Alef: The NEXT Conversation

There’s a New Jew in Town

(photo: americangirl.com)

by Meredith Druss

You’ll only need to drop a Benjamin to own Rebecca Rubin. Complete with a red herringbone dress and two-tone boots, her great, big hazel eyes never close, and her wavy honey-brown hair gets stylish with a shiny barrette. To celebrate Shabbat with her, however, you’ll have to shell out another $68.

Rebecca is the newest edition of the American Girl Doll collection. According to AG, “She’s a lively girl with dramatic flair, growing up in New York City” circa 1914. The kicker? She’s a Jew, and her books, clothing, and accessories help her celebrate the traditions of her Jewish-Russian heritage.

Many girls ages 25 and under mourned the recent retirement of Samantha (the 1904 rich, Victorian girl), but come Rebecca, Jewish girls around the world can rejoice in their having a doll of their own. Rebecca eats bagels and pickles for lunch (I eat bagels!). Rebecca lights candles and eats challah on Shabbat (I eat challah!). Rebecca owns kittens and likes to sing (I’m more of a dog person, myself…). Best of all, Rebecca’s got that light brown wavy hair that’s not quite ringlets and not quite straight – all that’s missing is her 1914 straightening iron.

Finally, commercial America has realized that Jewish culture, and people of Jewish heritage, are central to American history. Rebecca Rubin brings spunk, adventure, and tradition to the American Girl collection, and as is fitting for the American Girl Company, the accuracies are astounding. Many young Jewish girls will see themselves in her. Yet, her introduction begs the question that many other young Jewish girls will be asking – “Am I still as Jewish if I don’t look like Rebecca?”

The thrill and delight that comes with owning an American Girl Doll is that you get to find one you identify with. For my sister Samantha, it was easy. She shared the same brown hair, brown eyes, and even name of the aforementioned Samantha doll. She got all the Samantha clothes, accessories, and books. For me, it was a little more difficult, and I ended up with a customizable doll – black/brown hair, black/brown eyes, and subtle Asian features. I mixed and matched my accessories – loving the Kirsten books, Samantha clothes, and Molly accessories (there’s actually not an Asian doll, and goodness knows how long it will be till there’s a mixed Jewish-Asian doll!). With their customizable collection, AG shows that every look is beautiful- especially if it is the way you look.

As for those beautiful Jewish girls who don’t quite look like Rebecca, it won’t hurt us to acknowledge that yes, a Jewish-Russian girl in 1914 probably would look like her. Luckily, the American Girl store helps us all learn that it’s not the look that makes us Jewish, it’s the tradition. One of Rebecca’s books is entirely devoted to a story on her lighting candles on Shabbat. Even better, her Sabbath Set is on sale for $68, and you can buy it separately. So whether you’re black, brown, red, yellow, white, or mixed, you can prove to the world that you’re just as Jewish by celebrating Shabbat with your own American Girl.

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