Jewish Identity in KZ

Hello all—Jessie here with an update on our trip! We’ve had a really incredible last few days getting to know the Kazakhstanis.

I had the opportunity to organize the Friday-night Shabbat service with Ben Ross and Rachel Finn. Earlier this year when we were first learning about the Jewish community of Kazakhstan, our JDC staffer Naomi told us all about how Jewish traditions and practices in Kazakhstan basically disappeared under Communism. Because of this, Ben, Rachel, and I were apprehensive about how smoothly the service would run. Though there were a few moments of confusion—as expected in a trilingual service—we ended on a common note, all chiming in for the same tune of Adon Olam.

My first thoughts were that the Kazakhstanis were not as religious as us because they didn’t know the same customs and prayers. But the next night, they led Havdalah and I was surprised to learn new traditions that I had never experienced. I started to look at our purpose on this trip in a different light. I had started this trip with the expectations of an overseas volunteer trip, but had not anticipated this cultural and religious exchange with our Kazakhstani peers.

That night I stayed up talking with one of the Kazakhstanis in my bunk, Diana. I wanted to know more about what Judaism meant to her, what similarities we shared and what knowledge of our religion I could impart to her. Diana told me that she knew very little about Judaism until a year ago when her mother shared with her stories of her family’s history. She shared with me the story of how her grandparents were evacuated from Kiev during World War II and explained that reconnecting to her Jewish identity is about dignity—dignity for her family, for her personal history, and for what it means to be Jewish. This sparked my attention because, for Diana, to celebrate her Jewish history and to learn more was a conscious choice. If I were in her situation, could I have said the same for myself? Why do I lead an active Jewish life—by choice or because it is simply what I was born into and what I am used to?

During our daily discussions, our group delved into this topic of Jewish identity and how we individually interpreted it. Everyone was eager to share the stories of our new friends and how they similarly affected us and stimulated questions about how we personally think about Judaism and our role in this community. Though many of us are not yet certain about where we stand with our Jewish selves, we all recognized the impact of this unique experience. Being here has inspired us to continue to learn from and share with other Jews—both at home and around the world.

Also, Ben Ross would like his parents to know that he made it to Almaty fine and that he is alive and well. Jason Nochlin is too.