Jewish Identity

Someone posed the question this week in class as to why we identify ourselves as Jews. I myself firstly identify myself as a Jew because that's how I make decisions of my everyday life, saying that I am a Jew is saying a lot about myself. Being Jewish is not just a religion, it's a way of life, it's a culture, a history and so much more. It's something that I am always proud of and to me is more important then being an American.
Identifying other Jews is also important to me because it's a connection that I can make with people, and it's a connection unlike any other. When I find out someone is Jewish, the next thing I ask is if they went to camp or if they were in a youth group, because these Jewish organizations make the Jewish world smaller and closer for all of us. The world talks about the idea of 6 degrees of separation, but it seems like when you're a Jew, it's more like 1 degree of separation. Here at Indiana University, although it's a large campus, that Jewish connection can make the campus feel so much smaller.

posted by Lainna @ 11:08 PM