Not at all. I’d say there’s a big difference between the two.
As for my identity, I don’t see why not. I identify as Jewish more than anything else. Israelis, granted, are genetically diverse, but their customs are very much the way I was brought up, and Jews (for the first time in 2,000 years) have a shared reference that isn’t merely mythological. The fact that I’m a product of a Sephardic-Ashkenazi marriage doesn’t hurt my ability to understand Israeli society, either.
OK, I think I understand, though I still think that your allegiances are mostly driven by your upbringing, not by any rational thought. Anyway, having at some point learned three languages fluently by partial immersion (with half-life of about 3-5 years if not practiced), I recommend it over anything else.
Not at all. I’d say there’s a big difference between the two.
As for my identity, I don’t see why not. I identify as Jewish more than anything else. Israelis, granted, are genetically diverse, but their customs are very much the way I was brought up, and Jews (for the first time in 2,000 years) have a shared reference that isn’t merely mythological. The fact that I’m a product of a Sephardic-Ashkenazi marriage doesn’t hurt my ability to understand Israeli society, either.
OK, I think I understand, though I still think that your allegiances are mostly driven by your upbringing, not by any rational thought. Anyway, having at some point learned three languages fluently by partial immersion (with half-life of about 3-5 years if not practiced), I recommend it over anything else.