« Democrats for Throat-Slitters | Main | Yizkor »
September 29, 2006
Karen is Royalty
On Shabbos evenings Karen often catches me up on important stories that I'm just too lazy to read by myself.
Last Friday night I was totally caught up in Jetta Carleton's brilliant one and only novel, The Moonflower Vine, one of the finest novels I have ever read, when Karen drew my attention to a truly momentous story in The Jewish Press.
"Jewish Descendants of King David to Meet in Jerusalem. Geneologists say that there are about 100 Jewish family names whose bearers are likely to be Jewish descendants of King David.
"Well over 1,000 Jews of royal descent, will participate in a reunion in Jerusalem next spring, May 28-30, 2007. This will also mark the official inauguration of the worlwide Davidic Dynasty Geneology Center and Museum in the Old City of Jerusalem."
For more information and if you want to put a "von" before your Jewish name, click here.
I have to admit, I am less than overwhelmed by this whacky story. I want to get back to my novel about three unmarried sisters in Southern Missouri during the 1920's. It's a bit like Pride and Prejudice--but in the American grain. This is a great American novel and I am completely transported to another time, another place, an utterly different mentality.
Then Karen starts reading the family names that are connected to the Davidic dynasty: The list seems to include every Jewish name in existence--except, naturally, mine: Adler. Fishel. Meisels. Posner. Singer. Twersky...
Singer?
"I am royalty, I am royalty." Karen giggles.
"Listen, do I call you M'Lady from now on or what?"
"Don't feel bad, Robert, you've obviously got seniority, your name is much older. Avrech, you are probably descended from Joseph."
Right. There you go. As Joseph was carried through Egypt, the Bible tells (Genesis, Mikeitz 41, 43) us: He [Pharaoh] also had him [Yosef] ride in his second royal chariot and they proclaimed before him: Avrech! Thus, he appointed him over all the land of Egypt.
Rashi, the great medieval commentator tells us that Avrech is a composite of two words: Av, father, to rach, which means tender in years. Thus, a father in wisdom but tender in years.
I continue reading "The Moonflower Vine." Jetta Carleton's prose is so precise, so dense that I can practically read the minds of the three sisters. Like Harper Lee, Carleton wrote only one book that is a masterpiece, but I'm afraid that no one has ever heard of "The Moonflower Vine."
Abruptly, Karen slaps her hand against the couch.
WHAP!
"What's wrong?" I ask, startled.
"Hey," Karen says cracking up, "I'm a JAP*."
Princess Karen and I wish all our Seraphic Friends a lovely and meaningful Shabbos and a G'mar Tov.
*Jewish American Princess
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at September 29, 2006 02:07 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
Adler is my maiden name! You think this family link will give me "shlep"?
A good Shabbos to you both. Have an easy fast (you, especially, Robert!), and may you be inscribed in the Book of Life for a good year.
Posted by: Pearl at September 29, 2006 03:28 PM
Pearl:
Oh boy, more Jewish royalty.
Thanks so much for your kind thoughts and words. G'mar Chatima V'chatima Tova, M'Lady.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 29, 2006 03:55 PM
Pffffffftttttt.....like the queen of your heart needs confirmation that she's royalty.
Posted by: Suz at September 29, 2006 07:39 PM
Like John Kerry, you married "up."
Posted by: Jeremiah at September 30, 2006 12:52 PM
Thanks for the link. My name is in there, and some ancestors I know about. Karen and I are, what? 200th cousins?
Posted by: kishke at September 30, 2006 07:01 PM
I am going to check this out and if I find my name on the list it is time to start collecting on overdue Chanukah gifts. I can think of a few that I never got.
Second childhood here I come. Woohoo!
G'mar tov to the Avrechs and all the readers here.
Posted by: Jack at September 30, 2006 10:13 PM
Suz:
I've been telling Karen for years that she's a Queen.
Jeremiah:
I married far "upper" than John Kerry.
Kishke:
I didn't see the name "kishke."
Jack:
You ought to see how much it costs to attend this reunion. You end up giving the organizers the Chanukah gifts. Big shock, huh?
G'mar Tov to all!
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 1, 2006 10:01 AM
Well, of course not. Kishke is my first name, and it's from my mother's side!
Gmar chasimah tovah to all.
Posted by: kishke at October 1, 2006 01:40 PM
I wish you and Karen an easy fast and a wonderful year!
Posted by: Shayne at October 1, 2006 02:13 PM
Pearl beat me to all I was going to say. G'mar v'Chasima Tova to the Avrech family and an easy fast.
Posted by: 4jkb4ia at October 1, 2006 02:23 PM
A meaningful fast to you all.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 1, 2006 03:18 PM
Oh, Robert -
How I love that novel! My paperback copy is just hangin together. I do believe that she, like Lee, was simply a "one book" person.
I would put that on my great American novels list any time. The characters, the slow revelation of plot, all wonderful.
Posted by: Sal at October 2, 2006 04:36 AM
Robert, I ordered 'The Moonflower Vine' from Amazon. Thanks for the tip.
Posted by: Suz at October 2, 2006 05:51 AM
Sal:
Good to know that somebody else has not only heard but loves this novel as much as I do. And what's so wrong with being a one-book person. Philip Roth churns out a book a year and not one of them comes close in quality to "The Moonflower Vine."
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 3, 2006 08:07 AM
Suz:
Please, let us know what you think of the book.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 3, 2006 08:10 AM
Heh, I just independently put up an article on the same topic from the Jpost at Kesher Talk.
Hope you guys had an easy fast!
Posted by: Alcibiades at October 3, 2006 12:37 PM
Alcibiades:
Mazal Tov, you too are, ahem, royalty, and I suppose we are cousins by way of Karen.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech at October 3, 2006 01:25 PM
When you consider how many generations ago King David lived, how much "intermarriage" there has been among the surviving Israelite tribes, and that his descendents include females (who don't usually pass down last names or official claims to lineage), then chances are that most, if not all, of Jews living today are descendents of King David. Just as we are all, probably, descendents of many of the people mentioned in Tanach.
There was an article about this in the New York Times science section a few months ago, about how after a certain number of generations, within a closed society, it becomes meaningless to say "so and so was my ancestor," becuase that person is probably an acestor to everyone in the group.
Posted by: Sarah at October 4, 2006 10:59 AM