One definition refers to the kugel as "a materialistic wannabe-sexy Jewish woman who belongs to a specific subculture of wealth and style, with affected mannerisms and a nasal way of talking". The other refers to kugels as  middle-aged Jewish women, living in Johannesburg, who are spoilt housewives who congregate in Sandton and have a belittling attitude towards those who don't live in the Northern suburbs.


One particularly interesting observation that this second definition makes is that the 'kugel' term now no longer just applies to Jewish women. As post-Apartheid South Africa has evolved, the Jewish kugel has begun to make way for the emerging identities of the black and Indian kugels.These kugel denominations have basically used the Jewish kugel as their template but, in doing so, have chopped and changed this persona to suit the characteristics of their individual cultures. As a result their versions of the 'kugel' still love shopping, doing their nails and bitching on their cellphones. Yet there are particular social and economic differences between these kugel breeds and the Jewish kugel. The black kugel is a good case in point. Though there are black kugels who live like Jewish kugels do, there are a large majority of them who do not have access to the traditional 'kugel' wealth. They do wear fancy leopard prints and other kugely trademarks but they are likely to get these clothes from cheap clothing stores in town rather than upmarket boutiques. They are also more likely to catch taxis as opposed to driving expensive cars and 'subject themselves'  to a night out at the shebeen rather than a five-star restaurant. Then there is the black 'kugel' speech which moves swiftly between English and the vernacular with rapid and animated speed.

What then does this emerging 'kugel' breed mean for the Jewish South African kugel whose identity-some might say- is fast becoming indistinguishable against that of her more specifically local counterparts? Perhaps the greatest problem the South African kugel has always faced is that she always comes dangerously close to  merely replicating the characteristics of the JAP. Sure she inhabits distinctly local spaces but there is nothing that classifies her as being distinctly South African. Like the JAP (as defined by Fran Drescher) she tosses around Hebrew and Yiddish terms with great ease but there's no real sign of any creative use of South African vernacular or, at the very least, an effort to experiment with a uniquely South African style. In her efforts to be the JAP, the South African Jewish kugel also doesn't do too much to counteract the stereotypes  she is associated with. Of course not every South African Jewish kugel is middle-aged, a housewife and all the other things the Urban Dictionary accuses her of being. However, they are grouped this way because their JAP eccentricities make them indistinguishable from this form of identity. The South African Jewish kugel would do well to follow the examples set by millions of non-kugel South African Jewish women who do set out to forge a link between their Jewishness and their identities as South Africans. Of course this is an issue which is currently of no issue to the proverbial Jewish kugel but she would be wise to stop shopping at European designer stores and start considering it before her kind becomes a dying breed.

In the meantime if Hidary wants to write a fresh South African version of her JAP poem she should probably turn her attention to the intrinsically local black or Indian kugel. The Jewish kugel's identity is still in a process of South African reconstruction.

Source for pic 1: http://truthpraiseandhelp.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/the-last-kaiser-roll-in-the-bodega/

Source for pic 2: http://fashionfetishism.com/2012/07/11/the-nanny-fran-drescher/

Definitions from Urban Dictionary.com