toni@pertec.UUCP (Toni poper) (10/12/84)
Shalom.
Now that I have a real USENET connection instead of reading newsgroup
postings off of printouts, I can enter into the fray myself. Since we
seem to be into credentials of a sort here, I will give you mine.
I am an American Jew of eastern european ancestry. I was brought up
in a very Reform household in Orange County, California -- better known
as the heartland of the John Birch Society. I have lived through and
delt with all the situations encountered growing up in such an
environment -- being called "Christ killer" -- being asked to explain
the significance of the major Jewish holiday called "Hanukkah" (after
all, it must be major since it occurs around the same time as
Christmas) to my elementary schoolmates. -- Having to put up with
manditory high school assemblies in which the guest tells us that the
only way he has been able to achieve such stature in his life is
because he has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. -- being
told by my "born again" school-mates that I was dammed to a "hell" in
which I did not even believe; but because they loved me so (and I was
Jewish so I was worth extra conversion brownie points) they would save
me from such a fate.
As far as my Jewish religious training, I went to my temple's
religious school from second grade through high-school. Starting with
the fourth grade, I attended hebrew school until my Bat-Mitzvah at age
thirteen. I will not go into my feelings about the quality of the
religious education I received. It did, if nothing else, leave me
with a hunger for Learning.
There is a point to all this. After reading all the receint articles
on "Who Is A Jew" et al, I am left by many of you with a feeling much
like I experienced through my public school days -- the need to defend
and hold close to my Jewish identity.
Does it truly make a difference in my Jewishness that my
great-grandparents and grandparents came from eastern europe? Does
the possibility that my great-grandparents may have had leftist
political or philosophical leanings make me less Jewish? If you
believed that a new political philosophy would bring peace and
equality to the world, would you be able to see far enough into the
future to see how it could be twisted? This is certainly a gross
simplification, but it is what many people believed at the time.If my
great-grandparents believed this, are they, therefore, responsible for
what happened in eastern europe? Are they less Jewish for this
belief?
What difference should it make if my more direct ancestors came from
Eastern Europe or the Meditarian region? Does this make me more or
less Jewish? Does the fact that I live in the United States and grew
up in a non-Jewish area make me less of a Jew?
I may be biologically and environmentally influenced my my ancestors,
but I am who I am -- a product of elements I cannot control and
elements I can control -- a product of a Jewish, Kohen father and a
Jewish mother. I am a female Jew, strong in my foundation as a Jew
because I chose to be Jewish against the pulls of assimilation.
On a purely female note. It is hard enough being a progressive,
female Jew asking for religious recognition from a male-controlled
community that believes that tradition is law. I know many of you can
give me many reasons and show me many places where it says... We will
leave this, perhaps for another time; for if I am not, in your eyes,
even Jewish to begin with, the discussion would be moot.
--
Toni M. Poper
pertec computer corp
{ucbvax!unisoft | scgvaxd | trwrb | felix}!pertec!tonimartillo@mit-athena.ARPA (Joaquim Martillo) (10/22/84)
>Shalom. >Now that I have a real USENET connection instead of reading newsgroup >postings off of printouts, I can enter into the fray myself. Since we >seem to be into credentials of a sort here, I will give you mine. >I am an American Jew of eastern european ancestry. I was brought up >in a very Reform household in Orange County, California -- better known >as the heartland of the John Birch Society. I have lived through and >delt with all the situations encountered growing up in such an >environment -- being called "Christ killer" -- being asked to explain >the significance of the major Jewish holiday called "Hanukkah" (after >all, it must be major since it occurs around the same time as >Christmas) to my elementary schoolmates. -- Having to put up with >manditory high school assemblies in which the guest tells us that the >only way he has been able to achieve such stature in his life is >because he has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. -- being >told by my "born again" school-mates that I was dammed to a "hell" in >which I did not even believe; but because they loved me so (and I was >Jewish so I was worth extra conversion brownie points) they would save >me from such a fate. I prefer emphasizing the achievements of the Jewish people rather than sufferings at the hands of the callous. Your bad experienc could have been avoided by attending a Jewish school. If you lived in Orange county, your folks could probably have afforded it. >As far as my Jewish religious training, I went to my temple's >religious school from second grade through high-school. Starting with >the fourth grade, I attended hebrew school until my Bat-Mitzvah at age >thirteen. I will not go into my feelings about the quality of the >religious education I received. It did, if nothing else, leave me >with a hunger for Learning. >There is a point to all this. After reading all the receint articles >on "Who Is A Jew" et al, I am left by many of you with a feeling much >like I experienced through my public school days -- the need to defend >and hold close to my Jewish identity. >Does it truly make a difference in my Jewishness that my >great-grandparents and grandparents came from eastern europe? Oriental Jews have been wondering what difference it makes to have come from Eastern countries for 50 years now. I am not displeased that you learn what it feels like. > Does >the possibility that my great-grandparents may have had leftist >political or philosophical leanings make me less Jewish? If you >believed that a new political philosophy would bring peace and >equality to the world, would you be able to see far enough into the >future to see how it could be twisted? This is certainly a gross >simplification, but it is what many people believed at the time.If my >great-grandparents believed this, are they, therefore, responsible for >what happened in eastern europe? Are they less Jewish for this >belief? After having read extensively the literature of Eastern European leftism, I believe that Jews accepted leftist beliefs in order to transcend Judaism and assimilate in some Utopian European society which with 20/20 hindsight was a ridiculous delusion. I do not believe that the majority were motivated by high-minded ideals (especially given the way these high-minded idealists treated oriental and Spanish Jews). Therefore in a way this leftism does make them less Jewish. >What difference should it make if my more direct ancestors came from >Eastern Europe or the Meditarian region? Does this make me more or >less Jewish? Does the fact that I live in the United States and grew >up in a non-Jewish area make me less of a Jew? Oriental Jews learned that origin-place meant everything. I must wonder why your parents chose to live in such a non-Jewish area. >I may be biologically and environmentally influenced my my ancestors, >but I am who I am -- a product of elements I cannot control and >elements I can control -- a product of a Jewish, Kohen father and a >Jewish mother. I am a female Jew, strong in my foundation as a Jew >because I chose to be Jewish against the pulls of assimilation. If you choose to be Jewish against the pull of assimilation than you may choose to learn about genuine Judaism. I suggest you call the Jewish Learning Exchange at 800/431-2272 and arrange a course of study. >On a purely female note. It is hard enough being a progressive, >female Jew asking for religious recognition from a male-controlled >community that believes that tradition is law. I know many of you can >give me many reasons and show me many places where it says... We will >leave this, perhaps for another time; for if I am not, in your eyes, >even Jewish to begin with, the discussion would be moot. No it is much harder to be a religious Jewish woman. You can always find a lot more non-Jews who will support you in being feminist or in being progressive that a religious women can find Jews to support her in faith in God and maintenance of the tradition.