A quick and cursory look at an age-old hypothetical.
Anastasia Fein, Tzion Baruch and Amos Tamam in “Juda” (Promotional still: Hulu)
JUNE 1, 2021
GetJewishBoston I’m a big fan of hypothetical questions that spark debate within the Jewish community, and with the concept of vampires constantly floating (or hovering) in the back of my mind, I’ve found myself diving into the question of whether or not a creature of the night can be Jewish.
This topic has been debated hotly by generations of Jews, and its implications are explored in the Israeli television show “Juda,” where religion and vampirism meet. The consensus, as far as I can tell, is that due to their thirst for blood (human or otherwise), a vampire could not keep kosher. A counter argument to this is that a vampire would need to drink blood to stay alive, but then the question arises: Is a vampire life really a life? Can a vampire have a soul? And so forth.
Of course, the antisemitic implications of a Jewish vampire usually stop this debate (un)dead in its tracks. An incredibly flimsy but prolific excuse for violence toward Jewish people is accusations of blood libel, where Jews were accused of drinking the blood of Christian children. To what end? Your guess is as good as mine, since I’d personally prefer some water or a nice iced coffee. But the point still stands: to represent a Jewish person in media as a vampire carries some pretty weighty implications.
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“Juda” Is a Sharp, Enjoyably Weird Vampire Tale From the Holy Land
Miriam AnzovinIn “Juda,” making a Jewish person a vampire is considered a huge faux pas, not because of the guilt saddling someone with that kind of raw deal may instill, but because Jewish vampires become super powerful. I like to imagine, however, that if vampires were real, they would instill a moratorium on turning Jewish people because, truly, have we not suffered enough? This also brings into question the act of turning and whether it is voluntary. For argument’s sake, I’ll operate under loose “Interview with the Vampire” rules, which can also be found in what I believe is the best piece of modern vampire media: “What We Do in the Shadows” (both the film and the TV series, created by Jewish luminary Taika Waititi). In both depictions, turning someone into a vampire is voluntary, so a vampire choosing to turn a Jewish victim would be a major party foul, especially without their consent.
Now that we have our unfortunate Jewish vampire, the question remains: Could she continue to practice Judaism? Vampires cannot cross onto holy ground, though this often refers to Christian-specific ground, so entering a synagogue would be a bit difficult. In “Interview with the Vampire,” Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise are both able to say “God,” so praying privately may be an option. Vampires also can’t cross running water, and immersion in a mikvah relies heavily on living water. If our hypothetical vampire was Jewish before her turning, she may find many vital Jewish practices difficult due to her new rules.
On a more somber note, I’m also interested in how a Jewish vampire would mourn. Would she say Kaddish for herself or mark her own yahrzeit? What about for other vampires or Jewish people in her life? I’m inclined to lean toward a modified version, since a Jewish person is still Jewish even in death. These are all, of course, very silly questions, but questions are the backbone of faith. Though I can’t definitively say whether a vampire could be Jewish, the not-knowing is part of the fun, and fuel for many conversations among many, many Jews.
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Corinne Engber is an Ohio native and recently completed her MA in publishing and writing at Emerson College.
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