I have no problem with people out of the blue “discovering” their Jewish identity. Paula Abdul? Why not. But when it comes to announcing in public you are Jewish at convenient times, that is when I find it disgusting. The main thing that irritated me about George Allen, besides the whole macaca incident and being a UVA alum, was that all abrubtly during the race did he reveal that his mother was a Lumbroso, a very well known Sephardic Jewish family. How could he not know that? And now, Michael Richards (aka Kramer) after his racial outburst at a comedy club (which, even though it was shameful, does not deserve all the press it is getting), has his publicist going around claiming that he is Jewish, despite never having practiced or identified (despite living in Los Angeles, one of the most Jewish cities outside of Israel). Some claim he was raised Catholic. Others target him as being a Mason. I can’t argue the latter point, my great-grandfather, a well-respected Rabbi, was also a practicing Freemason.
The issue is not that these people had never identified or practiced until now. The underlying problem is using your hidden Jewish identity as some sort of Semitic shield, protecting you from everything else. It’s as if once you whip out the yarmulke, you are instantly cleared, and any further discussion about you should be taken as anti-Semitism. I hope people see right through that, as religious and cultural identity is merely part of someone’s life, and just as we separate church and state in this country, anyone’s actions should not be attributed to their Jewish identity, nor should they be able to hide behind their Jewish identity in order to escape criticism. If this trend continues, it can only strengthen anti-Semitism in the US.
