This I (don’t) believe

Living a proud, active, committed Jewish life without God

October 9, 2008

Articles, Nu Magazine - October 9, 2008

“The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice, and the desire for personal independence — these are features of the Jewish tradition which make me thank my lucky stars that I belong to it.”

—Albert Einstein, Jewish atheist

I’m pretty much your typical Jewish girl. I live in Livingston, I belong to a Conservative synagogue, I work out at the JCC.

I spent eight years at a Hebrew day school and nine summers at a YMHA camp. I wear a Jewish star (a bat mitzvah present) around my neck.

But here’s the catch: I don’t believe in God.

My family has always celebrated the holidays together. We enjoy singing songs and saying blessings together, and we should, considering that my cousins and I have all been treated to day school educations. Yet through the prayers, there is an understanding that God just isn’t a part of this.

My suspicion that my family fits the stereotypical Jewish mold (loud, overbearing mothers, food offered at all hours of the day, extreme openness, and a fair amount of guilt) was recently confirmed by a couple of my friends after spending a weekend at my grandparents’ house. They both thought my family was more stereotypical than theirs, even though their families are more observant and believe in the existence of a deity.

How do we maintain such a Jewish image when we are non-theistic?

Being Jewish is about more than spirituality. It’s about thousands of years of common history and culture, a distinctive outlook on life. Jewish philosophy and ethics can still guide a secular Jew’s life, and they definitely affect mine.

My identity has been shaped by my Jewish roots. My Jewish education has consisted of some God-based learning, of course, but it has also been full of cultural teachings. I understand historical meaning behind holidays, ethical reasons for Halacha, and ancient rabbinical wisdom. To me, these things are more important than any supernatural faith, and they connect me with Jews everywhere.

So you’re a Jewish atheist…

First of all, don’t let anyone tell you aren’t a Jew just because you believe that God does not exist.

Orthodox authorities accept a person as Jewish if his/her mother is Jewish (or has undergone a conversion ceremony). And, of course, you’re as Jewish as you feel.

So if you’re a Jewish atheist, should you leave your religion-filled synagogue? Not necessarily. When you move out of your parents’ house and it’s time for you to find your own Jewish community, you might discover that you feel most comfortable in one of the same denomination as the one you grew up in. The prayers and customs will be familiar to you, and there are non-theistic members at every synagogue.

However, you might want to check out a Humanist synagogue. Humanistic Judaism is based on a respect for Jewish traditions, without the involvement of a “supernatural authority.” Holidays are celebrated for their themes and to commemorate historical events. Prayers are rewritten so they no longer praise the “king of the universe.” Ha’motzi becomes “blessed are those who bring forth bread from the earth.”

According to the National Jewish Population Survey 2000, 42 percent of those identifying themselves as Jews describe their outlook as secular (compared to 15 percent of all adults nationally. Fourteen percent of Jews say they do not believe in God (compared to 4 percent of adults nationally).

As you can see, it is possible to self-identify as a Jew without belief, so don’t worry that you’re going to fall out of the Jewish fold. There are plenty of ways to remain strongly connected to the tribe without belief in God: taking classes in Jewish history, learning Hebrew, and visiting Israel are just a few examples.

These are also all things I plan to do over the next four years as a student at Emory University. So, if by any chance you’re an Emory student, feel free to say hi to me when you go to Hillel or the Chabad house. You’ll definitely see me there.

Arielle Walzer, 17, a member of Nu’s teen board, graduated from Livingston High School and is in her first year at Emory University.