Stuart Hall writes, “We all write and speak from a particular place and time, from a history and a culture which is specific. What we say is always ‘in context,’ positioned.” (222) As a Marxist, Hall challenges how cultural identities are positioned on race, class, and gender identity. In his essay “Cultural Identity and Diaspora,” Hall examines interdisciplinary theories and how they can be attributed to social identity through a Marxist perspective. We all have formed an identity from our particular background and history in which we were raised, and as we age, we can start to critically analyze how these identities interact and affect each other. In my experiences, I have examined the roles of whiteness to my Jewish religious and cultural background. Hall wants the reader to become engaged and aware of what we really are and what we can become.
Hall promotes identities as “productions” which can never be fully completed. Identities are ever-changing and are influenced by the experiences and people you engage with. I grew up in an Ashkenazi Jewish family with specific customs and traditions, especially during the high holy days or holidays. I was not raised religious, but I was definitely influenced by the customs and stories from the Torah from a young age. I attended a reform Jewish elementary school where I was taught Hebrew and encouraged to incorporate Torah portions into our lives. The morals I took from the Torah helped me to solidify my place and purpose in the world from a young age. As I grew older and attended college, I started to distance myself from Judaism. This was not by choice but by lack of resources and timing. My high school was the majority Jewish and had a similar upbringing to mine; but when I had attended college I saw less of my religion represented. I distinguish my Judaism solely through cultural means, especially through cooking. Cooking is an essential part of how my family connects to our religion. Recipes have been passed down through family members so that they eventually can be taught to the younger children. I have created a cultural relationship with Judaism with a strong self-identity separate from traditional Jewish theology. Investing my time in a rich Jewish cultural heritage does not mean I ultimately remove myself from the religion; I have incorporated the religion into my own means.
There are multiple identities to choose to reflect on, while some I reflect on least. My racial identity is one in which I do not think about often. I am a white individual who will not be targeted for how they look and present themselves. My whiteness is inherent and I have the privilege of not reflecting on this often. However, I do reflect on how my racial identity can ultimately affect POC and marginalized people. Although the Jewish people are a minority group, the majority of Ashkenazi Jews are white or white passing. It is vital as a white person to use your privilege as a tool to expose injustices in your community.
Through my multiple identities, I have developed and learned a great deal of open-mindedness and acceptance. Not one identity is similar to the other and I am open to the process of change and growth. My thinking about various identities has also shaped the way in which I consume media. I tend to choose shows to watch based on representation through theme and characters. Through the Amazon shows Transparent, I saw compelling characters who accurately represented my religious background and upbringing. During an episode in season three, a non-traditional Havdalah service was organized in a school gym by the two main characters, Sarah Pfefferman and Rabbi Raquel Fein. By choosing a non-traditional setting for the service, it encouraged people from all faiths to tune in with one another and wind down for the weekend. I had done the same growing up by attending Havdalah in homes, outdoors, and even in churches. However, the most powerful element of the show’s depiction of being an Ashkenazi Jew is that they are not all that Jewish. They are culturally Jewish and not particularly observant, just like myself.