yoelish

It's difficult for westerners to understand because they are accustomed to thinking of Jews as basically like them but without xmas or whatever. Jewish identity is thousands of years old and traditionally surrounds a legal system that was originally the legal system of the nation-states of Israel and Judah. It is really best understood as a national identity, even today, even among those who are more lax or liberal in their observance.

Imagine if America regarded its legal system and constitution as divinely ordained. Then imagine if America got invaded and disassembled as a nation, with all the still-proud Americans being exiled and scattered throughout the world.

Imagine how those Americans would hang on to their identity - after all, they are descended from the founding fathers and their constitution, courts, and laws all come from G-d, right? Even in other countries they would continue to follow American law too as much as was applicable, they would still say the pledge of allegiance, they would even still accept newly naturalized citizens, all according to established American law, even in exile.

Some Americans might eventually identify strongly with their rich cultural heritage even while not necessarily following American law. "It's enough to value freedom and justice," they might say. "That's what the constitution really emphasizes." Despite a variety of practice, the exiled Americans, through the generations, are bound together by shared culture, shared history, and a legal system that is followed by some sectors more than others.

That's what it is to be a Jew.

I think the questions you have to ask are "would they criticize a similar country for this?" and "if so, why start with Israel?"

This approach often gets lambasted by critics, who accuse proponents of trying to shift blame or attention. While this may be a result of such a question, it is a legitimate question in and of itself. If I'm going 70 in a 65 zone and other cars are zooming past me, when the cop pulls me over I'm going to wonder why he grabbed me instead of the guy going 90.

jewsagainstzionism.com

That said, while I am a strongly anti-zionist Jew, I do believe that the vast majority of anti-zionists are in fact anti-Jewish, though whether they are anti-Jewish because they started that way before arriving at anti-zionism or because the zionists' conflation of zionism with Jewish identity has caused so much confusion is anybody's guess.

It doesn't really matter though. I am a religious Jew and 100% opposed to zionism and to the state of Israel, but walking down the street in a liberal college town I still get nasty comments focused on zionism, Israel, and Palestine.

I will also probably be called a zionist shill for pointing out that many if not most "anti-zionists" are anti-semitic.

What was your day job? Are you keeping it still?

In what language is the game written? In retrospect is there a different one that might have been a better choice?

Basically... imagine if the Irish also had their own unique ancestral religious practice that they had kept with them too and you'll have it, except for one caveat: my wife's background is african-american and korean, but she is a Chasidic Jew(ess) and as Jewish as Moses. This aspect is difficult to apply to an ethnic identity which is why I went the "nationality" route.