"Ask the Rabbi" by R. Mermelstein

As a 32 year old jewish male I am amazed and disturbed at what seems to be a common belief that jews don't need guns by other jews, this is the opinion of relatives, previous temple members and seems the jewish organizations ie:B'nai Brith. Doesn't this fly in the face of reality of the holocaust? Do you have any idea as to why this may be and have you encountered this yourself? Someone said that we believe so strongly in G-D that we have given up responsibility of caring for our own fate and that we are doomed to keep being persecuted. My father had lost a large percentage of his family in Austria and my mother's family in Russia, so he made a decision long ago that what had happened would never happen again to us or anyone and taught me safe gun handling at a young age which I will also pass down to my children as well. I only hope other Jews do the same or we are doomed to keep repeating history over and over again. Thanks for your time and looking forward to hear your view.

This nonsense about firearms being un-Jewish is a theme in many e-mails that come though here. Please read a letter entitled "My mother's cultural stereotypes" which I wrote in reply to an inquiry nearly identical to yours some weeks ago.

Labeling firearms inappropriate for Jews has it's roots in the Jewish psyche going back many generations. Firearms, to many Jews, represent a threat to life and limb wielded by a murderous anti-semite. Crazy, isn't it, how it can become ingrained into the very gene pool of a people that the mere sight of a gun evokes primal fears of an immediate threat and they are helpless to do anything but be a compliant victim?

The sad part is that this disease will not disappear overnight. I fear that no amount of information distribution will alter the mindset of so many people. To compound the problem Jews are by and large urban dwellers where every mention of a gun in the media involves crime.

Have you any ideas? How does one teach a creature who has tasted the whip that the very same implement could be used to justifiably retaliate against it's tormentor?

I'd like a free lunch for every invitation I've extended to orthodox Jews to be my guests at the local public shooting range for an afternoon of free shooting lessons that was turned down. I even promise them to pickup the range fees and provide the ammunition. ANYTHING to show my core ligionists that a gun is only a tool, no less so than a meat grinder or lawn mower. I persevere, nonetheless. The battle to win over Jewish minds will continue.

Sincerely,

R. Mermelstein