Steve and Cokie Roberts: Nice people talking straight or phonies?

Sandy, my wife, returned from a Hadassah breakfast where Steve and Cokie Roberts had addressed the ladies. They were pushing a new Haggada that they just published.



Steve is Jewish -- but you knew that. Cokie, the daughter of a man who was a powerful political leader, is Roman Catholic. They have two children. So I asked Sandy, "Are the kids Jewish?"



She laughed. "That's what the ladies asked."



"Okay, but what's the answer?" I replied.



"They wouldn't say," she answered.



"They wouldn't say. I don't get it. They come to a Hadassah meeting to peddle their Haggada and, presumably, to speak a little of their lives, the lives of a Jewish boy and a Catholic girl, who fell in love, got married and had children. Okay, I get that. But then to refuse to answer the question they must have known was coming? To not answer the most predictable question any Hadassah group would ask? That's being disingenuous.
That's being phony. Or, is it?

I've seen Haggadas written by anti-Zionist Palestinians. I've heard of Haggadas written by gay couples and by lesbian couples. (The Palestinian Haggada disgusted me. I can't see those written by same sex couples giving me a problem.) In other words, you don't have to be Jewish to write a Haggada. (However, some same sex couples might actually be Jewish.)

So, what does it mean to be Jewish. Writing a Haggada clearly tells you very little.

I think a Jew is one who identifies with what might be described as normative Jewish culture. So what does that mean? To me it means knowing a bit of the theology and Jewish rituals. You don't have to be a rabbi, but, by the same token, you shouldn't be an ignoramus.

First, you should know a bit of Jewish history. The book, "God, Jews, and History," by Max Dimont, is a good place to start. Next, gain some understanding of a Siddur. There is a great deal more, but with a proper beginning, someone interested in being a Jew will be motivated to pursue further studies.

Sounds easy. But with roughly 50% of all Jews marrying outside the faith there is clearly a challenge not being met. A troubled home life probably accounts for a good deal of alienation. Clearly parents have considerable responsibility for showing their kids why it's really good to be Jewish. Still, the community also has a responsibility to show Jewish kids the glory of their heritage. I'm sure Steve Roberts is a wonderful person. But, what does he know of yiddishkeit. Well, apparently enough to join with a Roman Catholic lady; namely, his wife, to write a Haggadah.