Identity jumble

Editorial

As the American ethos becomes ever more diverse - a jumble of races, beliefs and backgrounds - it becomes more and more difficult to navigate the social terrain. How do we assert our age-old identity as Jews yet live fully as Americans?

The conundrum infuses our interactions in classrooms and country clubs, in boardrooms and back rooms. Socially, educationally, financially, politically, many Jews continually are seeking ways to preserve the particular while leveraging the universal.

It's clear in the brouhaha that erupted when a Horizon High School senior called the question on scheduling the senior prom on a Friday night, the Jewish Sabbath. It's evident in the response by some Valley residents, aired in the local press, that if Jews don't want events scheduled on "their" holidays, then they should send their children to Jewish schools.

Many of us bridle at the veiled anti-Semitism and recoil at repugnant images of separation but also embrace educational institutions dedicated to instilling strong Jewish identity. Our Jewish preschools, day schools and high schools are committed to developing a deep appreciation for our faith, girding our children with a curriculum rich in Jewish history, culture and practice. Still, parents of parochial school students have a responsibility to seek out opportunities - on the playing field, in the orchestra, in communal service - to nurture in their children tolerance, respect and understanding of others in our multifaceted society.

Conversely, families who choose pluralistic school environments for their children need to work hard to develop Jewish identity. Synagogue religious schools, youth groups, Jewish summer camp and trips to Israel can all go far in instilling in children deep pride in their unique heritage, even as they spend their days in a multi-cultural arena.

Jewish-Americans. American-Jews. If we learn to negotiate both sides of the hyphen, as sociologist Sylvia Barack Fishman posits, we can succeed in our increasingly complex world.

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