Rebecca Sealfon
Mar 27, 2021

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Wow, interesting. I haven't really done 23 and Me or traced my ancestry that closely. My uncle's done more work in this area. You'll probably learn German if you work at it, especially with moving to Germany and such. And wishing you all the best with your move.

I wish Jews put less emphasis on heritage as a requirement. Judaism is a philosophy and people of all backgrounds should really be able to become part of us smoothly. Another problem with the focus on heritage and the strict details of the observance is that both these things are not so hard to fake. Focusing on philosophical principles, basic practices, and big-picture engagement with the Jewish people puts the emphasis on things that need to be earned (leaving people accountable) and can't really be faked.

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Rebecca Sealfon
Rebecca Sealfon

Written by Rebecca Sealfon

Former software engineer at Google, U.S. National Spelling Bee champion, and synesthete, based in New York, NY. Loves books, liberal Judaism, and nature.

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