Wednesday, October 04, 2006

The Bad Jew, Part II

Remember yesterday when I said that I inferred that those more traditionally observant than I judged me, but that my perception may be wrong?

According to the Off the Derech Poll:

NerdTests.com User Test: The Off the Derech Test.

Ouch. I work daily supporting Jewish organizations. I go to shul on Shabbas. I went to a Jewish Seminary for college, for Hashem*'s sake. I did try lobster once. And crab. What do you want from me? I grew up in Maryland! In a non-traditionally observant household. Of course I've had crab cakes.

What does it mean that I'm "Comfortably Numb"? "You've left Judaism and found... nada. It's kind of boring, but maybe it's kind of a relief." I've left Judaism. Funny how I wasn't aware of the fact.

I will repeat it until everyone is so sick of me that they either agree from exhaustion or leave me to weep in alienated isolation: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BAD JEW.

*Hashem: the Name, an alternative title for God.

4 comments:

BZ said...

The test says I'm "Confused". That's about right. (Am I the only one who supports the peace process and hasn't tried lobster?)

Ken Mehlman is a bad Jew.

EMN said...

I'm Confused too, BZ! Maybe it has to do with people who daven at multiple unaffiliated minyanim. How much more confused can you get that a church on Yom Kippur?

Jack Steiner said...

I disagree, there are bad Jews. The Neuterei Karta are just bad news.

Annie said...

I disagree, they are bad people who happen to be Jewish, bad representatives of Judaism, and generally kind of icky. But I wouldn't be willing to judge their practice of Judaism. Their politics? Yes. Their expression of their beliefs? Yes. But not their religious beliefs and practice.