Quote from peilthetraveler:
This is absolutely true. They go around telling everyone they are Jewish, but half of them don't even believe in God. I remember seeing Natalie Portman give this interview about how she was Jewish and if she had kids one day, wanted them to grow up with a Jewish lifestyle. In the same breath she said she didnt believe in God. I was like wtf? Its like someone claiming to be a Christian, but they dont believe in Christ, or someone claiming to be muslim, but dont believe that mohammed ever existed.
I think there are alot of people out there that claim to be Jewish, just because they wanted to be part of a protected minority because it makes them feel good. Thats why they jump on the homosexual marriage, and free Palestine bandwagons. They basically don't really care about beliefs or rights, they just want to feel like they are part of something.
You have to understand that being Jewish and Judiasm can mean
two different things. Think of an American of Irish extraction who comes from a Catholic family. He probably feels an ethnic and cultural identification with other Irish Americans and he may or may not practice Catholicism or believe in god. Most American Jews don't have a single specific point of origin to claim except some shtetl in East Europe 3-8 generations ago where thier ancestor were most likely not considered part of the national fabric. A Jew regardless of religious practice likely feels an ethnic and cultural bond among other Jews(The orthodox and the ultra orthodox are insular tribes and are a whole different story.) So when Natalie Portman makes this statement it is an authentic expression of a feeling of ethnic kinship. She can feel close to her people but Judiasm as a religious practivce is one aspect and is not necessarily the defining attribute or criterion for being Jewish. Many Americans have mixed heritages, and may find that thier common bond is through thier faith, or thier community, or their region, or to one or more lines of their heritage and the customs and cultural practices of those heritages, or all of the above. Many Americans have a single stock - they can trace thier ancestry directl back to the old country and they will likely feel a special kinship with others of their heritage, along with their church, community, and region. Regardless, we all feel that we all are Americans (or I hope we do)
So, I think most American Jews are concerned about Israel and they may have different opinions than you about Obama and his approach to the Middle East. Most American Jews, including yours truly, feel a much greater connection to the United States than to Israel. I won't get into the politics of Obama, Netanyahu, and Iran except to say that I think everyone agrees that Iran should not have the bomb but there is disagreement about how to prevent them from obtaining it.
You can be Jewish and an Atheist, or Jewish and a Rabbi, I think.
We'll both sit down and enjoy the same good meal and good company at thre 2nd Avenue Deli.
I don't think many young Jews just want to claim to be part of a minority; they have authentic feelings and beleifs about their identity. But if are some who are Jews in name only, it's a long way from 1935 when my grandfather, his wife, and his 2 brothers and 1 sister changed thier name from a very ethnic Jewish name to an Anglican sounding name just to blunt the Anti Semitism they faced. Assimilation has its varying impact over the generations on all immigrant groups.
As a Jew born to a successful family in twentieth century America, with some ancestors who remained behind in Europe and who perished uner Nazism, I feel that in the broader scope of history, I have won the lottery. And I consider myself a Jew, even though I married a shiksa.
