The flurry of posts on the UUJA e-list continues. I'm enjoying the busy-buzz-buzz of excited connecting.
It's made me think about who we are, and surprised that I haven't heard or raised this question before. Some of us identify as Jewish UUs. Some identify as UUs of Jewish Heritage (sub group- "cultural Jews".) Some are spouses or partners of Jews. Some of us are UUs with no Jewish heritage but who have an affinity for or interest in Judaism. Some of us wish to be "allies to Jews" because we have an understanding of anti-Jewish sentiment and oppression, the historical role the targeting of Jews has played in the maintaining of oppressive society. Who have I forgotten?
It's similar to the realization that there is not just one Jewish culture but many. There are Jews from most every ethnic /racial group. People who continue Jewish religious traditions come in several flavors: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Chasidic, Renewal, Reconstructionist, There are Jews of every socioeconomic class. We run the gamut from politically right wing to left wing Some of us would never criticise Israel. Some of us are moved by conscience to advocate for Palestinian's human rights.
Is there or could there be an over arching term that encompasses all of us? There is the name of our organization, UUs for Jewish Awareness. I'm grateful, but not satisfied. My brain begins trying to create an image of Jewish, UU and ally. What would symbolize ally? ...Holland? righteous gentile award? ...time for research. Wait, the UUJA has a lovely image of the chalice and the menorah! Am I reinventing the wheel? Some questions are worth repeating! And we can't have too much art.
Now I can't ask the question "Who are we?" without thinking "Whose are we?" At our January SWUUMA annual retreat, Revs. Galaher and Lortie gave us an experience of the dynamite UU curricula "Whose Are We?" This isn't a question needing an intellectual answer. It is one that asks us to see who we are by discovering the yearnings of faith and the ties of our heart. I expect that it is what we will be doing at the upcoming "Let Us Be Counted" conference in Atlanta.
PS. Some who connect to my Jewishness, occasionally call me by my Jewish name, Fivel. Yes, by all means feel free!
Shalom Y'all.
Showing posts with label diversity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diversity. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Issues Arise as UUJA Conference nears
“Let Us Be Counted” a conference for Uus for Jewish awareness is two weeks away. This week the UUJA e-list has suddenly lit up like a... Chanuka bush. UU Jews and UUs of Jewish heritage are expressing excitement, and anticipation of experiencing shared values, common understandings, engagement and celebration.
Connection is made sweet by empathy, an intuitive grasp of another's pain or joy. I'm guessing that UUJA members are eager to meet with others who know intimately what it's like to be UU Jews or UUs of Jewish heritage.
I have experienced (since '83) a tension being my identities as a UU and a Jew. Over the years I learned how to share my Jewishness in a way that increases the chances of understanding and appreciation. I've had also repeatedly experienced a cultural gap that I've taken as part of the cost of participation in this religious movement.
From my first days I found that UU literature expressed the beliefs and values that I was raised with as a liberal Jew, but the assumption has seemed to be that these ideas and values were the creation and the property of a group of former Christians, liberal Christians and descendants of Christians. My impression is that as UUs we see ourselves as an elite group of people who have been smart enough to claim only the sensible aspects of Christianity. The fact that only a minority of UUs identify as Christians doesn't alter this orientation. Rarely has Judaism or Jewishness been seen as part of who we are. It's been painful at times to experience the lack of understanding,the invisibility of the influence that Jewish beliefs and values have had upon our UU tradition.
For example, the idea that began the Unitarian movement was the Unity (rather than the trinity) of God. Channing in the sermon that is credited for the claiming of the name Unitarian in America, said: "we follow the religion of Jesus, not the religion about Jesus." How often has this passage been read by us? And how seldom has it been mentioned that the Unitarians and the Universalists were returning to a faith congruent with Judaism?
More personally challenging has been the way that the assumptions about who we are play out in our movement. Despite having UU values, having fairly classical Unitarian and Universalist theological beliefs, and despite a high degree of identification with "progressive culture," I have too often had the impression that I'm still not one of the the right kinds of people, not one of the "us." For years my internalized conditioning from being raised Jewish had me think this was simply my personal issue. In time I came to understand that there are implicit messages, cultural assumptions about who we are, and sometimes they don't include UUs of Jewish orientation. For years I sensed the welcome of Jewishness as superficial, that there existed a don't ask don't tell policy w/ regards to sharing what was really meaningful as a UU Jew. I had the impression that I was expected (as an outsider) to be willing to make constant effort to fit into a culture that doesn't belong to me.
Since I have kept my mouth shut on this subject for most of my life, I may not be quite able to articulate what I've experienced perfectly. Even if I can't spell it out perfectly, will you be willing to trust that I might be expressing an intuitive knowledge of something real?
On the few times I have attempted to raise issues of welcome, culture and Jews belonging in our movement, I've generally been reminded that there are lots of UUs of Jewish heritage. I'm given the names of specific UU Ministers of Jewish heritage.
It's been my sense that until recently, the majority of UUs of Jewish heritage had little exposure to Jewish religion or culture. Until recently it seemed to me that those of Jewish heritage that "made it" into UU, have tended to be highly assimilated Jews. Others attitude toward Judaism seemed to assume that Judaism was the escaped Egypt, and UU the promised land of liberation.
Fortunately, in the past decade, I've experienced increasing numbers of UUS who claim or have interest in the spirituality and richness of Jewish traditions. For me UU is a place that theoretically allows me to be my religious hybrid self. I suspect that the upcoming gathering will help move us from “in theory” to “in practice.”
Connection is made sweet by empathy, an intuitive grasp of another's pain or joy. I'm guessing that UUJA members are eager to meet with others who know intimately what it's like to be UU Jews or UUs of Jewish heritage.
I have experienced (since '83) a tension being my identities as a UU and a Jew. Over the years I learned how to share my Jewishness in a way that increases the chances of understanding and appreciation. I've had also repeatedly experienced a cultural gap that I've taken as part of the cost of participation in this religious movement.
From my first days I found that UU literature expressed the beliefs and values that I was raised with as a liberal Jew, but the assumption has seemed to be that these ideas and values were the creation and the property of a group of former Christians, liberal Christians and descendants of Christians. My impression is that as UUs we see ourselves as an elite group of people who have been smart enough to claim only the sensible aspects of Christianity. The fact that only a minority of UUs identify as Christians doesn't alter this orientation. Rarely has Judaism or Jewishness been seen as part of who we are. It's been painful at times to experience the lack of understanding,the invisibility of the influence that Jewish beliefs and values have had upon our UU tradition.
For example, the idea that began the Unitarian movement was the Unity (rather than the trinity) of God. Channing in the sermon that is credited for the claiming of the name Unitarian in America, said: "we follow the religion of Jesus, not the religion about Jesus." How often has this passage been read by us? And how seldom has it been mentioned that the Unitarians and the Universalists were returning to a faith congruent with Judaism?
More personally challenging has been the way that the assumptions about who we are play out in our movement. Despite having UU values, having fairly classical Unitarian and Universalist theological beliefs, and despite a high degree of identification with "progressive culture," I have too often had the impression that I'm still not one of the the right kinds of people, not one of the "us." For years my internalized conditioning from being raised Jewish had me think this was simply my personal issue. In time I came to understand that there are implicit messages, cultural assumptions about who we are, and sometimes they don't include UUs of Jewish orientation. For years I sensed the welcome of Jewishness as superficial, that there existed a don't ask don't tell policy w/ regards to sharing what was really meaningful as a UU Jew. I had the impression that I was expected (as an outsider) to be willing to make constant effort to fit into a culture that doesn't belong to me.
Since I have kept my mouth shut on this subject for most of my life, I may not be quite able to articulate what I've experienced perfectly. Even if I can't spell it out perfectly, will you be willing to trust that I might be expressing an intuitive knowledge of something real?
On the few times I have attempted to raise issues of welcome, culture and Jews belonging in our movement, I've generally been reminded that there are lots of UUs of Jewish heritage. I'm given the names of specific UU Ministers of Jewish heritage.
It's been my sense that until recently, the majority of UUs of Jewish heritage had little exposure to Jewish religion or culture. Until recently it seemed to me that those of Jewish heritage that "made it" into UU, have tended to be highly assimilated Jews. Others attitude toward Judaism seemed to assume that Judaism was the escaped Egypt, and UU the promised land of liberation.
Fortunately, in the past decade, I've experienced increasing numbers of UUS who claim or have interest in the spirituality and richness of Jewish traditions. For me UU is a place that theoretically allows me to be my religious hybrid self. I suspect that the upcoming gathering will help move us from “in theory” to “in practice.”
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