Conformity and Rebellion in Conversion of the Jews Essay -- essays pap

Conformity and Rebellion in Conversion of the Jews Though it seems like a stereotype, all teenagers, at some point, choose to rebel against authority figures or conform with their friends. Part of growing up means becoming the person God intends you to be and finding out how to survive, or be independent, on your own. Conformity and rebellion, two issues that each human being has experienced, have great effects not only on the conformist and rebel, but on the people around them as well. In â€Å"Conversion of the Jews,† Ozzie rebels against the religious complacency that he sees in his Hebrew school, and his friend, Itzie, projects an example of religious complacency and conformity. Ozzie, a thirteen-year-old boy born into the Jewish faith, has spent his short life conforming to what his single mother, his religion, and Rabbi Binder wanted him to be and believe. Judaism means everything to Ozzie’s mother, Mrs. Freedman. The importance of her religion, expressed through her actions as Ozzie states that â€Å"she didn’t look like a chosen person. But when she lit candles she looked like something better; like a woman who knew momentarily that God could do anything† (1103). Judaism defines who she is as an individual and who she is as a member of society as well. Ozzie has many questions about Judaism and Mrs. Freedman and Rabbi Binder feel he does not need to ask them, but just have faith. It becomes clear throughout the story that Rabbi Binder wants Ozzie to behave. By behave, Rabbi Binder means conform to his way of thinking. The rabbi dodges his questions and Ozzie says that â€Å"he kept explaining about Jesus being historical, and so I kept asking! him. No kidding, Itz,... ...onforming. Conforming means not standing out, not thinking, and involves little work. In a religious setting, conforming gives a person a place to be important and accepted. Being truly â€Å"religious† requires some work; however, mindless conforming and religious complacency seems much easier. Rebelling, on the other hand, seems like something people like to do just as much. In the case of religion, a line rests between rebellion and spiritual questioning. In Ozzie’s circumstance, his questions went beyond spiritual questioning, crossing into the realm of rebellion. In any case, conforming and rebellion both have consequential effects. Conforming can lead to a life of unanswered questions and being the person that you are not. Rebellion can lead to alienating yourself from something good that might only need a few simple explanations.