To be, or not to be....Jewish? ...What's in a name?

Just went through a really REALLY long meeting tonight.

Here's the rub. I'm not overly fond of labeling things. It can have extremely bad connotations and good connotations to say "we are a jewish organization [nationally]." Being jewish means something different to every person. I think that the problem that most people who have not EXPERIENCED what Jewish culture can be will categorize our house as "religiously jewish"---with all the sundry and various assumptions that follow the practice of any religion.

I'm not fucking Jewish. I'm not in a "Jewish" house. I am in a house, founded by seven JEWISH women, on CULTURAL values of tolerance, love, acceptance, and compassion. I think personally that those values are MUCH more important for me to stress and express in my daily life/actions than some (incorrect/insufficient) statement about being apart of some organization that is Jewish. It has a Jewish heritage. Very simple. There is NO religion involved whatsoever. Zip. Zero. Nada. There is more to being Jewish than just a religion, which is Judaism. That is the problem of perception that exists here---people are unaware of a split between cultural life and religious practice.

I liked Elana's example of being "Italian"---you think of good wine and food, laughter, culture, religion, family, warmth. I think the word Jewish should be able to evoke some of the same values. It certainly does for me! In the House, of course, there is no religious aspect, but all the others are present, just like in the Italian example...and more.

I have NOTHING against being Jewish. I've LOVED learning about what it is to be culturally Jewish (and sometimes religiously jewish through holidays and festivals) through living and interacting with other women in this sorority day-to-day. I knew NOTHING about cultural versus religious "Jewishness" until I lived here with my sisters. It's been a journey of understanding and tolerance that has really opened my eyes to looking at OTHER religions in a similar way---what are their values? Their strengths? What is their culture? How do their culture and religion interact? I have learned SO MUCH. I feel so much more aware of other values and cultures besides my own.

I really feel like my journey of four years has been an amazing learning experience, not just on a cultural level, but on an individual level as well. I've started to understand that expressing ideals is done through all of my actions, every day.

I think that I was very confused tonight by the ladies from national when they said that they wanted us to stress our foundations, our heritage, our HISTORY of being Jewish. I feel that is a very LIMITING perspective. Especially at UCLA, which is extremely diverse and does NOT have a large jewish population that would be interested in joining a "Jewish" (aka, only for jewish people, jewish religion and culture exclusively) sorority. I feel that is not and has never been the position of our House at UCLA. We are instead, the tolerant, loving sorority of genuine women of "character, culture and charm." We are, by that earlier definition (the exclusive example, instead of the inclusive) then set somewhat apart---we need another way to describe our Sorority, since "Jewish" is just too small to fit all that we are!

Perhaps we would be better served to the UCLA community by outreaching and educating them about what OUR definition of "Jewish House" looks like. It's certainly not the way they think of it now!! Perhaps to truly understand, we need them to experience it---bring them into our lives, our house, our family and let them SEE what, how, WHO we are. Or provide them with examples. I think that would be better ANY DAY than affixing a potentially deleterious label (or even one that could become deleterious through no fault other than simple ignorance) like "Jewish" as a one word phrase to describe us all.

I am not a one word phrase. I am not something that can be labeled with one word. I refuse to be, and I refuse to do that to my sisters. I can only hope they agree with me, and will do the same thing, while at the same time respecting the privileges and choices that we now have. We can honor our history, our past, and at the same time, forge a unique future perspective for the rest of our Sorority. We are truly the flagship of such an example of sisterhood.

So there you have my particular reasoning for the whole "Jewish" discussion tonight.

I hope all the new babies weren't scared off by the forcefulness of the whole discussion. It got pretty heated there for a while. Really, they shouldn't worry. I had no bloody clue what I was getting into when I started, and look where I am now! Perhaps that's the best way to learn---exposure and experience. Oh pleeease, let them all be okay with all the hullabaloo.

Perhaps national just didn't understand that we have already been defining ourselves differently with respect to our heritage--we have been for many years now, and will do so for many more, I think. A E Phi UCLA is just different that way.

grazie to little for letting me use her compy, and grazie to everyone who listened to me at meeting tonight. love you all!
lml~