Similar in the way that many biracials might identify more with one side of their culture, Jones says herself, even though it wasn’t a conscience on purpose situation, in high school she related strongly with black culture, yet in college fell more in place within the Jewish community. As she’s continued to grow into herself she’s able to feel immensely connected to both her black and Jewish cultures.
“Being biracial and Jewish, I’m kind of given permission to explore whatever culture goes along with that. If I were just black and not Jewish I wouldn’t have had that entrée.” She continued to explain. “I can immerse myself in the cultures and pick and choose what I want and then just be myself. I have all these different groups of friends. The nature of who I am and the fact that I am so many things allows me to float.”
This is a great example of how it doesn’t ever have to be one or the other. No one has to pick which side to solely represent for, especially when it all makes up you. It would be great it everyone took the time to really explore other races and their cultural backgrounds, that’s why its extra cool when sometimes you only have to go as far as your own parents to have perspectives and varying worldly views.
Clearly religious backgrounds didn’t appear to be a problem with Rashida Jones’s parents, but it does remain an issue, or at least a concern to some that are interested in dating outside their race. Take in case the questions and answers online participants have submitted to yahoo answers:
Resolved Question
Bi-racial dating and religion?
ok so I’m 16 and white and i met this guy last year in show choir…he’s black and 18 yrs old now he’s exactly 2 years and 2 days older than me… last year we were the best of friends we told each other almost everything even our little sisters became friends…now I’m crushing on him big time and he’s a little flirty with me he’s dated a white girl before but I’ve never dated a black guy and I’m a Christian so that’s kinda against me religion…so my question is do I let our relationship go farther or do we just stay friends??
Best Answer – Chosen by Asker
- I’m a southern Baptist, which many consider to be the “anti-black” religion. The bible does not say ANYTHING about races however. There’s one passage about being “unequally yoked” but in context, as any pastor will tell you, it is referring to Jews vs. Gentile, which in that time was more a matter of religion, not race. In the 1800s and Jim Crow times, some Baptist and Presbyterian pastors took that verse to the extreme to justify segregation, however the bible does NOT condemn interracial relationships or promote any race over another.
- What should be a religious consideration is his religion. Make sure he shares the same values and morals that you do. If he doesn’t, then it’s a bad match to start with.
- There is nothing wrong with that. Date whoever you want regardless of skin color and never worry about what religion they are. Religion shouldn’t keep you apart. If you love him and he treats you good then go for it, but find out how he feels first.
- You’re a Christian, why is dating a black guy against your religion??? There’s nothing wrong with that! Go for it!
Resolved Question
Since Ashkenazi Jew is German, if his child has a Muslim or non-Ashkenazi Jew mother is the child bi-racial?Best Answer – Chosen by Asker
- Only if the child’s parents are of different races. The child is certainly multi-ethnic; he may even be a product of a bi-religious household, but he isn’t bi-racial unless his parents are of two different races. Jews and Muslims both are groups of people from many different races bound by common religions and cultures — they do not make up two different races of people.
- Ashkenazim aren’t just German; the Ashkenazi culture is comprised of German, Hungarian, Polish, Russian and other Eastern European elements.
- If the father is Ashkenazi and the mother is Sephardi, the child is Jewish and not likely biracial as Sephardim are of Mediterranean (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian) background (I don’t believe that the two are acknowledged as racially different; I might be wrong).
- If the father is Ashkenazi and the mother is Mizrahi (Middle Eastern/North African Jewish), the child is Jewish and likely biracial.
- If the father is Ashkenazi and the mother is Muslim or of another faith, the child is not Jewish under Jewish law but may be raised according to which ever religion the parents choose. He may or may not be biracial.
- Why this obsession with race and religion? Judaism and Islam are religions, not races. They are more common with certain peoples, and Judaism is definitely also considered a cultural group. I’ve known agnostics and atheists who still consider themselves Jewish, although I don’t know how well that would go over with the Orthodox crowd.
- Since you could be German and a Muslim and even Asian, your question doesn’t make much sense. Two Jews of whatever sect could both be of the same race, or they can be of different races. Same with Muslims, same with Germans. Race is not at all tied with either religion or country, although certain races tend to be from certain countries or ethnicities.
It’s interesting what people are saying and how the matter is being discussed. I may not personally agree with everything people are saying and how they say it of course. But I do think as long as it’s being discussed in some fashion that’s a step in the right direction because it is an interesting topic worthy of talk and knowledge exploration.
This is America folks, and as Americans we all are everything, and I mean that every sense—like the fact that not every member of the same race will follow the same religion, and that’s the beauty of it—there’s no one way or the other, its all about the and.
—Posted Maggie Barnes
Filed under: bi-racial, Maggie Barnes
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