On the subject of Troye Sivan’s $1800 dreidel
"It's all about taking a second to treat yourself, slow down and be present in your space that you love."
Last week, Jewish Australian pop-star Troye Sivan took to Instagram to announce Tsu Lange Yor, his Australia-based company which specialises in “Fragrances for self – objects for space.” (Essentially meaning: perfumes, candles and art for the home, and a dreidel that has no letters, isn’t particularly usable and costs $1800.)
“Tsu Lange Yor means ‘to long years’ in Yiddish, which is the language my great-grandmother spoke,” Troye explained. “It’s all about taking a second to treat yourself, slow down and be present in your space that you love.”
He concluded, “From my home to yours, Tsu Lange Yor, baby!”
The name is even more meaningful when you consider Troye’s family history – his family arrived in Australia from Eastern Europe, via Johannesburg. Like a lot of Jews, they were fleeing antisemitism.
Thus, for Jews like Troye’s family, the concept of home must’ve been a complicated one. Sure, your new home provides more safety to be Jewish than your original home, but that safety came at the price of giving up your previous life and community. And if antisemitism dangerously permeates your new home, then what?
Not to project too much here, but for Troye’s Jewish ancestors, the idea of proudly identifying as Jewish (though Sivan is not religious, he enjoys being “culturally very Jewish”) while feeling settled enough in one’s home to start a home decor brand must have been beyond their wildest dreams.
Tsu Lange Yor, indeed! Hey alma!
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