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CONEY ISLAND
Greek and American Cuisine
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
154 S. Woodward, Birmingham
(248) 540-8780
Halsted Village
(37580 W. 12 Mile Rd.)
Farmington Hills
(248) 553-2360
4763 Haggerty Rd. at Pontiac Trail
West Wind Village Shopping Center
West Bloomfield
(248) 669-2295
841 East Big Beaver, Troy
(248) 680-0094
SOUTHFIELD SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Nine Mile & Greenfield
15647 West Nine Mile, Southfield
(248) 569-5229
FARMINGTON SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Between 13 & 14 on
Orchard Lake Road
30985 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills
(248) 626-9732
HERCULES FAMILY RESTAURANT
33292 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills
(248) 489-9777
Serving whitefish, lamb shank,
pastitsio and mousaka
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5/21
1999
98
Detroit Jewish News
I=M =I•
SUSAN RZEPKA
Special to the Jewish News
A
6527 Telegraph Rd.
Corner of Maple (15 Mile)
Bloomfield Township
(248) 646-8568
r
Vud eo
few months ago, I spotted a
movie poster heralding the
coming of Star Wirs:
Episode I — The Phantom
Menace.
It contained the simple image of a
young boy standing alone in the
desert on some distant planet in a
galaxy far, far away, his long shadow
stretched out beside him. The shadow
is unmistakably that of Darth Vader,
the menacing villain who is redeemed
in the closing moments of George .
Lucas' previous Star Wars film, The
Return of the Jedi, Episode VI, released
16 long years ago.
We've known for some time now,
since the 1980 release of EpisodeV —
The Empire Strikes Back, that before he
embraced the dark side of the Force,
Darth Vader was known as Anakin
Skywalker, a Jedi knight and the bio-
logical father of twins Luke and
Princess Leia.
In a long-neglected trip to the ana-
lyst's couch, the evil Darth Vader
returns to his childhood and the forces
ultimately responsible for his develop-
ment in. Star Wars: Episode I — The
Phantom Menace, the prequel which
opened to the public on Wednesday.
Episode I takes us back in time to
Anakin Skywalker's roots, where he is
introduced as the son of a slave
woman named "Shmi" (a Hebrew
word meaning "my name"). But even
as a young boy, Anakin's internal
power and vision are easily recognized,
and his mother sends him off to fol-
low his true calling in the care of Jedi
knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his appren-
tice Obi-Wan Kenobi.
I'm reminded of another famous
son of slaves, Moses, also given up by
his mother, who rises to lead the
oppressed Israelites to freedom in the
Book of Exodus. The twist here is that
Anakin Skywalker, as we already
know, will be tempted and swayed by
the dark side of the Force. It is
Anakin's son, Luke, who will fulfill the
family destiny, becoming the people's
new hope, and eventually leading
them to freedom from the Evil
Emperor and his genocidal Death Star.
Susan Rzepka is a staff writer for the
Cleveland Jewish News.
But I'm not only interested in
Anakin's roots. The Phantom Menace
also offers an opportunity to observe
Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi in his early
years.
Twenty-two years ago, when I saw
the first Star Wars film, I had a hunch
about Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan, who plays a huge role in
has always been associated in my mind
with such important Jews as David
Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minis-
ter, and my own father, whose name
also is Ben.
"Ben" of Star Wars fame embodies
the subtle spirituality of an infinitely
wise but world-weary rabbi.
Consider, for example, the clergy-
like robe he wears or the soft-spoken
and patient way he handles the fiery
young Luke. Or, more importantly,
look at the way Ben guides Luke
toward an understanding of the power
and ways of the Force, the spiritual
energy that surrounds and encompass-
es the entire universe.
Many religious parallels have been
exacted from the Star Wars trilogy,
primarily centering upon Luke's faith,
his search, struggle and ultimate sur-
render to the wisdom of a
greater power, the Force.
Obi-Wan "Ben"
In a recent Time maga-
Kenobi (Ewan
zine interview with Bill
McGregor) and
Moyers, George Lucas
Anakin "Darth
acknowledges that "almost
Vader" Skywalker
every single religion took
(Jake Lloyd):
Star Wars and used it as
Jewish Jedi?
an example of its
own religion, relat-
the Skyvvalkers' destiny
ing it to stories in
by instructing both
the [Christian]
Anakin and Luke in
Bible, in the Koran
the ways of the Jedi,
and in the Torah."
was purportedly the
From another
last of a legendary
angle, Lucas says,
society of Jedi knights
"Star Wars takes all
and was introduced
the issues that reli-
early in Star Wars:
gion represents and
Episode IV — A New
tries to distill them
Hope.
down into a more
By the time Luke
modern and easily
"discovered" him, Obi-
accessible construct
Wan had long aban-
— that there is a
doned his Jedi name
greater mystery out
and identity and was
there."
quietly living out his
But he adds, "I
years in relative isola-
would hate to find
tion under the name
ourselves in a secu-
"Ben Kenobi." But the
lar world where
Force was still with
entertainment was
him, and I had a nag-
passing for some
ging feeling there was
kind of religious
something a little
experience."
Jewish about him.
Do Ben or Anakin
Maybe it relates to "Ben," the name
turn out to be Jewish in Episode P. I
doubt it. Is The Phantom Menace
Luke continues to call Kenobi
replete with allegory and religious
throughout the series. Ben is a Hebrew
word meaning "son" and an integral
meaning? Of that, I am sure. Analyze
part of a male's full Hebrew name. It
that, Darth.
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