Yossi Halevi: Holocaust Survivor

Judaism has evolved over time to become a large group of people who are connected by identifying as Jewish, but have very different ideas on what it means to be Jewish. Jews have been molded by their experiences and adapted to survive and overcome them one by one. Some cling to their faith stating that religion is what embodies Jews, while others claim being a Jew is not about religion, but rather heritage and culture. This is what Yossi Halevi believed, that being a Jew was not about believing in a religion, but rather embracing his culture and family lineage. Yossi Halevi does not embody all Jewish Americans, but rather a small portion who take their pride of being a Jew to the next level. Halevi has a different childhood than the average American. His father is a Holocaust survivor and, because of his experience, does not trust most non-Jews. He views life as Jews verses the world and that at any moment a group could turn on the Jews as the Nazi 's did in the Holocaust. This fear and …show more content…
He grew up the son of a Holocaust survivor, arguably the most oppressive event in history, yet he fought boldly for the rights of Jews, especially in the Soviet Union, without fear. Halevi and the other people in the JDL and SSSJ were not the first Jews in history to stand up for their brethren, but they were the first large groups of American Jews to defend the rights of Jews across the world and demand that America help them. They looked at the mistakes of American Jews before them and swore to not make the same. Although they did not always go about making change in the most peaceful way there is no denying that they made an impact as well as made many historic Jewish thinkers, such as Pinsker, proud. Judaism in America changed in many ways after the Holocaust while also keeping many core