1

BeyondtheMirror:

ReflectionsonJewishGenerationalContinuity
inPostmodernDiaspora
RESEARCHPAPER

ShirinRaban
ANTH502:Spring2014
Prof.JanetHoskins

WhenIchosemyfilmtopiconPersianPassoverinLosAngelestoinvestigatethe
intergenerationalcontinuityofmycommunity,myknowledgeofanthropologicaltheorywas
closetonone.AllIknewwasthatmyteenagesonwhowasbornandraisedinLosAngeleswas
notobligingbythetraditionalPassoverrulesthatIrememberedfrommychildhoodinIran.
Moreover,mycollegeagesonwasquestioningthetruthbehindthehistoricalexistenceof
Passover.HereinLosAngeles,IexpectedmychildrentodothesameasIdid,sincewe
continuedthesametradition.WhatIfailedtounderstandwasthatthecontexthadchangedand
thattheoldstrategieswerenolongerpotent.Therewerenootherchildrentorunaroundwith
andtheSederhadbecomeatediouseventofmiscommunicationduetolackoflingualand
culturalunderstandingbetweengrandparentsandgrandchildren.ThedifferentHaggadothad
differentorderanddifferentlanguagesandthelackofbeliefwasnothelpingthesituation.
Iwasintriguedtofindoutifthisaversionfromreligioustraditionswasonlyhappeningin
myfamilyorifitwasrelatedtoalargersocietalphenomenon.Investigatingcontemporary
theoreticalandexperientialanthropologicalwritingsonheritagepreservationandacculturation
inpostmoderndiaspora,includingmulticulturalidentities,hybridity,globalviewsonculture,and
embodimenthelpedmeframemyresearchquestion:Inapostmodernandglobalizeddiaspora
contexthowdoparentspassontheirJewishidentitytothenextgeneration,withouthinderingthe
newculturalopportunitiesofmovingforwardwiththetimes?Thispaperexploresthe
relationshipsbetweenheritagepreservationandacculturation,takingintoconsideration
historical,religious,political,andsocialaspectsofmodernandpostmodernculturesindiasporic

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communities.Intryingtobetterunderstandheritagepreservationindiasporaandinrelatingitto
myresearchtopicofthegenerationalcontinuityofIranianJewsinLosAngeles,Ifindituseful
topresentanoverviewofthehistoryandreligiousaspectsofritualforthiscommunity,aswellas
anthropologicaltheoriesonrituals,heritagepreservationandhyphenatedidentities.
Inherbook,FromtheShahstoLosAngeles:ThreeGenerationsofIranianJewish
WomenBetweenReligionandCulture,SabaSoomekhinvestigatesthreegenerationsofIranian
JewishwomenstartingfrommodernIranofWWIduringthePahlavidynasty,following
throughtheIslamicrevolutioninIran,andmovingtothepostmodernandglobalizedLos
AngelesofthetwentyfirstCentury.Thewomenofthefirstgenerationareidentifiedwith
beingthespiritualguardiansoftheirfamiliesJewishidentitiesthroughpassingontheoral
historyoftheirrichandancienttraditionofalmostthreemillennia.Theydidnthavemuch
education,butforthem,takingcareofdailyhomeandfamilylifeandreligiousholidays
definedsacrality(Soomekh2021).Soomekhexplainsthatitwasthroughdiligentpracticing
ofamixtureofJewish,ZoroastrianandShiitraditionsthatthefirstgenerationwomendefined
theirJewishidentity.(Soomekh2829).ItisduringthetimeofMohammadRezaShahPahlavi
thatthesociopoliticalclimateofIranchangedfromreligioustosecular.AllianceIsraelite
Universale,aprivatesecularFrenchschool,startededucatingJewsandotherIranians,placing
theemphasisonhygiene,mannersandlearningofFrench,PersianandHebrewlanguages.
Religiousteachingsufferedduringthisperiod(Soomekh4445).Thosefamilieswhowere
moresecularfoundagencyinconsideringthemselvesenlightened,andbecamemore
assimilatedinthemainstreamIraniansocietythroughidentifyingstronglywitheducation
ratherthandomesticrituals.ThesewomenidentifiedtheirJudaismthroughmarryingwitha

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JewishmanandthereforebelongingtotheJewishcommunity(Soomekh54).Inaddressingthe
questionofidentityforthethirdgenerationwomenwhoareborninLosAngeles,Soomekh
findsconflictsbetweenthetwogenerationsintheirheritageconservationandacculturation
efforts.InLosAngeles,forthefirsttimethewomenandgirlsexperiencedequalrightswith
meninsocietyatlargeandattheAshkenazisynagogueswhowelcomedthem.Thenewly
foundagencyofwomenoutsidethehomehasalsocreatedtensionbetweenthemandtheir
husbands,asthehusbandsdontseemtobeashelpfulinthedomesticsphere,andpushfora
moretraditionalfamilydynamic.Inhispaper,ReligionandDiaspora,StevenVertovec
describeskeyaspectsindefiningthechangesthattakeplaceindiasporicreligions,including
thetransformationsofwomenspositionsandroleswithinfamilyandthenewhost
communitiesastheytakeonpostimmigrationemploymentincontrasttotheirpremigration
status,andanawarenessofreligiouspluralismincludingdistincttraditionswithintheir
ownreligion(Vertovec1516).ThisreligiouspluralisminthecaseoftheIranianJewish
MizrahitraditionisevidentthroughtheAshkenaziandSephardictraditionsoftheJewswhom
haveinhabitedLosAngeleslongpriortothearrivaloftheIranians.TheAshkenazitraditionof
theJewsfromaEuropeandescentisdividedintoideologicalsubgroupsofOrthodox,
Conservative,ReformandReconstructionist.Vertovecdescribestheissuesofspaceandplace
aswellasritualpractice,religiouseducation,localreligiousculture,andglobalreligious
organizationswhocontributetocreationofnewlocalreligiousidentities.Thesenewidentities
areinfluencedbyvariouspoliticoreligiousmovements,whichinreturncanshiftthemintoa
varietyofdirectionssuchastransnationalreligiousterrorism,orthodoxymainlyfor
purposesofdemonstratingstatusandacquiringsocialcapital,compartmentalization,where

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religionbecomesoneaspectamongotheraspectsoflife,secularorculturaloptionwhere
particularsocialandculturalaspectsaremaintained(Vertovec2832).Thequantitative
sociologicalsurveybyChristineWernetandhercolleaguesexplain,Womenandmenwho
liveinstateswithprowomanpoliciesaremorepostmodernintheirattitudes;theseindividuals
morereadilysupportgenderequalityandpreferaculturallyrich,highqualityoflifeover
economicgain(Wernet339364).Thisisagoodindicationabouthowsocietalchangesin
agencyforwomencanaffectthewholefamily.ConsideringthatinLosAngeles,Iranian
AmericanJewshavethefreedomtopracticeornotpracticetheirancestraltraditionsand
rituals,itisnotdifficulttounderstandthatthesolidarityandhomogeneityoftheircommunity
israpidlyevolving.
Inhisbook,PublicReligionsintheModernWorld,JoseCasanovaassertsthatin
diasporapeopleseemtobemorereligious(Casanova165).InPowersofDiasporaJonathan
BoyarinandDanielBoyarinhavecreatedadynamicargumentbasedonpostmodern
anthropologicalessaysandcommentsonJewishdiaspora.Theintroductionandtwocasestudies
presentthenotionoftheJewishdiasporaasoneofassertingcreativepowersratherthan
Skinnersassertionaboutitlackingphysicalspaceandthereforepower.Theyexplorehistorical,
economicandpoliticalaspectsinglobalexamplesofdiasporatodrivehometheirpointaboutthe
complexitiesinherentintheJewishdisaporicexperience.Theintroductionholdsexamplesabout
theprivilegedIndiandiasporahavingproducedsuchscholarsasHomeBhabhaandGayatri
Spivak(Boyarin16).InexaminingtheRomGypsycommunities,thequestionisposed,To
whatextentare,infact,diasporiccommunitieslegalcommunities?Thisquestionisexploredat
lengthduringthesecondcasestudy,CircumscribingConstitutionalIdentitiesinKiryasJoelto

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illustratethepoliticalpowerJewsindiaspora.ThisisacommunityofSamarHasidicJewswho
settledinWilliamsburgUpstateNewYorkafterWWIIandwereestablishedasaseparatevillage
ofKiryasJoelin1977.In1984theyusedgovernmentfundedspecialeducationservicesfor
handicappedSatmarchildrenintheirprivateJewishschools.TheSupremeCourtruledagainst
this,however,inenactingthecurrentlaw,theLegislaturesimplyresurrectedthepriorlawby
achievingexactlythesameresultthroughcarefullycraftedindirectmeans(Boyarin108).The
BoyarinbrothersexpressthatJewsarechosenforthereasonofhavinghumilitytowardthe
HolyOne.Atthesametime,theirdiasporiccommunitiesseizetheopportunitiestoasserttheir
agencyagainstthepowerfuloutsideworld(Boyarin32).
Thisisagreatexampleabouthowasubculturecanassertpoliticalagencyandalso
affectthehostcommunityratherthanbeingamererecipientofthenewcultureintakingan
activeroleinchoosingaspectsofheritagepreservationandacculturation.TheEncyclopediaof
DiversityinEducationexplainsacculturationasbeingtheprocessofculturaladaptationthat
occurswhendistinctethnicgroupscomeintodirectandsustainedcontactwithoneanother.
Groupsthatexperienceacculturationundergochangesinpractices,values,and/orwaysoflifeas
aresultofinteractionwithgroupsthatareculturallydifferent(Banks1517)
InthearticleIntangibleHeritageasMetaculturalProduction,BarbaraKirshenblatt
Gimblett,presentsanindepthexplorationofintangibleheritagebyUNESCO,whichhas
previouslybeencalledfolklore.Sheexplainsthatinthepastscholarsandinstitutionswere
interestedinpreservingarecordofdisappearingtraditions.Today,intangibleheritageis
consideredatraditionthatincludesknowledgeandlearnedprocessesthataretransferredtothe
nextgenerationthroughperformingritualsandoralhistory.KirshenblattGimblettexplains,

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intangibleheritageisculture,likenaturalheritage,itisalive.Thetask,then,istosustainthe
wholesystemasalivingentityandnotjusttocollectintangibleartifacts.Sotheintentionisto
preservenotonlythemasterpiecebutalsothemaster.Sheasserts,theseprocessesprovide
livingcommunitieswithasenseofcontinuitywithpreviousgenerationsandareimportantto
culturalidentity,aswellastothesafeguardingofculturaldiversityandcreativityofhumanity
(KirshenblattGimblett5265)
Inherbook,LifesCareerAgingBarbaraMeyerhoffexplainstheroleofritualin
continuityquiteeloquently:

Ritualisaprominentelementinareasofuncertainty,anxiety,impotence,and
disorder.Byitsrepetitivecharacter,ritualprovidesamessageofpatternand
predictability.Ritualisanassertionofcontinuity.Evenwhendealingwith
change,ritualconnectsneweventsandelementswithprecedingones,
incorporatingthemintoastreamofprecedentssothattheyarerecognizedas
growingoutoftraditionandexperience(Meyerhoff164)

LookingatrelativelynewerreligionsandtheirevolutionfromtheirmotherlandtoLos
Angelesisveryhelpfulinunderstandingtheroleofdiasporaandchangeofcontextinthe
evolutionofreligionsandidentitiesofdiasporiccommunities.ThehistoryoftheCaodaism
religionexplainedbyJanetHoskinsinCanaHierarchicalReligionSurvivewithoutItsCenter?
isquitefascinating.CaodaismisquitesimilartoBahaisminthewaythattheywerebothbornout
ofanidealizedsenseofglobalpeaceinresistancetoanoppressivepowerintheircountries;

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CaodaisminVietnamandBahaisminIran.Also,bothreligionsweresupportedorhadthe
sympathyofFreemasons.TheextensiveandtumultuoushistoryofCaodaismanditsconnection
toeasternandwesternreligionsaswellascharactersandgenresinliteraturewereanattemptto
bringaboutpeaceandharmony,whereastheyactuallyresultedinsuchgroupsasBuddhist
MilitiaandadevastatingCaudalGenocidewhichultimatelyfacilitatedextendedFrenchpresence
inthenorthofVietnam.Ontheotherhand,hereinCaliforniaafteracenturyofstruggleand
radicalchangestothedoctrineandadozennewdenominations,amoreegalitarianmovementis
happeningwhereinstead,thehierarchicalCatholicmodeliskeepinganeyeonthenew
Protestantandlesshierarchicalmodel.ItisinterestingtoobservethatonlyinCaliforniaitis
possibleforthisVietnamesereligionthatwasbornoutofhopeforpeace,isactuallybringingthe
differencestogether.Itseemstomethatmostreligionsinantiquitywerealsocreatedfromthe
samemodelofpeacefortheoppressed,hencebeingpoliticalmovements.Itwasonlyinthepast
fewcenturiesthattheconceptofseparationofchurchandstatecameaboutduetotheextensive
powerofthechurchandreligionininfringingonthehumanrights.Here,inCaliforniatoo,the
churchandstateareseparate.Beingpoliticalhasboundsandrules,soreligiouspoliticsarenotas
dangeroustopeopleslivesastheycanbeinotherpartsoftheworld(Hoskins113138).AsI
lookatthePassoverSederagain,Iseetracesofthispoliticalreligiousmovement,astheJews
remindthemselvesofhavingbeenslaveswhowerefreedbyMoses.InReligionandDiaspora,
StevenVertovecdescribesthecommonfeaturesofadiasporabyveryspecifictraits.Oneof
thosetraitsisthedevelopmentofareturnmovementthatgainscollectiveapprobation
(Vertovec7).ItistruethateveryyearattheSeder,JewsreadintheHaggadahpassageson
wishingtoleavediasporatobeinIsraelthefollowingyear.Butagain,Jewsareherein

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California,freeandprosperousandnotreallywishingtogotoIsraelwherethereiswarand
uncertainty.
InobservingtraditionalrelationsincommunitiesandinheritagepreservationAppadurai
asserts,Localityisaninherentlyfragilesocialachievement[it]mustbemaintainedcarefully
againstvariouskindsofodds.Hethengoesontoexplainfurther,Ceremoniesofnamingand
tonsure,scarificationandsegregation,circumcisionanddeprivationarecomplexsocial
techniquesforheinscriptionoflocalityontobodies.Lookedatslightlydifferently,theyareways
toembodylocalityaswellastolocatebodiesinsociallyandspatiallydefinedcommunities
(Appadurai178179).AppaduraiquotesDeCerteau,ontransformationofspacesintoplaces,
toexplaintheproductionofaneighborhoodasaroutineconsciouseffort.
Thisistheoldmodelthattheparentsgenerationcarrieson.Intheglobalageof
transnationalmovementofpopulationsacrossnationstateboundariesandaccesstovarious
mediaoutlets,aglobalproductionoflocalityisintheworksthatisnotonlycontextdriven,butis
alsocontextproducing.Thisnewcontextofthevirtualneighborhood,Appaduraiargues,
weakensthesocialpowerofthenationstatesasmuchelectroniccommunicationbypassesthe
intermediatesurveillanceofthenationstateandofmajormediaconglomerates(Appadurai
194).Iwouldarguethatthesameeffectisevidentintheweakenedagencyofparentstowards
theirchildrenwhoarenotonlyfamiliarwiththeirparentsidentityandstories,butarealso
immersedinthelocalcultureoftheirownlandofexistenceaswellastheglobalcultureofthe
onlinemediatheyconsumeandinfluence,asJenkinspointsout.Virtualonlinecommunities
participateinglobalnetworksthatshare,discussandremixspecificactivitiesornews.
SpreadabilityisatermthatJenkinsusestoexplainthefluidityofonlineinformationthrough

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nontraditionalchannels.Stickiness,accordingtoMalcolmGladwell,referstotheneedto
createcontentthatattractsaudienceattentionandengagement.Thecombinationofthesetwo
phenomenahascreatedaprofoundshiftintheFoucaultianparadigm.Thisnewtypeofliberty
whereDeCerteauseverydaymanmovesbeyondbeingauserashebecomesanauthoror
influencer,hasshiftedthepowerdynamicbetweencompaniesandconsumers(Jenkins4).The
Stickinessjustliketheheavybrickandmortarcorporatecompaniesissimilartothesolidand
ageoldtraditionsoftheparents.Spreadabilityontheotherhandisthenewlyfoundonline
globalcultureofthechildrenwhoarereadytofly,embraceandspreadintothecyberworld.In
theexampleofComcast,thecollectivepowerofcustomerobjectionsthroughusingthetwitter
platformhascreatedacustomerhierarchysystemforsomecompanies.Theychecktheonline
presenceofcomplainingcustomerstofindoutwhetheracustomerisaninfluencer.Jenkins
explains,customerswillreceivedifferentlevelsofresponsebasedontheirperceivedpublic
relationsthreat(Jenkins26).Thisfluidonlineconsumerpowermovesbeyondtheboundariesof
economicsinaffectinginternationalpoliticsandcultures.Duetomassmovementsof
populationsacrosstheglobe,manypeoplewithmultinationalidentitiesdisperselawfuland
forbiddencontentontheInternetacrosstheboundariesofnationstatesandtheirprohibitions.A
goodexamplewouldbetheenormousgrowthoftheNigerianvideoindustry,popularlyknown
asNollywood,andexportingitsmediacontentnotonlyacrossAfricabutalsothroughthe
continentsinternationaldiasporicpopulation,threateningtounderminetheculturalandmedia
practicesofmanyAfricancountries(Jenkins267).
Againthenationstatesaresimilartotheparentsinbeingculturallythreatened.Itseems
theonlywaytomakeprogressistoparticipateinatwosideddialog.Inotherwordsthebalance

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canonlybeachievedthroughthecarefulbalancingactofcompromisebetweentheparentsand
thechildren.ThiswouldbetheDeCerteaubalancethattheparentswouldneedtocreatein
ordertodothestickyaspectoftheirheritage(asasolidentitythathasoldstructure)andthe
youngergenerationsaspirationsinassimilationwiththelocalandglobalcommunityatlarge.In
thesamelight,traditionalritualsthatstemfromauthoritarianroots,arenotbeingfollowedinthe
samewaysofthepastbytheyoungergenerationofdiasporicimmigrants.InLosAngeles,the
Haggadah(thebookofPassover),existsinmanyformatssuchasbooksforpurchase,free
bookletscontainingadvertisementsavailableatgrocerystoresandonlineversionsfortheiPhone
andiPad.ThedifferentgenerationsatthePersianSederinLosAngelesmayuseavarietyof
theseHaggadotwithdifferinglanguagesandorder.Thebasicmessageoffreedomremainsthe
same.Itmayseemthatpeoplehavefoundagencyinchangingtheformattofittheirpersonal
tastes.Asindividualspushformorepersonalagency,thereistensioninmaintainingcertain
boundariesacrosstheboard.Justasinthecaseofdifferentgenerations,copyrightlawsareone
areawherecertainartistsworkisprotectedandotherartistsarestrugglingtofindtheirown
voicebycrossingthoseboundaries.Currentcopyrightlawshinderunlimitedfreedomofself
expression.Someartistsexpressthemselvesbysharingsomeoftheircreativeworkforfreein
hopestogenerateasustainablefollowing.Inheropenlettertothefansofherwebsite,animator
NinaPaleysays,Fromthesharedcultureitcame,andbackintothesharedcultureitgoes
Controloffersafalsesenseofsecurity.TheonlyrealsecurityIhaveistrustingyou,trusting
culture,andtrustingfreedom(Jenkins229.)
Isupposecomingfromatotalitarianchildhood,IgrewuptobelieveintheFoucautian
hegemonyofthesystem(DeCerteau46).Everyyearmyparentswouldtakeustoouruncles

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home,forthefirstnightofPassovertositattheSedertablewithourcousins.Therewasnoother
choicepresentedandneitherdidwequestiontheactivity.Orperhaps,Iwaspracticingthe
habitasofBourdieuasImovedthrougheventsthatwereassumedasapartofthesceneryof
oureverydayliveswithoutdemonstratinganylogicaldeductions(DeCerteau50).Ofcourse,as
partofthisroutine,wepracticedatraditionthatmadeitquiteenticingforuschildrentoattend
theSeder.IassumetheHaggadah,thewrittenprescriptivetextofthePassoverSeder,wasthe
systemandthisparticularlyfuntraditiontobeatacticintheformofagame.DeCerteau
presentstacticasanartoftheweak.Hereferstotheartofpullingtricksastakingupan
opportunityatacertaintimetocreatewit(DeCerteau39).Twothirdsthroughsittingatthe
tableandtalkinginboredom,asoureldestunclerecitedthroughHebrewtextandotherstriedto
followacertainorderofeventsinesotericPersiantext,itwouldbedeclaredthatitwasindeed
timeforDayenu.Thiswaswhenfamilymembersofeveryagewouldattackthetabletotakeas
manygreenscallionsastheycouldtojumpofftheirchairsandrunaroundtheroomhittingeach
other.ThegamewasnevermentionedintheHaggadahandIhavenotfoundanywritten
reasonsmentionedforitsexistence.Ontheotherhand,oralhistoryduringtheSeder,assumed
thatinutteranceofthewordDayenu(itisenoughforus),peoplewouldhiteachotherwith
scallionstoenactthewhiplashingofslavesbyEgyptians.Ishouldsaythetacticworkedpretty
efficientlyforalmostthreemillennia,affordingagencytochildrenandadultsaliketojokingly
assertthemselvesoverpeopleandeventsthatsignifiedauthorityasthegameallowedfor
hierarchiestodisappear.Inthecontextoftheworkerwhodivertstime(notgoods,sinceheuses
onlyscraps)fromthefactoryforworkthatisfree,creative,andpreciselynotdirectedtoward
profit,DeCerteaureferstotheFrenchwordlaperruque,orthewigastheworkersown

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workdisguisedasworkforhisemployer.(DeCerteau177)InthecaseofDayenuritual,la
perruqueisthetimetakenoutofatediousceremony,givingindividualsagencyinpracticing
creativeselfexpressionandfeelingpersonallyinvested,ultimatelymakingthesystemworkfor
them.IninterviewingwithDr.Abrams,abouthischildhoodmemoriesintheruraltownof
KhonsarinIran,Ilearnedthatbeforemytime,theHaggadahwasonlyinHebrew.Children
wouldlearneverythingaboutPassoverincludingprayersandthesignificanceoftheritualsin
schoolthroughanoraltradition.Theteachingsystemwasauniqueone,aschildrenofdifferent
ageswouldbeinthesameroom,eachteachingtheotheronewhattheyknew.Sobythetimethe
childrenwereattheSeder,theywereallexpertsontheeventsofthatevening.I,ontheother
hand,hadattendedthemodernsecularschoolsystem,wherereligionwastreatedasperipheral
andchildrenasaccessories.InthenewcontextofLosAngeles,mychildrenlearnedabout
Passoverthoroughlyandacademicallywithnewrulesandoutlooks.DeCerteauexplainsthe
differencebetweenanunfamiliarspaceandameaningfulplacewherememoriesdwelland
storiesaremade(DeCerteau118).ThestoryofPassoverIbringtoLosAngeles,tomychildren
isaphenomenonfromanunfamiliarandunknownspace.Thestoriestheyexperienceand
learnintheirowntimehaveameaningfulplace.Althoughwhenthetopicofbeliefisbrought
tothetable,especiallyinacollegehistoryclasslookingintoarcheologicalevidencefor
Passover,eventhemeaningfulplacebecomesirrelevant.DeCerteaubringsforththeideaof
individualsasusers(xxiii)andtheirrelationshiptotheFoucaultiansystem.Inourmodern
society,theeverydaymanisaconsumer.Heisdefinedbywhatheconsumesmorethanby
whathebelieves.Beliefsaredevaluatedduetotheadventofscience.Intalkingaboutthe
devaluationofbeliefs,DeCerteauquotesLonPoliakovonthehumorousexampleofJews

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beingtheFrenchpeoplewhoinsteadofnolongergoingtochurch,nolongergotosynagogue
(DeCerteau177).DeCerteauhypothesizesthatwhentheoriginalcontextforabeliefisaltered,
beliefsdonotstayattachedtotheirrespectivesymbolism,andbymerelymovingintostoriesor
myths,theywontnecessarilykeeptheirvalue(DeCerteau181).Ilearnedthroughtheresearch
andparticipantobservationformyfilmprojectthatnewstrategiesintheformatofstories
arebeingexperimentedwithonbehalfofthecommunitytoattracttheinterestoftheyounger
generationinparticipatingduringthePassoverSeder.IcameacrosstwonewHaggadotfor
Passover.TheNewAmericanHaggadahisdesignedusingcuttingedgetypographyandartistic
texturesbytheworldrenownedIsraeligraphicdesignprofessor,OdedEzer,tocreatean
interactiveandinterestingexperiencefortheusers.TheBronfmanHaggadahusesnewtextto
addresscontemporaryissuesratherthanthetraditionaltextaccompaniedwithbreathtakingly
colorfulillustrations.Afterall,theindividualsintheyoungergenerationinLosAngelesare
theuserswhodefinetheirownidentitiesthroughwhattheyconsume.
Playisaverybasicandyetmostcaptivatingconceptthatfascinatedmeinthereading
selectionsbyThompson,DundesandRogan.Playistherunningforceoflife.Itbringsuscloser
tooneanotherandtotheworldaroundus.Itconnectsgenerationsincreatingmeaningfulcultural
experiences.Itallowsforliminalspaceswherepeoplecanaddresstheirutmostfears,aspirations
andfantasies.Inplay,thelinguisticandsymbolicaspectsofcommunicationflourishtooriginate
narrativesandultimatelystoriesthatbuildourculturalidentities.InTheApethatCapturedTime
Thompsonexaminesingreatdetailplayinhumansandanimals.Heassertsthatplayfuland
symbolicbehaviorisnotuniquetopeople.Play,Thompsonsays,isanimportantmodeof
communicationlinkinghumanculturewithnonhumancultures(Thompson400).Bothpeople

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andanimalsengageinsymbolicplayandinsharingnarratives.Inlookingatlanguages,
narrativesandstories,Thompsonconcludesthatthedifferencebetweenhumansandanimalsin
communicatingnarrativesisthatonlyhumansarecapableoftellingstories.Inadditionto
narratinganeventrelatedtoaplace,storiesarelinkedtotheconceptoftime.Onlyhumanscan
passonstoriesabouttheexperiencesofgenerationsagotothefollowinggenerations,andto
bringthosestoriesintotheirbeliefsystemandintotheirpresentconsciousness.Parentsplay
withtheiroffspringasawayofpassingonimportantknowledge(Thompson401).Thisconcept
ofplayfulstorytellingisquiteapparentinthePassoverritual.Ihaveobservedthatthe
intergenerationalcontinuityhappensspontaneouslythroughtheplayfulinteractionsofthe
differentgenerationsthroughplayfulbehaviorandnotnecessarilythroughrigidrules.Infact,the
rigidrulesintheformatoftedioustextprintedintheHaggadahonlyactasabasicstructureto
theplayfulinterpretationsofeachfamily.Again,PersianJewsanticipateandenjoythesection
aboutDayenubyrunningaroundthetableandbeatingeachotherwithgreenscallions.
Thegenreofliteratureindiasporaisquiterichinmimickingethnographicstories,
becomingthevoiceofimmigrantandtransnationalpopulations,andcreatingconversation
differentfactionsofthehostsociety,subcultureandgenerations.InreviewingChuangHuas
Crossings,a1968novelabouttheculturalidentityofanAsianAmericanwoman,YichinShen
discussestheissuesofgenderandraceinpostmodernAmericaof1986.Shenexplains,Inthis
essay,Iaminstead[ofselfidentity],analyzinganother,frequentlyoverlookedaspectofthe
novel,i.e.,thefatherdaughterconflict(Shen273).Shendescribesthedaughterspostmodern
conditionofheterogeneity,difference,andfragmentation,andthefathersChineseand
Americanversionsofmodernlifefacedwithconstantsocialchanges.Thefatherisholdingonto

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hisChineseidentity,heworksdiligentlytomaintainasacred,unchangingcoreofthefamilys
identity.ThiscoreissupportedbytheConfucianidealoffamilyvaluesandethicsemphasizing
anindividualsresponsibilitytohisfamily,obedience,filialdutyandproperrelationshipswithin
thefamilystructure(Shen278).Shensreviewhighlightsnotonlyracial,butalso
socioeconomicissuespertainingtohyphenatedAmericanidentities.Postmoderndilemmasofa
financiallysoundsocialclassariseinthechildrennotobeyingtheirfather,astheyhave
relationshipswithpeopleofotherraces.Ontheflipside,thebookpresentsthousandsofother
Chineseimmigrants,mostofthemmarriedmen,wereforcedtoliveinthebachelorsocietyof
raciallysegregated,ghettolikeChinatowns,slavingaslaundrymenandrestaurantworkers,with
nohopetoevenliveanormalfamilylife,nottomentionanypossibilityofassimilatingintothe
mainstreamofAmerican,cosmopolitan,ortransworldlifeandtravel(Shen286).Nasrin
Rahimieh,aPersianProfessorindiaspora,contemplatesthefamousphrase"Howcanonebe
Persian?"asshereviewsherownmemoryofteachingMontesquieu'sLettrespersanes(Persian
Letters)inagraduateseminaroneighteenthcenturyliterature.Thestoryrecountsthe
experiencesofaPersianmaninParispresentedwiththesituationofbeingeroticizedinwearing
traditionalPersianattireoftheeighteenthcenturyorfeelingnonexistentinacityscapeashe
walksinFrenchclothes.Rahimiehexplains,HemaysucceedinchallenginghisFrenchhosts'
essentialistviewofculture.However,freeofallforeignadornments,herunstheriskofbeing
reducedtoa"nonexistence.SheadaptsMontesquieu'squestion:"HowcanonebeaPersian
abroadinthePostmodernera?"(Rahimieh166).Rahimiehasserts,Thereasonsfortherecent
massiveexodusfromIranmaybeintellectual,social,political,orreligious.Theendresult,
however,isacrossculturalandcrosslinguistichybridity.Shearguesthattheliteratureofthe

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diasporaalludestothelargerworldofglobalaudiences,Wemayreaditforexpressionsof
Persianidentity,butwedoitadisserviceifwereduceittoavehicleforculturalpreservation.
Cultures,likelanguages,arealwaysinflux(Rahimieh167).
InBeyondCulture,GuptaandFergusonquestionthenotionofculturesbeingstrictly
boundtonationstatesandtheirmappedterritories.Instead,theysuggestthatspaceshave
alwaysbeenhierarchicallyinterconnectedandsuggestrethinkingdifferencethrough
connection(Gupta35).Inexaminingtheconceptsofspaceandplaceinapostmodernworld,
theydiscussexamplesofpeoplewholiveonborderlinesandthosewhocrossbordersfor
political,economicandotherreasons,IndiaandPakistanseemtoreappearinpostcolonial
simulationinLondon,prerevolutionaryTehranrisesfromtheashesinLosAngelesanda
thousandsimilarculturaldramasareplayedoutinurbanandruralsettingsallacrosstheglobe
(Gupta38).GuptaandFergusonarguethatthesetransnationalmovementsofculturesthrough
migrationofpeoplearoundtheglobehavecreatedtheconceptofimaginedplacesandwhat
HomiBhabhapresentsashybridity(Gupta47).Theyarguethattheexistenceofa
transnationalpublicbringstheproductionofmassculturebeyondphysicalboundariesof
countries,andthatmoregenerallytherepresentationofterritoryvaryconsiderablybyfactors
suchasclass,gender,race,andsexuality,andaredifferentiallyavailabletothoseindifferent
locationsinthefieldofpower(Gupta50).Ifindthisanalogyofseeingthesimilaritiesand
findingconnectionsratherthandisconnectionstobetheappropriatesolutionincreatingthe
delicatebalancebetweenthedifferentgenerationsofdiasporicfamilies.

18

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