My father was Jewish and my mother is not, which is to say that I'm not Jewish at all. I find this odd.
I know that many religions are passed on maternally, but Judaism is a culture as well as a religion.
Jews have either not to have picked up on or don't care about something every other minority group, at least in the US, seems to know intrinsically: if you're even the slightest bit detectably non-white, to the white world, you're not white. If you're half white and half Chicano, you're Chicano. End of story.
Given that, people of mixed races are, in my observation, generally accepted in the ethnic communites that makes up their non-white part or parts—except the Jewish community. As far as most observant Jews are concerned, you're either Jewish or you're not, there is no in-between. As a people with about 4,000 years of persecution under their (our?) belts, I think it's a little strange that they (we?) haven't figured out by now that people who have problems with Jews don't care if you're only half-Jewish, they're still going to hate you.
Half-Jews basically have two choices: convert to Judaism or have no ethnic community to call home. (Why we need ethnic communities to call home is another question altogether.)
Daniel Klein and Freke Vuijst wrote a book called The Half-Jewish Book: A Celebration. Nonsense, they say, being half-Jewish is just fine. One of these days, when it's out of storage, I'll finish reading it.
To be fair, my father was not religiously Jewish, and I only lived with him until I was 4, so I'm a little light on what the reasons might be.
I face the same dangers that "real" Jews do in certain parts of the world. What gives? Maybe I'm being a pissant whiner, but it doesn't seem entirely fair.
I'd like to see some genuine discussion on this. There are probably factors I'm not aware of. Let's keep it respectful.
If you belong to some hate group, I don't want to hear it. I know and disagree with your position and nothing you say is going to change my mind.
Pork fat is lard. Beef fat is tallow. What about the rest?
I thought they should have names. Jonathan, friend and fellow cook, was happy to oblige:
Chicken Smultz
Goose Frazzle
Lamb Nasty Neener
Turkey Jizz
Alan Greenspan 1337-5p34k comic. I am literally crying right now from laughing so hard.
Thanks, Dan Weaver, you made my fucking year!