Lee Diamond – Jewish ID and Ethnicity

As a young person growing up in the American Jewish  community I learned that we lived in a “melting pot.” That meant that we would all be one color gray soon!

As I grew up in the American Jewish community I learned  that the melting pot doesn’t or didn’t work.

The new magic word was “cultural pluralism” to describe Jewish ethnicity in America.

And then I learned that cultural pluralism had failed as well.

All  ethnicity had died altogether too.

Spirituality had taken the place of ethnicity.

Jewish spirituality like any other spirituality was about reaching for a God concept and not about being unique.

To be ethnic in one’s  Jewishness was considered to be a case of swimming against the stream.

I now have learned that the new buzz-word in the American Jewish community is TRIBALISM.

Someone who is ethnic in their connection and identity with their Jewishness  is considered to be a primitive tribesman/woman.

Does that mean that I can’t love to speak the language of my people because it separates?

Can I refer to Jews as my people? Is this expression ethnic? Tribal ?

Does that mean that praying in Hebrew is tribal — As It closes the door to universal prayer?

Does that mean that I can’t like to eat gefilte fish any more ?

Does  that mean that I shouldn’t encourage my kids to marry Jews ?

Is seeking to preserve my group by marrying “”iN” tribal?

Is Zionism an example of Primitive Exclusiveness?

Of separating into a tribal group?

I happen to love bagels and lox; sufganiot; blintzes  cheesecake and humantashen.

I happen to love Jewish humor’

I happen to enjoy studying Torah .

Jewish history is my history.

Is that tribal?

Jewish time is holy and wholly mine!

Is that primitive ethnicity?

When I read about Jewish joy or tragedy can I smile or shed painful tears!

When I meet a fellow Jew can I feel a special affinity ?

Can I love living in the Jewish State ? In Israel ? Surrounded by Jews? and Jewish culture day in and day out?

Or am I out of step?

Viva ls difference!

Lee Diamond – Jewish ID and Ethnicity