The Jewish people is widely diverse, being made up of those who are members of synagogues and temples (Chasidic, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, or Reconstructionist), those who are not affiliated but practice Judaism individually or in small groups, and ethnic Jews who have a Jewish identity even though they are atheist, agnostic, or practice another form of spirituality, such as Buddhism or even Christianity. The latter group raises hackles among many Jews because Jews practicing other religions are usually regarded as apostates who disguise themselves as Jews in order to bring more Jews into the fold of their new-found religion. This is reflected in the bitterness frequently expressed against "Jews for Jesus."
So what binds this diverse group of Jews together?
1) Genetic relatedness - ("flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood"). Though genetically diverse, Jewish ancestry has been traced via the Y-chromosome. It is human nature to feel a degree of relatedness to those sharing one's genes. Evolutionary theory posits that we have an instinct to preserve and proliferate our genetic stock.
2) Shared history - Unfortunately, much of this shared history is negative and dates back thousands of years to include: serial conquests of what is now Israel by several different empires, capped by mass expulsion from the land; dispersion into countries in which they were weak, frequently persecuted minorities; and the massive genocide of the Holocaust. Yet some of the shared history is positive, such as the tradition of learning, intellectuality, and critical thinking both within and without the religious context (e.g. the great rabbis vs. Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud). Marx, the noted theorist behind Communism, actually came from a long line of rabbis. It is unfortunate that much of the identity of ethnic Jews centers around the Holocaust, while religious Jews have many more positive associations with their Jewishness.
3) Concern for Israel and Jewish survival - Most Jews, whether religious or ethnic, are concerned about the physical survival of the Jewish people. While it is true that there is an element of liberal Jews that condemns the state of Israel for its "aggression", even they usually have a gut-level concern for the physical survival of the Jewish people. Such liberal Jews are generally against any kind of war or violence and have the idealistic view that all people of the world can live together peacefully if they only try to understand each other.
4) Shared outlook - Because of their acculturation, Jews often have similar world views even if they vary greatly in their religiosity. Jews tend to be politically liberal and have most often voted for Democratic candidates for political office. Three quarters of Jews in the U.S. self-identify as moderates or liberals and only 19% voted for Bush in the 2000 elections. Jews in the U.S., whether religious or ethnic, have favored careers in science, medicine, education, and business while avoiding occupations such as construction, other manual trades and the military. Some of these cultural predilections may have their source in the Jewish religion, while others may have developed independent of religion, as they have for all groups of people who have lived somewhat separate lives from other groups around them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thanks very much for responding. I fully understand your point of view and will look into your contention that most "Jews for Jesus" have never been Jews. I agree that a Jew who converts to Christianity is no longer a Jew. However, I disagree that there is no such thing as an "ethnic Jew." You yourself state that Judaism is a family and a faith. The family aspect does not require religious belief or practice. Thus, I would define a Jew as anyone who either converted to Judaism or was born to a Jewish parent and considers himself Jewish, whether or not he believes in the religion. An ethnic Jew self-identifies as Jewish but does not practice the religion. He only loses his Jewishness if he actively rejects the religion, especially if that involves actively adopting another religion. My cousin, raised by ethnic Jewish parents became an active Catholic after marrying one. An ethnic Jewish childhood friend became a Sufi Muslim. My sister practices Buddhist meditation but still feels Jewish, performing in Yiddish singing groups and celebrating some Jewish holidays. So she is an ethnic Jew, while my cousin and friend are no longer Jews at all. I am an agnostic but greatly enjoy Jewish culture. Therefore I'm an ethnic Jew.
ReplyDelete