Many, if not most Jews, had come to America decades before the Holocaust for the very reason that anti-semitism in Europe was so very strong and could easily result in the loss of your livelihood or even your life (pogroms, for example). In my grandfather's generation (the early 1900s), Jews who had been observant in Europe found themselves in a situation in America where they could not have Saturdays off to observe the Sabbath. Those who were devoutly Orthodox found themselves basically looking for a new job every week after being fired for not showing up on Saturday. There were plenty of Jews from Europe who therefore took the easier route and simply worked on the Sabbath. They gradually dropped off the rest of their observance and became assimilated, even marrying non-Jews.
After the Holocaust, with the influx of Jewish refugees from the camps coming to America, there was a transmission of their fear of being found out to be a Jew to their children and subsequently to their grandchildren. In Boro Park, Brooklyn, where a great many Holocaust survivors settled after the war, there is STILL a fear of dogs, especially German Shepherds, among the Jews, descendents of Holocaust survivors. Dogs had been used to find hidden Jews or to herd them toward the "showers" and their death. When I had occasion to visit that neighborhood, my casual petting of a dogwalker's large dog was regarded by horrified onlooking Chassidim as though I was petting a lion or a leopard.
"Jew" was, and still is, a pejorative in America. Many people unfortunately have striven therefore to blend in; their Jewishness was a burden to them rather than a gift from G-d. My own mother was always trying to drop her Jewishness and take up non-Jewish practices such as hanging stockings at Xmastime. I did not respect her for that at all. I was, and am, very proud to be a Jew. She couldn't understand it. To her, it was a mark of "being different" and she didn't want any part of being different.
Therefore, with the overwhelming assimilation of American Jews for the aforementioned reasons, not only did they discard Jewish religious practices but also their feeling toward Israel. If you are not reciting prayers from the Siddur (Jewish prayerbook) with their numerous references to Israel or reading the beautiful psalms composed by King David with their ever-present references to Israel, or observing the holidays which originated in Israel, you will not have any appreciation for who you are as a Jew. Israel, rather than being the center of your universe, is just another country and a pain in the butt one at that, because it is the center of such controversy. And you, trying to blend in and not be singled out for "Jew"! references, have lost your connection with your origins.
As King David said in Psalm 137,
"O Jerusalem, if I should forget you, may my right hand lose its cunning.
May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I remember you not,
If I do not set Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.
No wonder these assimilated Jews have little feeling for the welfare of Israel. And mischannel their natural Jewish compassion toward liberal causes and candidates, having swallowed the ancient accusations hook, line, and sinker, leading to "Jewish guilt" for things they never did.
Very astute comments. But there are indeed some of us out here who are Jewish, seemingly assimilated, not very religious, conservative and very supportive of Israel — more than many think.
As a Christian that loves Israel and the Jewish people, I have puzzled about my friend and her family.
Both she and her husband "celebrate Christmas," two of their three children have married non-Jews, though non-religious.
This couple proudly proclaims that almost all of their friends are Christians!
I've inquired which tribe(s) they are from, if they know as well as bringing them some items back from Jerusalem on my travels. I thought my friend might like to have something from Israel and I assumed that they'd be interested in seeing Israel, to which, she said, "No, that's not any place I desire to visit!"
My friend pointed out that the only item in her home from there, came from me and that's why she displays it.
You have given me much greater insight to her (their) ambivalence toward their Jewish heritage and I thank you for it.
Post 53 is excellent. Thank you.
Thanks for your post, good insights. I’ve only met liberal Jews in my life and not many of them. But they were all libs.....some were rabid libs. One, a 50 year old man that I used to have on Facebook, displayed his biblical ignorance by accusing me of posting New Testament bible verses from Psalms and Jeremiah in a political conversation/argument we were having. I kid you not. I ended up pulling the plug on him as he was just SUCH a communist that it was obvious we had nothing whatsoever in common.
Another Jewish man I knew seemed very much like you describe toward Israel. Absolutely no solidarity with them at all.
It honestly seems to me that American Jews either don’t know, have forgotten or don’t believe about being God’s chosen people.