Relating to Jewish Youth

They tell you, “You are no longer such and

such, but you are such and such.” You

keep repeating it to yourself until you actually

believe that you are this other person.

And it gets extremely confusing.

—Anna Leiser-Kleinhauser, who with her mother hid

their Jewish identity by passing as Catholics while

living in France.

Think about your own identity. What does identity mean to you? What makes you who you are?

Some possibilities to think about:

• thoughts

• beliefs

• actions

• your name

• family history

• physical characteristics

• personality

• skills/talents

• language

• religious background

• your preferences in clothing, food, purchases, recreation, hobbies, and television and radio

programs

Answer these questions to the best of your ability on the back of this page.  Please use complete sentences and write at least 3 sentences for each numbered question. 

1.     Which of these are you able to change? Which of these can’t you change?

2.     Do you ever make a conscious effort to change any of these things? When and why does this happen? 

3.     Do you know people who pretend to be what they’re not? Why do you think they do this?

4.     Are you always the same, or are you different around certain people? If actions are part of what defines you, and you act differently around different groups of people, then are you a different person depending on whom you’re with?

5.     Do you know someone with whom you can always “be yourself”? What do you like or dislike about the self you are when you’re with them?