My Jewish Identity in Conflict Essay - 1397 Words

My Jewish Identity in Conflict When I think of my cultural identity, my religion--Judaism--comes to mind first and foremost. When I think of my Jewish identity in conflict, racism (in my case anti-Semitism) is the obvious factor. But to fully define my conflict with my religious identity, I cannot only write from personal experiences with racism. I must also include the anti-Semitism that my forefathers have endured, from the beginning of time up to today, ranging from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust, from the massacre at the Munich Olympics to Iraqs actions in the Persian Gulf War. From direct racism and intended hatred to subtle racism in the form of jokes and passing comments, anti-Semitism has played a big part in my†¦show more content†¦Anti-Semitism continues around the world today. In the recent Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein bombed Israel in several areas even though Israel was not involved in any part of the war. Just a few days ago, on October 26, six Israeli soldiers were killed inst antly when a bomb in their jeep, planted by Iranian terrorists, exploded. Obviously, I have never gone through anything close to what the aforementioned have, but I have endured racism personally. In a high school junior varsity basketball game my sophomore year, our team traveled to a nearby high school. At the very end of the game (it was a blowout in our favor, and there was not much of a crowd), I was dribbling near the opposing teams bench when all of a sudden, one of their players on the bench yelled, Go home, you fucking Jew! I couldnt believe it. I just stopped playing and stared at him, while my teammates waited for me to do something with the ball. I had never heard anything like that directed at me before. At first, I was in what might best be called shock, and then, after time had expired, I walked over to our bench and my shock turned to anger. I didnt know what to do. I didnt confront him physically or verbally, because I feared my anger might get the best of me. That wouldnt bode well for me, since Im not exactly Muhammed Ali. In the end, I just went into the locker room without saying a word. I never really have put this behind me. Im not saying that I amShow MoreRelated The Me Nobody Knows Essay1494 Words   |  6 PagesThe Me Nobody Knows Throughout most of my life I have often confronted myself with the question of self-identity. My past is inundated with people I have been: the quiet, reserved child, the intellectual, arrogant adolescent, and recently the cool, collected young woman. My once alternating identity was a product of the tendency we all have to accommodate others, often sacrificing part of ourselves in the process. 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