Jewish Identity, Intermarriage and the Gathering of Exiles

Our, our ancestors were inq- inq- inquisitioned and- Yeah ... and, and forcibly converted and pogrom-ed and farhuud-ed and all this stuff because they were Jews. But what do you do if your son or I don't- Yeah ... let's say a,

a different son of a friend of yours- Yeah ... will come and is gonna fall in love with a non-Jewish girl?

And it happens all day- It happens a lot ... every day.

It happens a lot. I have a cousin here. It happens a lot. He got married with a non-Jewish wo- It's like, just happens 'cause- Look, and again, um, I... Well, I didn't say this before. I, I'm an American.

I'm super proud to be an American. I love this country. Of course. It's given me so many opportunities.

I'm super proud to be an American. I love this country. Of course. It's given me so many opportunities.

And the American dream in some ways is the secular dream.

You know, it's people all kind of mixing and merging.

Mm-hmm. But as Jews- But it's also the Israeli dream, you know, in a way. Tell me.

Because Israel, I, I feel like we came all over, from all over the world and to build th- this country, so it doesn't matter if you're from Yemen or from Poland or from Germany.

It- Yeah, but it's a Jewish state. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but this mix- Is there a word for that?

We still stay different. Kibbutz Galuyot. Kibbutz? Galuyot. Galuyot. Galuyot. Came from all over the world.

Came from that, from the exile came in. So like- That's the promise in the Bible- Yeah It is ... that everyone- That's the promise ... will come to Israel.

It is the in-gathering of exile. So my Zionism, I feel so proud when I meet my family members who are, you know, Persian descent and Polish descent and everything- Right ... just like you said, and they're all together.

Now, at the same time- For you guys, it's different ... yeah, I think here United States, that, that kind of sucking thing brings you in, and a lot of times Jews marry non-Jews.

Like, s- I don't wanna comment on how somebody, uh, I, I feel uncomfortable telling people how they should.

Yeah. I know for me, like, my children are Jews, and they will create Jewish families in Jewish households, end of story.

Got it. Non-negotiable. You don't mess with Jonathan.

You don't mess with Jonathan. Don't mess with my wife.

She's much- Exactly ... tougher than me, believe me.