Thursday, April 3, 2008

It just doesn't cut it.

I've tried really, really hard to like it, but I just can't bring myself to. I've read the stories, read the recipes, attempted to get past the WASPy nature of the the cover on the March/April issue. I really did, I mean, I want to love this magazine. But, folks, I just can't.

I mean, I understand that Jews come in all shapes, styles and colors, but the plastic barbie and ken stylings of this cover are nauseating. I mean, could that woman look any more uncomfortable? Like she'd ever seen a Haggadah before? Sigh.

Then I got all excited to see the "kvell: personal shoppers" section, because it featured Passover goods, right? Well, they list some handmade matzo and some chocolate-dipped macaroons, but are they kosher? Hell no. Not kosher. Matzo that isn't kosher!? The one thing on the page that *is* kosher (and for Passover) is some 5 Spoke Creamery cheese. The featured recipes are tres fancy, and I say that in an ironic fashion. Then there's the section on Jewish museums that, of course, highlights the big ones -- LA, DC, Chicago. But what about smaller operations? There are Jewish museums everywhere. We know about the big dogs. What about the small ones? The ones we *don't* know about? Everything just seems like it's trying to be so WASPy! Yargh!

Now, I will give credit to the magazine for using a lot of Jewish/Hebrew/Traditional terminology. I also will say mad props for the Pesach desserts -- this is a big issue with lots of folks because there aren't loads of delicious kosher-for-Passover stylings of desserts!

But I just. I don't know. I probably won't pick up this magazine again, simply because it isn't who I am. Maybe it's the upper crust NYC Jews or something, but it sure isn't what I'm familiar with.