Satirical Semite: Roman Holiday

It was a sunny Tuesday morning in Los Angeles. I met a friend at the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, sat at a table reserved by the British American Business Council gathering, and eventually left after a torturous 90 minutes of watching the televised match. Another time was a 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Mr. C hotel on Pico Boulevard where I had pre-paid for a beer on Shabbat and sat in front of the poolside big screen before trundling off after another cruel hour and a half. The final occasion was a Thursday lunchtime at an Irish pub on Fairfax where I was the only occupant and looked away as the horror unfolded on every one of the three television screens. Last Sunday night could have been different but even the best screenwriters were unable to write a happy ending for the England soccer team who lost yet another championship.

This weekend presents a spiritual challenge for those of us who observe Tisha B’Av, the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, when we remember and mourn the lost Temples in Jerusalem. The challenge is to sincerely mourn something we have never seen, because the second Temple was destroyed by Roman legions 2000 years ago. Visiting the ancient sites of Italy and reflecting on their violent history could be a good way to deepen the emotional experience of Tisha B’Av, and it is also the perfect time of year to enjoy a summer vacation in Tuscany or Venice. But how can we feel animosity toward the descendants of ancient Rome? After last Sunday night it’s not so hard if you are English, since the Italian football team defeated England at London’s Wembley Stadium and ransacked England’s first chance of winning an international tournament in 55 years.

Still it’s just a game. The people of England are good losers. In fact, we are such great losers that it is a national art form.

England’s soccer anthem refrain is “football’s coming home, it’s coming home,” but in an act of cultural appropriation, the opposing fans sang, “It’s coming Rome.” In homage to their Roman Ancestor Julius Caesar, they came, they saw and they conquered in a penalty shoot-out. We can also appropriate culture and misquote Russell Crowe in Gladiator: “I will have my revenge in this world or the next.” The next world is next year’s World Cup when we shall indeed have our revenge, unless we lose another penalty shoot-out, which is entirely possible.

The fast of the 9th of Av is a time to reflect upon unity and spiritual matters, so we won’t stop and think about Scottish supporters who hate England so much that they joined Italian supporters at Wembley to cheer on our downfall. We also won’t reflect upon what nearly became a double-blow last Sunday when 25-year-old Italian tennis star Matteo Berrettini nearly won the men’s tennis championship at Wimbledon. He was cheered on by his countrymen, especially those from his birthplace of Rome. Enough already, we get the message. They say that “it’s not the winning that counts but the taking part,” but “they” are probably from Italy.

Fasting is more than just not eating. Days of fasting inspire action so that we move to improve the world. The prophet Isaiah said, “Is this fast I have chosen? A day for people to starve their bodies? No … it is to let the oppressed go free … share your bread with the hungry [and] take the wretched poor into your home” (58:5-7). We can focus on loving our enemies from other countries and making peace. If they don’t want peace, we can offer them an olive branch, feel contrition for our former behavior and say “the ball is in your court.” Unfortunately, the English ball is usually in the other side’s court.  

Fasting is more than just not eating. Days of fasting inspire action so that we move to improve the world.

There are, however, people who live with true pain that is far more significant than losing at sports. I once filmed Shakespeare monologues around Los Angeles, delivering Mark Anthony’s famous speech from Julius Caesar outside City Hall in Los Angeles. Rather than filming against the backdrop of a Roman army encampment, we saw, in the background, a tent city of homeless people just beside the government building. The city council recently voted on restricting these camps, despite a shortage of housing accommodation. The homeless live with a daily pain that is similar to Tisha B’Av, remembering homes that were lost and dreaming of a secure future.

If you are observing the Fast of Av, have a meaningful and easy fast on Sunday. It is a great opportunity to focus on bringing peace into the world and considering where we could have behaved better in the past. Just be sure that you don’t break the fast on pizza, pasta or Scottish whiskey.

Marcus J Freed is an actor, filmmaker and business consultant. www.freedthinking.com.