Unpacked – How Israel Reshaped Jewish Culture & Who Decides Who is a Jew?
Many Americans define their Judaism culturally rather than religiously. But with Israeli-Jewish influences becoming increasingly prominent, is there still a role for American-Jewish cultural life in the future. Or, to put it another way, will the falafel win over the bagel in the Jewish cultural stakes? We’re getting to the heart of exactly what Jewish culture means and how the American and Israeli versions have developed in parallel to each other.
Who Decides Who is a Jew?
“Who is a Jew?” is one of those big questions without a clear-cut answer. But throughout history, defining someone as Jewish or not has come with high stakes — as high as the difference between life and death. To some Jews, their Jewish identity is their entire world; others don’t even think about it. So, who gets to decide whether someone else is a Jew and what does Jewish identity even mean?
