Commentary: Chametz during Pesach? That’s exactly what bullying in any Jewish genealogical group is

(PS Much of this is what I posted in these groups in response to some inquiries, and some information that I thought could help others.)

Without going into any specific recent posts in some genealogy groups too much, and even though I’m certainly not a moderator of any of the groups, I would ask everyone to remember that we are all trying to find out about our family history. Not all of us had the privilege to know that we are Jewish from the beginning, and some of us are (if you will) the products of interrelationships—whether or not those relationships were consensual. 

Also, it is Pesach: why especially during this time of year or some of us intend on committing sinat chinam and lashon hara against each other? Also, remember that—for example—the sons Moshe had a Midianite-Ethiopian mother, and that the son of Shelomit bat Divri had an Egyptian father. 

Being similarly mixed-blooded to Gershon and Eliezer and ben Shelomit, I can tell you that I myself did not find out that I am Jewish until I was 18, and I have also been bullied for—quite frankly—being mostly Patrilineally Jewish (I know that my being mixed blooded frankly perturbs some people) and having different beliefs from the traditional beliefs (I am a Jewish Christian, which is really pissed off some people— my answer in short is “Oh well. Jesus was Jewish.”). In fact, I’ve had to block some people because of the sinat chinam and lashon hara; and the effects of their bullying in conjunction with the brick walls which I have faced have sometimes tempted me to give up genealogy—and even life—altogether. 

One thing that I can say, nonetheless, is that if anyone is in a position similar to mine, know a couple of (summed-up) facts (among other facts): 

1. Per Tanakh, God accepts both Patrilineal and Matrilineal Jews.
2. If you suspect that you may in fact be Jewish and have taken a DNA test before you have done any family-tree research, you would have to research your family tree to see if you are Jewish—including Crypto Jewish. Having a Jewish DNA match may indicate that you at least have some Jewish ancestry (though keep in mind as well that DNA reference panels don’t always have even-numbered groups—and that by itself can skew results) although certainly more research would have to be done (Also keep in mind that autosomal DNA is different than YDNA and mitochondrial DNA).
3. Bullies who are behaving as equivalents to the Spanish Inquisitionists will have to answer to God. Tricia Adams, that doesn’t make any less of at least of Jewish descent. Unlike some people, I would not dare to dismiss anyone just because of circumstances of birth, etc. which they cannot control—especially because ancestors of mine went through those kinds of circumstances (In fact, as I write this, I am more convinced that Great-Granddad Czarnecki‘s sibling who was born before his sister Regina was not conceived consensually. Conspicuously enough, he or she is never listed as a child of Great-Great-Granddad Czarnecki—not at all even being noted as of existing on the 1910 Census—although he or she is listed as one of Great-Great-Grandma Czarnecki’s children— listed as one of three children born I’m currently living in 1909 when Regina was born in March 1909 and  deceased in June1910  when Great-Grandaunt Alice was born. On Great-Granduncle Stanley’s November 1911 birth certificate, he or she is either oddly mentioned again as one of five or not mentioned at all—assuming that another child seems to have been born in February 1911, since none of the children in any regard is listed as a twin or triplet. By the way, prematurity did occur in our family; so, it would be no surprise if Great-Great-Grandma was able to keep the purity laws regarding childbirth and any child was prematurely born). 

In conclusion please don’t let anyone tell you that you are not something that you are just because they want to disingenuously gatekeep—and conversely, please do not disingenuously gatekeep. Remember that whether we are mixed blooded or fully blooded, etc., we were all strangers in Egypt.

.