Leaving Israel and coming back Jewish, so true. I always felt 'extra' Jewish because of being here, so I guess it varies. That's the part that used to drive me crazy about leftist Israelis who oftentimes really seemed to hate Israel. I used to think, especially in the turbulent months leading to October 7th, what idiots, don't you they realize how much the world hates us? Israel's all we got, and we gotta make it work.
Also, thank you for pointing out that 'cognitive peaks' happen at different times in our lives, there's no set time, so to kind of give ourselves a break. I'll be 48 in February, and I think because I grew up in Israel, back in my day, being good at school, or being smart and ambitious at a young age with 'promise' was so, so, so important. So I've always felt like I've missed the boat, as it were, with all the different achievements that I had in mind as a young girl but didn't for various reasons. I'm over that, somewhat, now. I genuinely enjoyed reading that ;-)
I attended Ethical Culture as a kid and never entered a synagogue until I was an adult. After a long journey into Judaism I have found Chabad to be a great place to learn and pray. They are very accepting of all and the congregants unusually friendly. I have found a home and recommend it to those of less liturgical knowledge like myself.
I agree with you totally. I belong to a Conservative synagogue having started in a Reform. Then I discovered Chabad and I have found it to be a most weloming place to worship, socialize, learn about Judaism, etc. The Rabbis and Rebbetzin are amazing people. who do so much outreach and do it successfully. They have a huge university population with programs and events to get them involved in. It is an absolute joy to attend these events and programs and see the many Jewish students participating and beng proud to be Jewish. After reading The Story of Chabad and Rabbi Schneerson who led the way for Chabad's immense growth, I have been so impressed with the work Chabad does throughout the world. I still attend my Conservative synagogue by Zoom since they're in New Jersey, and attend my local Chabad as well.
I remember reading a little book by the Jewish artist, R.B. Kitaj about 15 years ago called "The Second Diasporist Manifesto." Kitaj discussed, among other issues, the huge number of modern artists who were Jews but gave no indication of it. As you read through the book, you kept saying to yourself, "Oh, wow, I had no idea he was Jewish." It made me realize for the first time what an odd thing it was that so much of this world of critics and artists was composed of Jews who all shared a common stance: they were all determined to pretend that being Jewish had little or nothing to do with what they thought or did. Hilarious, really.
One of Kitaj's recommendations to Jews who felt they just didn't fit in to existing categories was a simple one-line injunction: "Be some kind of Jew." Now there was a directive that I could embrace without feeling constrained to be untrue to myself. So simple. Yet it opened a door and changed my life.
Leaving Israel and coming back Jewish, so true. I always felt 'extra' Jewish because of being here, so I guess it varies. That's the part that used to drive me crazy about leftist Israelis who oftentimes really seemed to hate Israel. I used to think, especially in the turbulent months leading to October 7th, what idiots, don't you they realize how much the world hates us? Israel's all we got, and we gotta make it work.
Also, thank you for pointing out that 'cognitive peaks' happen at different times in our lives, there's no set time, so to kind of give ourselves a break. I'll be 48 in February, and I think because I grew up in Israel, back in my day, being good at school, or being smart and ambitious at a young age with 'promise' was so, so, so important. So I've always felt like I've missed the boat, as it were, with all the different achievements that I had in mind as a young girl but didn't for various reasons. I'm over that, somewhat, now. I genuinely enjoyed reading that ;-)
I attended Ethical Culture as a kid and never entered a synagogue until I was an adult. After a long journey into Judaism I have found Chabad to be a great place to learn and pray. They are very accepting of all and the congregants unusually friendly. I have found a home and recommend it to those of less liturgical knowledge like myself.
I agree with you totally. I belong to a Conservative synagogue having started in a Reform. Then I discovered Chabad and I have found it to be a most weloming place to worship, socialize, learn about Judaism, etc. The Rabbis and Rebbetzin are amazing people. who do so much outreach and do it successfully. They have a huge university population with programs and events to get them involved in. It is an absolute joy to attend these events and programs and see the many Jewish students participating and beng proud to be Jewish. After reading The Story of Chabad and Rabbi Schneerson who led the way for Chabad's immense growth, I have been so impressed with the work Chabad does throughout the world. I still attend my Conservative synagogue by Zoom since they're in New Jersey, and attend my local Chabad as well.
I remember reading a little book by the Jewish artist, R.B. Kitaj about 15 years ago called "The Second Diasporist Manifesto." Kitaj discussed, among other issues, the huge number of modern artists who were Jews but gave no indication of it. As you read through the book, you kept saying to yourself, "Oh, wow, I had no idea he was Jewish." It made me realize for the first time what an odd thing it was that so much of this world of critics and artists was composed of Jews who all shared a common stance: they were all determined to pretend that being Jewish had little or nothing to do with what they thought or did. Hilarious, really.
One of Kitaj's recommendations to Jews who felt they just didn't fit in to existing categories was a simple one-line injunction: "Be some kind of Jew." Now there was a directive that I could embrace without feeling constrained to be untrue to myself. So simple. Yet it opened a door and changed my life.