Jewish curious ….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m the OP. Wow, some posters really make a lot of assumptions. My roots are such that there’s actually a very good chance that I have Jewish ancestry - not Ashkenazi, but Jewish. My ancestry is Portuguese and from a small village where there were Jews but many people converted. It’s a point of curiosity, not my identity, but many of the assumptions about Judaism and ethnicity in the US are firmly rooted in the Ashkenazi experience. There are people all over South America, Africa, France, Spain and Portugal who have Jewish ancestry but may not even know it. I’ve read that as many as 20% of Iberian men have Jewish ancestry. Expand that to all the former colonies of Spain and Portugal, and you have lots of people who have Jewish DNA but do not practice the religion nor identify as Jewish.

Anywho… Thanks to those who directed me to resources. I will look into them.

Are you…goysplaining to Jews about Jewishness?

😂😂 Well the poster didn’t understand when Jews explained it to him, maybe if the goy did, he would understand … 😉

Ugh no. Goys need to stay out of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

He’s an angry goy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

That’s a great way to ingratiate yourself to a new community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

He’s an angry goy

Nah - some people have been helpful. A good percentage have talked down to me and a few obviously have issues with converts. I asked a simple question and thanked those who answered it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

He’s an angry goy

Nah - some people have been helpful. A good percentage have talked down to me and a few obviously have issues with converts. I asked a simple question and thanked those who answered it.

No one has an issue with converts. Some people asked how converts might feel about joining an ethnoreligion.

You goysplained and then got angry when we called you out on it.

[Anonymous]

This is a really good article about how Jews are at once a religion, an ethnicity, and a nationality.

And before people get upset: it’s written by an Ashkenazi Jew, but acknowledges the many ethnicities that comprise the Jewish people.

OP should read it to learn about the people they’re considering joining.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-secular-life/201901/what-are-jews?amp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

He’s an angry goy

Nah - some people have been helpful. A good percentage have talked down to me and a few obviously have issues with converts. I asked a simple question and thanked those who answered it.

No one has an issue with converts. Some people asked how converts might feel about joining an ethnoreligion.

You goysplained and then got angry when we called you out on it.

And some people were incredibly patronizing throughout the thread.

But, to be clear, I didn't get angry when someone said I goysplained. I did get angry when someone told me what to say or not say. Like I said, there were a lot of assumptions made about me, what I know and don't know about Judaism and my ethnicity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sixth & I and the JCC have intro to Judaism classes with no expectation for conversion but cater to the Jewish curious (as well as those born Jewish but raised secular). 92Y in NYC also had the same class offered remotely during covid at least. They book out months in advance though.

Thank you! This is very helpful.

Thank you to all of those people who have been helpful throughout the thread. Really.

First lesson: don’t explain things about being Jewish to Jews.

First lesson for you: Don't tell me what to say or what I know or don't know.

He’s an angry goy

Nah - some people have been helpful. A good percentage have talked down to me and a few obviously have issues with converts. I asked a simple question and thanked those who answered it.

No one has an issue with converts. Some people asked how converts might feel about joining an ethnoreligion.

You goysplained and then got angry when we called you out on it.

And some people were incredibly patronizing throughout the thread.

But, to be clear, I didn't get angry when someone said I goysplained. I did get angry when someone told me what to say or not say. Like I said, there were a lot of assumptions made about me, what I know and don't know about Judaism and my ethnicity.

Explaining things about being Jewish to Jews is goysplaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m happy that people choose to convert.

I’m also very proud to have been born a Jew, and I will never apologize for it, nor will I allow people to act as though Jewish ethnicity is subjective or should be put in quotations.

It is an identity that has survived multiple genocides. Those genocides were as much or more about Jewish ethnicity than they were about Judaism the religion. Hitler didn’t care whether someone was practicing the religion. He killed based on ethnicity. The existence of a Jewish ethnic identity is a big reason why many Europeans did not see Jews as white for many hundreds of years.

I can be welcoming of converts to the religion and proud of my ethnicity at the same time.

Who is saying you shouldn't be proud of your ethnicity?
There is a difference between saying "I'm very proud to have been born a Jew," and "[Converts] are not part of the Jewish people, from an ethnic standpoint, and never can be." Just end your statement on the positive affirmation of yourself.

When people put ethnicity in quotes, they are minimizing it as a legitimate identity.

I am the PP who put it in quotes, but I clarified that I was objecting to the notion that “Jewish ethnic identity” = white, Ashkenazi Jewish identity. I do it dispute that the latter is an ethnic identity (I am married to one, whose entire family on one side was was killed in the Holocaust). I just reject the notion that this is the only way to be “ethnically Jewish” or Jewish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m happy that people choose to convert.

I’m also very proud to have been born a Jew, and I will never apologize for it, nor will I allow people to act as though Jewish ethnicity is subjective or should be put in quotations.

It is an identity that has survived multiple genocides. Those genocides were as much or more about Jewish ethnicity than they were about Judaism the religion. Hitler didn’t care whether someone was practicing the religion. He killed based on ethnicity. The existence of a Jewish ethnic identity is a big reason why many Europeans did not see Jews as white for many hundreds of years.

I can be welcoming of converts to the religion and proud of my ethnicity at the same time.

Who is saying you shouldn't be proud of your ethnicity?
There is a difference between saying "I'm very proud to have been born a Jew," and "[Converts] are not part of the Jewish people, from an ethnic standpoint, and never can be." Just end your statement on the positive affirmation of yourself.

When people put ethnicity in quotes, they are minimizing it as a legitimate identity.

I am the PP who put it in quotes, but I clarified that I was objecting to the notion that “Jewish ethnic identity” = white, Ashkenazi Jewish identity. I do it dispute that the latter is an ethnic identity (I am married to one, whose entire family on one side was was killed in the Holocaust). I just reject the notion that this is the only way to be “ethnically Jewish” or Jewish.

“Do it” I meant “don’t”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m happy that people choose to convert.

I’m also very proud to have been born a Jew, and I will never apologize for it, nor will I allow people to act as though Jewish ethnicity is subjective or should be put in quotations.

It is an identity that has survived multiple genocides. Those genocides were as much or more about Jewish ethnicity than they were about Judaism the religion. Hitler didn’t care whether someone was practicing the religion. He killed based on ethnicity. The existence of a Jewish ethnic identity is a big reason why many Europeans did not see Jews as white for many hundreds of years.

I can be welcoming of converts to the religion and proud of my ethnicity at the same time.

Who is saying you shouldn't be proud of your ethnicity?
There is a difference between saying "I'm very proud to have been born a Jew," and "[Converts] are not part of the Jewish people, from an ethnic standpoint, and never can be." Just end your statement on the positive affirmation of yourself.

When people put ethnicity in quotes, they are minimizing it as a legitimate identity.

I am the PP who put it in quotes, but I clarified that I was objecting to the notion that “Jewish ethnic identity” = white, Ashkenazi Jewish identity. I do it dispute that the latter is an ethnic identity (I am married to one, whose entire family on one side was was killed in the Holocaust). I just reject the notion that this is the only way to be “ethnically Jewish” or Jewish.

No one ever said it was the only way, so I’m not seeing where you ever got that from.

[Anonymous]

I want to point out that, for hundreds and hundreds of years, non-Jewish Europeans did not consider Ashkenazi Jews to be white.

Americans see Ashkenazi Jews as white, but the reality is far from that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m happy that people choose to convert.

I’m also very proud to have been born a Jew, and I will never apologize for it, nor will I allow people to act as though Jewish ethnicity is subjective or should be put in quotations.

It is an identity that has survived multiple genocides. Those genocides were as much or more about Jewish ethnicity than they were about Judaism the religion. Hitler didn’t care whether someone was practicing the religion. He killed based on ethnicity. The existence of a Jewish ethnic identity is a big reason why many Europeans did not see Jews as white for many hundreds of years.

I can be welcoming of converts to the religion and proud of my ethnicity at the same time.

Who is saying you shouldn't be proud of your ethnicity?
There is a difference between saying "I'm very proud to have been born a Jew," and "[Converts] are not part of the Jewish people, from an ethnic standpoint, and never can be." Just end your statement on the positive affirmation of yourself.

When people put ethnicity in quotes, they are minimizing it as a legitimate identity.

I am the PP who put it in quotes, but I clarified that I was objecting to the notion that “Jewish ethnic identity” = white, Ashkenazi Jewish identity. I do it dispute that the latter is an ethnic identity (I am married to one, whose entire family on one side was was killed in the Holocaust). I just reject the notion that this is the only way to be “ethnically Jewish” or Jewish.

So you’re married to a Jew, but you aren’t a Jew?

Stop goysplaining.