Of Jews and Episcopalians

Sometimes something comes along that is just too good to pass up. While thumbing through last week’s Newsweek magazine, I came upon an opinion piece entitled Uncle Bernie and the Jews written by a guy named Joseph Epstein. Mr. Epstein wrote: “Madoff soaked the rich, but he seems to have specialized in soaking the Jewish rich. The spectacle presented by a Jew swindling Jews is itself flush with interest.” He then goes to opine that Madoff was the quintessential Jewish stereotype, and because Jews are “still tribal enough” to think of their fellow Jews as family, the author has come to think of Madoff as “Uncle Bernie.”

Then the fun stuff starts. Mr. Epstein goes off on a tangent and talks about the WASP-ification of Jews in America, and of their general Episcopalianization. Now there’s a word. His premise is based on his observations of the development of parallel Jewish institutions to WASP institutions, including schools and country clubs, and the anglisizing of Jewish first names, such as “Tyler Ginsberg, Kelly Rabinowicz, Mackenzie Rosenthal, and Hunter Fefferman.” He then goes on to say that as this process has developed, there is something “trivial” that is “unseemly” about Jews playing golf, and that the parents and grandparents of this Jewish Country Club set would have preferred the offspring to be pursuing “studying, arguing, thinking, working, making money, and contemplating why God has put him through so many trials.”

He then concludes that if Madoff’s bad behavior “will bring a few Jews off the links, perhaps that is not an entirely bad thing.” He then concludes this interesting article by quoting an Hungary born historian who told the author to write a book about the success of Jews in America…. “But you know, of course that the end (of the book) is already written. The story of the Jews in America is over.” The historian implied that the “Mackenzie’ Jews have lost their edge, and are susceptible to the sharks that are swimming around us.

Well…where does one start? Why would Newsweek print such an article? It was offensive to Jews…but also offensive to Episcopalians who, by inference, are treated as slothful, country club types who do nothing but play golf and slither around in old money. Although I was raised Catholic, and currently attend a Lutheran Church, I was a member of the Episcopal Church for 22 years, and consider it to be my home church. It is a beautiful religion, one built around tolerance, hard work, and inclusiveness. It has led the way in racial, women and gay rights in the church.

It allows for individual interpretation of doctrine, and tries to make sense of conflicting beliefs. I remember when I joined St. James Episcopal Church, I asked the priest if the church believed in transubstantiation, a fundamental tenant of the Catholic Church. He asked, in turn, what I believed. I told him. His response: that’s good enough for me. Most of the Episcopalians I know are hard working, middle class folks. And as a point of information, the largest single segment in the Anglican communion, to which the American Episcopal Church belongs, are Africans, which are now the dominant force in the religion.

I don’t know where to begin with the Jewish references in the article. I grew up in a neighborhood where you were Greek, Irish, or Jewish. I was the sole Italian-American in the bunch. Since most of the Catholics kids attended Catholic schools, and I went to public schools, most of my friends were Jewish. I attended so many Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, the rabbi of the local temple told me he would Bar Mitzvah me if I showed up for anymore.

What I learned growing up is that for all of our differences, we are mostly alike. We work hard. We want the best for our families. Sometimes we succeed. Sometimes we don't. We are all human and have been subjected to the antics of the underclass of the human species, which may have cost us some money. Our commonality far out weigh our differences. Good people are good people, and thieves are thieves. Religious affiliation has nothing to do with it.

The publishers of Newsweek ought to give that some thought before publishing that kind of article again.