Latest bulletin article - by Michal

Jerusalem, and Israel as a whole, is richly, vibrantly alive. The multitude of cultures, traditions, and peoples is dizzying, and in no ways more so than in the variety of religions.

Many, many people in Jerusalem are Jewish. That seems obvious. But then again, what does that mean? Is someone Sephardic or Ashkenazi, and if so, do they follow the traditions of Tunisia, Morocco, or Greece, or maybe Romania, Hungary, or Russia? Within the two major Jewish divisions, is one Ultra-Orthodox (haredi), religious (dati), secular, Conservative, or Reform? I pass six different synagogues on my way to my friend’s house 10 minutes away, and what amazes me is not the number of shuls, but the fact that they all belong to a different branch of Judaism. This country is too new to have a mainstream religious identity – each branch of Judaism is distinct, separate, and gloriously messy in relation to the others. My Israeli family, for example, considers themselves highly secular, but even in their so-called non-observance they keep kosher, build a sukkah, and are planning to attend High Holy Day services. Are they secular by Long Beach standards? No. But in comparison to the Chabadniks and the ultra-Orthodox of Jerusalem, they are barely Jewish.

This is not to say, however, that all Israelis are automatically People of the Book. It’s true that the owner of our local pizza joint is a former Orthodox rabbi from Brooklyn who made aliyah, and who delivers our pizza with tzitzit flying. Yet, my husband Jonathan’s friend from ulpan (Hebrew class) is named Lars, a devout Christian from Denmark who’s here to live in the land of Jesus. The woman who sits on Jonathan’s left side in ulpan is a quiet Muslim teenager from East Jerusalem, and the Chinese worker I met last month at the zoo is a fervent Buddhist. The taxi driver who took my cat and me to the vet’s office is from Ghana, and is a secular Jew; but then again, the janitor at HUC was born in Jerusalem and is named Abdallah, and the elderly woman who lives downstairs from me is named May, and is a Baptist from Alabama.

What fascinates me most is not the differing religions, but the fact that all the people on this list call themselves Israeli. One cannot lump all Israelis together, or even all Jews together, for Israel is the opposite of a “melting pot” or even a “tossed salad.” Instead of minimizing its differences and hoping for widespread assimilation, Israel celebrates its religious diversity. America is known for the separation of church and state, but is still overwhelmingly Christian. Israel, on the other hand, was founded on Jewish law, but combines a myriad of religious identities within its nationalism. Perhaps in the years to come, Israel will assimilate further; but in the meantime, each religious identity remains distinct, and the people-watching is spectacular.