These days it seems like everyone has their underpants in a bunch over the upcoming Thanksgiving/Hanukkah overlap. But, lest you think Thanksgivukkah is the only Judeo-cultural mashup on the horizon, Ben Kallos is here to remind you that Battlestar Galactica passovers are a thing, too. At least, he was here to remind you of that, until r
eporters for DNAInfo New York realized that the “Ben Kallos” behind Battlestarseder.org is the same Ben Kallos who is “a shoo-in to take office after next month’s general election” for city council.
The website — which was disabled several minutes after Kallos spoke to a reporer Friday morning — featured an image of characters from the Sci-Fi Network’s 2004 hit show, which was a remake of a 1978 classic about a post-apocalyptic world that pits humans against human-looking machines called cylons.
Israelites vs. Egyptians, Humans vs. Cylons. Same diff, really.
The website also included a detailed do-it-yourself guide to hosting a “Battlestar” Pesach, including a spin on the seder plate. […] According to an illustration on the site for the “Battlestar” Seder approach, this would include Starbuck’s Ovummm, (a nod to the renegade woman pilot), tiillium (a spelling variant of Tylium, energy used in the BSG universe), “Cylon metal mysteriously evolved into bone” and “algal slop.”
Okay… A little geeky biblical interpretation never hurt anyone though, and Kallos himself is pretty upfront with his fandom. Like many dedicated science fiction fans, he sees his Battlestar Seder as a way to help improve the here-and-now:
Kallos explained that the “Battlestar” seder, an idea kicked around with some friends several years ago, keeps with his belief of finding ways to make important information accessible — be it nutritional guidance or religious tradition.
In turn, Kallos wishes this and similar projects foster appreciation of people’s preferences and differences.
“I’m hoping to be part of a future where everyone is accepted,” he said.
At the time of this article being published, it looks like Battlestarseder.org is up and running. Smart move by Kallos, who is obviously courting that elusive “Jewish nerd” voter bloc. And really – a yid running for office with a nice uplifting vision for the future?
We could do a lot fraking worse.
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