ABSTRACT
There's an old maxim that says that there are as many definitions of a Jew as there are Jews. My own experience tells me that even one Jew may have many different definitions of herself as a Jew over the course of a lifetime. In this article I will trace a narrative of my identity as a Jew growing up in a particular family, in a particular geographical location, at a particular time in history. I will highlight the ways in which various facets of my Jewish identity have shifted in content and in salience over time. Finally, I will describe some of the ways in which my identity as a Jew impacts my work as a therapist.
