This article is part of our essay series, “Why Be Jewish?,” based off of “Why Be Jewish?”—a new book by the late Edgar M. Bronfman.
Why be Jewish? I don’t know, honestly. It’s the only way I know to be.
I was born to Jewish parents. I’m Jewish. At some point in history, I suppose some intermarriage happened between someone historically Jewish and someone not—hence my blue eyes and fair skin and formerly blond hair. But I don’t think about that a lot.
I have more in common with most secular a-religious Jews I meet than with most non-Jews in general; it’s just a fact of sociology and cultural literacy. And whether you’re observant or not observant, radical Zionist or radical atheist, it doesn’t matter. We’re all the same kind of Jew: Jewish.
Being Jewish just is what I am. Being Jewish just is.
So why be Jewish? Dunno. I just know I can’t do it any other way.
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