Identity, Politics, Religion

Throwback Thursday: On Slippery Language and "Independent" Jews

Over here at Jewschool, we’ve been all about the Indy-Jews for our whole decade-plus life span.  We have spill much ink explaining the independent orientation to others who don’t share it.  Today’s #TBT is a 2009 classic from crack Jewschool fisker BZ on the slippery meaning of the term “Independent”.  Adapting some careful criticisms from Nate Silver of political pundits who talk about independent voters without saying what  they mean, BZ considers the way professional and amateur Jewish pollsters, journalists, and mavens obscure more than they clarify in their opinionating about independent Jews.  Sometimes posts slip under the radar for purely logistical issues — timing or what-have-you.  This late Saturday night post didn’t get the attention it deserved in its time, so we’re re-running it now, five years later.
http://jewschool.com/21/19029/independent/

2 thoughts on “Throwback Thursday: On Slippery Language and "Independent" Jews

  1. You should join an organization with a good name, like B’nai Brith girls or A.Z.A. You should also letter in a team sport. Then people would respect you.

  2. Interesting posting, which I didn’t see the first time around. As an independent rabbi without a pulpit (and not in search of one), I call myself postdenominational. Years ago, I was Orthodox, then egalitarian-Conservative. I found myself not wanting to affiliate with a single denomination, and am drawn to the idea of klal Yisrael — even if it may just be an idealist’s view. To be independent for me is to think of Jewish tradition as a wellspring to dip into to nourish my Jewish life and the spiritual lives of those around me. Thanks for re-posting this.

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