L'chaim!

The other librarians at work have found out about my new hobby. Some of them are curious, some are excited and wanting to join me at the range, but most are silent on the matter. My manager has been curious, asking questions about how it feels to shoot, if you need to be strong physically, if it's loud, that sort of thing.

The other day, I brought up the fact that I often see Orthodox Jews at the range. (I mention this in an earlier post)We have a rabbinical college and a sizable community of Orthodox Jews in the area and they frequently use our library.

My manager was shocked to find this out. She just couldn't believe it.

I suppose it's hard to imagine the old rabbi with his black suit and prayer shawl at the range shooting a pistol, or the young man in his yarmulke trying out a shotgun while his even younger wife looks on...but I saw them. They were shooting, smiling and generally having a good time. There's this camaraderie that happens at the range...color, religion, sex, it all just disappears. Everyone has stories to tell, advice to be offered, ammo to share...as long as you're back there shooting, you are part of the gang. It's kind of beautiful really.

Anyway, back to the story. My manager, child of the sixties, ex-hippie and generally a liberal politically, was completely aghast at the thought of Orthodox Jews at the range. She said to me, "Why do you think they have guns? Do you think someone has been making threats against the community?"

Well, let's see...threats against Jews...only for the past 2000 years, maybe? Do the words "Never again" ring a bell?

You'd think my manager would know this.
She is Jewish herself.

Not Orthodox, but still fairly religious, she has somehow forgotten the history of her own people and how they have suffered.