The Complete Guide to Jacob Frey’s Jewish Identity
Is Jacob Frey Jewish? Everything You Need to Know
Understanding Jacob Frey’s Jewish Heritage and Background
The definition of "being Jewish" encompasses a great deal more than a single headline. In order to understand Jacob Frey's sense of self as a person beyond the headlines, one must first grasp the essence of being Jewish—both in terms of religious and ethnic identity, and the way in which individuals perceive themselves and others. Jacob Frey is Jewish—however, to gain insight into how he became Jewish, and why, is dependent upon understanding Jacob's family history, his personal beliefs, and his relationship with the community.
Jacob Frey's Jewish Heritage Comes from Ancestry, and His Own Personal Decision
Jacob Frey's Jewish heritage is not due to a chance of birth—nor did Jacob choose to become Jewish strictly for the sake of listing it as a biography entry. Jacob Frey's mother is of Russian-Jewish ancestry. Prior to Jacob's birth, his father converted to Judaism. Because of this, Jacob Frey identifies as Jewish through both his family lineage and his own intentional decision to follow Judaism as a faith.
Growing Up as a Jewish Child—Jacob Frey's Experience with Jewish Cultural Traditions
Jacob Frey experienced cultural Jewish traditions while growing up in Northern Virginia — Sunday bagels and lox and lighting the Shabbat candles were not simply rituals to Jacob, but rather, these were traditions used by Jacob's family to celebrate the passage of time and share special moments together.
Jacob Frey's Faith Tradition—Reform Judaism
Jacob Frey's belief in his Jewish faith is more than just identifying as Jewish by bloodline; Jacob Frey is a part of a Reform Jewish community, and regularly attends Reform Synagogue services with his wife in Minneapolis. Jacob Frey is a practicing Jewish man who believes that the values of his Jewish faith will help guide his views toward social justice and tikkun olam—the concept of fixing the world. Jacob Frey's Jewish Heritage is Not Being Used as a Marketing Strategy. Jacob Frey's decision to identify as Jewish is not being used as a marketing strategy — it is giving him direction and motivation to pursue social justice, and carry out his civic obligations as a leader in the city of Minneapolis.
Why We Should Care If Jacob Frey is Jewish
It may seem as though the question of whether Jacob Frey is Jewish is a very simple question—but Jacob Frey's Jewish identity is an essential component of how he interacts with other communities, and how he defines justice, and what he sees as his civic obligation as a leader in the City of Minneapolis.
Jacob Frey has indicated that he has received anti-Semitic messages — an example of the evolving connections between an individual's identity (racial, ethnic, religious, etc.) and the individual's role as a civic leader, and the challenges that exist when interacting with the public.
Three Components of Jacob Frey's Jewish Identity
As discussed above, "Jewish" can mean different things to people depending on how they personally experience their Jewish heritage.
The three key aspects of Jacob Frey's Jewish identity are:
Family History/Ancestry: Jacob Frey's Jewish identity is centered in his family — particularly his maternal side, and the fact that his father converted to Judaism before Jacob was born.
Active Religious Practice: Jacob Frey is interested in learning about the historical roots of his Jewish heritage — however, he is also actively practicing his Jewish faith by attending a Reform synagogue in Minneapolis.
Cultural Identity: Jacob Frey has stated that he was raised "very culturally Jewish." What this means is that Jacob Frey engaged in many cultural Jewish traditions as a child — regardless of whether or not he understood the theological underpinnings of those traditions — and those cultural traditions influenced how Jacob viewed himself and how he interacted with others as a young person.
In conclusion, Jacob Frey's Jewish identity consists of all three of these aspects — and is not exclusively based on his ancestry, his active religious participation, or his cultural identity.
Why Does Jacob Frey's Jewish Identity Matter — Even to a Cleaning Service
"You could ask, 'So I'm the owner of a cleaning service — why does it matter to me if Jacob Frey is Jewish?' That is a fair question — and at Karen's Green Cleaning, we value honesty and integrity in all aspects of our work — whether it is delivering a consistent and trustworthy experience for our clients' homes or providing honest and reliable information to your readers regarding the identities of public figures — such as whether or not they are Jewish."
Similarly to how our clients rely on us to consistently deliver a trusted experience, your readers rely on you to provide them with accurate information about the identities of public figures — including whether or not they are Jewish. When we address people's identities respectfully and with dignity — we establish trust — in both our words and our actions.
What Do You Need To Know
Yes, Jacob Frey is Jewish — by birth, by choice, and by practice. Jacob Frey's Jewish identity is richly diverse — Jacob Frey comes from a family that has identified as Jewish for many generations, Jacob Frey is currently practicing as a Reform Jew, and Jacob Frey incorporates Jewish values into his views of social justice and his role as a civic leader in the City of Minneapolis. Jacob Frey's willingness to publicly acknowledge his Jewish identity has created both positive and negative reactions.
Jacob Frey has stated that he received anti-Semitic messages — a fact that exemplifies the rapidly changing relationships between an individual's identity (be it racial, ethnic, religious, etc.) and their role as a civic leader, and the challenges that arise when interacting with the public. Understanding Jacob Frey's Identity Helps Us Understand How Identity & Leadership Intersect — And Why We Must Approach Questions Regarding Identity with Respect.
Answers to Quick Questions — Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Jacob Frey only culturally Jewish, or is he a practicing Jew as well?
A: Jacob Frey is both.
Jacob Frey was raised culturally Jewish (his family practiced many Jewish customs), and Jacob Frey is now a practicing Reform Jew — attending synagogue with his wife in Minneapolis.
Q: Does his Jewish identity influence his political views?
A: While Jacob Frey's political views are influenced by a number of factors, Jacob Frey has stated that he uses Jewish values — particularly tikkun olam ("reparative world") — to help shape his views on social justice and his role as a public official.
Q: Why is Jacob Frey's Jewishness receiving so much media attention?
A: The media attention surrounding Jacob Frey's Jewish identity is indicative of the fact that a public official's past influences their present.
Jacob Frey is creating a background for others to be able to better comprehend where he is coming from and why he makes the decisions he does — and for critics and supporters to be able to frame their criticisms and advocacy.
Q: Would the answer still be "yes," if someone had simply asked "Is he Jewish by religion"?
A: Yes. Jacob Frey is not only ethnically/culturally Jewish; Jacob Frey is an actively participating member of a Reform Jewish congregation in Minneapolis.