Abigail Heiderscheit

3/25/17

Jewish Identity

In this class we have talked about identities a plethora, however one

thing that we really emphasized in class discussion was in-between spaces.

An in-between space is one where heaven and earth come closer together. In

these readings we talked more about in-between identities. An in-between

identity pertains to one single person and their identity. Whether they live in

two separate locations or they have two ideals that lead them to believe

these two separate identities or myths of identities on in-between

identities where one identity, for example is Jewish. The other identity that

this person portrays is American. They are traditionally an orthodox Jew and

that is what they have grown up knowing. However, this new form of identity

that they wish to portray is one that they are struggling within to decide if

they wish to let it take over their traditional identity or if they wish to

maintain this Jewish identity that they have known all their lives and grown

to love.

However, that is where the notion of the in-between came in. It is when

one single person is struggling with two separate identities that they feel

that they obtain. Whilst attempting to balance both of these identities they

get caught in the cross currents of both of these identities. This is able to be
seen in not only Sterns writing with the title, I Am Woman and A Jew she is

allowing this direct distinction to be made. It is also seen in Aylons writing as

well as her artwork, but it is most seen within both Edmundsons as well as

Murrays writings as well as artwork because they are African-Americans

who, in a literal sense, live on the hyphen.

Elizabeth Stern, I Am a Woman and a Jew within this writing, it is

important to know that she exemplifies her two separate identities. However,

it is important to note that she allows it to be known that she is both. As a

person, she is not only a woman but she is also a Jew. Where one may feel a

sense of oppression, Stern is able to grasp her femininity and display this

throughout her writing. Aylon was able to do this as well because she used

her femininity as a way to branch out to other women and empower them as

well.

She felt ashamed at first, however, after she found that these religions

traditions were very much built around the foundation of a woman as well as

how their bodies worked she felt more empowered. Also, she is a Jewish

woman, therefore allowing her to feel much oppression as well as shame

because of her religion as well as the fact that she is a woman. However, she

began to change her mentality as well as her focus when she became more

confident in her own identity as a woman as well as her Jewish identity.

I believe this was able to be seen throughout Aylons artwork. The

artwork that spoke to me the most was the image of her depicted as four
separate pillars with the canopy over the four pillars. The four pillars are a

direct representation of Aylon with her different identities. She felt as if she

had all of these different identities that she had to portray as well as

represent. She spent the majority of her life pleasing everyone with these

separate identities, rather than pleasing herself. One of these identities that

she portrayed was being rabbis wife and rebelling against the usual

Orthodox Jewish beliefs as well as practices. Another sense of identity that

she had to portray was her femininity. In this way, she was still able to be

herself, however it was another version of her that she exemplified. I believe

these separate pillars are a representation as well as a direct correlation to

the way that she portrayed herself as having different identities. She is

emulating these separate identities in order to please all of the people in her

life that she feels the need to please.

My interpretation of the canopy hanging over the four pillars is her own

identity, the one that she aspires to be at all times. Draping over her four

identities that are in-between. As we discussed in class she changed her

name from Helene Aylon to Helene Helene. She is going about life and

attempting to please others while being Helene, however she never is able to

fully grasp this sense of her own identity. Then, she changes her name and

she has a sense of her own identity in which she is able to be herself. I

believe the canopy, as we discussed in class the canopy also represents her

marriage. However, I believe this is a representation of her empowerment

that she feels over her husband. I feel this way because in her marriage, she
has the say in when they are able to have sex or when she is able to give

herself to him. This represents the control that she feels that she has over

their intimate relationship. One could say that the four pillars represents a

bed frame and the canopy atop of it plays into the intimate relationship that

they share in that space. This space that is created because of her femininity.

I believe Elizabeths Sterns reaction to Helene Aylons artwork would

be understanding and accepting of her viewpoint. I feel that she would feel

similar to Aylon in a sense because Stern also felt a sense of oppression as

did Aylon. In the beginning of Sterns piece she said, beautiful and still in

death, and for a brief, terrible moment feeling my heart rise up ---- surely it

was a in a strange, suffocating relief? ---- as the realization came to me:

Now I am free! All my life, for twenty-nine years, he had stood like an

image of fine-carved stone, immovable, unbending, demanding that I submit

my will and my thought, my every act in life, to the creed he represented.

She went on to say that his creed was that of Judaism, so I feel that both

Stern is able to relate to these separate identities depicted as pillars that are

within her painting. To further analyze this one could also say that Stern

would feel the need to break away or break free from these separate pillars

and rebel. However, I feel that she would be understanding as well as

respective of Aylons portrayal of her life throughout her artwork as well as

her writings.
 In the text, In the Hand of the Holy Spirit J.B. Murray was portrayed

as a quiet African-American man who was unable to read or write but he was

led by his faith. Similarly to all of the influential people we have read about in

this class thus far, he had his calling from God and this allowed him to pick

up the paint brush and paint inspirational paintings. Directly correlated to

Aylon who after she realized her femininity was able to be empowered and

had her calling to paint and share it publicly. She did paint before and took

painting classes without her husbands knowledge, however she felt

comfortable going public with her artwork shortly after she felt empowered

by her femininity and then she felt her calling. As morbid as it sounds, the

way that Stern was able to feel complete freedom was after her father

passed away. She was able to be her own individual and experience her own

identity. I believe that is exactly what Aylon felt, the image of the four

separate pillars with the canopy draped over the top I believe that was her

wishing to experience her own separate identity.

This is the image that I chose to analyze (below) that J.B. Murray

created, in this image one is able to see a variety of colors on a white piece

of paper. I believe that this is Murrays interpretation of being a, black man

in a white mans world. These different colors all represent the different

cultures that are within this melting pot. The crosses that he depicted on this

painting are a representation of his faith and his calling. Near the end of the

text the section, The response of Murrays Church to His Experience spoke

on how he found his faith as well as how he was a follower of the,

Evangelical Protestantism. I believe that if Stern were to see his artwork as

well as hear his story that she would have a positive reaction to it. I believe

this because she too, went through hard times and struggled, however she

overcame adversity. Murray was able to do the exact same thing, he was not

able to read or write and he was able to become a well-known artist. She

also struggled with her beliefs and Murray needed a push in the right

direction.

In closing, I believe that Stern would have a positive reaction to both

Aylon as well as Murrays artwork. I feel this way because of the class

discussions we had as well as the text that we read about Stern as she

rebelled as well as rising above adversity. Stern, Aylon, as well as Murray all

struggled with their identities on which they wished to portray as well as

except. Throughout class readings, it has lead me to believe that all of these

authors that we have read about will remain living on the hyphen.