Ezekiel Emanuel Quotes

'The New World Haggadah' is meant for American Jews in the 21st century.

My purpose is to have American Jews look away from the success story with which they've cheered themselves up, and to have them remember the classical tradition, whatever it is.

The Jewish festival of freedom is the oldest continuously observed religious ritual in the world. Across the centuries, Passover has never lost its power to inspire the imagination of successive generations of Jews with its annually re-enacted drama of slavery and liberation.

I had always known that I was Jewish - we celebrated the holidays, we went to a synagogue - but I had never known that I was supposed to feel ashamed about it.

I'm no more or less Jewish than any other Jew. Israel has survived because we haven't forgot our Judaism, but there are some Israelis who did forget.

We Jews have a special attachment to the Book. The study of page after page in tomes yellowing with age was obligatory.

I never felt like a good Jew. My mother was not Jewish, and that makes me a non-Jew according to Jewish religious law.

Since the Exodus, Freedom has always spoken with a Hebrew accent.

I have a very strong sense of who I am as a Jew and a strong sense of belonging.

I was brought up a Jew but, you know, that way of being Jewish - the New York way. We were stomach Jews; we were Jewish-joke Jews. We were bagel Jews. We didn't go to synagogue. I'm frightened of synagogue to this day.

The mandate we have as Jews is for the story of the Exodus from Egypt to be retold every generation.

We are committed to raising our children as Jews. I knew that it had to start with me at a greater level, at a deeper level, if it was going to be a meaningful example to them.

A lot of Jews are great friends of mine.

If you are trying to raise a child to be a Jew, then you have to create a sense of Jewish identity. You really weaken that sense of identity if you celebrate two religions.

Though I'm not religious in the classical sense I did partake in Passover.

Jewish comedy doesn't come out of nothing. Jewish music doesn't come out of nothing... I don't want to be part of a story where Jews are just victims or bullies - and I'm not saying that's what the Israelis are.

The argument that all Jews have a heartfelt investment in the state of Israel is untrue. Some have a heartfelt investment in corned beef sandwiches.

It's hard for a Jew of my generation, an American Jew, who is philo-Zionistic, not to romanticize Israel.

As a Jew I am aware of how important the existence of Israel is for the survival of us all. And because I am proud of being Jewish, I am worried by the growing anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in the world.

The message of Passover remains as powerful as ever. Freedom is won not on the battlefield but in the classroom and the home. Teach your children the history of freedom if you want them never to lose it.

I am very proud of being Jewish. I went to a Jewish school all my life.

Most of the Jewish writer friends I have are American, and I feel closer to them because they're always obsessed with one issue - identity: what does it mean to be an American Jew?

As a matter of fact, part of being Jewish is the whole question of what it is to be a Jew.

I realized that we have to do everything we can to preserve the Jewish race. I'm very proud of it, and I think it's wonderful.

We have our own values; we build our own special, our JEWISH life - and we are proud, so very proud.