Managing Diversity - The Conversation

Comment by DanG on "Class on Monday, June 26"

DanG — 2006-06-28T17:28:04-04:00

When I hear the word "Jew" or "Jewish", I immediately think of a situation in during my junior year of high school. I don't remember exactly what the situation was, but for some reason by band teacher told a student "don't try to Jew me down". The whole class got silent becasue we all knew that there was a trumpet player in there that was Jewish, but obviously the teacher didn't know that. Even if there weren't any Jewish people in class, it was still inappropriate to say. Anyway, the Jewish person was very witty so he came back with a very sarcastic response and never brought it up again.

Other than that, I haven't known but a couple of people of the Jewish faith. I know all the stereotypes, and when I hear them the first thing that comes to mind is the "Family Guy" episode when Peter hires a Jewish person to handle his finances.

I really enjoyed listening to Rabbi Jacobson also. I had basically known nothing about Judaism before monday, and I'm glad I got to learn about it. I also didn't know what "kosher" meant. I thought it meant that a Rabbi blessed the food, which is obviously way off.

During our discussion in class on monday about being open with thoughts and biases on the blog and in class, I was really surprised that there were other people in the class afraid to express all of their biases for fear of being looked down upon. After that discussion, and learning about what other people felt, I felt instantly more open about sharing certain thuoghts that I wouldn't have shared before. Because of this, I think it would be a good idea, in future classes, to devote an hour in class after a few weeks and have the discussion on how people are feeling about the blog, and if they feel comfortable sharing their feelings and biases, etc. Summer classes are probably too short, but I think it would work in a regular semester.

Thanks to everyone for making my first graduate class a great one. Best of luck to everyone in finishing your MBA's and in your careers!

Comment by CarlL on "Class on Monday, June 26"

CarlL — 2006-06-27T23:08:23-04:00

When speaking with Rabbi Jacobson, I told him about a documentary dealing with a Jewish group in Northern Iowa who started a packing plant. The documentary portrayed a Jewish community that did not want to interact with anyone else, and wanted to be separate from the community. The reason for this was to keep to their faith fully.

I had asked how the community was doing, and if they had any hardships with current residents. Rabbi Jacobson informed me that the person who wrote about this was a Rabbi who was looking for a story and did not portray a correct perspective. He informed me that Iowa PBS did a story that dawned a little bit more truth on how things were going. Rabbi Jacobson said the community was doing very well, and they are not separated from the community. Many businesses have tripled their sales, like a dry-cleaning establishment, since the Jewish sect has moved there. He also told me it was important to always know the person who is teaching, telling a story, or giving advice, because they will have their own agenda or bias. I thought this advise was very good dealing with the topic of this class.

Comment by HeatherS on "Class on Monday, June 26"

HeatherS — 2006-06-27T22:17:14-04:00

Can I just say 'ditto' and be done? Sorry to sound repetitive here, but I couldn't think of any stereotypes about Jewish people. Even though I watch an absurd amount of TV programs, I wasn't a Seinfeld fan, so I can't even relate on that level. I will say that when I walked into Aliber Monday night, I spotted the Rabbi and saw he looked lost and presumed he was here for our class - does that mean I have a stereotype as to Jewish appearances?

I felt the need to ask the Rabbi more questions about the Jewish faith, but figured I shouldn't steer our diversity class in that direction. I did enjoy my experience at the Jewish Food Fair a few weeks ago even though I had convinced myself that I wouldn't like a single thing I tried.

Overall, I think the speakers and our class blog have helped me realize that I need to experience more diversity / out-of-box type stuff. While I try to respect people for who they are, I realize how 'sheltered' I have been by not learning more about all our differences.

I appreciate Regan being able to speak her mind without worrying what other people think - I think that is a rare trait. Jean has always been very thorough and I hope she didn't think I was picking on her with my comment in class. Thanks also to HeeRa and Carole for being so inquisitive. Everyone contributed to my learning experience and I enjoyed getting to know each of you.

Comment by Laura on "Class on Monday, June 26"

Laura — 2006-06-27T21:56:50-04:00

I really enjoyed hearing Rabbi Jacobsen speak as well. It is hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I think when I hear the work Jewish. I remember learning about Hanukkah very early in preschool. Some of the children I went to preschool with in Iowa City were jewish, so we learned about Hanukkah and christmas. We played with the dreidel and learned about the menorrah (I probably didn't spell that correctly.) So basically I was exposed to some aspects, and people of the Jewish faith very early. My family is Catholic, but my mother taught me to respect all religions, and persons of faith.
I did find some of the things that Rabbi said very interesting. I was not as familiar wiht the different sects within Judaism. I was also somewhat surprised that they do not communicate with each other much. I would have thought that as much as that faith has been persecuted, they would have more solidarity. It was also interesting to hear him speak about converting. It made me realize that becoming Jewish, was much more than simply joining the faith, but changing a person's way of life. People who do convert must be very committed.

Comment by JackR on "Class on Monday, June 26"

JackR — 2006-06-27T21:55:17-04:00

The funny thing is, when I hear the word “Jew” or Jewish, nothing really comes to mind except dark hair. I have known a lot of Jewish people in my life and they have all had dark hair.

Many stereotypes have a little bit of truth to them. The problem is when we begin to label everybody based on that stereotype. For instance, (I’m going to play it safe here) there is a stereotype that accountants are boring people. I’m sure some accountants are, but not all. Or people from Iowa are extremely friendly, but that is not always true.

There are also many stereotypes for people of the Jewish faith, however, I have never experienced or seen them. Other common stereotypes in the world or the safe ones I mentioned above hold some truths, because I have witnessed them first hand. The common stereotypes associated with the Jewish faith don’t quickly come to my mind because I have never seen them or experienced them personally.

Stereotypes don’t just arise from nothing. They are usually developed after a pattern of behavior or trait was seen with great regularity among a certain group of people. I’m sure the stereotypes related to the Jewish people hold some truths with some. However, from my own personal experience, these stereotypes are completely incorrect.

One last note, it was great getting to know everyone. I enjoyed hearing and reading everyone’s comments. Good luck!

Comment by JoshB on "Class on Monday, June 26"

JoshB — 2006-06-27T20:37:14-04:00

I enjoyed listening to the Rabbi and his passion for his faith and culture. Like others I never thought of Jewish as an ethnicity but as a religion. I do wish he would have went into the Jewish faith more the he did. I was surprised to hear his comment from his community about turning into a Jewish ghetto by opening the kosher deli. It shows how important it is for people to embrace and accept diversity.

Listening to the Rabbi speak I was also surprised like Regan to hear him use the name Jew. I have always been under the belief that Jew was a derogatory term.

The biggest lesson I took from the Rabbi was how people learn discrimination and derogatory language from others. People accept these stereotypes and believe in them without any proof. This is a big thing I took from this whole class. Discrimination and racism is a deep rooted issue that people have learned from others and are unaware of until someone points it out.

Diversity is the process of accepting others for who or what they, hopefully it can change beliefs but not always.

I too have enjoyed class and appreciate all your perspectives and points of view.

Comment by DanH on "Class on Monday, June 26"

DanH — 2006-06-27T20:31:12-04:00

I would agree with Reagan's comment in class. I always thought that using the term "Jew" was negative. And when the rabbi put it in the context of how african americans use the "N" word with each other, it made a lot more sense.

I thought he made a great presentation. I found myself intrigued and most of all wanting to stop by his deli and try some of the corned beef! I also never knew the difference between different types of Jewish faith. I always thought it was all the same. As a Christian, I was able to really identify with his struggle to encourage all people to just agree about what they have in common, and not focus so much on the small differences.

This was a great last speaker to have who provided a true learning experience for me.

Comment by Mike C on "Class on Monday, June 26"

Mike C — 2006-06-27T20:22:07-04:00

I have no immediate impressions when someone uses the terms Jew or Jewish. I once had engrained in my mind the association with “Jews” being tight with money. When I worked for AFSCME Iowa, I once stated to a coworker that worked with our International staff that a fellow employee always tried to get all the extras he could when he booked motel sites for trainings. I stated that I believed he liked to “Jew” people down. Later that morning the international staff came to my office to let me know that one of his staff was Jewish and was offended. I apologized to both the person who pointed out my error and the Jewish staff member. As Rabbi Jacobson pointed out getting all we can for the best price is not a bad thing, but my categorizing all of the Jewish people was a terribly wrong thing.

I found it very interesting that Rabbi Jacobson really did not find much discrimination of the Jewish people in Iowa. Perhaps it is because of the open nature of the religion. My experience with the Jewish community, in my visit for our class assignment, made me feel that Jewish people welcome others to help them understand why they believe they way they believe. I found that same trait in Rabbi Jacobson as he tried to explain why certain meats were not kosher and why certain days were holy to the Jewish community.

I also found the Rabbi’s belief, that two people of different faiths should not be compelled to change faiths to marry, refreshing and realistic. Other religious leaders would be well advised to listen carefully to that message. Having people in your congregation that do not truly believe is not what faith movement is supposed to be about.

I also found the Rabbi’s comments about converted Jews desperately wanting to go to Israel to live and learn the Jewish religion fascinating. In some ways, it would seem that converts leaving their communities to go to Israel would hinder growth of the religion. Who better to convince the community of their need to convert than those converted? But then maybe growth in the religion is not the point.

Thanks to everyone for the great discussions over the last six weeks, both in class and on the blog; it has truly been a rewarding experience.

Comment by CaroleC on "Class on Monday, June 26"

CaroleC — 2006-06-27T17:48:45-04:00

I don’t really instantly think of anything in particular when someone uses the terms “Jew” or “Jewish.” I have always felt that “Jewish” was a more appropriate term than “Jew”, however. I attribute this to a point that was brought up in class Monday night – I simply have not known very many Jewish people. As a result, I really don’t think I have any stereotypes and biases toward Jewish people. Obviously, I’m aware of what the standard stereotypes are. These are prevalent in movies, TV, the media, etc. I’ve never really known what these stereotypes mean and/or how they came to exist. They simply don’t make any sense to me. I’ve always felt a little stupid, I guess, because I just don’t get it.

One thing I find amusing is that my husband has known many, many Jewish people and is good friends with several. He has lived in Chapel Hill, NC; Boston, MA; New York, NY and Los Angeles, LA. So, sometimes he will see or hear someone’s name and will comment, “That is a good Jewish name.” He doesn’t mean anything bad by this, as I mentioned, some of his best friends are Jewish. What strikes me as odd is the fact that these individuals usually tend to be Jewish – so he is correct in his assumption and/or stereotype. I wouldn’t know a “Jewish” name if I hear one!

I don’t think I’m alone in not being exposed to many Jewish people. This comment was mentioned several times in class. Further, I don’t think a lot of people understand the stereotypes/biases associated with the Jewish faith. My mother-in-law is a district sales manager for a large pharmaceutical company and she recently had to reprimand one of her reps for using the derogatory comment “Jew someone down.” I was shocked that a grown woman, a professional would say something like this. Her response was that she didn’t know it was “bad.” Are you kidding me? My point is that even if you don’t understand the stereotypes – don’t be naïve! Just because you don’t understand something is not a free pass to be ignorant.

My overall reaction to the Rabbi is that he is a very passionate person. I want to try his deli, but by the sounds of it they don’t carry much vegetarian fare! However, I had a hard time drawing the connection from most of his presentation to diversity issues as they relate to our class. At times, I felt he was trying to “sell” the Jewish faith. Further, when posed questions by the class, I was even more challenged to make out a direct answer.

Thanks to everyone for a great semester. I’ve enjoyed this class and getting to know each of you personally and/or through the blog. Good luck with the rest of your education and careers!

Comment by Keely B on "Class on Monday, June 26"

Keely B — 2006-06-27T16:48:05-04:00

Growing up in Iowa I, like many others, had no experiences with the Jewish religion. I can’t tell you if or where there is a Jewish synagogue in Cedar Falls/Waterloo. However, attending the U. of Iowa with a large population of students from the Chicagoland area I was able to meet and live with students who were Jewish. I, as well, have heard all of the stereotypes about being “jewed” down or the theory that the Jewish are stingy. I don’t really have any experience like that, my roommate’s family who was Jewish were the most giving and generous people I know. I’m not sure if this is correct but I assumed the stereotypes were developed because many Jewish people are very successful in business therefore kind of out of jealousy the terms were created.

I am also still a bit confused on the issue of being Jewish as an ethnicity or religion. I was amazed by how hard it would be for someone to become Jewish, I guess I almost felt is that being a bit unwelcoming? I understood the Rabbi’s reasoning’s, I’m just not sure I’ve heard of it being that difficult to join a religious group before. The presentation has also peeked my interests in the religion and I wish we had a bigger community in DSM so we could attend events more and see the religion in practice at a larger level. Although I'm sure if I am truely interested I can find events to attend.

I have also truly enjoyed the class. I feel more empowered to make a difference in my community and are more equipped to stand up to someone when I hear them saying a discriminatory remark. We don’t all have to agree on issues but I do believe that we MUST respect people and be cognizant of the differences and how they can be an asset for our organizations. Good luck and I look forward to seeing many of you around the halls of Aliber.

Comment by HollyD on "Class on Monday, June 26"

HollyD — 2006-06-27T15:49:14-04:00

I've never known anyone (as far as I know) who is Jewish, so this was an interesting presentation for me. I had no previous experience with the Jewish faith or anything about it, so I hadn't developed any stereotypes. I had no clue what kosher was.. what the main ideas of the faith were, or anything like that. I'm planning to go check out the deli. I enjoy learning about different religions and cultures and I get the feeling Rabbi Jacobson would be fun to chat with. One thing I found very interesting about his presentation was his emphasis on marketing the church and the religion. I never thought of religion in that way before so it was interesting to me to look at it sort of like a product or service. Anyway, I enjoyed this class and all of our speakers very much! Bye all! :)

Comment by AllisonS on "Class on Monday, June 26"

AllisonS — 2006-06-27T14:58:58-04:00

In response to Jen's question regarding what I think of when the word Jew or Jewish is mentioned... In all honesty, nothing came immediately to my mind. In fact, it was a situation where I really had to think of something. That being said, I realized that I need to learn more about this religion, and I wish I would have done more research prior to last night's presentation by Rabbi Jacobson. I found his presentation to be quite interesting, but I think I would have gained more if I had done some homework previously. For instance, like many others in the class, I didn't know what "kosher" meant. Regan, thanks for asking him that question. Also, I didn't know that Saturday is considered a holy day. I was also somewhat confused as to the different "sectors" of the Jewish faith. Since Rabbi Jacobson only had an hour to talk with us, he obviously couldn't clarify everything in that period of time. So, I will take it upon myself to rely on what he talked to us about last night and do some research on my own. I found the presentation and discussion following to interest me enough in order to do so.

However, I will say a take-away from last night's presentation was when Rabbi Jacobson stated how important it is to find the goodness in every individual. We are really more the same than different. Sometimes it's very easy to jump to conclusions or quickly form an opinion about someone based upon their body language, how they look, what they may have said, etc, etc. I hope to always find the goodness in each person and get beyond any stereotypes that I may have.

Comment by kerik on "Class on Monday, June 26"

kerik — 2006-06-27T13:02:38-04:00

I've never really known anyone who is Jewish but I studied the religion quite a bit in undergrad so I wasn't sure the Rabbi's visit would teach me much more. What I did learn, and shouldn't have been surprised to realize is the incredible sense of community that Jewish people seem to have. I was raised Catholic and forced to attend mass every Sunday while I lived in my parents house. Needless to say I don't have fond memories of any established religion as a result. Most Catholics I know that aren't relatives are usually lapsed Catholics such as myself who don't have fond things to say about the church. The Rabbi's presentation reminded me that it is not so much the "religion" that is important as the person.

A comment about our blog discussion. I think that most of us want to do the "right" thing whether that be standing up to racism or assisting a disabled person to fitting into our work environment. A big part of diversity is creating an inclusive environment where we tolerate others who have very different views from us. I often get asked why those legislators can't just get along. Well its because they have very different views on how things should be and both equally feel strongly about those beliefs. When you feel "right" about something, you usually don't give up that easily. However, our political system, much like our work environment, works best when we remain open minded to other ways of looking at things and don't discount ideas just because they go against our own value system. I liked DanH's comment about seeing the movie about 911 and I think he expressed basically what I'm trying to say. I have had that experience many times and hope that others will also not be afraid to question their value system even if it doesn't seem quite "right".

Thanks for a great class and great experience. Best of luck to all.

Comment by TiffanyI on "Class on Monday, June 26"

TiffanyI — 2006-06-27T12:26:12-04:00

Jen, thanks for asking Rabbi Jacobson to come speak to our class. Wow, was he entertaining! As you can see from the above comments, everyone was very impressed by him. I have not had a lot of exposure to the Jewish faith so I was very interested to hear what he had to say.

Thanks to Regan and others who also asked questions. I also didn’t know what Kosher met until last night, let alone that there are different levels of Kosher. I went home and told my husband that we have to go try the deli now. What a great idea! I also appreciated the question about if it is correct to call someone a Jew or not. I was glad to hear the Rabbi’s answer since he has been exposed to this more than anyone. Thanks to Jen for also posting. I still think I’ll refrain from saying it, but at least I’ve got some idea on how people feel about.

That leads into the comments above about people expressing themselves within the class. The people in our class have been great. I think it would be hard to find another class where we could feel safe talking about different items. Some of you said that you speak your mind, which I admire. However, in all classes, you’ll also have people like me that are more apt to be reserved. I don’t see this as a strength, but it’s just who I am. I do appreciate those who spoke-up. Like I mentioned, many times you were asking questions that I also had.

Best of luck to all of you! Thanks for making this a very enjoyable class!!

Comment by MichaelN on "Class on Monday, June 26"

MichaelN — 2006-06-27T11:05:21-04:00

Growing up in small town Iowa I didn’t know anything about Judaism. I was a huge “Seinfeld” fan (I still watch the reruns) and that was probably my first Jewish person that I “knew,” so all of my facts were based off of a Thursday night sitcom. Pretty scary, huh? My English 101 professor during my freshman year of college was Jewish and that was my first experience with Jewish holidays. It was very interesting…when we would have a day off from class because of the holiday observance, I would do some research on that particular holiday.

Through my work I have become very good friends with a Jewish guy (he happens to be gay, but that’s a whole another story) that works at Columbia Law School in Manhattan. I’m always asking questions and I don’t know if he’s accustomed to someone asking so many questions about being Jewish because he was born and raised in New York. That crossed my mind last night when the Rabbi was talking about Rob Borsellino. Growing up in New York you’re immersed in the Jewish faith, whether you’re Jewish or not. So my friend probably doesn’t get a whole lot of questions from New Yorkers, but leave it to the Iowa boy to ask all of the questions.

Last night Mike, the blog coach, commended DanG for editing his post on the topic of gays. I really thought about that last night on my drive home and I disagree with that statement. We’ve talked all summer about no one being right or wrong, we’re just different. DanG has a different belief on that subject, yet he had to edit his post because he was worried about what we would think. As HeeRa said earlier, “Doesn’t that alarm anyone?” Now I think DanG should be commended for even bringing his beliefs to the blog even thought most of us have different beliefs on the subject. I just really wish that Dan would have felt comfortable submitting his original blog.

Comment by HeeRa H on "Class on Monday, June 26"

HeeRa H — 2006-06-27T10:06:32-04:00

Regarding class

I was thinking about Kerri's and Holly's comments about the class taking the "safe" route in our blogs.

I'm not sure how to create a class environment where everyone will always be able to speak their mind. Yet, I'm not sure how this really helped us "step out of the box". We looked at issues and talked about things that were safe. While some of us felt safe speaking out minds concerning the blog, I think that is important to look at those who didn't.

I was very impressed with Dan's blog about Jonathan and his candidness about not even wanting to come to class. Doesn't that alarm anyone?

Maybe we're so involved with our grades and "saying what we think" that it can be intimidating to others, who have just as important things to say but can't always express them.

Even though we don't really know each other, but I may know a glimpse of who you are. I do wish you well in your endeavors.

Comment by HeeRa H on "Class on Monday, June 26"

HeeRa H — 2006-06-27T09:47:12-04:00

When I think of Jew or Jewish.....I think of my best friend from college, but she doesn't believe in God and her father was Catholic.

But she had the "typical" ethnic features - dark hair, darker skin, and the nose. So when we think about stereotyping - the nose always comes to mind. Probably because I don't have a nose, and I really wanted one all my life. My friend still makes fun of me that I used to put clothespins on my nosing hoping that it would become bigger.

Besides people using the term "jew", "gypped" is another term that people don't always recognize as it is derogatory to gypies.

Comment by ChristyN on "Class on Monday, June 26"

ChristyN — 2006-06-27T09:31:24-04:00

I had the priviledge in college to work for someone of the Jewish faith. He was a terrific man and I learned a lot from him. Growing up, I never had any exposure at all to the Jewish faith, so my experience has always been a positive one as well.

A few months back our church (which is non-denominational) invited a guest speaker from Israel to one of our services. He went through the Hannakuh tradition with us and explained the different foods and drinks and why they were so important. Looking back after last night I can appreciate that more. There is a respect for others and their beliefs that you do not find too often with other religions. It stood out last night when Rabbi Jacobson started talking about encouraging people NOT to convert unless they were doing it for the right reasons. He seemed respectful of beliefs and showed it is okay to have different beliefs. That was very impressive to me.

Now I am intrigued by the deli. I know that was not his primary purpose for visiting class, but I love trying different places to eat, so I am going to visit.

Comment by JeanB on "Class on Monday, June 26"

JeanB — 2006-06-27T01:06:27-04:00

Before class while I was supposed to be working…
To me Jewish is a religion, but I’m not comfortable calling someone a Jew. My husband thinks of Jewish as a race and I’m certain I don’t like the underlying thought process of that opinion. He doesn’t understand that I feel that segregating into a group implies distinct differences in appearance that I find derogatory and offensive. Calling someone a Jew puts them in a box with similar people that have specific traits and physical characteristics. It is hard to fight the image of that has been presented in media through pictures, movies and stories. It is almost instinct to look for certain traits when you find out someone is Jewish but I try not to let it alter my judgment.

The truth is these are my stereotypes. Jewish people are very family oriented and tend to live around each other. They live in large urban communities and have a greater than average income. As professionals, they are retailers, doctors, entertainers and tailors. They are passionate about their religion and defiant of their differences. Their holidays are different and their Sabbath is not Sunday. As a group, they are untrusting of anyone who is not Jewish and they tend to be shorter than average and have dark hair. I do not consider any these traits or behaviors as negative. They embrace their differences. Politically they are regular voters and are usually Democrats. Spiritually they are devoted to god.

After the class…
I agreed with Regan and HeeRa, the question was not really answered. Is being Jewish a religion or is it a race. Is calling someone a Jew an ethic slur? Can someone become a Jew or do they have to be born a Jew? I’m not sure the Rabbi understood why we were asking such a question or the significance of the difference but he did end with saying that some of the best Jew’s were converts. I think that means that I’m right and my husband is wrong. I liked his advice to couples to get the civil marriage license first and let the religious learning progress slower with less pressure. I was surprised that the first resistance he could remember when he was establishing his deli was criticism from the Jewish community. They felt he was supporting a form of segregation, promoting a stereotype. I was also surprised by the differences within the religion; this was not just one big happy clan. They are passionate about their differences and are not afraid to voice their arguments. However his real message came through; we all have a unique perspective and each of us has something good to give. We all need to find that good in everyone we meet. I found the Rabbi to be very trusting, open and accepting.

Thank you for reading my long-winded postings. Once I get started it is hard to stop. Not to fear Heather, I probably won the award for being the blog everyone dreaded to read. Best of luck to all of you.

Comment by jenz on "Class on Monday, June 26"

jenz — 2006-06-27T00:33:52-04:00

woops: I didnt finish my sentence: to Lindsay, I appreciate you commenting on the term "Jew". I think it's lovely that you are so respectful and yet mindful that others can use it negatively. When you call someone a "jew" , atleast to me, I've never felt it as derogatory or offensive. HOwever, there are instances when people use the term in a negative way. I just wanted to clear that up!

Comment by JenZ on "Class on Monday, June 26"

JenZ — 2006-06-27T00:30:21-04:00

Hey all.. I couldn't resist posting a comment! I was so curious to know how it went today! I'm so glad that everyone seems to have enjoyed the Rabbi. He is a very respected figure in my life and in the community. as for some of the comments about stereotypes: I asked this questions because I am curious to know what's out there. I have heard them all I assure you! It's intersting to read the comment on the term " Jew". I never knew people used it negatively until I went to college. That shocked me, but I always call myself and others who are Jewish, "jews" and sometimes don't think twice! Growing up a Jew in Iowa has been interesting. We have a smal l community, but we are very close. In college, I experienced my first real "minority" moment, when I met/befriended people who were stunned that I was jewish and I was the first jew they'd ever met. Very crazy, let me assure you. I have had a few negative experiences as well: in elementary days, some parents didnt want me around their kids because my family was jewish, the graffiti on our reform synagouge and a few instances when I started dating. They've all made me stronger as a person but it's easier to hide my "difference" and I am still somewhat cautious to state that I am Jewish. I have grown stronger in my faith, but the reactions I get still intimidate me. So that is why I wanted to hear what others thought! I enjoyed this class immensly and agree with Regan: You all are wonderful class mates and peers! Keep intouch and if anyone has questions about anything , dont hesitate to e-mail me!
Good luck to all!

Comment by LindsayK on "Class on Monday, June 26"

LindsayK — 2006-06-26T23:30:09-04:00

My first experience with Jewish people came when I was in confirmation class at my protestant church. I was only 13, but I remember on the first day of class, my teacher asked all of us to tell her what we hoped to get out of the confirmation class and asked us if we had any questions. My first question was, why should I do this? Meaning, why should I just automatically join the faith of my parents. She said to expand on it, and I said....how do I know that I believe in this faith...I've never been exposed to anything else. So I think that I started something very interesting in diversity at the age of 13. My confirmation teacher was very open to what I said and agreed with me that I was pretty young to be committing to something so big at such a young age. So her solution was that we devote half the class year to studying our religion and the other half, we would study other religions and go to their respective services/masses.

We went to a catholic mass, a jewish synagogoe service, a jehovah's witness service, and another protestant religion than our own. We also did a little studying in the classroom about the other religions, so that is the first time I have been ot a Jewish synagoge. In total, I have been there 3 times, the first two were planned visits with groups of people and the third visit was unplanned and I was on my own, it was for my out of box experience. Each time I have been there, they have been so eager to share their religion and beliefs and so extremely nice. I think it was like that because, we are in Iowa, and the congregations were so small, that they were really excited to have outsiders interested in their beliefs.

And for Jen's question about using the terms Jewish and Jew. I have always used both terms, but with respect. I never thought that the term Jew was a bad term, since I knew that I wasn't meaning it in a derogatory way. Other people even point out when I say it, that I probably shouldn't be saying it, so I know that a lot of people are confused about whether it is right or wrong to say. But I think almost anything said with tact and respect shouldn't be taken in a negative way.

Comment by Lisa T on "Class on Monday, June 26"

Lisa T — 2006-06-26T22:21:56-04:00

The first thing I think of when I hear the word Jew or Jewish is Hanukah.

Throughout elementary I went to school with a Jewish girl named Rebbeca. She often shared things about her faith with our class each year. I don't remember much, but I do consider myself fortunate to have had the experience to be exposed to this faith at a very young age. Which may have kept me from buying into many of the stereotypes.

Because of Rebbeca I think of things that are associated with Jewish Holidays even before I think of the Holocaust.

The one stereotype I have heard most often about Jewish people is that they are cheap. I have no reason for believing this other then I've heard over and over again; mostly on T.V.

I also had a very good friend in undergrad that was Jewish and she didn't fit any of the stereotypes I've ever heard and definitely wasn't cheap.

Rabbi Jacobson presented a lot of interesting information about the Jewish faith in the short period of time he had to speak. Listening to him intrigued me to learn more and gave me some questions that I could ask someone who has more knowledge then myself on the topic.

Comment by Regan on "Class on Monday, June 26"

Regan — 2006-06-26T22:20:10-04:00

I wish that I had commented first rather than asked Rabbi Jacobson a question. I really haven't had thoughts on Jewish people, becauase I simply was never exposed to any. I was telling him that I was confused by the media's portrayal of greedy and stealing Jewish people. My only encounters with any Jewish people are my son Ashton's best friend and his family and then my one trip to the Macabbee Deli. It was a great experience and I already commented on it in my out of the box experience. This is what impressed me so much and totally contricted that "kipin Jew" stereotype we hear so much on TV. In his deli there is cup for money. I asked him what the money was for and Rabbi Jacobson explained to me that some people don't have money to eat and so that helps him to pay for the food he gives them. Now you tell me what other resturant in town is so giving? So, even though I don't feel that I had those ideas about Jewish people I know that I knew the stereotypes. My one visit there completely blew that silly stereotype to the wind. One thing that I know that I was guilty of until probably 5 years ago was saying that I would "jew" someone down. Until I was in college I guess I absentmindedly thought of that as a verb for talking someone into to giving me something for a lower price. I think that using that word in that way is something that many are guilty of without even thinking. I feel that we are really deprived of learning the true atrosity of Hitler what he did to the Jewish people. Really until college and watching Schindler's List I knew nothing. I want to thank everyone for a wonderful class and learning experiences.

Although I metioned that I wasn't in that class to make friends...I did grow to care for each of you in your own unique ways. Each of us brought something different to the table and I will take that with me forever. Thanks again and I look forward to future classes with each of you. Good Luck in all of your endeavors.

Comment by Lisa T on ""Now I Get It. They're Not Wrong, They're Just Different""

Lisa T — 2006-06-26T18:15:40-04:00

I would have to say my first AHA monent occurred as I watched the Angry Eye video and thought about many of the points Jane Elliot brought up. It forced me to comfront a lot of different issues from my childhood and made me realize that often times when I haven't said anything about racism in an effort to keep the peace that I was actually advocating it. I will say in recent years I have become more vocal in letting someone know when I think they've offended someone or me personally, but I can think of many times when I've let something roll right off me just because it was the easier thing to do. I decided as I watched that video that I would never again pick and choose when it was appropriate for me to be vocal in that type of situation; I will always speak up no matter what the consequences are.

My second AHA moment was definitely listening to Dolph speak. I think he is such and amazing person and he has a lot to offer anyone he comes into contact with. He helped to remind me to stay positive no matter what adversities I may face througout life.

The third AHA moment for me was Johnathan. He has a great story and displays tremendous character. I found myself wanting to reach out to others I know who are struggling with many of the same issues he is. He helped reinforce to me how important it is to display unconditional love to those who are important to you.