17. My (Few) Thoughts on our Religion
Have a look at the title at the top of the page, and understand that this will be a short post.
A “what if” question
If I were a religious type, there’s a good chance that this Israel adventure would never have taken place. Perhaps I would have found myself at home in a devout Jewish community that could satisfy both my social and spiritual needs.
But in truth, I never developed a deep appreciation for Jewish tradition… or for any tradition for that matter. I would simply have to find a different way to connect to my tribal affiliation.
Are you or aren’t you?
For anyone interested in exploring the difference between religious identity in Israel vis-à-vis abroad, here is an enlightening anecdote:
In 1982, I arrived at the Israel Consulate in Houston for my first meeting with the immigration advisor. While waiting for our meeting, there was a simple, one-page questionnaire to complete. I filled it in quickly. Nevertheless, I was flummoxed by the declaration at the bottom of the page:
I am (check one):
o Religious
o Not religious.
“What kind of nonsense is that?” I asked myself as I puzzled over the possibility of a non-binary reply to the question. What about “traditional” or “not strictly religious” or “when I feel like it”?
But looking back, I realized that the question accurately reflected the binary reality of religious identity in Israel. Either you are or you aren’t, and your answer says so much about your lifestyle choices — such as where you’ll live, what you eat, the school that your children will attend, how you will (or won’t) observe the Sabbath, and what kind of people will become part of your social circle.
