I
confess to having had no success whatsoever with Jews.
The Hassidic (ultra-orthodox / Lubavitchers) are taught never to have any dealings
with Gentiles.
Those
who are less observant can range from Christian Scientists (Milton Berle, for
example), Theosophists, and most anything else, and, as you so insightfully note,
atheists.
One old woman at the synagogue frankly told me she did not believe in God. I asked
her what she was doing there. She told me, as if I had asked the stupidest question
on earth, that it was the Sabbath, and she was Jewish: she was SUPPOSED to be
there!
I wish I could be more help to you. I had not been studying in that synagogue
long before I learned that there were no two Jews there who agreed on much.
One thing I said in that class--and it may be the only thing that I said that
did any good--REALLY hit home. And that was my response to the question, "Did
the Jews kill Christ?" As I believe I've mentioned previously, I simply said that
I fully understood that there wasn't a Jewish man or woman alive today who had
a THING to do with it.
According to my experience, when the average, garden-variety Jew thinks of "Christian",
he is thinking "Catholic." Older Jews are more than likely thinking Nazis.
Did I ever mention that in my travels I've met two anti-semitic Jews? Strangest
birds I ever got hold of. One of them was our next-door neighbor when I was a
kid. I landed my very first date--a Jewish girl. I was really excited. I told
this neighbor, and at first he was glad for me. "Who is she?" he inquired.
"L______ Cohen," I responded.
"Cohen?
Is she a Jew?"
I nodded in the affirmative.
He shot back, "You might as well date a nigger," and walked away.
I came to learn many years later that this man himself was Jewish!
This world, brother, is quite a bit weirder than many of us suspect...
