If you’re converting or exploring Judaism, there are going to be words you hear that feel insider-y. Cultural. Maybe even funny.
And when you’re new, it can be tempting to use those words about yourself – especially if you’re trying to signal humility or show that you “get it.”
But some words carry history that isn’t neutral.
One of them is shiksa.
Before you casually adopt language that was never meant to dignify you, it’s worth understanding where it comes from, what it has meant, and what it does – quietly – to the way you see yourself. Judaism is not built on humiliation. And you do not have to shrink yourself to enter it.
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Transcript below.
Transcript:
If you’re converting or exploring Judaism, here’s something important: don’t call yourself a shiksa.
I know some people use it jokingly, and I know we have all unfortunately seen Nobody Wants This.
I know it can feel self-deprecating or like you’re showing humility, but shiksa isn’t neutral slang.
The word shiksa comes from a Hebrew root that means “impure” or “unclean.” It’s often translated as “abomination.”
And most importantly, it is a word that historically has been used to demean non-Jewish women, especially in sexualized or dismissive ways.
Even when said casually, it carries that weight of history.
When you use it about yourself, a few things happen.
First, you’re internalizing contempt instead of curiosity.
Second, you’re shrinking yourself to make others comfortable.
And third, you’re learning Judaism through shame, not dignity.
Judaism does not require self-erasure to enter. Humility is not the same thing as humiliation.
Judaism is built on kavod habriyot, human dignity. That includes yours.
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