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Jewish Identity
Emancipation presented a difficulty for Judaism. Because it is basically a non-dogmatic religion, there were and are many different interpretations of Judaism itself, and just as many different approaches as to how Judaism should be integrated into a larger society.
There are many different branches of Judaism, from conservative to reformed. Among the orthodox sects, the Lubavitch are the only group that practice missionary activities. They believe in meeting people where they are, and stress a simple faith and joyous expression of belief in God. In Israel, there exists the National Religious Party. Which is the largest in the country. The conservative and reformed movements have not made many inroads in Israel, but they have forced the issue of what it means to be a Jew. Israel’s law of return states that any Jew arriving in Israel is immediately eligible for citizenship, but this raises questions such as: Are the children of people who converted to a liberal branch of Judaism in another country able to be citizens?
One of the first things that must be understood about Judaism is that it is a land-bound religion; Jews face Jerusalem to pray, festivals and holidays are harvest/season oriented, at weddings the bridegroom breaks glass to commemorate that the Temple has been destroyed and never rebuilt—you cannot separate the religion from the land.
Culture:
Over 100 countries are represented in Israel; the greatest influx of immigration (and therefore the greatest influence) is from Asian, oriental countries. As in any country built on immigration, there are tensions and debates over how much foreign influence to accept. Many of the same problems America faces (especially regarding the stereotyping of immigrants) are also found in Israel.
History:
There is no historical span here; by this our presenters meant that whether you are observant or not, historical/biblical figures are spoken about as if they were your next door neighbor, they appear in common conversation and in slang.
Theodore Herzel is the father of modern Zionism, which posits a need for and right to a Jewish state. In 1896 he declared the first Zionist council. After the Holocaust, the state of Israel was founded (1948), just a few years after the liberation of the camps. At first, the survivors who came to the new state were silent about their experiences—it was too painful, they felt others wouldn’t understand, and there was a sense of shame (some felt that they had allowed themselves to be led as sheep to a slaughter, while here in Israel the new Israelis were fighting for freedom). The Eichmann trials broke the silence; people were forced to speak and to listen.
Recently, a new movement has sprung up in Israel, in which people step back from themselves and reexamine everything, even their heroes, resulting in a critical, post-modern, post-Zionist approach. This new way of evaluating life and history has been applied to such well-known figures as Hannah Senesch.
Army:
All Jews in Israel serve in the army, except for the ultra-orthodox, though this is a source of debate. Men serve three years, and can continue until they are fifty or sixty. Women serve twenty months. Soldiers are drafted at age eighteen and a half. The army is considered extremely important, not just because of the constant threat of war and terrorism, but also because throughout history, Jews have been denied the right to self-defense.
Politics:
Religious groups have a lot of power, because even though they are a minority, a majority is needed to get anything done, and other parties must form a coalition with more traditional religious groups to effectively govern. There are many parties and factions in Israeli politics. If you need 51% to get something done and you have 49%, the group with 2% becomes very important.
Shabbat is the major divisive issue. During Shabbat, everything closes; there is no transportation, etc… 75% of the people may not observe Shabbat so strictly, but they are forced to live with the conditions prescribed by those who do, and this causes a great deal of tension. The other major issue is keeping kosher. There was a recent headline that said “Bibi Denies Eating Cheeseburger;” it may sound trivial, but his party will rise or fall based on the religious vote.
Holidays:
Pesach- Celebrates Jewish exodus from Egypt; Jews are commanded to observe Pesach as though they were personally experiencing it; the last words of the observance are a remembrance of Jerusalem.
The period from Passover to Shavuot is a period of national mourning which includes the Day of Commemoration for the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. On this day, the nation stops for two minutes, and there is complete silence. The week after that, there is a day for fallen soldiers, followed by Independence Day. Sorrow is a real part of life here; this is a country of traumatic experience, where parents bury children and brothers and sisters say the mourning prayers over their nineteen year-old friends.
Language:
Hebrew was modernized twenty-five years ago by Ben Yehuda; every new immigrant, upon entering Israel, is entitled to six months of free Hebrew instruction.
Conclusion:
For the first twenty-five years of Israel’s statehood, everyone was absorbed in building up the country, but since 1967, Israel has seen a corrosion of its collective identity. War in 1973 served again to make Jewish identity more personal and pivotal.
Two books may summarize Jewish identity: The Scriptures, and Theodore Herzel’s “The Jewish State.” Differences exist among people as to which text is more important.
The lecture concludes with Naomi, Anita and Segalia (Naomi’s twenty-four year old daughter) speaking to us about what their Jewish identity means to them as modern Jewish women.
