This is the Half-Jewish Network message board. Please feel free to leave a comment, suggestion, idea or question. We see and respond to all messages that are left on this page.
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If you want to stay in touch with us, please sign up to receive our monthly email newsletter, using the “Email Subscription” box in the upper right hand corner of this web page.
The email newsletter will contain information about our activities, links to information about half-Jewish books and films, access to various media articles on half-Jewish people, and much more.
All you have to do is enter your email address in the box and then respond to an email from our website that will confirm your subscription.
2. SUBSCRIBING TO THE FREE MESSAGE BOARD:
If you would also like a second subscription to see any replies that people make to your message or to see messages from other half-Jewish people who post in the future, just post a comment on “About/Message Board” below.
You then will see a check box under your comment asking “Notify me of follow-up comments via email.” Just check that box.
By doing this, you can socialize with, support and advise other half-Jewish people from all over the world as they contact our group.
Now here are some guidelines about posting on the message board –
3. MESSAGE BOARD GUIDELINES:
Adult children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other descendants of intermarriage — we ask you to show courtesy and respect for other commenters’ multiple viewpoints and lifestyles.
People who are not half-Jewish and researchers, media, writers, journalists, reporters and people selling commercial products — please do not post on our message board. Instead, please go to our “About/Contact/Leaders” page and connect with us through the email address listed there.
Be aware that comments may be held for moderation sometimes. If your comment goes to moderation, it should be approved in 24 hours.
We will remove any postings that violate our guidelines. Thank you for respecting our guidelines! It is much appreciated!
Dear Friends: Our first message — how did you find our website? Cordially, Robin
Are there trips to Israel for young persons that have a Jewish parent but raised Christian??? Thank You.
Dear Elmer: Welcome to the Half-Jewish Network!
If you have switched over to Judaism from Christianity and have some type of membership in a Jewish organization, you may be eligible for a Birthright Israel trip. But they will only take you if you can prove that you have switched over to Judaism.
With regard to trips to Israel for Christian-identified half-Jewish young people, I would suggest you do a Google search using the words: “Christian youth trips to Israel” and see what pops up. When I did it, here is one link I found:
http://www.randalldsmith.com/my_weblog/2009/06/christian-youth-experiences-israelchristian-travel-study-programs-ltd-announces-the-beginning-of-a-new-series-of-adventure.html
I don’t know if those trips are free or not. But it looked like that search brought up a lot of different trips through different Christian groups.
Whether you go on a Jewish trip or a Christian trip, be sure to read the Half-jewish Network essays on Israel at:
http://halfjewishnetwork.wordpress.com/israel/ and
http://halfjewishnetwork.wordpress.com/israelamf/
Also, be sure and sign up for our posts through an email subscription or an RSS feed, and we will keep you up to date on the latest news.
In addition, if you send me a private email, I will send you an information email with a lot of material that is not on this website. I can be reached at: binarystar [at] aol [dot] com
Please let us know if you find any free or low-cost Christian trips to Israel for young people and then we can list them as a resource.
Cordially,
Robin
Hello everyone! My name is Rebecca, and I am the daughter of a Lutheran mother and a Jewish father. I traveled to Israel for the first time on the Aish Jerusalem Fellowships trip…and certainly can provide a unique perspective on what was taught during that trip regarding half-Jews and intermarriage as a whole. I decided to give Israel another chance and studied abroad at Tel Aviv University, which I loved. If anyone has any questions, or just wants to talk about the unique challenges which we face, please post back and I would love to chat
Dear Rebecca:
Welcome to the Half-Jewish Network! be sure and sign up for our posts through an email subscription or an RSS feed, and we will keep you up to date on the latest news.
In addition, if you send me a private email, I will send you an information email with a lot of material that is not on this website. I can be reached at: binarystar [at] aol [dot] com
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Friends: Here is a truly annoying article about an Israeli Orthodox organization that fights intermarriage. Their latest activity is trying to prevent Israeli Jewish women from socializing with Israeli Arab men whom they meet at the beach:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4096350,00.html
Cordially,
Robin
My grandmother who brought me up was a ashkenazi jew, i only found this out recently but i makes so many things clear like some of the things she used to do etc.
My mother was christened a protestant in Germany when she was born, my Grandmothers jewishness was never spoken about. What i would like to know is am i considered jewish as i understand it is passed down the maternal side of the family. I would love to learn as much a possible about the jewish faith and lifestyle and follow it if possible in honour of my grandmother who had to hide her heritage! Can anyone help me and answer my question and point me into a direction as to were to start!
Dear Alexandra: Welcome to the Half-Jewish Network! It is an immensely emotional thing to discover a part of your family’s heritage later in life. I will send you a private email packet with some information responding to your questions.
With regard as to whether you are are considered Jewish, have a look at the essay on this website, “Who Is A Jew.” With regard to resources on Judaism, have a look at our “Jewish Resources” page.
With regard to living as a Jew — before you decide to live as a Jew, I would suggest that you learn about Judaism, but also visit Jewish communities and see if you would be comfortable socializing and worshiping with them. Sometimes when people find a lost part of their heritage, there is a strong emotional pull to affiliate with that “half” of themselves, but they have not yet learned enough about that :”half” to know if they would be comfortable in that community.
I will send you more information by private email.
Cordially,
Robin
I recently stumbled upon your site. After 40 something years of life I recently came across my Jewish lineage on my biological Fathers side. I have enjoyed discovering all the history on that side of my Family and I’m proud to be half Jewish. I appreciate your efforts on this site and enjoy reading the information in the different sections. Thank You!
Dear Lobwedge83: Welcome to the Half-Jewish Network! We are very pleased that you like our website and congratulations on discovering information about your father’s Jewish heritage. We are sending you a private email with more information that is not on our website.
Cordially,
Robin
Hey, I just found your website. My father was jewish, my mother catholic, I practice neither. I’d be interested in any information you can provide about patralineal half-jews. Also, why in Israel do politics fall so far to the right, when in America my jewish family and most celebrity jews seem center left to left wing? Am I just seriously misinformed about the politics regarding jews here?
Dear Benjamin: Welcome to the Half-Jewish Network! I have sent you two emails. One is our free email info packet, that has a lot of information about patrilineal Jews. I also recommend that you review our essays on this website, “Who Is A Jew?” and “Israel.”
The second email contains an essay I have been working on about why Israel is so much further to the right than the American Jewish community. Your perceptions are correct, and I hope the two informational email packets will answer your questions.
Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our email newsletter. There is a subscription form, entitled “Email subscription,” on the upper right hand corner of this web page. That way you can stay in touch with us.
Cordially,
Robin
Hi All,
I have planned a trip to Israel in October of this year. I thought that I had worked out dates to avoid major holidays but it turned out that I was not very good. I will be in Jerusalem for Yom Kippur. From what I have read the city shuts down for the day. When I first realised this I was disappointed as I saw it as a wasted day of my holiday. However, upon reflection I think that this will not be such a bad thing. I am not religious at all and was not brought up practicing Judaism so I would not feel comfortable attending services. But I wondered if there might be opportunities to help at a shelter or other charity working with vulnerable people who might not be with their families on such an important day for Jewish people. I am a social worker in real life so I realise the kind of checks that are normally needed for someone to work with vulnerable people and that I might have left things too late … but I thought that I would ask if anyone had any suggestions or contacts.
Also, while I am in Israel I wondered if there are any places to visit of particular interest to half Jewish people like me that you know of.
I should say that I live in the UK.
Thanks.
I am a Muslim girl in a relationship with a Jewish guy, I was wondering if there were any people who could share some advice and experience?
I would love to hear from someone in a similar situation, how did your families accept it? I should also mention we are also both living in the heart of the middle east..
Dear Victoria: L’shanah tovah (a happy Jewish New Year!) I am sending you a private reply with information addressing your inquiry about charities that you could work with during your visit to israel and also about places to visit that might be of interest to half-Jewish people.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Liora: L’shanah tovah (a happy Jewish New Year!) I also understand that the Islamic festival, the Eid al-Adha, is coming up on Monday, November 7, so accept our best wishes for that day.
Regarding your inquiry about getting advice from other Jewish-Muslim couples on this website — this website is used primarily by adult children and grandchildren of intermarriage.
We are always happy to advise interfaith couples, but if you need to talk with other interfaith couples, you will need to also visit websites where interfaith couples post and visit.
I will write you privately and make some suggestions as to websites that you might visit to locate other interfaith couples.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Friends: Our first “blog post/email newsletter” has been posted on our “About/HJN Page” — be sure to have a look at it!
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Friends, I only discovered in my late teans that my father was Jewish, my grandfather was the only person in our family who ever spoke of it.. Our family was also German, another well kept secret, they emmigrated to the UK before WW2. I always feel as if there is this precious hidden part that is longing to re-connect somehow, thank you so much for your site. I grew up in the UK and now live in Canada. kindest regards Linda.
Dear Duality,
Sorry I don’t think you can send me a private message because I posted as an anonymous user.
I know this site is more for the half-jewish audience, but that’s exactly why I joined. Our children will be half jewish, and I wanted to know how life for half jewish children is, and what kind of problems we might need to think of before starting our family. We will raise them fully knowing both of our religious backgrounds. But I know that can sometimes be hard to live with, although it is also one of the best gifts a child could be given to be raised with such love. Speaking from experience I was raised in a half christian half muslim home, you grow up with an open heart, I think thats one of the reasons I was brave enough to start a relationship with my jewish boyfriend, in addition to him being an amazing person.
Oh, thank you for your wishes,
L’shanah tovah
I guess the name of this Web site is a settled issue, but one might have also pondered aloud using terms like Semi-Semite, Isreal-Lite, Half-brew, Less-saic, etc.
Maybe we can still talk about a symbol. If you want rainbow colors, fine – but how about using them to paint a Star of David missing its bottom half?
Dear Linda:
Linda: Thank you for sharing your story! Other half-Jewish people visiting this website are always really happy to see the stories of other half-Jewish people and know that they are not alone in their concerns.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Liora:
Liora: I think you did eventually send me an email with an address — did you receive an information packet from me? If not, please contact me again, and I will be happy to resend it.
If you are curious about how half-Jewish children think and feel as adults and their childhood issues, then you have definitely come to the right website, and you will read many comments and opinions from them as the website grows and develops.
As someone who grew up in an interfaith family, you have a head start on our issues that most intermarried couples do not have.
Many blessings on you and your husband for a happy family and children.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Ron F:
If I understand your message correctly, you are wondering why the Half-Jewish Network was given this particular name when it was founded in 2005.
You may want to have a look at this explanation from our “About/FAQ” (Frequently Asked Questions) section:
“2. Why was the organization named “The Half-Jewish Network”?
When we first started thinking about a name for our group, we realized that we would have to come up with a term that the adult children of intermarriage would recognize immediately, wherever they saw it.
It would have to be a term that the adult children of intermarriage and other descendants frequently used about themselves and regarded favorably. It would also have to be a term that internet search engines could locate easily. “Half-Jewish” was the term that best met these criteria. It was the term that half-Jewish people appeared to use most frequently.”
There is additional information about why we chose this name located at:
http://half-jewish.net/frequently-asked-questions-faq/
See my next comment below responding to your inquiry as to why didn’t we choose a more light-hearted, humorous name for the group.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Ron F:
Now with regard to your inquiry as to why we didn’t pick a more humorous name like “Semi-Semites” and a logo showing half of a Star of David — well, I co-led and co-founded the first attempt to start a U.S.-based international organization for half-Jewish people in the middle 1980s, and we did just as you suggested.
We had a humorous name — “Pareveh: The Alliance for Adult Children of Jewish-Gentile Intermarriage” — foods that are “pareveh” or “parve” in Orthodox Jewish law are foods that can be eaten with either meat or milk products, which we thought reflected the situation of half-Jewish people symbolically. We thought that was very amusing and would lighten up the discussion.
We also had a logo that was a half of a Star of David.
Well, we learned the hard way that humor didn’t work. First, Jewish groups were offended by the use of a food term. Intermarriage is a serious subject for them. They were not too happy with the half of the star of David either.
Second, many Jewish groups didn’t “get” the name at all — we started getting mail from Jewish Orthodox kosher food and cooking groups. Christian groups totally didn’t get the name.
Third, most half-Jewish people are not raised as Jews but as Christians, secular, or “both” because the Jewish community has been so reluctant to reach out to interfaith families — so they had no clue what “pareveh” or the joke behind it meant. It made it much harder for half-Jewish people to find us.
Fourth, a lot of half-Jewish people didn’t think their issues were that funny. It’s a serious subject to them.
Fifth, a lot of the Christian, secular and “other” half-Jewish people weren’t too happy with a term which implied that only the Jewish ‘half’ of their identity counted.
Sixth, a lot of other organizations, Jewish and Christian — few Muslim groups at that time had interfaith Jewish/Muslim couples or descendants of Jewish/Muslim intermarriages — anyway, few Jewish and Christian groups took an organization with a ‘joke’ name seriously. It totally detracted from our credibility.
So you can see why we didn’t go down that path a second time. I will go ahead and include this information in our “FAQ.”
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Ron F: I have added my response to your questions about the group’s name to our “About/FAQ” page, as it is likely that others will have the same questions. Thank you for helping us to improve this website!
Cordially,
Robin
Hi,
I want to convert to Judaism. I have been wanting to do that for a few years now. However, my kids do not want to convert. We are not religious but I was raised celebrating Christmas and visiting churches. I “tried to be catholic” but it alway felt really wrong. Like a big lie.
So, can I convert while my kids stay Christian and we will celebrate Christmas for the tradition not for the religion?
BTW, I am single so “what my husband” thinks is not an issue.
Dear Hanna: You can convert to Judaism, even if your kids do not want to convert.
Now, some rabbis insist that if the mother converts, the children must do so also, but there are rabbis who don’t insist on that.
I would suggest that you check out the liberal synagogues in your area — Reform, Reconstructionist, Renewal or Humanistic — and see how you feel about their practices. Once you have found a synagogue that you like, make an appointment with the rabbi or cantor who is running it, and get his or her advice.
You may also want to have a look at the “Jewish Resources” web page on this website, which has two rabbis who can advise on long-distance conversions.
If none of these options work out, please contact me directly at:
binarystar [at} aol.com
and we will think of something else.
Also, don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter using the “Email subscription” box in the upper right-hand corner of this web page.
Cordially,
Robin
Hello everyone. I’m very pleased to be able to write here. I’m a patrilineal Jew from Latin America. After a long period of thought, I’ve decided to convert through a Masorti community. I have a very strong desire to live my life as a Jewish person, and raise my children Jewish. However, I still find sometimes strange the word “conversion” since I’ve always felt Jewish, I visited Israel with Birthright, I’ve celebrated all the Jewish holidays with my family and feel very attached to our culture, but when it comes to marry a Jew or raise my children in a Jewish framework, I’m still not considered Jewish by the community, and so would be my children. I would appreciete to contact other half Jews who converted, to share our unique experiencies.
Kind regards,
Carolina
I was active on this site a long time ago, and recently had contact with Robin. I came back here to see how things were going!
My situation is very complex; I was raised an Orthodox Jew, in an Orthodox community, by a born-Jewish father and a mother who though raised Italian Roman Catholic (before Vatican II), chose to convert to Orthodox Judaism…a few years later, she met and married my father (this was in the late 1940s; I was born in the late 1950s).
Because most of my father’s family was dead by the time I was born, I consequently was closer to my mother’s family. They were very unassimilated Italian Catholics, very traditional religiously, and very upset about the changes that took place in their church in the late 1960s. I used to over hear snippets of their conversations, and began watching old Catholic movies to learn more (or so I thought!), like The Bells of St Mary’s, Going My Way…I adored the nuns in their long habits, and how serene they looked! They looked that way when they walked through our working-class neighborhood too, on their way to Catholic houses.
Judaism never felt fulfilling to me; it felt like a religion of laws and not much else. I remember associating it with death, because it seems so much revolved around sitting shiva, funerals, and lighting yahrzeit candles. When I was in my late teens, I went on a trek to find the lost church my Mom’s famly told me about. I discovered Traditional Latin Masses being said in motel rooms, because the mainstream church had kicked it to the curb, so to speak. Traditional Catholics were holding fast to their faith in spiritual catacombs, if you will. I joined them, but it was more as a way to identify and feel close to my Mom’s family.
Years passed; I went back to Judaism when my father was very ill; it was my way of identifying again, with a parent, in the hopes it would make him feel better. But I was miserable, and unhappy. I CRAVED contemplative, prayerful spirituality, which I’d only found in the traditional Catholic church.
To make a long story short, I returned to the Traditional Catholic Faith earlier this year, and have never been happier. Except that this time, I REALLY DO BELIEVE. I don’t identify as Jewish anymore, and probably never will again. I was turned off by a lot within Judaism, not only the lack of true spirituality, but also, their obsession with ethnicity and bloodlines. I wanted to escape that too….I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins, and for the restoration of all of fallen Creation, both human and animal. I believe He is above all racial, ethnic and blood barriers and ties; in fact Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female; for you are ALL ONE in Christ Jesus”. That passage more than any other made me see the difference between Judaism and Christianity. The New Testament also says that Christ has “broken down the middle wall of partition between us”; this is a reference to the walls that existed in the Bais haMikdash, the Temple, separating Kohanim from other Jewish men, and Jewish men from Jewish women, and all Jews from the Gentiles who also worshipped the One God there.
I am so indescribably happy. I am at peace. And I thank God for all He has done for me. I sometimes think my mixed background caused all this lifelong searching, and it probably did. But I think in many ways I am so much richer for it, because I have learned so very much.
Dear Carolina and Chana/Annette:
Thank you for leaving such detailed accounts of your rich life experiences as half-Jewish people. I hope other people seeing these messages will respond.
Very cordially,
Robin
Hello, I just stumbled on this website today and was happy, for the first time, to see life stories of people like me.
My father comes from a purely Jewish background. He even has a few notable Jewish scholars in his ancestry. My mother is Italian/Sicilian and was raised Catholic. Some time around the time she met my dad she became disillusioned with Catholicism and converted to Judaism.
I was raised Jewish though compared to most Jews I’ve met, it was a fairly secular environment. Other than going to temple for the high holidays for a few years while I was young, we basically celebrated only Passover “lite” and Chanukah in our house. We never went to synagogue regularly though my parents did make my brother and me go to Sunday school so we could have our bar/bat mitzvahs but once that was done we never had to go again, and didn’t. In addition, my parents were very close to my mother’s parents so we happily celebrated the major Christian holidays with them. There was a lot of resentment with my dad’s family as they did not did not care for my mother (apparently because she wasn’t a born Jew) so we didn’t see them much and my memories of holidays with them are slim to none.
As an adult I practiced no religion at all but married a Jewish man (though I thought I never would). He considers himself to be Jewish but really is non-practicing (but he grew up in NJ in a fairly Jewish area while I was the only Jewish kid in school). About 10 years ago I realized that I just couldn’t continue to consider myself Jewish as I felt aboslutely no connection to the religion and thought I would be a hypocrite if I pretended to practice it just for my children. I explored liberal Protestantism and also Unitarian Universalism. Currently I think that my beliefs fit into the UU category but have not been to services in a while. I think that I am half-Jewish. I recognize and respect my Jewish ancestry but also respect my Italian ones as well and really feel no connection to the Jewish religion. It’s just all kind of confusing because technically I am Jewish because my mother converted but I really don’t think I was raised very Jewish and I enjoy celebrating the Christian holidays.
Anyway, thanks for this website. I can’t wait to check it out some more.
Dear Rachel: Thank you for sharing your story. You are not alone. Sadly, many of us were distanced from one or both sets of grandparents due to resentment over intermarriage, and often given a “Judaism lite” or a “diet Christianity” that didn’t really give us any depth in either faith-based culture..
We are glad that you are enjoying the website! Cordially, Robin
Hi! My name is Jesse and my story is similar to that of Rachel. I am 22 years old. My Father is Irish/English and of a Christian background, and my mother Russian Jew & Hungarian Jew. I am often confused for being hispanic, italian, or arabic though this is due to my dominant features from my mother’s side. I attended Synagogue until the age of five and was distanced due to relocation from the area and my parents irreligious nature, as my Grandmother was the main influence in my attendance. I consider myself to be Jewish though I have had little to no interaction with the Jewish Community. My sense of Judaism is a basic belief in God, and due to my separation from those of my faith and race, I lack a fundamental understanding of Judaism, not in a book or information sense, but in the sense of something deeper. I wish to somehow network and learn more about these things, as I have a great longing towards doing so. The world is a strange place, and I strongly seek a sense of belonging. I am deeply troubled by events in history as well as currently. I consider myself Jewish due to the sacrifice and persecution of my ancestors, and it is my duty to them to adopt their faith and build a stronger community, dedicating myself to the blossoming of peace and love, to expand upon their religion, life, and struggles that fell together in the act of my creation and arrival here in this odd thing we call life.
Dear Jesse: Welcome to the Half-Jewish Network at the beginning of your spiritual and ethnic journey! We appreciate you sharing your story with other half-Jewish people. You have been sent a copy of our email information packet.
Regarding living as a Jew — the best way to do that is to start visiting Jewish communities in your area and see if any appeal to you. If you are interested in studying Judaism, please have a look at our “Jewish Resources” page at:
http://half-jewish.net/jewish-resources/
Any Jewish community that you visit will also have Jewish study resources of various kinds.
Regarding identifying as Jewish — examine the Jewish communities that you visit carefully. Read Jewish publications and books online. Ask yourself if you are comfortable with them and if what is said matches your particular ethics and spiritual or secular belief systems. If you are comfortable with Judaism, then explore formally affiliating with Jewish institutions.
If you are not comfortable with Jewish communities and their teachings, consider exploring your other “half.” If you decide to affiliate with another belief system, you can still be of help to the Jewish people in various ways as someone who is concerned about their welfare and happiness.
Cordially,
Robin
Hi All,
I have just noticed that there is a documentary on British TV this evening (Monday 14th November 2011) that might be of interest to us.
It is on BBC3 at 9pm and is called ‘Mixed up in the Middle East’. The documentary follows a half – Jewish / half Arab women as she visits the Middle East for the first time.
It is repeated on 15th Nov at 01:05 am and 16th Nov 04:00 am. Programs are usually available to be viewed on the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/ for about a week after they have screened for those who miss it or are not in the UK.
Dear Victoria: Thank you for mentioning this! That is very thoughtful.
Cordially,
Robin
Robin,
What happened to the actual message board with separate topics? This comments thread is less conducive to discussion.
Thanks,
Steve
Dear Steve: Our old message board on the old Half-Jewish Network website was paid for by me, as was the rest of the old website. The total fees for the website, including the message board, cost me over $200 (U.S.) per year.
I switched the website to WordPress to get a less expensive, more modern and flexible website with a nicer appearance. The new WordPress website is free except for the yearly domain name payment of about $9 per year. That is a lot less money than $200 per year.
However, WordPress does not provide free message boards. I have been looking for free message board software to link to this website, but it would not be WordPress software. That raises a number of technical problems that I hope to resolve eventually.
In the meantime, WordPress provides a way to send everyone a free monthly email newsletter, a capability that I did not have on the old website. As soon as I have resolved the technical problems involved in attaching a new message board to this website, you would be informed through our monthly email newsletter.
If you sign up in the “Email Subscription” for the free monthly email newsletter, you will hear from us regularly. Each issue of the newsletter will link back to this website with room for comments on the content of the newsletter.
Also be sure to subscribe to this “Message Board” comments thread by posting a comment and then checking a box under your comment asking “Notify me of follow-up comments via email.” You will then be notified of every new comment on this message board.
Cordially,
Robin
Rachel, I would LOVE to be able to correspond with you! Our backgrounds are almost identical, to a tee, except for the unitarian thing.
Hi Chana, I sent you an email that has my email address in it. Did you get it? Looking forward to chatting.
Hi I have a Jewish Dad and a Christian Mother due to me borne in Germany during the Nazi Regime I have been christened at my birth but feel more Jewish than a Christian most likely from the treatment I received due to my Jewish Name growing up in Nazi Germany.
I wrote my autobiography;
maybe interesting to people with Jewish or partly Jewish heritage.
With a message to all people considering entering in to intermarriage,
“No matter how much in love you are! Go ahead it is your right and choice so live with it and enjoy your love and life.
But before being selfish by thinking to bring innocent children in this World think about the burden you inflict up on them, with the possibility for them of not being accepted by either site of religion or race, therefore outsiders for ever during there entire life, ask your self the question;
are you being fair?
http://www.lostlostandlostagain.com or http://www.ernestgoldberg.com
Hi Rachel, Yes I did, I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you yet! Life offline is very hectic for me right now, hang on and I WILL reply!
Dear Ernest: Thank you for sharing your online autobiography. Sounds like you went through a very bad time during the Holocaust. I’m glad you survived. It is a credit to your personal strength.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Ernest: One more thing — I have sent you two emails with more information about the Half-Jewish Network, plus some information that might be of interest to you personally. I hope that you got the emails.
Cordially,
Robin
I would to thank this website for existing! I have just uncovered my Jewish roots through my Mother and a father who pretty much abandon his being part of Judaism when he was young. Can someone tell me if there is a support group for people who have just discovered their heritage and would like to obtain knowlegde about Judaism? I want my daughter to have a story to tell.
Reading your article I have stumbled upon answers for most questions that have been bugging me for long time now. Its troublesome to find coherent articles on the internet as plenty of those texts are written by someone with ignorant of the topic. Your publication is different and definitively worth recommending. I’ll return for more in some time.
Great to see the new site! My name is Hunter and I’m currently studying Arabic in Egypt. My father is Ashkenazi Jewish and my mother is Norwegian-German (raised Lutheran); in the past (including a few census forms) I’ve referred to myself as Hebrew Viking. Both my parents have fairly ambivalent feelings towards their own religious backgrounds, so I was never Bar Mitzvah’ed or taken to church, but I’ve always felt a strong connection with my Jewish heritage in an ethnic if not religious sense (truthfully, I lean towards atheism).
I figured I’d made my peace with being neither fully Jew nor fully non-Jew, but a few recent occurrences in my life brought the internal debate up again. Amusingly, one of them is studying Arabic in the Arab world. We never learned Hebrew beyond a few basic prayers and expressions, but I’m constantly struck by cognates, customs, and even mannerisms that remind me of my Jewish side. For one thing, the New Year here is “Ras es’Sana,” literally “head of the year” but with a profound resemblance to a certain Jewish holiday. “Day” is “Yom.” “Dog” is “Kelev” in Hebrew and “Kelb” in Arabic. My own Hebrew name, “Ze’ev,” is “Ze’eb”–”Wolf.” You see the hamsa, which the Jews call the Hand of Miriam and the Muslims the Eye of Fatima, everywhere. There’s a drama to interactions here that reminds me a lot of my Dad’s family. Arabic doesn’t differentiate between the act of liking something and the act of loving it–and how Jewish does that sound? It strikes me here how much of the Middle East really remains in Jewish culture. I’m frequently asked if I’m Lebanese or Turkish.
Secondly, I recently got married to a wonderful woman of German-Irish background. I always assumed I would never have children, so the issue of what sort of exposure to Judaism to give them never came up. Turns out she wants kids. I would love to do what my family did for my sister and I–light the chanukkiah and celebrate seder, but also open presents on the 25th and put up a (originally pagan) tree. That said, I don’t want to leave any future children we have feeling as I have through much of my life–wanting a Jewish connection, feeling rebuffed by many Jews’ feelings on intermarriage, and coming to hate the fact of my Jewish ancestry.
Whew! Sorry for the length of that!
Hi, I was just wondering if there were any other half-Jewish children of the now defunct communist party hiding in the woodwork. I was raised by militant athiests who believe that “religion is the opium of the people” but am increasingly coming to the opinion that Marx was a false prophet.
P.S. Does anybody else feel a deep sickness in the pit of their stomach at the widespread demonization of Israel that is currently being indulged in by the Left?
P.P.S. My grandfather’s name was Israel and he was born in a small village in Poland which no longer exists.
Dear Sandra:
Please excuse the delay in replying to your messages — this is a volunteer website, so when outside work is heavy, replies are sometimes delayed.
Sandra asked: Can someone tell me if there is a support group for people who have just discovered their heritage and would like to obtain knowlegde about Judaism? I want my daughter to have a story to tell.”
Robin replies: Sandra, I don’t know of any such support groups. If you are trying to trace family history, I would suggest contacting Jewish genealogical online websites as they may have information.
You may also want to visit DNA family websites, which allow you send DNA samples and then alert you when someone with similar DNA joins them.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Nilistusa:
Nilistusa said: “Reading your article I have stumbled upon answers for most questions that have been bugging me for long time now. . . . Your publication is different and definitively worth recommending. I’ll return for more in some time.”
Robin replies: Glad you enjoy our website! Don’t forget to sign up for this comment thread and our email newsletter!
Cordially,
Robin
Hunter said: “Great to see the new site! My name is Hunter and I’m currently studying Arabic in Egypt. My father is Ashkenazi Jewish and my mother is Norwegian-German (raised Lutheran); in the past (including a few census forms) I’ve referred to myself as Hebrew Viking.”
Robin replies: Hunter, welcome back! Again, don’t forget to sign up for our email newsletter, as well as this comment thread.
Dear Taboo:
Taboo asked: “Hi, I was just wondering if there were any other half-Jewish children of the now defunct communist party hiding in the woodwork. I was raised by militant athiests who believe that “religion is the opium of the people” but am increasingly coming to the opinion that Marx was a false prophet.
P.S. Does anybody else feel a deep sickness in the pit of their stomach at the widespread demonization of Israel that is currently being indulged in by the Left?
P.P.S. My grandfather’s name was Israel and he was born in a small village in Poland which no longer exists.”
Robin replies: I don’t know if we have any other half-Jewish children of the now defunct Communist part, but we certainly have some members whose parents were socialists and leftists of other types.
My two Jewish great-grandfathers were both born in Poland and left in the 1890s. I don’t know if their villages still exist. So much of the history has been lost.
Regarding Israel — you may want to have a look at the “Israel” essay on this website here:
http://half-jewish.net/israel/
where we document in great detail the very poor treatment of half-Jewish people by the state of Israel.
I would urge you to read it, as it is meticulous, and the information is taken mostly directly from Israeli Jewish newspapers I read, ranging from left-wing to right-wing. The essay is periodically updated as I get more information.
I don’t think what is going on is “demonization” of Israel — I think, sadly, that for many years the Jewish community allowed no criticism of Israel at all, and now criticisms finally cannot be silenced any longer.
Cordially,
Robin
Hello Robin I have visited and posted the old site many times in the past and this is a new posting on your new site. Your very last comment about how the Jewish community has allowed no criticism of Israel and cannot be silenced any longer is spot on!!! This criticism is long overdue!
Anyway, I found a couple of interesting reads about half Jews that definitly shows we half Jews are being heard. Let me know what you guys think about the article. http://www.jewcy.com/religion-and-beliefs/why_many_jewish_outreach_workers_ignore_halfjewish_people
http://www.jewishpost.com/archives/news/meet-the-half-jews.html
Dear Ryan: I am glad that you enjoy our new website. It is always good to welcome visitors from our old website!
Thank you for posting links to the two articles on half-Jewish people. I feel that the more that is written about us advocating for our point of view, the better off we will be.
Cordially,
Robin
Dear Ryan: I am glad that you found my comment about Israel of interest. Israel’s behavior towards half-Jewish people is truly tragic, and I am hoping that if criticisms of this behavior are made, Israel will reconsider this behavior.
Cordially,
Robin
Hi Robin. The new website looks very nice. I wanted to let you know about a book I co-authored (“self-published” direct to Kindle) on Jewish ethics: The Path and Wisdom for Living at Peace with Others: A Modern Commentary on Talmud Tractates Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah, which is based on Rabbi Arthur Segal’s online course and compiled & edited by me. I’m very happy about it. One can borrow the book either for free or about a dollar fifty if an Amazon Prime member, and I believe it can be shared with anyone. Also, I was excited to learn there is a conference this spring about descendants of intermarriage (finally?) – I noticed HJN is listed as a group that will speak. Very cool. Would love to hear about what happens.