Bad Jews?

From within the Jewish Orthodox realm, the choice between good and bad in terms of Jewish practice - although halachically not recommended - is relatively easy. There are degrees of religious conformity, things that should never be done - like mixed marriages, but lines and limits are very clear. However, outside this safe space, the diversity may be a blessing and a curse as it rather delves into questions, way too many questions that may overshadow any trace of clarity.

Journalist Emily Tamkin - published, among others, in The Washington Post, New Statesman, The Forward - does not pretend to have an answer, but collects pieces of a mosaique that may be, in the end, constructed in many possible ways. 

Bad Jews. A History of Jewish Politics and Identities is a welcomed contribution to the neverending, very actual debate about who is good and who is bad - which confounds sometimes with the question about right and wrong, but not necessarily. The debate is even more important since 7/10, with often mentions of ´Jews for Palestine´ or ´Against the ´Genocide´´. For some, such individuals are ´good´, for many others they are as ´bad´ as any plain Hamas supporter.

It´s relevant to read the book from this perspective time-bounded, but for a full understanding of the Jewish identity in the US, and in some cases outside Israel in general, the book offers that general frame. It analysis not only stereotypes and the ideological division - very normal as long as Jews do belong as citizens to a national community, but also go the the root of the motivation for different divisions - for instance, for most American Jews, Israel may not be the most important identity issue. Some Jews may grow up with a synagogue affiliation, some of them without a Sunday school, some may send their children to Jewish camps although they are not observnt any more. Some may think that protesting for Palestine is your mission to ´make the world a better place´. 

Identity may be fluid. Opinions may be wrong. People may be unaware of what they do support. People may love to be wrong. A lesson learned of Tamkin´s book is that before judging one should consider several identity markers. Which does not mean that everyone is right.