Being made not Jewish would presumably also mean that you wouldn’t identify as Jewish.
I apparently look Jewish. I’ve been handed $20 by someone in a Western state because of a Bible verse that nations which are friendly to Jews will flourish. I told her I wasn’t observant, but she didn’t care.
A street musician spontaneously played Hatikvah (the Israeli national anthem) for me.
In order to be thoroughly not Jewish, I’d have to look different.
How much is one’s identity in oneself, and how much is in other people’s minds?
One piece of black culture is about hair—having different hair would change the culture.
How much is one’s identity in oneself, and how much is in other people’s minds?
A large majority of German Jews before WWII were fully assimilated and considered themselves Germans, until they were rather sternly reminded of the difference. The situation was very nearly repeated in the Soviet Union around 1953, though Stalin’s death interfered with the planned forced displacement and possibly worse. Still, the resulting anti-Jewish sentiment there never went away completely.
So, other people’s minds often matter more than your own.
Being made not Jewish would presumably also mean that you wouldn’t identify as Jewish.
I apparently look Jewish. I’ve been handed $20 by someone in a Western state because of a Bible verse that nations which are friendly to Jews will flourish. I told her I wasn’t observant, but she didn’t care.
A street musician spontaneously played Hatikvah (the Israeli national anthem) for me.
In order to be thoroughly not Jewish, I’d have to look different.
How much is one’s identity in oneself, and how much is in other people’s minds?
One piece of black culture is about hair—having different hair would change the culture.
A large majority of German Jews before WWII were fully assimilated and considered themselves Germans, until they were rather sternly reminded of the difference. The situation was very nearly repeated in the Soviet Union around 1953, though Stalin’s death interfered with the planned forced displacement and possibly worse. Still, the resulting anti-Jewish sentiment there never went away completely.
So, other people’s minds often matter more than your own.