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Jewish Habits Influencing Career Choices Must Change

It is time that Judaism expand its scope in both ethics and job career counseling

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If people choose their careers and lifestyle after examining their abilities, hobbies and other major interests, they would lead healthier and happier lives. (Image: jcsbalt.org)

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I have just finished reading the Book “How to Build Better Habits” and realize that many Jewish customs and desires produce excellent results but are often not good for the individual. 

Jews are known to be smart, often doctors and lawyers, or, of course, learned rabbis. 

They tend not to be engineers or people who “work with their hands” or athletes unless they cannot do anything else.  Are these characteristics ‘Jewish’ characteristics, or are they imposed by the culture and education, or perhaps a bit of all three. Israel of course has all kinds of workers, but again it is the well-educated who receive the prestige. 

This especially applies to Jews of European ancestry. 

Historically, Jews are the people of the book.  We study from the age of five. That really means that we are trained in arguing, analysis and logic from the age of five. Those who are not at the top of their class are, historically, hit, gently or not, to “try to make them better”. 

Perhaps the occasional, or perhaps frequent, beating results in excessive subservience to those who are “in charge”. 

Probably because of this early education, Jews make good doctors and lawyers, and are good at analyzing and arguing, – the latter two being good training for business as well. It sounds good, but here is the problem – What happens to the Jewish child who wants to work with his hands, as a farmer or engineer or mechanic? Jews are said to have limited spatial abilities and generally seem to be uninterested in participating in competitive sports. 

Does a Jewish girl or boy have to be extraordinary to choose a career in a field that is not a “Jewish” field and who will not be strongly supported by his or her parents and community?

Jews then have difficulty choosing careers. They must not only discover what career would fascinate them, but then overcome pressure to choose a career that will be respected by their community. 

Do they have to leave the community, or be an odd duck in it, in order to choose a career that fascinates them?

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It is time that Judaism expanded its scope in both ethics and job career counseling. 

Both modern ethics and careers bring many modern choices that were touched on by the Torah but not set out in detail. 

There are pros and cons, and the gains and losses to be achieved by choices of professions and ordinary jobs. Sometimes it is a choice between lots of high paying work, and low paying jobs with lots of time to be with family and friends. 

In a complex world, modern philosophers and ancient philosophies like Stoicism often emphasize doing the right thing because it is better for the individual. Of course in emphasizing the individual they are de -emphasizing the culture of study and sometimes the commands of G-d. 

If everyone gave equal value to various jobs instead of more value to prestigious jobs, many of us and our families would be happier. If people choose their careers and lifestyle after examining their abilities, hobbies and other major interests, they would lead healthier and happier lives. 

And if we looked at the value of the person as a moral individual, rather than solely as a money maker or homemaker, as often emphasized by our culture, everyone’s life would be better.

Jonathan Usher was born in Montreal. He graduated from Queen’s Law School in 1963 and moved to Toronto where he has lived since. In the past 20 years of retirement he has become a very prolific and published letter-to-the-editor writer and conservative, social iconoclast.

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Thank you for choosing TheJ.Ca as your source for Canadian Jewish News.

We do news differently!

Our positioning as a Zionist News Media platform sets us apart from the rest. While other Canadian Jewish media are advocating increasingly biased progressive political and social agendas, TheJ.Ca is providing more and more readers with a welcome alternative and an ideological home.

We revealed the incursion of anti-Israel progressive elements such as IfNotNow into our communities. We have exposed the distorted hateful agenda of the “progressive” left political radicals who brought Linda Sarsour to our cities, and we were first to report on many disturbing incidents of Nazi-based hate towards Jews across Canada.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your HELP!

Our ability to thrive and grow in 2020 and beyond depends on the generosity of committed readers and supporters like you.

Monthly support is a great way to help us sustain our operations. We greatly appreciate any contributions you can make to support Jewish Journalism.

We thank you for your ongoing support.

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