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Forever Blowing Bubbles

Some Jewish stars who got their start on soaps.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Q: I know that a lot of big-name
actors, like Demi Moore, got their
feet wet on soap operas. Were any
of them Jewish?
A: Oh, yes indeed. Among

gan holiday, in 615 Pope Boni-
face IV declared Jan. 1 as the
eighth day, or Octave, of Christ-
mas.
Meanwhile, in the mid-sixth
century, Christians in Gaul al-
the fabulous talents who be- ready were celebrating the
gan their careers playing eighth day after Christmas as
women or men married to the circumcision of Jesus (refer-
someone who turned out to be ring to Luke 2:21 in the New Tes-
a sister/brother or mother/fa- tament as proof that Jesus was
ther-in-law, a sensitive immi- circumcised). From Gaul, the
grant who came illegally to the Feast of the Circumcision spread
United States, founded his/her to Spain, the Frankish Empire
own multimillion-dollar in- and, finally, by the ninth centu-
dustry then became a home- ry, to Rome. The Greek church
less person, were Robby adopted the holiday in the
Benson and Jill Clayburgh, eighth century.
both on "Search for Tomor-
row"; Charles Grodin on 'The
Young Marrieds"; Judith
Light on "One Life To Life";
and Hal Linden on "Search
for Tomorrow."

Q: My grandfather, who immi-
grated to America from Lithuania,
remained an observant Jew all his
life. He hated to see Jews cele-
brating the evening of Dec. 31 as
the new year, which he called
"Sylvester." The only Sylvesters
I've heard of are Mr. Stallone and
Tweety Bird's nemesis.
So I asked my grandfather
about it, but he just said, "Fig-
ure it out. It's eight days after
Christmas. What do they think
they're celebrating?" I can't
imagine anyone goes to a New
Year's party thinking he's com-
memorating Jesus' brit. Is there
any historical basis to my grand-
father's beliefs?
A: There certainly is. The

and 6:15 in the New Testament
Book of Galatians which state
that faith in Jesus, rather than
circumcision, brings one into the
covenant of Abraham. Circum-
cision was to be replaced by the
sacrament of baptism. Jan. 1 lat-
er was commemorated as Jesus'
baptism.
In the seventh-century litur-
gical books of the diocese of Tole-
do, Spain, Jan. 1 bore the official
title of Caput Anni, or "head of
the year," a direct translation of
Rosh Hashanah.

Q: I couldn't believe it when,
while recently sipping espresso
at a hip coffee joint, I overheard
someone make fun of author
Tama Janowitz. (Gosh! Next peo-
ple will be laughing about "Sud-
denly Susan," surely one of the
most profound programs ever
aired!) This person said People
magazine, my bible of good
taste, mocked Tama. Could that
be true?

A: Indeed, I am happy to re-
port that even People makes
fun of Tama Janowitz, con-
temporary of those other bas-
tions of insufferable writing,
Bret Easton Ellis and Jay
McInerney. But hey, let's not
stop there!
Ms. Janowitz's Slaves of
New York is just one of the nu-
merous books by Jewish au-
thors which People reviewers
have labeled the most over-
rated in history. Others in-
clude:
Ancient Evenings — Nor-
man Mailer
Any Woman's Blues, Para-
fact that your grandfather
chutes and lasses and Megan's
was from Eastern Europe
Book of Divorce — Erica Jong
helps explain why he referred
Doctors and Oliver's Story
to New Year's Eve as
— Erich Segal
People had no scruples about criticizing
Sylvester. On the ecclesiasti-
Judith Krantz.
Elvis — Albert Goodman
cal calendar of the Roman
Heartburn —Nora Ephron
Catholic Church, Dec. 31 is the
Maybe — Lillian Hellman
Because Jewish boys are
Feast of St. Sylvester. In many
Pinball — Jerzy Kosinski
named
at
their
brit,
the
Chris-
parts of Europe, especially
Scruples — Judith Krantz
eastern Europe, people com- tians reasoned that Jesus also
Dance with the Devil.— Kirk
received
his
name
at
that
time.
monly refer to the feast day
Douglas
simply as "Sylvester." The Thus, in addition to being the
Metropolitan Life — Fran
Octave
of
Christmas
and
the
saint in question was a pope,
Lebowitz
❑
Sylvester I, who served from Feast of the Circumcision, Jan.
1
also
was
declared
the
Feast
of
314 to 335 CE, during the
reign of Constantine I, the first the Holy Name. In 1914, Pope Send questions to Tell Me Why,
Christian king of the Roman Pius X moved the holiday to the The Jewish News, 27676 Franklin
Sunday between Jan. 1 and Jan. Road, Southfield, MI 48034, or
Empire.
In ancient Rome, Jan. 1 was 6 (Epiphany), or Jan. 2 if there fax to (810) 354-6069. All letters
the start of the new year and is no Sunday.
must be signed and include the
Over the centuries, the Feast writer's address. Questions an-
a major holiday, celebrated in
the usual pagan manner with of the Circumcision was forgot- swered in the column will feature
raucous and often lewd be- ten, especially when Christian only the writer's initials and city
havior. To replace the old pa- theologians pointed to verses 5:6 of residence.