Hitler Burning The Reichstag Sprung To Mind

[Rev. Rye]

In New York it is called "Jewish Lightning."

I know that. I read that section of American Pastoral where Philip Roth explained what it was.

WHAT DOES YOUR MOTHER HAVE AGAINST JEWS? ANSWER ME.
Well, the usual things you hear.
I DON'T HEAR THEM, DAWN. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TELL ME.
Well, mostly about being pushy. (Pause.) And materialistic. (Pause.) The term "Jewish lightning" would be used.
JEWISH LIGHT?
Jewish lightning.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
You don't know what Jewish lightning is?
NOT YET.
When a fire is set for insurance purposes. There's lightning. You never heard that?
NO, THAT'S A NEW ONE ON ME.
You're shocked. I didn't mean to.
YES, I AM SHOCKED ALL RIGHT. BUT WE MIGHT AS WELL GET THIS OUT IN THE OPEN, DAWN. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.
It wouldn't be all Jews. It would be New York Jews.
WHAT ABOUT NEW JERSEY JEWS?
(Pause.) Well, yes, I think they're probably a variant of New York Jews.
I SEE. TO JEWS IN UTAH IT DOESN'T APPLY, JEWISH LIGHTNING. JEWS IN MONTANA. IS THAT RIGHT? IT DOESN'T APPLY TO JEWS IN MONTANA.
I don't know.

The ALLCAPS lines are from Lou Levov, the protagonist's father, and the ones that aren't are from his fiancee Dawn. If it sounds like an interrogation, it's only because it is; Lou Levov is a traditional Jewish man, one who compares porn to the Holocaust and is of a generation where he knows exactly what that would entail, and Dawn is the archetypal Shiksa Goddess.

It's a complicated read, and the earlier parts (pre-post office bombing) aren't all that excellent, but it picks up afterward, and it's worth it.