I stumbled across a Canadian Press article today that discussed a Massachusetts foundation’s efforts to donate Jewish children’s books to organizations and their religious school classrooms. Among the books supplied by the foundation, Lauren Seidman’s “What Makes Someone A Jew” acted as the centerfold for the article. Upon seeing this book and the difficult topic it so obviously discusses, I started thinking about my first encounter with this question.
I can still remember sitting in religious school on Sunday mornings in my shul and listening to the teacher (who also happened to be my mother – yes, I know, lucky me) raise this question. At the time, I was probably in 4th or 5th grade – no where near as young as the kindergarten students mentioned in the article – and even at the age of 10 or ll, this question seemed hard to answer. And it was! What defines someone as a Jew? Birth? Belief? Customs? Inevitably, someone in my class always said that a Jew was someone whose mother was Jewish. True, but is there more to it than that?
Source: http://www.jewishlights.com
Even today, I find the question difficult to answer. Each person has such differing viewpoints, and part of me believes it’s whatever works for the individual. However, I also feel that being a Jew is more than following certain Jewish customs. Does someone who really enjoys matzah ball soup, and eats it often, automatically qualify as a Jew? Of course not. The situation is more complicated than that (as religion always is).
Given the complexity of the question and its potential answer, how do children in kindergarten cope? Seidman’s book makes clear that appearance doesn’t affect whether or not one is Jewish. In the end, she sums up her definition saying,
Now I understand what it means to be a Jew. It’s not how you look or what others think of you. Being Jewish is about my deeds, thoughts, and heart, so now I know I’m off to a very good start.
The rhyming summary makes clear what it “means” to be Jewish. Perfect for 5-year-old children, but I still have to wonder. Is it really that simple?
-Sarah
#1 by Laura Weakley on September 12, 2009 - 9:55 pm
Let me answer this actually simple question by teaching those who don’t know, that if someone Jewish converted to Christianity, etc., and they want to convert back to being Jewish, do you know what they have to do? Answer: Say they are Jewish. Sort of the “just show up” idea!
You are born Jewish if your mother is Jewish. You might recall Hitler going after anyone who was 1/4 Jewish even if they were brought up Christian. That seems to be the definitive definition according to the rest of the world. Obviously, if you convert, you are Jewish too.
Now, if you want to ask how religious, or observant, or both, to prove how “Jewish someone is,” now we’re talking about degrees of one’s personal relationship with G-d. I find that a ridiculous-not to mention a very judgemental-position. Plenty (of course, not all) of Orthodox Jews are hypocrites in their business practices. I’m not trying to bad mouth (lashon harah) the Orthodox. I picked them as an example because it seems to me that they are the ones who question the rest of us.
Let me remind you of someone named Monica Lewinsky. I have no idea what denomination of Jewish she is/was, nor do I know how religious or observant she is/was, but I do know her name in the news was a shonda. The world judges people who are Jewish-born, practicing, or otherwise-by the Jewish people they know or are in the news. To the rest of the world, there’s no difference.
We are a nation of priests-or light unto the nations (or l’goyim)-whether we want to be or not, so this is how we are judged and seen by the rest of the world. You don’t even have to call yourself a Jew for someone else to label you as such (i.e. Hitler). So I say again, it seems to me the real question you are asking is are you a practicing Jew, or are you a secular Jew? And if you are a practicing Jew, what denomination are you and how observant, or religious, are you? You know what? All of this is simply judgmental on other people’s part. It is worse to me when Jews judge other Jews, which is simply feeding into the infighting that has toppled nations.
No matter what your personal relationship is with G-d, remember, the world is always watching and our actions reflect upon us all as a group. Be honest and truthful in your business and secular dealings, and treat others with respect.
Spiritually Yours,
Laura Weakley