J7: Chosen People

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Identity

In the previous discussion we have highlighted how each individual must find an answer for themselves to this perplexing issue, namely what being Jewish means. Much of this is based upon the concept: 'personal identity'. If you are going to discuss people's Jewish identity, it is quite important to get to grips with the notion of personal identity first. One way to do this is to draw an outline of a person on the board and ask participants to shout out things the characteristics that help define a person i.e. things that distinguish a person from another person. Write out their suggestions on the board, around the outline you have already drawn. These probably will include height, weight, sex, appearance, intelligence, friends, family culture, birth place, history etc.

- Once this list has been drawn up, divide the list into two categories: those features that have been forced upon the individual and those features that have been chosen by the individual. You could also ask participants to rank the factors in order of importance for their own identity.

- Since we are focusing on the Jewish aspect of their identity, ask people to select two from the list that they think is related to their Jewish identity (or add other factors that adequately express their Jewish identity). Again discuss whether this is forced or chosen and how this identity manifests itself in public (such as going to Jewish Assembly, for example).

- You have met someone over a chat room on the Web. In order to ensure that you are not a total geek, that person has asked you to describe yourself in six words. You seem stuck, so this person sends the following list of groups and asks to which three do you most belong and to which three do you least belong. The list includes vegetarian, pupil, country person, town person, British, English, Scottish, right wing, left wing, Jewish, religious, orthodox, reform, football fan, liberal Askenazi Sefardi, music fan…feel free to add your own. (You could read the list out and ask people to pick a few). Again try and get people to explain there choices and distinguish between those groups to which they are forced to be members of and those groups for which it is through choice.

Brother Daniel

- Moving from questions about general identity to Jewish identity is difficult. Again this is a personal subject and must be treated gently. One way to begin such a discussion is to give people list from which they have to select which they have to select those features are important to them as a Jew. The list could include the following examples: serving in the Israeli army, making a bar mitzvah, campaigning on behalf of Jews in trouble, learning the Bible, fixing a mezuzah on ones house, being honest, fasting on Yom Kippur, seeing every Jew as being part of a family, believing in God, keeping kosher, being a good person, learning Jewish history. Once they have selected those features that are important, try and get them to put them in order of importance. This process could provoke serious discussion as you are asking people to make choices and begin to define their own identity.

- Three years ago, there was a programme on Radio 4 with the title: "It's not Xmas for me", interviewing members of ethnic minorities and asked them did they feel outsiders during the Christmas season. Do you feel an outsider or not? Do you do anything to mark Christmas or not? Do you feel that you are any the less British by celebrating other festivals than Christmas?

- The case of Brother Daniel is highly controversial and likely to provoke much debate. Is he a Jew? Enact the court case and let the ensuing argument flow. (This is a REAL argument that provoked an immense controversy world wide. After a few hearings, the court decided by a vote of 4:1 against Brother Daniel).

Why be different?

Having tried to define what makes someone a Jew and begun to explore the notion of Jewish identity, you are ready to address the question of "why be different?"

- After defining the terms Universal and Particular, ask your audience to identify some messages of Judaism that are universal (i.e. are addressed to the whole of humanity) and messages that are particular (addressed to Jews alone). After describing the paradox of Avraham's name, pose the problem: is Avraham's legacy universal or particular?

- The notion of particular monotheism can be well illustrated using the light and two prisms (ask in the science lab for one of these). Before shining the light ask your audience to describe the light. Then repeat this question after it has gone through the prism. Finally, repeat the question a third time, after the refracted light has gone through the second prism. Show what happens to the final product if some of it is prevented from moving through the second prism. Here you need all the different particular sections to make up the unified whole.

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