“The special strength of this book, aside from its lyrical writing, is that the author effortlessly blends the meaning of being Jewish in Brazil with that country’s much noted racial and cultural tolerance and shows how Jewish identity is impacted by Brazilian concepts of race and ethnicity. It is a delight to read.”—Maxine Margolis, University of Florida
“A fascinating ethnography of contemporary life among middle- and upper-middle class Jews in São Paulo, Brazil, one of the world’s largest cities. Although representing a tiny fraction of Brazil’s multicultural population, the Jewish community consciously creates and carefully maintains a tightly organized, lively haven in a chaotic urban center, while also embracing much of Brazil’s national culture.”—Robin Sheriff, University of New Hampshire
Being Jewish in Brazil—the world’s largest Catholic country—is fraught with paradoxes, and living in São Paulo only amplifies these vivid contradictions. The metropolis is home to Jews from over 60 countries of origin, and to the Hebraica, the world’s largest Jewish athletic and social club.
Jewish identity is rooted in layered experiences of historical and contemporary dispersal and border crossings. Brazil is famously tolerant of difference but less understanding of longings for elsewhere. Celebrating both Carnival and the High Holidays is but one example of how Jews in São Paulo hold themselves together as a community in the face of the forces of assimilation.
Misha Klein’s fascinating ethnography reveals the complex intertwining of Jewish and Brazilian life and identity.
Kosher Feijoada and Other Paradoxes of Jewish Life in São Paulo New World Diasporas University Press of Florida Florida A&M University, Tallahassee Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers Florida International University, Miami Florida State University, Tallahassee New College of Florida, Sarasota University of Central Florida, Orlando University of Florida, Gainesville University of North Florida, Jacksonville University of South Florida, Tampa University of West Florida, Pensacola This page intentionally left blank Kosher Feijoada and Other Paradoxes of Jewish Life in São Paulo Misha Klein University Press of Florida Gainesville · Tallahassee · Tampa · Boca Raton Pensacola · Orlando · Miami · Jacksonville · Ft. Myers · Sarasota Copyright 2012 by Misha Klein All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America. This book is printed on Glatfelter Natures Book, a paper certified under the standards of the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC). It is a recycled stock that contains 30 percent post-consumer waste and is acid-free. This book may be available in an electronic edition. 17 16 15 14 13 12 6 5 4 3 2 1 The publication of this book is made possible in part by a grant from the University of Oklahoma. A record of cataloging-in-publication data is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN 978-0-8130-3987-9 University Press of Florida 15 Northwest 15th Street Gainesville, FL 32611-2079 http://www.upf.com To the memory of my grandparents: Nadejda (Remenchik) Malbin Morris Malbin Philip Klein Anne (Adickman) Klein and Professor Alan Dundes with saudades . . . This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments