The Movement for Reform Judaism

Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain, Chairman of the Assembly of Rabbis and Rabbi of Maidenhead Synagogue is a respected writer and broadcaster, frequently asked to comment on news issues on radio and television. In this fortnightly feature he addresses your concerns, giving responses to modern issues and queries.

This week's question: I have long been confused about the exact nature of my identity. Am I English or British or Jewish  ?
 

It is a question that many people agonise over, while it has been asked not recently but ever since Jews came here. What is more, it is not just a Jewish question, but has applied equally to others – for instance, do English Catholics consider themselves Catholics who happen to live in England or English citizens who happen to be Catholic? The identity question then becomes even more complicated when loyalty is thrown into it. Most Jews have been asked at some point the question ‘If there was a war between Israel and England, who would you support?’ – just as there are constant questions as to whether Catholics owe their allegiance to Westminster or to Rome.

Of course, there are many for whom  such questions are not a matter of confusion and they have a forthright response. Some Jews, for instance, consider themselves English first, thoroughly rooted in the country, but religiously Jewish. Others see being Jewish as their prime identity, colouring their lifestyle and relationships, although still loyal to the country at large. Others hover inbetween – some comfortably, others less so – while yet others find their attitude has changed, originally identifying more strongly one way, but now their feelings have shifted. There are also those who say : I reject all labels, I am a human being, and everything else is detail.

In many ways, it is an academic exercise. We all have multiple identities, and very often they can clash with each other: being a child and parent, spouse and friend, business man and local resident. We can argue endlessly as to which takes precedence, but so much depends on time and situation. What is much more important are the values we live by (honesty, fairness, kindness). Thus most of us have a certain regard for a fellow Jew but would still report him/her to the police if we knew they were a drug-dealer – because justice is a higher value than loyalty. The best identity-tag to aim for is: a person of integrity.  

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