I previously discussed my feelings on the subject but I was happy to discover that I am not the only one pondering these questions. A short documentary by a young Soviet-born Jewish-Canadian offers a perspective I can identify with, a point of view from a person who came in contact with a different type of Jewish culture and now wonders if her own Jewishness is somehow not up to par. Since I arrived here at the age of 22 with established worldviews and my own understanding of what it means to be Jewish, I haven’t been subjected to the situations described by the people interviewed in the documentary, but I definitely recognized my own thoughts when she interviewed her Mom (although I do speak better English). I wonder if my daughter feels that way when she deals with her friends who have more active Jewish community and religious lives.
Before the video I’d like to offer a quote from an article on the subject:
I know this topic is not relevant to many people who read this blog and the documentary is a little crude and oversimplified, but it’s honest and an awesome effort by someone who is still learning about herself. I hope she gets noticed.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9TglEQ3sIE
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjGrFNBY8jM