Jim Skamarakas

When the Zionist movement built up steam in the 20th century, Jews in America for the huge majority wanted to stay in America. And Jews around the world wanted to come to America. The United States was where the streets were paved with gold. The land of opportunity. It was a small percentage of American Jews that wanted to drive the support.

Jews in America throughout their early years of movement to America had pockets all over the country were they blended into the American culture. Take the reformed temple in Atlanta. German Jews with wealth, private neighborhoods, country clubs, and services held not on Friday nights or Saturdays. Service was held on a Sunday. No caps. Hardly the picture of an immigrant Jew in America. But the typical media picture shows you some neighborhood in New York City.

And now we have a Zionist movement. raising funds, In America. To set up a state in the Land of Israel.

Of course, the KKK was started by lynching a Jew, in America. Not a black. The KKK started in Georgia, taking a Jew who was found guilty of several crimes and sentenced to death then acquitted. A Jew from that wealthy Georgia society that so fit into America and blended into the melting pot.

But when looking for information on Zionism, be wary of the anti-Israel efforts which not only made books and speeches years ago, continue to this day to write web pages about posts. Am I a Jew - hello no. Am I anti-Jew or anti-Zionist - hell no. Do I believe the Israel has stolen land? Hell no - they fought a war, kicked ass, won it, have held on to it, and it is their land. Unfortunately, they have tried to play nice with people who do not treat them as equals in the Middle East.

But from the 1900’s to post WW II to today, do not think that someone who is Jewish is from Israel, a Zionist, or anything else. People are all people, with different backgrounds, cultures and diversity.

And remember that is was a Lithuanian that came to America, identified with America, the land of opportunity, melting pot society, and wanted to blend into America while still being true to his faith, beliefs and religion. In 1934, Mordecai Kaplan wrote Judaism As a Civilization. It is more then just a religion, it is a lifestyle.

Just as my Irish wife identifies with her religion, she identifies with shamrocks, Irish step dancing and St. Patrick’s Day. And as thinking much evolve, so has Judaism. And everyone who has ever gone to a Jewish Community center has him to thank.

And when I went to swimming classes at the Jewish Community Center next to Bishop Eustace, no one ever mentioned this. So I thought I would today.

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Categories: Soapbox
Tags: america, religion