Comments on: Changing the Language of Jewish Identity http://ajcwire.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/ blog of the American Jewish Committee. Articles on Jewish life, current events, and Israel. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:34:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: ronald schwartz http://ajcwire.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-755 ronald schwartz Mon, 04 Jun 2007 07:15:19 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-755 How palpable is our joy when so few respond? How palpable is our joy when so few respond?

]]> By: Jean Sherrell http://ajcwire.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-757 Jean Sherrell Fri, 25 May 2007 05:11:46 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-757 One aspect that always has been central to Jewish identity is that the Jew believes in God; who else chose the Chosen People? Yet this is no longer true of many people who are nonetheless Jewish and active in their Jewish communities. A couple I've known well for 40 years have -- for the last 20 of those years -- been active in the creation and functioning of the organization Humanistic Jews.(The husband was once a rabbi.) For them, being Jewish is cultural and ethical. They celebrate all the holidays, and go through all the rituals but simply excise the word "Yahweh". They are passionate in their support of Israel, and also work to help Jews under repressive governments. Another family we are very close to belong to the congregation, observe all rituals and customs, have lived in Israel and served in the IDF, and are very passionate in many Jewish causes and charities. But the wife told me that she personally does not believe in a God, that to her being Jewish is a matter of peoplehood primarily, and a culture of ethics, family, tradition. Their college-age daughters are growing up in a Jewish context, speak Hebrew at home, and show no symptoms of losing their Jewish identities. (He is an IDF officer on loan to the USAir Force, and they plan on returning to their home in Carmiel at some point.)Oh -- the wife is also very tough, has an unfailing sense of humor in the most dismal situations, and is full of zest for every cultural and intellectual experience available, philosophical in disappointment. How is that not purely Jewish? Whether I agree with their personal beliefs or not (I'm optimistic, emotionally-believing but technically agnostic!), it seems to me that there should be room in the Jewish house for people like my friends, as well as for the many Jewish authors, doctors, artists, scientists and others who are Jewish but not religious. To understand what you mean by "our numbers are diminishing" I'd have to know which people are counted and who is not counted, where the lines, if any, are drawn, or if the surveys count anyone who is simply a "self-identified" Jew. The internist I've seen for 30 years observes all ritual and tradition, as does his family, but when discussing our beliefs one day he said he "emotionally" believes but "not rationally, it's not something one can prove intellectually". Would he be counted as a Jew in these enumerations? I'd be very interested in what AJC members think. Perhaps it's a matter of polarization: given the number of people who want to push creationism and magical non-realism, maybe the rest are going overboard by plumping for materialist science period and no God at all. The idea of an irrational world run by irrational people with staggeringly powerful weapons may be enough to shove way too many rationalists too far in the other direction. As to the discussion of the Jewish image as victim, I've long felt that to be a problem because it makes us vulnerable in the eyes of our enemies. I'd feel safer if many people were less fond of Ann Frank and more respectful of, say, our old warrior Ariel Sharon. Our numbers aren't that high to begin with, and there's no reason to encourage those who believe it would be easy to erase us. On the other hand, part of the appeal of today's anti-Semites in the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere is their willingness to perpetuate and/or buy the perception of, e.g., Palestinians as underdogs and Israelis as persecutors. There must be some reason the Brits have academic journals excluding Israeli academics, with even their journalism union NUJ callng for boycotts of Israeli goods. Maybe the current mess in Lebanon and Gaza will clarify people's thinking, maybe not. All this aside, the joyfulness among the Jewish communities -- at least mine -- is palpable and can be a strong force influencing our young. The world is growing more and more frightening, and whatever resilience, creativity and courage we can show* our children binds them closer to the source. (*Tevye's "one day it's raisins and honeycake, next day the bellyache, drink 'l'chaim' to life" may be the best way to go, making sure we infuse terrifying reality with the very Jewish capacity for terrifying resilience, abetted by a sense of humor.) Shalom, Jean One aspect that always has been central to Jewish identity is that the Jew believes in God; who else chose the Chosen People? Yet this is no longer true of many people who are nonetheless Jewish and active in their Jewish communities. A couple I’ve known well for 40 years have — for the last 20 of those years — been active in the creation and functioning of the organization Humanistic Jews.(The husband was once a rabbi.) For them, being Jewish is cultural and ethical. They celebrate all the holidays, and go through all the rituals but simply excise the word “Yahweh”. They are passionate in their support of Israel, and also work to help Jews under repressive governments. Another family we are very close to belong to the congregation, observe all rituals and customs, have lived in Israel and served in the IDF, and are very passionate in many Jewish causes and charities. But the wife told me that she personally does not believe in a God, that to her being Jewish is a matter of peoplehood primarily, and a culture of ethics, family, tradition. Their college-age daughters are growing up in a Jewish context, speak Hebrew at home, and show no symptoms of losing their Jewish identities. (He is an IDF officer on loan to the USAir Force, and they plan on returning to their home in Carmiel at some point.)Oh — the wife is also very tough, has an unfailing sense of humor in the most dismal situations, and is full of zest for every cultural and intellectual experience available, philosophical in disappointment. How is that not purely Jewish?

Whether I agree with their personal beliefs or not (I’m optimistic, emotionally-believing but technically agnostic!), it seems to me that there should be room in the Jewish house for people like my friends, as well as for the many Jewish authors, doctors, artists, scientists and others who are Jewish but not religious. To understand what you mean by “our numbers are diminishing” I’d have to know which people are counted and who is not counted, where the lines, if any, are drawn, or if the surveys count anyone who is simply a “self-identified” Jew. The internist I’ve seen for 30 years observes all ritual and tradition, as does his family, but when discussing our beliefs one day he said he “emotionally” believes but “not rationally, it’s not something one can prove intellectually”. Would he be counted as a Jew in these enumerations?

I’d be very interested in what AJC members think. Perhaps it’s a matter of polarization: given the number of people who want to push creationism and magical non-realism, maybe the rest are going overboard by plumping for materialist science period and no God at all. The idea of an irrational world run by irrational people with staggeringly powerful weapons may be enough to shove way too many rationalists too far in the other direction.

As to the discussion of the Jewish image as victim, I’ve long felt that to be a problem because it makes us vulnerable in the eyes of our enemies. I’d feel safer if many people were less fond of Ann Frank and more respectful of, say, our old warrior Ariel Sharon. Our numbers aren’t that high to begin with, and there’s no reason to encourage those who believe it would be easy to erase us. On the other hand, part of the appeal of today’s anti-Semites in the Middle East, Europe and elsewhere is their willingness to perpetuate and/or buy the perception of, e.g., Palestinians as underdogs and Israelis as persecutors. There must be some reason the Brits have academic journals excluding Israeli academics, with even their journalism union NUJ callng for boycotts of Israeli goods. Maybe the current mess in Lebanon and Gaza will clarify people’s thinking, maybe not.

All this aside, the joyfulness among the Jewish communities — at least mine — is palpable and can be a strong force influencing our young. The world is growing more and more frightening, and whatever resilience, creativity and courage we can show* our children binds them closer to the source. (*Tevye’s “one day it’s raisins and honeycake, next day the bellyache, drink ‘l’chaim’ to life” may be the best way to go, making sure we infuse terrifying reality with the very Jewish capacity for terrifying resilience, abetted by a sense of humor.)

Shalom, Jean

]]> By: David Cooper http://ajcwire.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-756 David Cooper Wed, 23 May 2007 05:13:06 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-756 "To be a Jew means the regular consecration of Jewish time to the study of Jewish texts."... and then bringing the lessons of these text into our daily lives. I challange myself to carry the "message" of our great teachers into today, in my business dealings, in my social interaction with family, with friends, with my Temple. “To be a Jew means the regular consecration of Jewish time to the study of Jewish texts.”… and then bringing the lessons of these text into our daily lives.

I challange myself to carry the “message” of our great teachers into today, in my business dealings, in my social interaction with family, with friends, with my Temple.

]]> By: Ronald Schwartz http://ajcwire.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-754 Ronald Schwartz Sun, 20 May 2007 22:36:59 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-754 Professor Bayme is on target and offers a brilliant formulation. The "Lachrymose Theory" of Jewish history should be passe. Pogroms are on the wane. Yet, if the single greatest influence on the young are their immediate forbears, at least two generations were uninspired. A prominent Reform leader observed that the greatest danger facing America's Jews is being loved to death. People are free to make choices. The majority of Jews are jolted when forced to confront ethnic differences. If not for casinos, how long would Native Americans maintain their distinctive identity in a commercial culture? Patterning is a traditional means by which Judaism is taught. Without passionate role models, how will this joy reach levels of contagion? Americans are aging. Current influences on the youngest generation, are they working? Our numbers are diminishing. As Federations reallocate scarce resources and plan for the future, the elderly in our society have the opportunity once again to become even more positive role models. Time honored methods of cultural transmission will succeed if positive Jewish values resonate intergenerationally. Professor Bayme is on target and offers a brilliant formulation. The “Lachrymose Theory” of Jewish history should be passe. Pogroms are on the wane.

Yet, if the single greatest influence on the young are their immediate forbears, at least two generations were uninspired. A prominent Reform leader observed that the greatest danger facing America’s Jews is being loved to death.

People are free to make choices. The majority of Jews are jolted when forced to confront ethnic differences. If not for casinos, how long would Native Americans maintain their distinctive identity in a commercial culture?

Patterning is a traditional means by which Judaism is taught. Without passionate role models, how will this joy reach levels of contagion? Americans are aging. Current influences on the youngest generation, are they working? Our numbers are diminishing.

As Federations reallocate scarce resources and plan for the future, the elderly in our society have the opportunity once again to become even more positive role models. Time honored methods of cultural transmission will succeed if positive Jewish values resonate intergenerationally.

]]> By: Ronald Schwartz http://ajcwire.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-753 Ronald Schwartz Sun, 20 May 2007 01:59:41 +0000 http://ajcblog.org/2007/05/18/changing-the-language-of-jewish-identity/#comment-753 Professor Bayme makes an excellent argument, a genuinely positive contribution to American Judaism. Hurrah! Professor Bayme makes an excellent argument, a genuinely positive contribution to American Judaism.

Hurrah!

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