I'm right there with you. I didn't think we were honoring a subway station in Singapore

Only because they were trying to recruit Norse pagans.

That... my friends... was a swanking.

Dude, take a chill pill. I'm sure the High Holy Day of "Jew Raccoon" can be moved without too much fuss...unless you want to make some.

I dig that you have been celebrating your version of Yom Kippur for many years. But to claim that this is the holy day that's thousands of years old is pretty hilarious, considering what Yom Kippur is really about. I'd like to see a swanking involving fasting and spending a 10 hour day in synagogue, begging God for forgiveness for our hedon gathering sins. I don't know if you have ever done it, but I have, and it's no picnic...nor is it a super-fun bonfire and run-in with wild animals. Ju Koon is it's own awesome tradition - and that's a GOOD thing.

Of course, being that my husband and I have never attended this most serious of official holidays, perhaps I'm not able to speak on the issue.

I was not saying that our version of Ju Koon or my version of Yom Kippur was the SAME as Yom Kippur has been celebrated for thousands of years. On that score, I'm sure we haven't had any ritual animal sacrifice in quite some time.

But yeah, I spent too much of my childhood fasting for 12 hours and spending the whole damn day in synagogue. It was boring and horrible (though we kids made the best of it). As it turns out, discovered decades later, fasting every once in a while is really good for you .... but being told God commanded me to or gave fig about whether I did or not is just hogwash that I washed my hands of long ago.


I retained what I liked from the holiday (or lets just say, from the Jewish Holiday Season) and I'm glad some friends have added a bit to that. But that's NOT to say it happens whenever we please, and it's also not to insist we can't celebrate it when convenient (in the same way Halloween parties are often not on Halloween).

In this case, however, Ju Koon falls on a Friday night and Saturday. I don't know what could possibly be more convenient for a celebration among friends. What would be the point in picking some completely other weekend that's not Ju Koon weekend?

In any event ,for flippy and whomever else might be interested:


A Brief History of Ju Koon

The first Ju Koon was four years ago, not even known as Ju Koon. It was Yom Kippur as a beach party, so we could be near the shore to partake in the ritual I mistakenly purloined from the Jewish New Year, typically celebrated about a week earlier.

You take bits of bread products (or, in some enterprising cases, voodoo dolls make of bread) and cast them into the ocean, symbolically casting away anything from your life that you don't want in your life anymore. Some people do that from the safety of shore. In this instance, most of us wandered into the ocean (see photos above).


In this case ... it worked. As soon as we set foot in the placcid sea, the waves rose up in roaring torrent and crashed down upon us, ravenously swallowing our symbolic offerings. It was absolutely Biblical.


Much drinking, de-pantsing, and other (unfortunately) memorable shenanigans followed.


The next year, Ju Koon was christened as such. It was a weeknight, with a much smaller entourage. It also involved going down to the ocean (in this case, a small bay at the bottom of the Portugese Bend cliffs) and throwing bread and/or underwear into the sea.

It also involved a madcap road tour of Palos Verdes (North, East, South and elusively West), a night cap of vodka and deserts at Hof's Hut, and most importantly - a visit to Point Fermin Lighthouse Park where we were stalked and hunted by roving bands of wild raccoons.


The following year - last year - saw a return to Point Fermin Park where we took the shortcut of throwing bread into the sea from there. I'm not sure the Gods smiled on our laziness - - no bands of raccoons were spotted .... BUT, from that night on, raccoons have haunted and sometimes occupied the Long Beach abode of Not Afraid and €uro Meinke.


I don't recall the exact etymology of the new name for our ten-thousand-year-old holiday - but obviously it was a cross between Jewish and Raccoon, spelled to humorously riff on (and perhaps offend) Koreans and pronounced to riff on and more likely offend Hebes and Coons.




So ... anyone want to play Ju Koon this year? Friday night or Saturday? I've recently discovered a fantastic spot down the cliffside of Portugese Bend - which would require some decent and ascent ... but which would be convenient to the de riguer Point Fermin Pilgrimage afterwards.

The date you have your heart set on is in 2 weeks. One of the founders won't be able to make it. If you're so set on this date then plan something.

Well, I think I realized why the date never seems to work for GD and CP. They are, as far as I know, practicing jews (which means either going to synagogue or having to spend the day with family).

Since they are, I daresay, the LoT's most famous jews, I think a change away from Yom Kippur might be in order if they would attend Ju Koon.

Otherwise, BTD, could you be less vague about "one of its founders?" I know Keith can't make it - but in truth, he's trying to avoid trips to L.A. in general in order to save money for his move to Cali. So it's not simply a matter of picking a different weekend. Is that who you were referring to?


And I have taken a step toward planning something: I'm asking if anyone might be interested in doing something either Friday the 16th or Saturday the 17th. BUT, now that I've become aware that Ju Koon practically EXCLUDES Cadaverous Pallor and Ghoulish Delight, I feel we might seriously want to treat it like a Halloween party that doesn't happen to be on Halloween if it would mean they would be able to participate in this burgeoning LoT holiday extraordinaire.

JuKoon is an ever-evolving holiday and as so I see no issue with making some new modifications... Wasn't that the fun of it in the first place? Do some rad traditional stuff, then add something new!

iSm is correct in stating that I have been avoiding planning any trip to SoCal as I ramp up for the big move which will hopefully work out to be in October. Sadly, that likely means I will miss my favorite holiday (which seems to be happening really effing early this year)...

Anyone have ideas for some kind of new date scheme?

If only Jesus hadn't been killed so close to Passover Easter could just have been a random date selection like Christmas was.