Postville by Stephen G. Bloom

Stephen G. Bloom's Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America was an all too familiar reminder of the pluses (and minuses) of the uniqueness of rural culture with regard to anything or anyone different from it. But rural cultures are not the only ones that struggle with differences. Postville details this cultural collision in the early 1990's of Hasidic Jews from Brooklyn and rural farmers in Postville, IA, illustrating that city folk can project racism and ostracizing overtones in the name of unfamiliarity as well.

"The journalist in me had come out in full force," writes Bloom, a non-practicing Jew himself and recent arrival to Iowa as a journalism professor. He continues:

"I had barely scratched the surface, but clearly there was a culture clash of the strongest magnitude between two groups, both born-and-bred Americans, who rarely had the opportunity to clash. Here was a kind of experiment in the limits of diversity and community, the nature of community, the meaning of prejudice, even what it means to be an American. Postville seemed like a social laboratory, perhaps a metaphor for America."

The main debate between the Jews and farmers centered on the formerly defunct meat-packing plant, which the Hasidim had purchased and subsequently relocated their families to the Midwest to run as a kosher plant. This creation of new jobs in the town for both Jews and non-Jews was initially a boost to the local economy, which was, of course, a good thing.

But more than economy, differing cultural practices including Sabbath observances, manner of dress, and overall fiscal faithfulness ensued, and the town experienced division between the ultra-orthodox Jews and the good-old-boy Protestant farmers. Yet despite their differences, Bloom describes similarities as well:

"Both farmer and Jew would never go anywhere without their heads covered. The skullcaps were something like what the farmers wore on their heads. Yarmulkes were symbolic badges of honor, a constant reminder that the wearer pays homage to the Lord's continual presence. The farmers' caps shielded them from the scorching sun or from the rain when the heavens opened up and let loose a downpour. In a sense, the caps, too, were homage to the power of nature, the power of the Lord...neither would ever think of going anywhere without wearing a head covering, whether it was a hand-stitched yarmulke or a cap with John Deere green colors."

As one might expect, Postville is an interesting read...for about 150-200 pages; after that, this 362-page book (complete with updated afterword) quickly becomes redundant and unneccesarily repetitive (how many different ways can two different peoples really offend each other, after all?).

Still, if one is not too familiar with either the Hasidic or farming lifestyles, Postville would enable the killing of two birds with one stone. The question then, of course, would be whether or not it's kosher to eat.