4 0
Toward an Understanding of Jewish Identity: A Phenomenological Study. 6 6 - - - 77 - 83 p. - - - - January 2005 / volume 52, number 1 - . - . - 0 . - . - 0 .
To begin mapping the landscape of contemporary Jewish identity from a phenomenological perspective, the authors conducted a qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews of 10 Jewish adults in the northeastern United States. Coding resulted in 6 universal themes (dynamic nature of self-identification, early formative experiences, desire to increase religious practice, generativity, feeling marginalized, and awareness of discrimination). Most of the other 18 typical and variant themes reflected a congruence between cultural identification and religious observance. Whereas only the religiously unaffiliated participants expressed shame or embarrassment about being Jewish, the observant Jews described a sense of pride, the importance of Jewish marriage, and a connection to Israel. The Conservative and Orthodox Jews were most clear about their identity as Jews; they discussed the importance of Jewish texts, heritage, values, search for meaning, and relation to God. All but the most Orthodox participants valued interpersonal relations with Gentiles; for them, Jewish identity predominates regardless of the social context.
5
5
0022-01672 = Journal of Counseling Psychology. =
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6 --0-- 2 --------
0 2 --
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Social psychology ------Assimilation--Interpersonal relations.--
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Toward an Understanding of Jewish Identity: A Phenomenological Study. 6 6 - - - 77 - 83 p. - - - - January 2005 / volume 52, number 1 - . - . - 0 . - . - 0 .
To begin mapping the landscape of contemporary Jewish identity from a phenomenological perspective, the authors conducted a qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews of 10 Jewish adults in the northeastern United States. Coding resulted in 6 universal themes (dynamic nature of self-identification, early formative experiences, desire to increase religious practice, generativity, feeling marginalized, and awareness of discrimination). Most of the other 18 typical and variant themes reflected a congruence between cultural identification and religious observance. Whereas only the religiously unaffiliated participants expressed shame or embarrassment about being Jewish, the observant Jews described a sense of pride, the importance of Jewish marriage, and a connection to Israel. The Conservative and Orthodox Jews were most clear about their identity as Jews; they discussed the importance of Jewish texts, heritage, values, search for meaning, and relation to God. All but the most Orthodox participants valued interpersonal relations with Gentiles; for them, Jewish identity predominates regardless of the social context.
5
5
0022-01672 = Journal of Counseling Psychology. =
2
2 --0------
6 --0-- 2 --------
0 2 --
--20------
Social psychology ------Assimilation--Interpersonal relations.--
--------20--
----2
/ 2
/ 2
/
/