The Biggest Disasters of Jewish 2007

We polled Jewcy writers and other assorted machers for their opinions about the lowest lows and highest highs of Jewish 2007. What follows is a highly subjective and occasionally downright narcissistic look at the past year. Being optimists (no really, we totally think the glass is half-full, and even if it IS half-empty, we’re going to fill it, goddamn it) we started with the bad news to make the good news seem even better:

1.) Abe Foxman refuses to acknowledge Armenian genocide was a genocide, and then changes his mind—sorta.—Richard Silverstein

2.) Dan Pipes and Norman Podhoretz named Middle East advisors to Giuliani campaign.—Richard Silverstein 3.) The Jewish people were issued a collective fashion demerit when those flattering-to-nobody Crocs were named the new Jew Shoe—Amy Guth

4.) The terrible fate of Carol Anne Gotbaum in the Phoenix Airport is frightening for every community, American, Jewish, human, and so on. Gotbaum's story is one known, high profile example of the awful, destructive, inhumane conditions far, far too many suffer in custody in these times throughout our country and throughout the world.—Ed Schwarzchild

5.) Michael Mukasey, an Orthodox Jew and product of Ramaz who refuses to condemn waterboarding as, hello, the product of the Spanish Inquisition that it is, but whose nomination as Attorney General sails thru thanks to ranks-breaking Democratic Jews Dianne ("hey, he's better than Gonzales!") Feinstein and Chuck ("but if we reject Mukasey, the big meanie president and VP will give us somebody scarier!") Schumer.—Marjorie Ingall

6.) Jewish organizations hesitating to come out against torture—Marjorie Ingall

7.) Grace Paley, RIP. On the bright side, she has a posthumous book of poetry coming out this spring.—Elisa Albert

8.) Two words: JOSEPH. LIEBERMAN.—Elisa Albert

9.) Michael Chabon. It's a noir! It's in Alaska! It's Yiddish! It's a gimmicky slog with all the soul of a whale blubber sandwich!—Pat Sauer

10.) My dad, a well-respected rabbi, stalking the Santa Claus at the mall. (He’s fascinated with this mysterious Christian custom.)—Maya Wainhaus

11.) Staying with my (usually very hygienic) religious relatives in Israel the week before Tisha B'Av. They don't bathe or wear clean clothes in the 10 days before the holiday as a sign of mourning, despite the 95 degree heat.—Maya Wainhaus

12.) After Rachel Donadio's fluff piece about the Jewish Book Council in The New York Times, a handful of writers were interested in writing an investigative piece about the organization for Jewcy, but one by one they backed out, each citing serious "fear" of the JBC.—Anonymous writer

13.) Michael Weiss giving in to the glittery lure of Pajamas Media, where the neoconitis is never in remission.—The Jewcy Staff

14.) A couple of entries who would make my Best and Worst list: Noah Feldman and Shalom Auslander, The Bad Boys whose public criticism of various aspects of Orthodox life was embarrassing, annoying, mean-spirited and worth pondering (at least privately).—Gary Rosenblatt

15.) Harvey Weinstein married Georgina Chapman. I'm not sure if that falls under awesome or disaster.—Amy Odell

SEE ALSO: The Most Awesome Events of Jewish 2007

Disagree? Leave your own opinions about the worst things to happen to the Jewish community in the comments section. (Bonus! First person to say "Joey Kurtzman" gets a free Jewcy thong!)