Judaism Unbound Episode 396: Becoming Jewish, But Not a 'Jew-By-Choice' - Amelia Dornbush
Some people become Jewish at some point in life after they are born. Typically, they're referred to as either "Jews-by-choice" (in contrast to "Jews-by-birth") or as "converts" to Judaism. Amelia Dornbush, who underwent a conversion to Judaism during college, joins Dan and Lex for a conversation about why she would not describe herself as a "Jew-by-choice," and why that term may create more problems than it solves. This episode is the 9th in an ongoing Judaism Unbound mini-series exploring conversion to Judaism.
[1] Fall 2023’s full-semester courses in the UnYeshiva are now posted, and ready for your registration! For more info about all five of them, and to register yourself, just head to JudaismUnbound.com/classes.
[2] Click here to read Amelia Dornbush’s full 2016 article, “Why I Hate the Phrase Jew By Choice,” in Lilith Magazine.
[3] For an exploration of “choice” as a fraught linguistic framework for reproductive justice, see this Em-URGE-ing Voices blog post.
[4] To hear more about Lab/Shul’s re-envisioning of traditional Jewish rites of passage, listen to Episode 381: Rites (Rights?) of Passage - Amichai Lau-Lavie.
[5] To learn about the history of anarchist, treyf (non-kosher) Yom Kippur balls, check out this workshop led by East Side Jews Activist Collective. And tune in to Judaism Unbound Bonus Episode: Trefa Banquet 2.0 - Alix Wall to hear about a contemporary continuation of this radical ritual legacy (P.S. treyf = trefa).
[6] On loyalty oaths: How exactly converts to Judaism are asked to declare their faith may vary among Reform communities. However, individuals joining the Reform movement are generally expected to accept a Statement of Principles, which are reflected clearly in these pages of the CCAR’s 2021 Lifecycle Guide for Clergy (note, as Amelia mentioned in the episode, claims regarding the state of Israel, exclusion of other faiths, and raising Jewish children). Below is Amelia’s custom addendum that she read aloud for us:
Ani eilech b’derech Adonai. Ani eyavek im Adonai. Tzedek tzedek erdof.
I will walk on a road of God. I will wrestle with God. Justice, justice, I will pursue.
[7] The Mike Davis quote that Amelia references – “Fight with hope, fight without hope, fight absolutely.” – comes from this 2016 interview in the London School of Economics and Political Science’s blog.
[8] Click here to read the transcript of Amelia’s 2013 Open Hillel Conference closing address, and here to see the New York Times’ coverage of her and her Swarthmore peers’ rabble-rousing.
[9] For a discussion of the Ship of Theseus through a Jewish lens, see this piece by Rabbi Josh Franklin.
