Not Really a Jew, More Like Jewish

Judaism is complex, all-encompassing and expansive. Being Jewish means many different things to people. Just to give two examples - by religious law you are a Jew if your mother was a Jew but according to the "Law of Return" (which grants Israeli citizenship to immigrating Jews) you are a Jew by much broader criteria. In fact, some say there are about 12 million Jews in the world, yet close to 30 million people are covered under the Law of Return.

This whole issue is very complicated. In the modern state of Israel being Jewish is being a Zionist and being willing to fight to defend the country. "The country," of course, by definition, is a Jewish Country, the "Jewish homeland." And there you have it.

Naturally, outside of Israel the concept of being Jewish is very different. In the rest of the world, you're a Jew for various reasons - cultural (a shared heritage and legacy), technical (a Jewish mother) or religious (you keep the Sabbath, wear a head covering and do the million other things that Judaism commands). There are probably even more categories which would include things like "I like Sex and the City, bagels with cream cheese and Seinfeld so I must be Jewish."

The topic is so complex that even within the realm of "Judaism as religion" and "I'm Jewish because I follow the commandments prescribed by Judaism" there are many nuances, arguments and frustrations. There's Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism, not to mention some other movements such as Jews for Jesus, Reconstructionism, etc. Obviously within each stream of the above are a myriad of other sub-sets.

I am most familiar with Orthodox Judaism and I can only imagine that the complexity seen within is comparable to the complexity of those other streams. A major cause for this is the predominantly nomadic nature of Jewish History. Multiple conquests, banishments, returns, pogroms, etc. have created about a million-jillion different types/versions/sets of traditions within [Orthodox] Judaism. For the most part, each set feels to an equal degree superior, tolerant, different and similar to each other set.

The point of all of this is merely to say that anyone who ever thinks he or she has a monopoly on "how things should be done" is clearly not taking into account the relative validity of the millions of others who are equally "devoted yet different." The paths are different but the goals are the same - to improve the world, lead a good life, be a "better Jew" and fulfill G-d's will.

Heck, isn't that the goal of almost everyone? I guess so. But even though I talk about tolerance and relative validity I absolutely do not want to say everything, every path, every thought and every style/version is equally "right." I despise the argument of "slippery slopes." We can take into account our differences without having to say they are all equally valid and equally true. There still definitely exists right or wrong, not just better or worse.

We all think we know the right way. Maybe we do. But even if it is then it's just the right way for me, the individual. I can't tell you how to become a better person. I can tell you what being a good person is but you have to get there in your own way. Maybe blind faith isn't the worst thing in the world but it isn't the best. I'd rather you arrive at being a better person through your own path than the one I laid out for myself. The hard part not judging or prejudicing myself against your path just because it's different.

We are individual, educated adults (hopefully), with minds, knowledge, information, history, culture, heritage, legacy, goals, ideas, etc. and need to be tolerant of each other - especially when sharing not just goals but some common beliefs in how the paths to them should be - maybe not down to the last detail but we share enough in common to be able to live together peacefully. Hopefully.

I don't want to sound like a preacher but what unites us is much stronger than what divides us and we will never be able to remake people in our own images or build the perfect companions in a laboratory so let's live together a little more peacefully.

I know this was an awkward entry. It didn't really start with a purpose and possibly also ended without a purpose. I now realize it is a little hard to follow the thought process and there's no real conclusion at the end. The above thoughts have been on my mind a lot lately as I settle into life in Israel, gain some breathing room (now that I have a job, friends, apartment, a routine, etc.) and begin to ponder the next steps in my life-long challenge to be the best Jacob I can be in the Holy Land.

"An interest in Jewish literature and culture in and of itself is like a quirky little hobby and hobbies do not lend themselves to cross generational continuity. Judaism is a way of life that manifests itself on a daily basis, from the moment one wakes up till the second one goes to sleep. Judaism is a pain in the ass. A rewarding and enriching pain in the ass, but a demanding pain in the ass nonetheless. And when there is no pain, there is no gain."
-A friend of mine once said this.