Kvell and Tell – I Am A Jew Because...

Kvell and Tell – I Am A Jew Because…

Our Adult Confirmation / Kabbalat Torah participants, as part of the class’s culmination service, reflected upon Edmond Fleg’s poem “I am a Jew” and then wrote their own.

Cathie Rutkin

Why does there have to be a clarification, a why? I am a Jew, period

One who chooses to become a member of the Jewish faith seems better suited to fill in the blank at the end of this statement.

I am a Jew.

If I did not observe holidays and rituals, I would still be a Jew

If I did not belong to a warm & caring Synagogue community, I would still be a Jew

If I did not enjoy singing Jewish melodies & Israeli dancing, I would still be a Jew

If I never went to Jewish Summer camp, I would still be a Jew

I have never been to Israel, I am still a Jew

Just because I enjoy Matzah Brie, Bagels and Lox and other traditional “Jewish” foods, does not make me a Jew

Being able to find the only other Jew in a room full of people, I don’t know if that makes me a Jew – it’s just a thing that Jews seem to be able to do (aka “Jewdar”).

The things I do or do not do, do not make me a Jew.

From deep inside my being

I am a Jew

Ed Kaz

I am a Jew because I honor my parents, and Eastern European Immigrant Grandparents by doing so.

I am a Jew because I desire to pass on Jewish values to my children.

I am a Jew because of the Passover Seder.

I am a Jew because of Esther and Mordechai, and the Maccabees.

I am a Jew because of Hillel, Rabbi Akiva, and Moses Maimonides.

I am a Jew because the people of Israel value learning and medicine.

I am a Jew because of the efforts of Theodore Herzl, David Ben-Gurion, Moshe Dayan, and Golda Meir.

I am a Jew because of Hank Greenberg, Al Rosen, Sandy Koufax, and Ken Holtzman. Baseball is Jewish. The Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers are Jewish.

I am a Jew because of Bagels and Lox, matzah brie, gefilte fish, corned beef, latkes, Hanukah Cookies, and wonderful Delis. We bond around food.

I am a Jew because Felix Frankfurter, Arthur Goldberg, Louis Brandeis, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Elena Kagan. The People of the Book are great legal scholars.

I am a Jew because of the Marx Brothers, the Stooges, Madeline Kahn, Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Carl Reiner, and Mel Brooks. Jews have helped the world to laugh through difficult times.

I am a Jew because I feel a bond to other Jews around the World, in every country.

I am a Jew because the melodies and prayers heard in Temple bring me back to my childhood.

I am a Jew because the World is a better place because of our people.

Elissa Linick

I am a Jew because
I am part of a tribe of resilient, perseverant, and holy people.

I am a Jew because
I feel connected to the souls of my ancestors.

I am a Jew because
I can use my mind, make up my mind, and change my mind.

I am a Jew because
I feel a strong connection to Israel, even though I’ve never been there. (yet!)

I am a Jew because
Every celebration should include a feast!

I am a Jew because
I will eat cream cheese and lox, but never on a raisin bagel!
And definitely not with capers!

I won’t eat borscht, but I’ll eat brisket.
I am a Jew because my grandmother would be okay with that.

I am a Jew because
I was stressed out when I made my first Challah from scratch, because I wanted it to be just right.

I am a Jew because
It was a bit dry, but my grandmother would be okay with that too.

I am Jew because
I cannot order a meal from a restaurant without modifying it, because every Jew and every meal is unique.

I am a Jew because
I love Shabbat and believe in its significance.

I am a Jew because
The Jewish principles, values, and ideologies, align with mine.

I am a Jew because
I believe in pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life.

I am a Jew because
I believe all people are children of G-d, created B’tzelem Elohim (in God’s image), and should be treated as such.

I am a Jew because
Every time I hear Kol Nidre, I think of exactly how my grandfather, a cantor from Brooklyn, sang it.

I am a Jew because
Every time I hear Kol Nidre, I cry.

I am a Jew because
I can argue with respect, and I can agree to disagree.

I am a Jew because
I will answer every question, with a question. Then I’ll ask another question…. and then another…

I am a Jew because
it took me until I was 51 to become a Bat Mitzvah, and that was in G-d’s perfect timing.

I am a Jew because
I held my father’s hand, as he was leaving this earth, and promised him I would take good care of my mom.

I am a Jew because
The traditions, rituals, and values I ascribe to, have been bestowed upon me by my ancestors, and will be passed down by me, L’dor Vador.

I am a Jew because I am.

Mark Shear

Why I am a Jew – First, I was born this way. It wasn’t always accepted in some places I lived.

I am a Jew so 6 million did not die in vain in the Holocaust. So Jews throughout our history have a memory.

I am a Jew because even when I question the existence of the Almighty, the world shows more beauty and proof of why God exists.

I am a Jew because who else would have given us pets that love us unconditionally.

I am a Jew for the love of our traditions and religion which keep evolving and are not stagnate.

I am a Jew because science confirms certain miracles that got us here such as evolution.

I am a Jew because love confirms faith, both are ethereal yet exist.

I am a Jew because learning is key to living. We were given the Torah, the ability to question and be curious so we can stay alive. Not only as a survival method but to prosper and enjoy life.

I am a Jew because our traditions sustain me. In Adulthood Shabbas services have provided a respite from the rest of the week. After services, I feel refreshed like I was on a mini vacation.

I am a Jew because there are times at services that I can feel the presence of relatives and it wraps me in warmth.

I am a Jew because wrapping a tallis around me also gives me the feeling of warmth.

I am a Jew because it is a choice I made and others can make it regardless of background.

I am a Jew for my wife, children, their spouses and our grandchildren here and to be. L’dor v dor.

Nancy Rothenberg

What’s important to me that I’d like my grandchildren to know.

Here are the ways you should strive to act in the world.

Integrity. Do the right thing, even if it’s not advantageous to you. Admit mistakes, ask for forgiveness and try to fix it if you can. Follow through on commitments – do what you say you are going to do, or if you can’t, explain why not. Doing this will make you a person that others can count on.
Empathy. Give others the benefit of the doubt. Try to understand their situation and how they may be feeling, which leads them to act the way they do. Treat others with kindness and patience, like you would wish to be treated.
Social Responsibility. The reason we are here on earth is to make it a better place for others. No one is an island. Volunteer your time and give your money to good causes. Try to find a way to say yes when asked to help. Don’t feel entitled to anything, entitlement leads to treating others as less than you are.
Justice. Justice as a societal goal should be yours as well – e.g. income equality, anti-racism, welcoming immigration, offering others the same opportunities you had, finding the root causes of inequity, etc. It should also be carried out on a personal level. Treat people fairly. Find workable solutions that give everyone some measure of satisfaction.

Basically, be a mensch.

Ralph Lacher

I am a Jew because I choose

to believe that humanity is a reflection of the Almighty
to accept the responsibility my ancestors bestowed on me to remember where we came from, the struggles,

the sacrifices, the courage that made our life possible and to have a Jewish home so that our progeny can appreciate what it took for us to thrive
to embrace the dark difficulties of yesterday while believing in the promise of a bright and awesome tomorrow
to allow Hashem into my heart
to argue with Hashem in an attempt to understand my role, my soul
to overcome my personal doubts and strive to have faith
to pass on our beliefs, ethics and traditions to my progeny so they too may revere, respect, doubt, embrace and argue with Hashem
to be accountable for my actions
to honor our ancestors as heroes, not martyrs
to remain strong and bow to no one
to know that I can always come home

I am a Jew because I made the choice

Richard Rutkin

I am a Jew because I choose to be a part of a belief system that cares for the good of all humanity

I am a Jew because we seem to easily find others who have the same or similar beliefs within our communities

I am a Jew because when times are tough, we look out for each other

I am a Jew because I know we have a homeland where we can be if we choose to and be welcomed

I am a Jew because those before me gave their lives so I might believe in and practice my religion with little or no fear regardless of danger

I am a Jew because we believe that it is vital to help and respect others without expectation of anything for ourselves

I am a Jew because we have been taught that knowledge is power

I am a Jew because we can make up our own minds about what is true and as Reform Jews we lead our lives without our religion dictating how we must think or believe

I am a Jew because we can have a group of 5 and have 10 conversations with varying topics at the same time without missing a beat.

I am a Jew because having our challah on Friday night and the rest for breakfast over the weekend allows us not only the wonderful taste of our challah but the reminder that we are continuing to celebrate our Shabbat.

I am a Jew because I have experienced other religions, and nothing makes me feel more at home and at peace than Judaism

I am a Jew because we have the right and ability to believe there is or is not a God, but either way we are able to believe in our traditions and heritage without being ostracized.

I am a Jew because I would rather have a higher guidance than rely on humankind to dictate right from wrong. Each of us have varying experiences which may cause us to stray from what is ethical for all not just myself.

Steve Keleman

I am a Jew because..

Centuries of Jewish blood runs through my veins.
The love, the torture and the pains I experienced
as I feel our people cry out on Masada or
the children singing Hatikvah.

I am a Jew because…
My father was the general manager of the B’nai B’rith Messenger
My mother began the LA Pioneer Women’s Chapter
But I pulled sheets over my head so I missed
Sunday School and opted for bed.

I am a Jew because…
I grew into it like finding shoes that fit. I’ve been
So comfortable in my Jewish skin
As the day had come for my Bar Mitzvah and
Then my 15-year confirmation. I stand

Now to remember all things Jewish
But I am not so foolish
About how others see me
Because I am Jewish because I be.

Susie Gruber

MY STORY IS NOT ABOUT RELIGION.

I AM A JEW BECAUSE I FEEL THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MY FATHER’S TEACHINGS AND THE POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE SPIRIT OF MY ANCESTORS. I HOLD TIGHT TO THE TRADITION FROM WHERE I CAME AND HOPE TO NEVER LOSE DIRECTION OF WHERE I AM GOING.

I AM A JEW BECAUSE TORAH REMINDS ME TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE AND TORAH REQUIRES ME TO PURSUE JUSTICE. AS A JEW I HAVE SPENT MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE PRACTICING THIS COMMANDMENT OF PROTECTING THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH ADVERSITY.

I AM A JEW BECAUSE ABOVE ALL ELSE MY TEACHINGS, MY LEGACY AND MY SOULS’ FUEL RESONATES WITH ONE SENTENCE SPOKEN BY KIRK DOUGLAS; “YOU HAVEN’T LEARNED TO LIVE UNTIL YOU’VE LEARNED TO GIVE”. THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH GOD (MY PERSONAL INTERNAL SELF WORTH).

I AM A JEW BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE HIGHEST FORM OF WISDOM IS CHESED, KINDNESS. THE TALMUD.