Judaism's Multiculturalism

When my oldest child was three years old and learning about Passover, he told me that "the goyim" were bad. I nearly washed his mouth out with soap. Not only did he and I then have a lengthy conversation about the negativity associated with that word, but I also spoke about it to his teachers.

The us and the them is a big theme in Judaism. We rejoice in the concept of God choosing us to receive the Torah. We view ourselves as a separate and distinct nation in the world. But one lesson I have had to make certain that my children understand is that being chosen does not mean one is inherently better, only that one has a different mission in the world.

Some people in my neighborhood have asked me why I care so much about children learning the word "goyim." Firstly, I explain to them that while it may be a generic term that simply means nation (and is actually used in application to the Jewish nation as well), the way people speak the word, their intonation, has made it a slur - one which many non-Jews are familiar with as a negative term. Secondly, and far more personally, is the fact that my husband is a convert and his entire family, who are wonderful, generous and accepting people, are not Jewish.

Judaism is a religion divided between looking in and looking out. We try to strengthen ourselves spiritually while also involving ourselves in making the world a better place. And while we may have historical reasons for fearing other nations and practical religious reasons for keeping an emotional distance from them, that doesn’t make us better.

There are few times in the Jewish calendar where it is more important to remember that every human being than at Sukkot. Among the unique rituals performed on the holiday of Sukkot were the additional offerings that were sacrificed in the ancient Temple. On the first day of the holiday, 13 young bulls were sacrificed, on the second day 12, on the third day 11, on the fourth day 10, on the fifth day 9, on the sixth day 8 and on the seventh day 7. In total, 70 bulls were offered. Sukkot is the only holiday on which the number of the sacrifices varies from day to day.

In the Talmud (Sukkah 55b) Rabbi Eliezer explains that these 70 offerings are brought "For the [merit of the] 70 nations of the world." Rashi, the famous 11th century commentator, explained that this was, "To bring a forgiveness [offering] for them [the 70 nations], so that rain shall fall all over the world."

This became one of my favorite facts about Sukkot, even long before I became part of a "multi-national" family. I continue to make certain that my children understand that long before it became the norm to respect people of all nations (which, let’s face it, only became a more universal standard in the 1960s), our ancestors were virtually including all of the people in the world in our sacred ceremonies. And it wasn’t only virtual, non-Jews were also allowed to bring sacrifices to the Temple.

Strange as it may sound, I look forward to the opportunities afforded me when my children say something narrow-minded. It’s natural for children to see their world in black and white, and it is my job to teach them that respect for all people is an inherent part of our tradition.