Where Are the Jews, Disneyland?

Being born and raised in Southern California can mean many things: spotting movie stars at concerts, spending more than half the year under sunny skies, and visiting Disneyland more times than can be remembered. All three of these stereotypes ring true for me, especially the last bit.

I often joke about my being a Disney baby, seeing how my father was working behind-the-scenes on Disney’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes‘ around the time I was born. So began my lifelong love of all things Mickey Mouse and friends.

Summer breaks from school were filled with frequent trips to the “happiest place on earth,” Disneyland. Sitting in wonderment in front of our television as one animated Disney classic after another came across the screen was always a joy for me. Take one look at my DVD collection and you might think I’m obsessed — I prefer to think of it as collecting movies I hope to show to my children one day, or at least that’s what I tell people.

I’m also Jewish. How exactly is that relevant in a nostalgic trip down Disney lane? Well, it happens to factor into a discovery I made a couple holiday seasons ago while riding on the cherished Disneyland attraction ‘It’s a Small World.’

Starting in 1997, Disneyland began giving a holiday makeover to ‘It’s a Small World’ complete with seasonal music like “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls” playing in between bits of the often infectious and sometimes annoying iconic theme song. Disneyland.com describes the holiday attraction as showcasing “different holiday customs and traditions throughout the world.” Just don’t expect any of the more than 300 somewhat creepy audio-animatronics to be celebrating Chanukah.

While exiting the ride a few seasons ago it dawned on me that I didn’t remember seeing a Star of David, menorah or dreidle. The line was far too long to hop back on, but I made it a point to disprove my casual observation upon my next visit. This year I brought my Flip camera along and documented the ride from start to finish. Low and behold, no Jewishness to be found, at least not to my eyes nor the camera’s lens.

So, what gives?

Anti-semitism is by no means unknown to the Disney empire, as highlighted by author Neal Gabler in his well-researched biography, Walt Disney: The Triumph of The American Imagination. In the book, Gabler writes of Jew hating rumors surrounding Walt and Roy Disney throughout their lives.

There were unsubstantiated accounts from disgruntled Jewish employees, including animator and director David Swift, who said at the time he left Disney to work for another studio Walt told him, “Okay, Davy Boy, off you go to work with those Jews. It’s where you belong, with those Jews.”

From all accounts presented in Gabler’s book — they fall on both sides of the argument — there is no telling whether or not Walt was anti-semetic, especially since he often donated to various Jewish organizations.

Sadly, it came as quite a surprise when I stumbled upon some Chanukah-themed items in a gift shop along Main Street U.S.A. Admittedly, I did not duck my head into every shop throughout the theme park, but I did keep an eye out for anything Jewish since I vividly remembered not seeing much of anything during my previous holiday visit.

Disneyland is free to ignore whatever cultural holidays it likes. But, if the powers that be at Disney are going to pretend to make things politically correct by calling the attraction ‘It’s a Small World Holiday‘ rather than ‘Christmas,’ then it should take care to represent at least the major holidays surrounding Christmas.

“‘It’s a Small World’ attraction is honoring all the children around the world and is done through a child’s eyes, so all people can remember what it was like to be a child,” said Kim Irvine, Art Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, in a behind-the-scenes video.

I considered giving Disneyland the benefit of age as an excuse for not including Chanukah in its holiday portrayal. After all, the ride debuted at the theme park in 1966, although this annual makeover is far more recent. Then I discovered the ride underwent major reconstructive surgery last year — it officially re-opened in February.

Initially setting out to replace the water-ride’s flume system, Disney decided to spruce things up inside as well. “When we took ‘Small World’ down for the rehab, we tried to take every opportunity we could to try to enhance it and make it better,” said Jay Dreves, Show Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering.

Adding a touch of Jewishness to the holiday aspect of ‘It’s a Small World’ was obviously too much work for the friendly folks at Disney Imagineering. I guess they can’t blame it on good old Walt — unless his frozen head is still giving orders.

Michael Rosen, of the Republican Jewish Coalition’s San Diego chapter, complained in a National Review article dated 2006 about the same issue. “Disney has inanely refused to call the ride what it plainly is — ‘It’s a Small World Christmas.’” A blogger on Haaretz.com had similar complaints.

This article is not meant to take on the Mouse House. I’ll forever be a fan of Walt Disney’s work and plan to take my future children to Disneyland for many years to come. It would be nice, however, to have them experience a Disneyland I was obviously deprived of in my youth — a place that embraces Jews as much as it does Christians, Catholics and every other Christmas-celebrating religion.