Ethnography, 9/23/09

Liza Dubrow

Prof. Wexler

ENG 313H

9/23/09

Ethnography

On September 19th, 2009, I was not so subtly forced to go to Rosh Hashanah services with my family. Even if a Jewish person is not necessarily religious, High Holy Days are the time to show up at the local synagogue. The temple “regulars” are joined by the “holiday only” Jews, resulting in a religious melting pot of sorts. My mother insisted we arrive on time, so I was one of the first of about one hundred congregants that gradually trickled in.

First, an old man scuffled in with his tallit and yamulke. He could not find his seat; therefore he looked around and raised his voice in search of his family. Needless to say, his fellow Jews blankly stared in amazement at this man’s gall. Next, a trashy looking teenager strutted by. Most likely about fifteen years old, she made no effort to hide the fact that she wished to appear older. Her navy blue dress hugged her curves, while the pitch black eye liner stood out like a sore thumb. She walked carefully yet confidently as her hips swayed in her equally pitch black stilettos. I was reminded of myself when I was fifteen, so eager to grow up and push the envelope. The same girl continued to pass by numerous times, presumably to attract attention and be freed of the bondage known as religious services.

Two small boys, about eight years old, wandered up and down the aisles. Both were dressed appropriately in checkered collared shirts and khaki dress pants. One boy had blonde hair, freckles and fair skin with an innocent pink glow. The other young boy had obvious facial deformities. His glasses were crooked on his beady brown eyes and his mouth hung open to expose extreme crooked teeth. A string of drool dripped out of his mouth and onto his shirt. He walked with a slight bounce in his step, yet kept right along with his freckled friend. I noticed the congregants around me start to whisper to one another. It started small but became increasingly more apparent. I turned around and directly behind me, Howie Mandel, comedian and host of “Deal or No Deal,” sat down with his wife. With dyed blonde hair and a face tight from Botox, she donned a forest collared dress with a bohemian print. It was a sweet face, but definitely one older than she wished for. Howie’s bald head was shiny, accentuating his distinct eyes. His outfit, a black suit with a sunrise colored shirt and patterned tie, screamed chic, expensive and important.

On the heels of Mr. Mandel, a mother and daughter paraded inside, their arms linked together. From the mother’s collaged-filled lips to her tousled, wavy hair and artificial cheekbones, it was no secret that she had big dreams of becoming Hef’s next girlfriend. Her dress was floral, cut significantly above the knee and form fitting. Her toned arms were a tribute to her personal trainer. Red stiletto pumps, a Marc Jacobs purse and a diamond rock on her finger completed the Playboy look. Her accessory, the daughter, looked more like her sister than offspring. The young girl was most likely eighteen, with a skin tight gray dress practically painted on her body. The dress was cut low, giving her chest ample opportunity to spill over. Dark, smokey eye makeup lay heavily on her brown eyes and fake blonde curls cascaded over her shoulders. They both smiled in unison as they walked by.

First, I should note that the temple I frequent is in Woodland Hills, California. It is home to many affluent families, providing for a congregation mainly made up of upper middle class people. As I analyzed my findings, the first concept that occurred to me was capitalism. Money played a significant role in my observations, as most of the congregants I noticed felt the need to display their wealth through their attire. The excessive amount of plastic surgery and brand names further demonstrated the desire to express capital.

Culture also plays a crucial role in my findings. The flashy mother and daughter are a key example that culture is a learned behavior. Obviously, the daughter dresses provocatively because she learned from her mother and her surroundings. Sex sells in popular culture, and with money and stature, the daughter sees how appearance can equal power. Popular culture stresses uniformity, which was shown in my observations of both teenage girls. They dressed in tight clothes and applied heavy makeup. They were most likely taught this not only from their mothers, but from society as well. The mall continuously sells scandalous clothes for teenage girls with a high success rate. Saussure’s idea of sign and signifier can also be applied here. Young girls are taught to associate showing off their body with attention from young men.

My findings came down to three main ideas: capital, culture and the relationship between sign and signifier. This year on Rosh Hashanah, I focused all my attention on how the children of God behaved. Next year, I'll attempt to focus on the Rabbi too.