Judaism Day 5 - The Tribe we all seek



 Source: WhyIsrael.org



WANTED: a Tribe. I can offer a fresh prospective, fierce loyalty, and willingness to learn. Will not sacrifice independent thought, reason, or intellect. Interested tribes should contact me asap.

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?” Pirki Avot, 1:14, Hillel

Jean-Paul Sartre (who was not Jewish) wrote in 1948 that Jewish identity "is neither national nor international, neither religious nor ethnic, nor political: it is a quasi-historical community." 

Sartre further argues that the Jewish experience of antisemitism - making the Jews "outsiders" -  preserves and even creates the sense of Jewish community. Conversely, that sense of specific Jewish community may be threatened by the democrat who sees only "the person" and not "the Jew".

It is interesting to wonder about the difference in Jewish tradition today, had the Jewish people not undergone such a trial by fire in their long history. Judaism is unquestionably a tribe – “a unit of sociopolitical organization consisting of a number of families, clans, or other groups who share a common ancestry and culture and among whom leadership is typically neither formalized nor permanent.” A group of people who identify with a common culture or ancestry – either spiritually or physically.

I envy this aspect of Judaism: the fact that if it is yours, you cannot lose it. You cannot lose your Jewish tribe by converting to another religion (if you are physically Jewish). You cannot lose your Jewish tribe by relocating to another country. If you do relocate, you can find members of your tribe there, locally, who will accept you as a Jew. You can convert to Judaism and are instantly part of one of the oldest tribes in history!

This sense of belonging and cohesiveness is something lost in much of today's society.

As a Christian growing up, I had a tribe of sorts, I suppose: I had a small community where I knew my neighbors. I had a group of friends with whom I shared everything: we were friends from childhood until we became adults. I certainly had my conservative religious tribe, and my family tribe, which I viewed as completely impenetrable.

People have a deep psychological and emotional need to belong to something bigger than themselves. People are meant to be part of a tribe, so it is no wonder that God set things up this way with his chosen people.

As I grew older, my tribe began to falter. When my parents split up, my family tribe splintered. When I moved away for college, my neighborhood tribe dissolved. When I got married and started a family, my childhood friends who now lived hundreds of miles from me, were no longer part of my tribe. And when I got divorced and began to question my own faith and tenets of belief, my tribal identity of being Christian was on shaky ground. It seemed that I had built my entire life within tribes that are neither ((stable)) nor ((permanent)). One could not expect to have tribes that last forever, I suppose. Your childhood friends are not likely to be your adult friends. Your identity will change and shift and you will associate with new tribes and groups to which you belong.

But for me, that has been a difficult transition. I went from my tribe mentality of “we are who we are, we know each other, and we will protect each other from outsiders” to the mentality of “I am alone in this world.” And ALONE in this world is a scary place to be. Sure, I have friends (many of whom have been in my circle for years). I have a family (spread out over hundreds of miles). I have an identity as American and as a mother and as a member of the human race. But if I were to change my religion, from Christian to Muslim, for example, my Christian tribe and my Christian identity would cease to exist. That is a strong case for staying where you are in community.

The Jewish people have none of that. The Jewish tribe exists regardless of differing beliefs or practices. Regardless of language or state or geography. Regardless of political stance or even belief in God. Being a Jew is more than a race, it is membership in a tribe, and a shared history with thousands of others who have gone before, as well as thousands who will come after you. It is investment in a legacy.

Even the very religious belief system of Jews can be questioned and, in fact, is encouraged to be questioned. Seeking the truth and discourse on belief is fundamental to Judaism. The word “Israel” (as in Children of Israel) means literally “one who wrestles with God.” They wrestle with what/who God is, they wrestle with what that means to their own life, and they wrestle with how to best honor and show devotion to God. And throughout the growth and the conflict, they remain a tribe.

One of the things I have been most blessed by and also most saddened by in my religious study is being part of other people’s tribes only to leave when I move on to the next religion. I integrated myself into the Muslim sisters tribe last year; sharing stories and laughter and hope and life with them, but I was never really part of their tribe, only a visitor. After that, becoming part of the community of women at Whosoever, listening to their stories and their pain. Their joys and their struggles. Meeting with Mormon Sisters and getting to know their lives, being part of Jehovah’s witness communities, and kneeling in prayer in Catholic chapels… all offered me beauty and a sense of wonder. But none offered me permanence or a tribe. Of course, I still have friendships within all of those groups, but over the past few months, my heart has longed for a tribe of my own to belong to. A family of people who are imperfect and have flaws, but with whom I am affiliated and of whom I am a part, willing to protect and defend, willing to guide and participate. It’s an interesting position to always be on the outside.

The beauty of the Jewish tribe in the words of Pirki Avot:

“If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” They value independent thought, and questions, and self-respect.

“If I am only for myself, what am I?” They value community investment, and defending their tribe.

“If not now, when?”  Indeed. Action.

The balance of self and others, the coexistence of faith and questions, the interdependence of community and individual. It is what Judaism has been about for centuries and what makes it one of the most interesting groups I have studied.

I found the following video on YouTube and I thought it was interesting. Enjoy!