During the semester we read a lot of texts by different authors. There were a lot of questions that we raised in class about race, gender, identity and religion. We found out that there was a lot of prejudice on both the Black and the Jewish side. It was important for me to know whether it is possible to unite both black and Jewish parts of one’s identity or one has to give up one part of his or her heritage in favour of the other.
In my paper I would like to try to find out if there is a contradiction in being both black and Jewish from the point of view of Jewish religion. I want to try to show that there is no contradiction to be found and that the prejudice against people of colour does not come from the Jewish tradition.
At a glance
- Grade: 1.0 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Compares identity narratives involving Elena Khanga, Rebecca Walker and Ruth McBride
- Examines four theories about the origins of Beta Israel
- Compares approaches to conversion in the Mishnah and Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds
- 13 sources in the bibliography
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Defining an identity.
II.1 Who is Jewish
II.2 Who is ‘black’
II.3 Choosing an identity – Elena Khanga, Rebecca Walker and Ruth BcBride.
III Antisemitism: Black and white.
IV Your people – my people?
V. Conversion in Judaism.
V.1 Definition.
V.2.Historical overview.
VI Ethiopian Jewry
VI.1. History
VI.2. The origin
VII. “Juden aller Länder- vereinigt euch! “
Objectives and Themes
This paper asks whether Black and Jewish identities are incompatible from the perspective of Jewish religious tradition. It explores how racial prejudice, religious belonging, family relationships and conversion shape the experiences of people navigating both identities.
- Definitions of Jewish and Black identity
- Family histories and choices of identity
- Antisemitism and racial prejudice
- Conversion to Judaism and its religious history
- The history and origins of Beta Israel
- Belonging across cultural and religious communities
Excerpt from the Book
II.3 Choosing an identity – Elena Khanga, Rebecca Walker and Ruth BcBride.
According to the Jewish religious laws Elena Khanga is Jewish and Rebecca Walker is not. But for Rebecca it is a half of her identity because her father is Jewish. Elena Khanga does not even think about writing Jewish in her Soviet passport. She does not give much thought about her Jewish roots until one day she brings an Anti-Semitic remark from her kindergarten and her grandmother Bertha slaps her. She tells her that she is Jewish but does not explain further. Elena knew that her grandmother was born into a Jewish family but she thought of her simply as an American. Soviet Anti-Semitism was a forbidden topic for her grandmother. Because Elena was so unique she did not have to make the choice to identify with one part of her. For Rebecca it was more like living between two worlds, constantly struggling for acceptance. She was not ”black“ enough for the blacks, too black for the Jews, she was simply the Other. In the end both Elena and Rebecca feel closer to their Black identity. I wondered why most of the people we read about felt much closer to “black”. Hetti Jones does not “go back to Jews,” Rebecca changes her last name from Leventhal to Walker. Her father thinks it is a sign of her inner Anti-Semitism. For her it is a bond to her mother. James McBride’s mother hid the truth about her Jewish origins. She converted to Christianity and raised her twelve children as Christians. Her story was especially difficult. She wanted to escape her tyrant father who had molested her when she was a child. She never found love and understanding in her family. They lived in a small Southern town. Her mother was very unhappy and the kids had to work in their father’s store. It seems she found no meaning whatsoever in Judaism. The way she describes the rituals like Shabbat and Kashrut, which are the main pillars of Judaism, sometimes verges on Anti-Semitism (p. 17) She is marginalized in school for being a Jew. She changes her name to make it sound more American, from Rachel to Ruth, although both names are actually biblical Jewish names. She has only one friend, Frances, in whose house she cannot it because they don’t eat kosher. She never starved for food until she got married, but she was starving for love and affection. ( see James McBride, p.83)
Chapter Summaries
I. Introduction: The author introduces questions about Black and Jewish identity, interracial relationships and religious belonging.
II. Defining an identity.: This chapter considers definitions of Jewish and Black identity and discusses the experiences of Elena Khanga, Rebecca Walker and Ruth McBride.
III Antisemitism: Black and white.: The author examines examples of antisemitism associated with white supremacist and Black religious or political movements.
IV Your people – my people?: Drawing on Lena Romanoff’s account, this section discusses the challenges facing Black converts to Judaism and their relationships with family and community.
V. Conversion in Judaism.: The chapter introduces conversion and traces differing approaches in rabbinic texts, including the Mishnah and the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds.
VI Ethiopian Jewry: This section outlines the history of Beta Israel, theories of the community’s origins and its recognition under Jewish law and Israeli policy.
VII. “Juden aller Länder- vereinigt euch! “: The author considers conversion and cultural belonging through Gish Jen’s novel about a Chinese American girl who chooses Judaism.
Keywords
Black Jewish identity, interracial identity, Jewish identity, race, religion, antisemitism, conversion to Judaism, family relationships, rabbinic tradition, Beta Israel, Ethiopian Jewry, cultural belonging, identity narratives
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the paper about?
It examines the relationship between Black and Jewish identities, with attention to religious tradition, racial prejudice and belonging.
What are its central themes?
The paper addresses identity, interracial families, antisemitism, conversion to Judaism and Ethiopian Jewish history.
What is the main research question?
The author asks whether being both Black and Jewish presents a contradiction from the perspective of Jewish religion.
What method does the author use?
The paper discusses and interprets published literary, religious and historical sources alongside online materials. It does not present a formal empirical research method.
What does the main discussion cover?
It considers definitions of identity, individual narratives, antisemitism, conversion and the history of Beta Israel.
Which keywords characterize the paper?
Key terms include Black Jewish identity, interracial identity, antisemitism, Jewish conversion, rabbinic tradition and Beta Israel.
Whose identity narratives are discussed?
The paper considers Elena Khanga, Rebecca Walker and Ruth McBride in its discussion of family history and identity.
How does the paper approach the history of conversion?
It compares descriptions of conversion in the Mishnah and in the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds, drawing on Gary Porton’s work.
What does the paper say about Ethiopian Jewry?
It outlines the history of Beta Israel, presents four theories about the community’s origins and discusses its religious and official recognition.
Why does the paper discuss Gish Jen’s novel?
The author uses the story of a Chinese American girl who chooses Judaism to consider conversion and belonging across cultural boundaries.
- Quote paper
- Alina Polyak (Author), 2003, Black, jewish, interracial - a contradiction?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/36549
