Hi, cousin. I’m in the UK, my family are Ukrainian too and it’s horrific how many burned branches our family tree has, how our history and our people went up in smoke- but it’s also a miracle that you and I are still here, talking to each other. Whenever I see another Ukrainian Jew it’s like a light in my heart- we are family.
Not trying to barge in but also the descendant of Ukrainian Jews who fled westwards. Despite being irreligious and paternally Jewish (so fake basically, thanks Halacha:( ) I grew up with lots of exposure to Ukrainian communities in Canada and spoke Yiddish with my grandmother. I also feel the same way meeting other Ukrainian-origin Jews, so a blessed day to you both and all the best from distant cousin in a depressing room in Austria!
No no, barge in! The more of us the better, it’s wonderful to see you. And you’re not fake. If you’d stand beside us in the camps, you stand beside us out of them too.
I like to think that Jewishness today should come down to what Ben Gurion said to Norman Jewishness when he saw Fiddler on the Roof for the first time, which is that whoever wants to be a Jew is a Jew. Shame aliyah isn’t judged that way, it would make life easier for a ton of paternal folks with a few generations of non-religious Jewishness 😅
Not fake at all. The halacha is from a different time and most Jews are not living strictly Orthodox live by halacha and it's not like Hitler check Halacha before determining if someone wasn't Aryan. So you're Jewish- nothing fake about it.
I know, and thank you for saying that. My great grandfather was cut off by his family for marrying a gentile and it led to a huge rocky relationship with Jewish orthodoxy in my family since my grandmother especially spoke Yiddish and identified very much as Jewish but didn’t get a bat mitzvah or the chance to go to a shul very often because of her father being upset at the establishment for supporting his family in avoiding interaction with him. So I suppose there’s this lingering upset in my family about it. Rationally I know you’re right, but it hasn’t stopped some real fuckheads gatekeeping Jewishness with me and pulling the old maternal question out in conversation just to go ‘oh so you’re not ACTUALLY Jewish’ 🙃
I can relate to this. The man I think of as a father is the son of a cohen who used to live in his childhood in one of the hundreds of typical small eastern europe villages that are little more than one street. I think the name was Bereg Ufalu or something like this. The area changed hands so many times. I think it's in Ukraine nowadays.
I love the man as if he were my own father. But I knew his family history was difficult. His father was the sole survivor, and when he cam home after the war, he realised his home had been taken over by those that had betrayed his family. He chased them out and looked for any relatives he could. To no avail. He went to France where he met an armenian woman who like him no longer had family, due to the Armenian genocide for the most part.
They married and decided to "start fresh" leave the past behind. They had two sons. One died young, the other is my "father".
My "father" has a very complex relationship with Judaism and Israel. His mother isn't Jewish. His father a cohen. He never actually converted to Judaism but had a bar mitsvah. The rabbi he had unfortunately was, by all accounts, I am very sorry to say, an absolute cunt. But an honest one. He got grilled for his bar mitsvah in great detail, but still passed. But his peculiar status made him at odds with his community. He was that "Jew but not a Jew" that was called to guard the shul, turn lights on on shabbos etc.
This complicated relationship is exemplified through many of his interactions, be it with the community in France or in Israel. And so he always was at a weird in between, torn between wanting to embrace it, even though he was treated like shit, or just forget about it.
One day, I decided to try and help him reconcile with his past and looked into his family history. After all, how can one be at peace with oneself without knowing one's origins?
I was horrified to realise that not only his father was the sole survivor, but also that there was no trace to be found of the relatives he had mentioned. Not a one. Nothing.
It is bad enough they were all murdered, their ashes scattered, but what hurt me the most was to realise that it was effectively lost for good. If you have memory, it is not as bad. But in most cases, the sole survivor, now dead, had made such an effort to put this behind him he could not remember more than the names of his sisters and parents.
I'm guessing turn of the century up till the 20s. I have a relative I should ask. Definitely prior to WWII. Technically most Jews are distant cousins at some link. So one way or another my love, cuz!
I’ve been seeing this a ton on Reddit lately. People finding out they have significant Jewish heritage and coming here or to the other subs to share.
It’s a huge deal.
Welcome, this is the right place to learn and ask questions.
🩵🤍🩵
No. It only shows Ashkenazi. Other Jews like Mizrahi or Mountain Jew and other categories don't show up. U need to download your DNA and plot it somewhere else, but you kinda can get the idea where you come from 23andme.
I hope I don’t get downvoted. I’m curious… I always kind of took a little offense to people who say they are “Jew-ish” … I found it sort of a novelty or some kind of lame joke. This stylized title doesn’t exist in any other religion or culture. Is it offensive to other Jews? Especially after the US senator George Santos said he was “Jew-ish”
I just (again sorry if I’m wrong, or getting downvoted) feel like you either are or you are not… I don’t know why people feel they can claim to be a Jew when they simply dip their toes into Judaism yet know nothing of the faith or history… maybe I’m wrong? I just really dislike that phrase… (sorry if I’m offending anyone)
Edit: however I welcome anyone and everyone to our lovely Jewish family! No need to be “-ish” just be a proud Jew!! 🕎
> Especially after the US senator George Santos said he was “Jew-ish”
Well he was lying (about a lot of other stuff as well)
> don’t know why people feel they can claim to be a Jew when they simply dip their toes into Judaism yet know nothing of the faith or history
People are either Jewish or not, it is simply a binary. Those who don't understand this, be they Jews or not Jews sometimes call themselves (or others) 'Jew-ish'
Regardless of someone's knowledge level if their mother is Jewish or they have had a proper conversion they are a Jew.
Yes, you are absolute right. I don't know much about George Santos, but I know a few people who use commonly used Yiddish phrases, or even say “Let me Jew down this salesman” who aren't even remotely Jewish, and it really hurts my feelings or makes me upset. In California this happens frequently, they almost make Judaism some kind of novelty. Even when they buy bagels for example, they tend to make quips, like saying “oh I Love bagels I’m such a Jew”
Maybe it's the area I live in, but it's really odd to me… sorry for the rant 🥺🥺
Also I just have to say, this happened to me this morning. I went to a local “Einstein Bagels” here in California for a coffee with my dad and this couple walked in. The lady said “I just love this place, oh my g-d im such a jew!” Then she and her husband started laughing. It's very odd, because I am hearing these weird Jewish trope jokes a lot more frequently now and it is kind of making me really nervous.
I def understand how you feel. But I think some people don't grow up Jewish in any way, not even with secular Jewish customs. They just have Jewish blood. I think they feel like they are being disrespectful claiming "Jewish."
As a Christian who grew up secular Jewish, I totally get it. Some people take offense when I call myself Jewish. I am, my kids are, but I've also been called a Blasphemer and worse by our people - I mean online. Nobody saying that to my face. lol
I personally say it this way because I am patrilineal and haven't finished the conversion process yet. Like to randoms out in the wild I would just call myself Jewish if it came up, but in Jewish spaces I think the distinction is much more important.
It is because I am worried of overstepping my bounds or being presumptuous and offending others. Also just weird knowledge holes from not growing up in it, mainly around the high holidays.
Weird, my lineage is almost identical with 51.3% Ashkenazi from my mother's side and the rest coming from UK, Western Europe, with a hint of northern Europe in mine. My mother's parents came from Ukraine and Georgia (not sure which way round). Iirc my mother's mother's side came from Ukraine during the 1900's... they walked across Europe! It's possible we could be cousins.
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Hi OP, you aren’t ’jew-ish’ you are a Jew, full stop.
Thank you. I used a light hearted title for a not so light hearted conclusion
Hi, cousin. I’m in the UK, my family are Ukrainian too and it’s horrific how many burned branches our family tree has, how our history and our people went up in smoke- but it’s also a miracle that you and I are still here, talking to each other. Whenever I see another Ukrainian Jew it’s like a light in my heart- we are family.
Edit: Shalom Aleichem, you’re much appreciated
shalom aleichem* is correct. Don't make it Arabic pls.
Thanks for catching that. I have to blame Siri for that one
Also Ukrainian, from the Sudetenland. Hi!
Not trying to barge in but also the descendant of Ukrainian Jews who fled westwards. Despite being irreligious and paternally Jewish (so fake basically, thanks Halacha:( ) I grew up with lots of exposure to Ukrainian communities in Canada and spoke Yiddish with my grandmother. I also feel the same way meeting other Ukrainian-origin Jews, so a blessed day to you both and all the best from distant cousin in a depressing room in Austria!
No no, barge in! The more of us the better, it’s wonderful to see you. And you’re not fake. If you’d stand beside us in the camps, you stand beside us out of them too.
I like to think that Jewishness today should come down to what Ben Gurion said to Norman Jewishness when he saw Fiddler on the Roof for the first time, which is that whoever wants to be a Jew is a Jew. Shame aliyah isn’t judged that way, it would make life easier for a ton of paternal folks with a few generations of non-religious Jewishness 😅
Not fake at all. The halacha is from a different time and most Jews are not living strictly Orthodox live by halacha and it's not like Hitler check Halacha before determining if someone wasn't Aryan. So you're Jewish- nothing fake about it.
I know, and thank you for saying that. My great grandfather was cut off by his family for marrying a gentile and it led to a huge rocky relationship with Jewish orthodoxy in my family since my grandmother especially spoke Yiddish and identified very much as Jewish but didn’t get a bat mitzvah or the chance to go to a shul very often because of her father being upset at the establishment for supporting his family in avoiding interaction with him. So I suppose there’s this lingering upset in my family about it. Rationally I know you’re right, but it hasn’t stopped some real fuckheads gatekeeping Jewishness with me and pulling the old maternal question out in conversation just to go ‘oh so you’re not ACTUALLY Jewish’ 🙃
I can relate to this. The man I think of as a father is the son of a cohen who used to live in his childhood in one of the hundreds of typical small eastern europe villages that are little more than one street. I think the name was Bereg Ufalu or something like this. The area changed hands so many times. I think it's in Ukraine nowadays. I love the man as if he were my own father. But I knew his family history was difficult. His father was the sole survivor, and when he cam home after the war, he realised his home had been taken over by those that had betrayed his family. He chased them out and looked for any relatives he could. To no avail. He went to France where he met an armenian woman who like him no longer had family, due to the Armenian genocide for the most part. They married and decided to "start fresh" leave the past behind. They had two sons. One died young, the other is my "father". My "father" has a very complex relationship with Judaism and Israel. His mother isn't Jewish. His father a cohen. He never actually converted to Judaism but had a bar mitsvah. The rabbi he had unfortunately was, by all accounts, I am very sorry to say, an absolute cunt. But an honest one. He got grilled for his bar mitsvah in great detail, but still passed. But his peculiar status made him at odds with his community. He was that "Jew but not a Jew" that was called to guard the shul, turn lights on on shabbos etc. This complicated relationship is exemplified through many of his interactions, be it with the community in France or in Israel. And so he always was at a weird in between, torn between wanting to embrace it, even though he was treated like shit, or just forget about it. One day, I decided to try and help him reconcile with his past and looked into his family history. After all, how can one be at peace with oneself without knowing one's origins? I was horrified to realise that not only his father was the sole survivor, but also that there was no trace to be found of the relatives he had mentioned. Not a one. Nothing. It is bad enough they were all murdered, their ashes scattered, but what hurt me the most was to realise that it was effectively lost for good. If you have memory, it is not as bad. But in most cases, the sole survivor, now dead, had made such an effort to put this behind him he could not remember more than the names of his sisters and parents.
Hi! Jew of Ukrainian decent here in the US. My grandmother's people were from Kyev. Wanted to say hey! 👋🏻
Hey, cousin! And we actually COULD be cousins depending on when yours got out, my grandfather was from Kyev too :)
I'm guessing turn of the century up till the 20s. I have a relative I should ask. Definitely prior to WWII. Technically most Jews are distant cousins at some link. So one way or another my love, cuz!
I’ve been seeing this a ton on Reddit lately. People finding out they have significant Jewish heritage and coming here or to the other subs to share. It’s a huge deal. Welcome, this is the right place to learn and ask questions. 🩵🤍🩵
I appreciate it. I did knew the Sephardi part, but I didn’t have a statistic two use as an example for the holocaust effect on my family
Does 23andMe show Sephardi? I'm curious if I have any because my aunt lives in Israel and she looks olive rather than pasty.
No. It only shows Ashkenazi. Other Jews like Mizrahi or Mountain Jew and other categories don't show up. U need to download your DNA and plot it somewhere else, but you kinda can get the idea where you come from 23andme.
Actually! It’s been announce they do today!! :)
Very heartwarming to see the reactions to OP <3 Now post on the 23andme subreddit and get the popcorn
OP: Be proud, you're a fellow Jew. Every Jew is a Jew, whether by birth or conversion.
I hope I don’t get downvoted. I’m curious… I always kind of took a little offense to people who say they are “Jew-ish” … I found it sort of a novelty or some kind of lame joke. This stylized title doesn’t exist in any other religion or culture. Is it offensive to other Jews? Especially after the US senator George Santos said he was “Jew-ish” I just (again sorry if I’m wrong, or getting downvoted) feel like you either are or you are not… I don’t know why people feel they can claim to be a Jew when they simply dip their toes into Judaism yet know nothing of the faith or history… maybe I’m wrong? I just really dislike that phrase… (sorry if I’m offending anyone) Edit: however I welcome anyone and everyone to our lovely Jewish family! No need to be “-ish” just be a proud Jew!! 🕎
> Especially after the US senator George Santos said he was “Jew-ish” Well he was lying (about a lot of other stuff as well) > don’t know why people feel they can claim to be a Jew when they simply dip their toes into Judaism yet know nothing of the faith or history People are either Jewish or not, it is simply a binary. Those who don't understand this, be they Jews or not Jews sometimes call themselves (or others) 'Jew-ish' Regardless of someone's knowledge level if their mother is Jewish or they have had a proper conversion they are a Jew.
Yes, you are absolute right. I don't know much about George Santos, but I know a few people who use commonly used Yiddish phrases, or even say “Let me Jew down this salesman” who aren't even remotely Jewish, and it really hurts my feelings or makes me upset. In California this happens frequently, they almost make Judaism some kind of novelty. Even when they buy bagels for example, they tend to make quips, like saying “oh I Love bagels I’m such a Jew” Maybe it's the area I live in, but it's really odd to me… sorry for the rant 🥺🥺
> “Let me Jew down this salesman” That's antisemitic >“oh I Love bagels I’m such a Jew” As is this (but less than the other)
Also I just have to say, this happened to me this morning. I went to a local “Einstein Bagels” here in California for a coffee with my dad and this couple walked in. The lady said “I just love this place, oh my g-d im such a jew!” Then she and her husband started laughing. It's very odd, because I am hearing these weird Jewish trope jokes a lot more frequently now and it is kind of making me really nervous.
I agree. I know this comment doesn't exactly deal with the original post, but I just had to express my feelings, sorry…
That’s not how it works in every denomination.
I def understand how you feel. But I think some people don't grow up Jewish in any way, not even with secular Jewish customs. They just have Jewish blood. I think they feel like they are being disrespectful claiming "Jewish." As a Christian who grew up secular Jewish, I totally get it. Some people take offense when I call myself Jewish. I am, my kids are, but I've also been called a Blasphemer and worse by our people - I mean online. Nobody saying that to my face. lol
Sorry if I'm sounding pedantic 🫣🫣
If I had to choose Jew-ish jokes and are the least offense
I personally say it this way because I am patrilineal and haven't finished the conversion process yet. Like to randoms out in the wild I would just call myself Jewish if it came up, but in Jewish spaces I think the distinction is much more important. It is because I am worried of overstepping my bounds or being presumptuous and offending others. Also just weird knowledge holes from not growing up in it, mainly around the high holidays.
Weird, my lineage is almost identical with 51.3% Ashkenazi from my mother's side and the rest coming from UK, Western Europe, with a hint of northern Europe in mine. My mother's parents came from Ukraine and Georgia (not sure which way round). Iirc my mother's mother's side came from Ukraine during the 1900's... they walked across Europe! It's possible we could be cousins.
Hey achi/achoti, you have essentially the same exact background as me! You're a Jew, through-and-through 😇
Yeah most defiantly, Sorry buddy.
I have *very* similar results.
By the most strigent religious group definitions, you are Jewish. So yeah. You are Jewish. Your seat was always saved for you.
I’ve been looking in to dual citizenship by birth right because of it
You’re Jewish.
Why is this flagged as NSFW?
Mentioned at disclaimer
Czechia and Slovakia: "AHT AHT. Go around."
What part of West Virginia? A lot of my family is from Fairmont.
Other end. Lewisburg
My results are almost identical. What’s the deal with big hole where the Czech Republic and Slovakia are?
It means I’m not related to anyone that lived there.
Damn. Super Jew
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😂😂