Jewish Life Digital Edition March 2015 | Page 56

JEWISH NAMES, language and attire OVER THE COURSE OF THE CENTURIES, JEWS were always distinguishable from their fellow citizen not only by their unique beliefs and rituals, but also by their distinctly Jewish culture. For the most part, they conversed in their own language, whether it was Ladino, Yiddish, or any of the other ‘Jewish’ languages that sprouted up over time. Jews were also distinguishable by their uniquely Jewish garb and names. In whichever country they landed, the Jewish community managed to create a subculture which effectively separated them from their co-citizens. Today, many minimise the importance of maintaining these external expressions 52 JEWISH LIFE ISSUE 82 of our culture: Perhaps this insularity was necessary when the Jews lived in the Dark Ages and needed to distance themselves from the rest of the population, who at best were ignorant and superstitious. In a modern and enlightened society, however, there is no need to flaunt our Judaism by maintaining a Jewish sub-culture. Yiddish is for bobba and zaida, and Jewish culture is fascinating... when viewed in a documentary or as a museum exhibit. Instead, Jewish beliefs and rituals should be emphasised: belief in G-d and the Torah as His word, observing the Shabbat, prayer, and eating kosher. Language, attire and names are con- sidered to be mere externalities, shallow compared to the depth of Torah and mitzvot. “Those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it.” Research into Jewish life in Egypt – the first time our people were guests in a foreign land – reveals an interesting fact: our ancestors were actually very lacking in the area of Jewish observance. They largely assumed the pagan beliefs of their Egyptian taskmasters and were bare of mitzvot. What they did possess was a fierce Jewish pride and a stubborn refusal to identify themselves as Egyptians. The Torah portion Shemos begins with the words: “And these are the names (shemos) of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt... Reuven, Shimon...” The Torah mentions the names of the Tribes because they played a pivotal role in the eventual redemption from Egyptian exile. The Midrash says the Jews merited redemption PHOTOGRAPHS: ILAN OSSENDRYVER How important is the preservation of the ‘ethnic’ aspect of Judaism? I BY RABBI NAFTALI SILBERBERG