Download The Essence of My Jewish Identity

The Essence of My Jewish Identity
A. E.
When I went to Israel with my family in December 2014, I went to the Western Wall, as most
do, and was invited by a Hasidic man to wrap myself in tefillin. I respectfully declined; I had
done it before my bar mitzvah, and thought it was enough, I didn’t need some wrap to bring me
closer to my heritage and faith. He pushed on, insisting that all Jews must wrap themselves in
tefillin, and that it is an essential part of being a Jew. He was convinced that his one type of
Judaism was the correct type of Judaism, and it was his role as a good Jew to impart his beliefs
to others. I kept saying no thanks, but he pressed on like a salesman in the shuk. In the end, I was
forced to be angrier to get him to stop pestering me. This really made me think: Why do some
people believe their way of Judaism is more correct than mine? That question has turned into:
“What makes me (and anyone else) Jewish?”
I know people who consider themselves to be different “levels” of Jewish. Some are “ethnic”
Jews who do not participate in Jewish ritual life, or even practice other religions. Some have had
a bar mitzvah but never do anything Jewish, and some consider themselves practicing Jews. I am
a Reform Jew, and often thought of as a lesser Jew than a Conservative or Orthodox Jew. I don’t
practice religious observance very often and definitely not on a daily basis as do many other
Conservative, Orthodox or even Reform Jews. I don’t think that makes me any less of a Jew and
doesn’t constitute the essence of a Jewish identity.
What many consider observance (i.e., praying and going to services) isn’t the type of practice
that I learned can work for me as a Jew. On our bar mitzvah retreat we learned from Martin
Buber and the rabbi that not everyone finds their connection to Judaism and to God through
prayer. Many express their Jewish identity through Tikkun Olam, through community, through
food and many other customs and traditions. I find that these forms of practice are more
representative of my type of Judaism. I may not pray every morning and every night, but I feel a
connection to myself and to the Jewish community when I am in the Beth El community, when I
eat Jewish food, and when I take part in Shabbat, Passover and other holidays and customs.
I am Jewish because of factors other than my ability to stay kosher or follow hundreds of laws
that many others follow. Judaism to me is a community, a way of reflection and meditation, and
a deeper level of thought. Being Jewish for me goes beyond reading the Torah and praying; it’s
about the community with which we surround ourselves, the history and ancestors we share, and
the connection with others on a deeper emotional and intellectual level. I feel a great sense of
community when I am around other Jews, and even when I am not, I know they are out there. I
feel a connection with other Jews not because we keep kosher or read the Torah, but because we
experience community and the history of our heritage.
When I went to Israel on Project Hibur, the high school trip, one of the most meaningful
experiences was when we visited Yad Vashem. The Holocaust is an awful and important event in
Jewish history, and when I was in the building I could feel not only my connection to my Jewish
ancestors but to the strong Jewish community that surrounded me. After we left the main
building and grouped together, the feeling of community was very strong, and I could feel why
and how I was a Jew.
Being Jewish also means taking a different perspective and being able to look at issues deeper
and in a different light. This perspective comes from our experiences, our heritage and our
history, and sets us apart from others. For example, I have friends who look at the conflicts in the
Middle East around Israel and blame Israel for them and to some extent Jews in general. They
believe that the Jews don’t have the right to the land just because it was once theirs, and that this
act is causing extreme turmoil in the region. When I look at it, however, I am proud of where the
Jewish people have come. The nation of Israel represents resilience of the Jewish people and is
now a place where any Jew can go without any discrimination or subjugation. This is of great
importance for the Jewish people, and it brings me comfort to know this and makes me proud as
well. To me, being Jewish is not always about how often you practice or about how you follow
the laws, but about what is inside of you.
What about belief in God? Jews generally believe in God, yet I don’t. I used to tell people I did,
because I thought I had to in order to be Jewish. Then I told people I thought God possibly
manifested Himself in dark matter and dark energy, because those serve as tools for creation, but
that seemed far-fetched and a strained effort to connect science and classic religion. Now I say I
currently am not a believer in a traditional God, but I am a believer in Judaism. To me, Judaism
is so much more than God and laws. It is a moral code, and a guide to show you a worthwhile
way to live your life to allow people to ultimately find happiness and do good on Earth.
The parts of Judaism that are relevant no matter what time period we are in, whether we have
slaves or iPhones, are the laws and moral code given to us by the Torah and by our community.
Growing up in a Jewish community and a Jewish household, I was taught both written
laws/morals and verbal traditions/morals. This community has instilled within me a set of values
and morals that I share with many other Jews and often separates me from my peers.
Judaism, for me, is about the deep connections within the community and the moral code that
guides us through life and tough times. I have abandoned my belief in God or what I see as
traditional Judaism, and now believe that Judaism is much stronger than prayers and observing
holidays. As I continue to grow older and mature, Judaism will guide me through both good and
tough times and I will always be able to connect with and be a part of the Jewish community.