Paper short abstract:

This paper explores how acceptance or rejection of the festive traditions of the host society reflects immigrants’ integration strategies. Internalization of the new festive rituals contributes to evolving hybrid identities. Immigrants enjoy trickster behavior mixing rituals of the two cultures.

Paper long abstract:

Holidays and rituals associated with them constitute an important part of culture. They help ethnic and religious groups to preserve historic memories and myths. Observation of festive traditions shapes an individual's identity and contributes to the solidarity with one's own group. When migrants settle in a new country whose traditions are markedly different from those of their country of origin, readiness to accept them is akin to symbolic border crossing. It can facilitate integration into the host society but at the same time alienate them from co-ethnics.

This paper looks into the evolution of festive traditions among Russian-speaking Israelis. Predominantly secular, they were brought up in the spirit of secular Soviet holidays and were vaguely familiar with Jewish holidays. Their initial indifference to the rituals of the Passover and the Day of Atonement but attachment to the celebration of the New Year and Victory Day was viewed by Israeli society as a defiant expression of otherness.

Based on in-depth interviews, mass media monitoring and participant observation, the paper examines which of the old holidays were preserved and which were quickly abandoned. We explore how acceptance or rejection of new festive traditions reflects immigrants' integration or ghettoization strategies and triggers intergeneration conflicts. Internalization of the new festive traditions contributes to evolving hybrid identities. This, however, does not prevent immigrants from enjoying trickster behavior when rituals belonging to the two cultures are deliberately mixed.