Over the centuries, the Jewish people have never reached a consensus on who is to be considered Jewish.
For some, it is defined by the strict observance of all commandments, while for others, it is shaped by memories of grandparents' Yiddish proverbs and matzah at Passover. Jews from the former USSR emerged from the intersection of two distinct worlds, where Soviet state atheism often gave way to a deep, immersive embrace of religion. Their parents never set foot in a synagogue, yet firmly maintained that marrying outside the faith was unacceptable. They might have identified as atheists, yet they still retained a strong sense of Jewish identity.
How is traditional Judaism perceived by secular Jews? How do atheists view kosher laws, the Torah, and religious holidays? What does tradition mean to them?
Guest speaker: Maria Kaspina – Philologist, ethnographer, folklorist, and archivist at the Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People in Jerusalem.
