Fiddle on the Roof Top

"TRADITION!!!" "Change is happening!" "See the world!"

are the central themes of "Fiddle on the Roof Top." The show revolves around this particular Jewish village somewhere near Russia. Probably the exiles found the village. I didn't watch the beginning, but I know it also revolves around a dad, mom and 5 daughters. Generally, since they are living with Gentiles and learned Gen-Y Jews, the village was being bombarded by change, and they refused to change.. often chanting "Tradition!!!"

So, as tradition speaks, a daughter will be matched with another boy, and the boy is obliged to request the girl's dad for her hand. Generally, the matchmaker gives the 1st level of approval, then the dad (or more like mom, since mom coerces dad to approve it, because she's convinced by the matchmaker).

So, there's this old butcher whose wife died... and he wishes to marry someone. The matchmaker matched him with the eldest daughter. Meanwhile, the eldest daughter is in love with the Rabbi's only son, but the Rabbi was a real chicken and did not asked the dad while he had the chance. So, dad went to see him (well, it was a whole big joke, he thought the butcher wants his milk cow). and anw, gave approval.

Then both the daughter and Rabbi came begging...and the dad reasoned with God, and saw the happiness of his daughter through her eyes...and approved.... oops! "OH NO! What am I gonna tell the Butcher?!"

But the biggest problem is his wife.

And he made up a dream where the butcher's wife came back to life and threaten to haunt their eldest daughter if the marriage with the butcher ever takes place. So the wife was convinced. Smart guy.

Then the 2nd daughter fell in love with a learned Jew. this couple was 1 level more outrageous than the 1st. They disregard the Dad's approval, and just asked for his blessings - "We're not here to ask your permission, whether u approve or not, we're getting married. we just want your blessing." then the dad funnily reasoned with God "anw, whom did Adam and Eve got their permission from?" and the dad responded "I give both my approval and blessings" happy.

Then the 3rd daughter fell in love with a Gentile and wanted 2 marry him. This time dad said "I can bend against my tradition, but bending it too far, i'll break!" so no. and the daughter ran away and married a Gentile who was Roman Catholic. And dad disowned her saying "She's dead"

Anw, the dad eventually accepted her, at the end of the movie.

While all these were happening, he lamented a lot of life's difficulties he was going through - poverty, eviction by some unknown government, etc. so, the movie had many themes, but rich in lessons.

So, the moral of the story is: "CHANGE HAPPENS!" nonetheless, traditions are important. It reflects how man deal with change. It depends how much one could bend against tradition. For the dad, marrying the Gentile was the snapping point, and thus the strict "NO" and disowning of his daughter, but which came in forgiveness, not so much to say he gave in to agree with this particular change, but to keep the family together.

You see, in as much as one as adamant to resist against change, one culture could remain static in all aspects, but one thing changed, or was added on - the need to resist change. So, you got like 101 things in your culture, and now is 102. So it has changed.

So, how do you face change? Do you prepare to accept change or do you let change break you? Either way, you're gonna change, the former, would lead to a smoother life, while the latter, a bumpier ride.

Go watch it.

(A sneak peek.)