Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on December 6, 2014

Bono on tour in 2011. Image via Wikipedia

Bono has dressed up in many styles throughout his career, from a classic leather-jacketed rock star to hisMr. Macphistoalter ego in the early 90s.

However, U2 guitarist The Edge recently gave the world a new outfit in which to imagine Bono: that of a Hasidic Jew.

Bono seriouslyinjuredhimself while riding his bike through Central Park on Nov.16, and when asked this week why no photos were taken of Bono right after his accident, The Edge gave an amusing answer.

You know, when Bono goes cycling, he likes to dress up as a Hasidic Jew, hetoldhis interviewer at KROQ, a Los Angeles radio station.

Several media outlets pounced on the story without knowing that The Edge was joking. A spokesman for Bono had to confirm the joke to theTimes of Israel.

There are several ironies here.

Firstly, Bonos injury forced U2 to pull out of KROQs Christmas concert, Almost Acoustic Christmas. Maybe The Edges comments had more religious undertones than he thought.

Secondly, the Hasidic communities of Brooklyn have actually come out strongly against New Yorks bike lanes in recent years. In 2009, Hasidic Jewssuccessfully campaigned to remove a bike lane from Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, arguing that cyclists do not follow traffic laws and dress immodestly. In 2012, when the Citi Bike bike-sharekiosks opened across the city, there was a glaring lack of themin South Williamsburg, something many Brooklyn residents saw as adeferenceto the Orthodox communities there.

Lastly, for many U2 fans, the fact that Bonos accident happened on aSundayholds an additional darkly ironic significance. (However, at least he was not riding his bike on Shabbat.)

Go here to read the rest:

No, Bono did not disguise himself as a Hasidic Jew

Category: Hasidic
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