Wisdom of Shimon Peres (via my Rabbi)

Given the chance to ask questions about Judaism (such as during the recent "Ask the Rabbi" session we did on a freshman retreat) today's Millenial Jews almost invariably ask "Who is Jewish, and who isn't?"

We come from a generation of increasing intermarriage. Many of us grew up without a bar/bat mitzvah. Our parents may have converted into (or out of) Judaism, or never practiced themselves. In a later post, I'll examine why these questions often revolve around an Orthodox interpretation of Judaism, and why I think it's peculiar that it's often reform or secular Jews who are wanting to know if an Orthodox authority would consider them Jewish.

In answering, the Rabbi at my Hillel paraphrased something that Shimon Peres said back in 1993. His answer was the best one I've ever heard to the question, so I looked up the Peres quote. Here is the speech, and here is the part the Rabbi was alluding to in his answer:

The second issue on the agenda is how in a free and tolerant world to remain Jewish, to keep our tradition. You know, we Jewish people can hardly agree on many issues, but there is one issue that I'm sure we shall never agree forever and that is who is a Jew. That's a question that we are incapable to answer. But I know there are two answers to this question. One says that a Jew is a person that his parents were Jewish, that is, the mother was Jewish; and the other is a Jew is a person that his children are Jewish. Keep your children Jewish. Let's keep our children Jewish. Let each of them and all of them visit Jerusalem. Let each and all of them learn to speak the language of our prophets. They will understand much more by doing so.

While most of the people at Hillel don't have children yet, the metaphorical meaning to this quotation is something that can apply to all of us. Instead of focusing on what happened in our family's past, or what old interpretations say about who is Jewish, it is much better to look to the future and say that, of course, anyone who works to strengthen the future of Judaism is Jewish.

And if Shimon's answer is something we can look to for guidance, does it mean that there is an obligation to work to strengthen the Jewish community in order to be considered Jewish?