dedication
This book is dedicated to the students who shared their stories with vulnerability and wisdom. In reflecting and sharing your story, you create the opportunity for connection, reminding us of our shared humanity and that people cannot be put in a box.
A special thanks to the Theodore and Maxine Murnick Family and Ron Gubitz, who believed in and helped shape my vision of leveraging visual storytelling to change the status quo. Without their support, these important narratives might have remained untold.
To all who engage with these reflections:
May these portraits continue to serve as mirrors, inviting us to turn inward and examine how we can broaden our perspectives and inspire conversations that will transform today's stories into tomorrow's history.
With deep gratitude, Julia Mattis
Foreword
Launched in 2021, The Portrait Identity Project is a social documentary project that broadens the perception of what it "looks like" to be Jewish. Sharing stories paired with professional portraits, this initiative brings communities together to look, listen, and learn from students as they selfreflect on the intersection of their identities and how their perception of being Jewish has evolved. The Portrait Identity Project brings to light students' experiences of feeling as though they struggled to belong, inviting us to change the narrative by celebrating the many ways to be Jewish.
Participants in the project share their stories by reflecting on a series of interview questions about how Jewish identity intersects with other facets of identity, how one's environment impacts how Judaism is viewed and embraced, and how stereotypes affect how Jewish identity is conveyed or internalized. The interviews create the space for participants to process the full range of their experiences with Judaism, and the project amplifies the voices and experiences of underrepresented Jews.
As one looks, listens, and learns from these narratives, all audiences are encouraged to reflect on how their personal experiences have shaped their identity, reconsider past perceptions, and feel connected as they see themselves in others' stories.
About Tulane Hillel
Tulane Hillel is a nonprofit community center that fosters leadership and community engagement. Our mission is to create a radically inclusive community, develop students’ leadership, and encourage curiosity through our Jewish values.
Tulane Hillel is excited to broaden the scope and impact of the Portrait Identity Project by expanding this meaningful project nationally, ensuring more students and community members across the country can learn, grow, and share their stories.
If you would like to learn more about the Portrait Identity Project and how it would impact your campus and help your organization meet your goals, please get in touch with jmattis@tulane.edu.
For more information, visit tulanehillel.org or find us on Instagram @tuhillel
How to Digest:
As you read each story,
1. Click on each name.
This will open an audio file in Google Drive in a new tab.
2. Click play on the audio file.
3. Listen as each share their story in their voice.
Emilia Bertoli
she/her
Due to scheduling conflicts, Emilia’s portrait and audio recording are not included in this edition.
So, I'm Italian, and you don't hear about Italian Jews that often because Catholicism is such a large part of Italian culture. I remember that, around the third grade, many of my friends were having their communions, and that's what everyone was talking about. And, my dad was raised Roman Catholic, so up until that point, I was like, 'Oh, I'm interfaith,' like not knowing what that meant. I just knew my mom was Jewish; my dad was Catholic.
We weren't super religious; it was considered very religious to even go to Shabbat services like nobody practiced like that. We celebrated Christmas, but we also went to my aunt's house for Passover, so I remember asking my mom, 'What, what do I get?' she's like, 'Well, you are Jewish, so that means you can have a bat mitzvah.' Back then, I wasn't even sure what that meant because traditional Judaism wasn't passed down to me. So I decided, 'Okay, I want to have a bat mitzvah.' That's how I built the community and started learning about Judaism. But then I had my bat mitzvah and fell out of it [Judaism] just because that was the only thing giving me that kind of structure.
I and my Jewish friends here [at Tulane] all fall into the same category of not feeling Jewish enough, not feeling like Jewish spaces on campus are for us necessarily. But, this semester, I decided to go on a spring break trip through Hillel, which was amazing. I remember hearing the songs from Hebrew school so long ago; I forgot how amazing it is to sing with people.
I've been learning recently that Judaism will always be there for me to return to because it's been in the background my entire life, and that's where my roots are. It's almost like a meditation practice; it's always there for you to return to, find peace, and reconnect.
I've been learning recently that Judaism will always be there for me to return to … that's where my roots are. It's almost like a meditation practice; it's always there for you to return to, find peace, and reconnect.
Rachel Bondy
she/her
Growing up, I experienced much internal confusion about where I fit in. I remember that when I was young, my mom said to me, ‘Rachel, you're many things, but you're 100% Jewish,’ and that became the spoke of my journey to figure out who I was.
I realized that my identities could coexist without detracting from one another.
But that only worked because my head rabbi, Angela, is also half-Korean. And before that point, I honestly felt pretty rejected by the Jews around me and the Jewish community. Once I realized that my identities could coexist without detracting from one another, I could fully embrace that I was many things and 100% Jewish, and that’s what made me special.
I could fully embrace that I was many things and 100% Jewish, and that’s what made me special.
Amit David
she/her
Igrew up in Israel, and being Mizrahi there was fine, but when I went to Haifa University, all of my classmates were Ashkenazi, and I remember feeling different. They all came with rich educational backgrounds and had a lot in common. I got a lot of comments and looks because being Mizrahi comes with the stereotypes of being less educated and talking in a different vernacular –one that is maybe more, I don't want to say, aggressive, but the tone is a little bit different. So, I remember experiencing many struggles there and thinking, 'But you know, I'm proud of who I am, and I'm not gonna hide it.' My grandpa came from Libya, where they had to hide their identity, so he always stressed being proud of our identity now that we could. His influence played a significant role in my Jewish identity and how I see myself in the Jewish world.
I'm proud of who I am, and I'm not gonna hide it.
In America and Tulane, I haven't met a lot of Mizrahi or Sephardic Jews or Jews of color because the majority are Ashkenazi. One guy that I was dating here told me, 'You don't look Jewish.' And, I was like, that's not okay, so I asked him, 'How is a Jewish person supposed to look?' And, he was like, 'Oh, you know?' And, I was like, 'No, I don't know.' We had this whole conversation, but those interactions still happen today, especially in college.
'How is a Jewish person supposed to look?’
Coming to the States made me realize how proud I am to be a Jewish woman. I had my journey with God, my identity, and what I want to accomplish in life regarding Judaism – like how I want to raise my kids or how I want to build the foundation for my home. Experiencing Judaism from a different point of view pushed me out of my comfort zone, which was Israel, and taught me that there's no right way to be Jewish.
Rachel Duthu
they/them
All the odds were against me becoming Jewish. Growing up, I barely knew any Jewish people in my town, and I was raised very Catholic. As I began to form my morals, I realized that they didn't align with Catholicism in the way I wanted to practice. So, at 17, I took a big step back and decided to discover where I felt called to. When I found Judaism, the Jewish values resonated with me. I like the idea that converts are born with the Jewish soul and have to find their way to Judaism to recognize that. Being born and growing up Jewish is very beautiful, but I've loved being a convert because of the individualization, knowledge, and understanding it fosters.
I want peoples' experience with me to be defined by the kindness, listening skills, communication, and empathy I work hard to prioritize in any interaction.
Outside of many Jewish and university spaces, I use they/them pronouns and identify more on the non-binary spectrum. But no matter where or with whom I am socializing, I want peoples' experience with me to be defined by the kindness, listening skills, communication, and empathy I work hard to prioritize in any interaction. These character traits are the most reflective of who I am and who I want to be, so how I relate to or express my queerness is just an extension of these values. Acceptance of how God made me, and every other person, multifaceted and unique, is just an extension of the kindness and understanding we should treat everybody, including ourselves. In Jewish spaces, I allow my gender identity to shift. I think gender is more relevant in the secular world than in Judaism. Therefore, I am still authentically reflecting on who I am because I actively express what I believe are the most defining and relevant parts of my identity.
Jael Ellman
she/her
My mom's half Iranian, so I'm only a quarter Iranian, but it shows up. Like, many people don't look at me as white. This is so interesting to me because growing up, we'd go to our Iranian relative's house for things like Passover and Rosh Hashanah, and I always felt like we were the white family on the outside.
But, when I'm in other settings, it's like, 'Oh, I'm the ethnic Jew, I guess.' For example, when I came to Tulane, everyone asked, 'Where are you from?' And, I was like, 'Oh, Los Angeles,' and they're like, 'No, where are you really from?' I could see their wheels turning and them just being like I can't put you in any box. That changed my perception of myself because, growing up in Los Angeles with my mom as my rabbi, I never really considered putting my Jewish identity and Persian ethnicity together.
I could see their wheels turning and them just being like I can't put you in any box.
However, I realize that the intersections between religious and ethnic identities create new and unique cultural experiences. We're not in Shetl anymore, so we should expand our ideas of what a Jewish person looks like, what they act like, who they talk to, who they don't, and where they work. And that speaks to the part I love about Judaism – there's no single box. Like, if you eat bacon, thousands of Jews will eat bacon with you. If you want to pray three times a day, or five times a day, or make aliyah, there are thousands of people like you. There's something very grounding in knowing I will always be able to build a community around how I practice my Judaism.
Ian Fishman
he/him
Growing up, I was just passively involved in Judaism through my family on my dad's side because my mom was raised Catholic.
So when I got to middle school, I started attending Wednesday night school and studying for my bar mitzvah and all that fun stuff. And I continued it through the end of high school, which was my choice. My brother, for example, did his bar mitzvah and stopped going to Hebrew school, and my parents were like, 'Cool, that's fine. You don't have to do it.' I wasn't forced to continue Hebrew school, so I can view how other people relate to their Judaism, pick and choose things that I think are cool, and then apply them to my religious experience.
In terms of my relationship with my Jewish identity, that comes through my community. A long time ago, one of my Hebrew school teachers said that God is a little bit in everyone and not so much as one being, per se. And that reflects how I embrace my Judaism.
A long time ago, one of my Hebrew school teachers said that God is a little bit in everyone and not so much as one being, per se. And that reflects how I embrace my Judaism.
Claire Hudson she/her
Since I grew up Roman Catholic, my experience with Judaism was very slight at the beginning of my life, mostly coming through friends, but then coming to Tulane, it's almost like a cultural immersion into the Jewish community. For instance, my friends and I had this practice over COVID, where we'd meet every Friday night for Hillel's Shabbat takeaway. And that experience made me think about my religion and the function of religion as a cultural aspect.
that experience made me think about my religion and the function of religion as a cultural aspect.
Catholicism is very like you stand up, and you sit down. It's very procedural. But, at least in my experience, Judaism seems much more about living, incorporating it into your everyday life, and gaining something positive from it internally. You know, like, what's the benefit of humbling yourself, being quiet for a day, walking somewhere, being mindful? So, seeing the exact text interpreted much more openly and welcomingly is cool.
The word 'welcoming' is emblematic of my experience with the Jewish faith at Tulane, and I never expected this from Tulane. Participating so much in a community that I didn't have much to do with before is beautiful. And I hope that my participation in this project supports the idea that anyone can be a part of any community as an ally. Anyone can take it upon themselves to learn and grow spiritually and culturally.
Deva Laifer
she/her
So my family, we grew up Modern Orthodox, you know, I went to a Modern Orthodox school and camp and lived in a Modern Orthodox community in New York. When I was in second grade, we started using our phones and watching TV, and we had to keep it hush-hush. It was a little hard to comprehend as an eight-year-old. I'm like, 'What's the big deal? Why does that make me like not a good person?’
When I was in second grade, we started using our phones and watching TV, and we had to keep it hush-hush
So coming here [Tulane] has been a good in-between where I can still wholly be myself without fear of judgment that I'm not following the laws to a tee. I can still believe completely, even when so many people challenge me because that's what college is all about. It's like you're constantly being challenged or asking questions. Like, at college, I was asked for the first time in my life,' Why do you believe in God?' not like, 'Do you believe in God, but why?' That's why I feel like I've been more Jewish now than in the past. I can think for myself, which allows me to connect spiritually. Being religious is more traditional, like observing holidays as much as I can and learning or stuff like that. But spirituality is me having, I guess, a conversation with God. And I've found ways to do that, which I couldn't in high school.
I can think for myself, which allows me to connect spiritually.
During my alone time, when I'm drawing or listening to music, I can connect with myself and have those conversations with God. And, I can do that through untraditional outlets, especially in the community I grew up in.
Leo Levine
he/him
Due to scheduling conflicts, Leo’s portrait and audio recording are not included in this edition.
The way to say mixed race in Japanese is just saying 'half,' which assumes you're half Japanese and half something else. There's no word for anyone who's any other, like mix, and my parents always had a problem with that because they instilled within me that I'm not half this and half that. I'm entirely both. And I mean, yes, if we're going by percentages of my DNA, I'm half and half. But if we're talking about my ties to my culture, I was raised fully with both.
The way to say mixed race in Japanese is just saying 'half,' which assumes you're half Japanese and half something else
A few years ago, my mom and I, who are Japanese, were at a supermarket in the middle of nowhere in New Jersey. We were buying ingredients for Passover, and all these Jewish grandmas kept coming up to us and recommending what kind of gefilte fish to buy. They would tell us, 'Oh, no, this brand of matzah's bad.' And we've been buying that for ten years, but okay. It was just an exciting way of including us in the Jewish community, but at the same time, they viewed us as not knowing what we were doing just because of how we looked.
Leo Levine
he/him
Due to scheduling conflicts, Leo’s portrait and audio recording are not included in this edition.
Alot of my Jewish family are Jewish without any outside information, and then I'm in the bunch, and I probably have the most vital connection to my Jewish heritage. But yet, if you put us all in a lineup, you would expect everyone except me to be Jewish because of my appearance. So, my Judaism is something I have always had to prove about myself. Having to assert my Judaism has given me more pride in my Jewish identity than some of my family members, who have always been assumed to be Jewish.
My Judaism is something I have always had to prove about myself.
I used to sit at the front desk at Hillel, and once in a while, parents would come in, and I'd give them a tour. Sometimes, in the end, they'd be like, 'So, Hillel is pretty accepting of anyone from any background. You're not Jewish.' And, I'm like, 'Well, why?' And I took it as a teaching opportunity because I think it's essential that we don't try to put people in boxes. If people try to put me in a box, they won't get the right one.
I think it's essential that we don't try to put people in boxes. If people try to put me in a box, they won't get the right one.
Isaac Popper
he/him
I've never really disliked any aspect of my upbringing and Jewish experiences.
The only things I haven't liked are one-time events, like when I went to the Kotel and they asked if my mother was Jewish, and some of my friends didn't get to go to the Wall, or some friends had to lie. That was frustrating because I think if either parent or grandparent is Jewish, or even if you convert, to me, you're Jewish.
I acknowledge Judaism as a religion, but it also feels like an ethnicity.
I acknowledge Judaism as a religion, but it also feels like an ethnicity. Jews can be of any race and any nationality. Some Jews may wrap Tefillin daily, and others may not know what Tefillin is. Jews have shared cultural values and norms that distinguish them from others. Some Jews look like my Orthodox best camp friend who prays twice a day, and many are like my housemate who happily attends Passover Seder but likely won't make time for any other Jewish holidays. There is no Torah knowledge or Yiddish vocabulary requirement in our beautiful culture. Judaism requires us to be committed to showing up for our community because that is a massive part of being Jewish.
Rachel Ramos
she/her
I have a weird relationship with appearance versus identity.
Ihave a weird relationship with appearance versus identity. I look super white, but I'm primarily Hispanic, which has been a part of my life for a long time. I feel like I come off as a little more white, Jewish Ashkenazi-looking than the average Hispanic person, so when people see me versus hearing my name, they will come through with preconceived notions of what I'm like.
Anyone can be Jewish, but because it has a history of being rooted within certain cultural groups, there is a disconnect when you realize that anyone can be Jewish. It doesn't matter what you look like.
I'd also say that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community has affected my Jewish identity. Growing up as somebody who isn't the typical cis-heterosexual female has changed the way that I read the Torah and the way that I go about new traditions.
Meredith Rosenberg
she/her
In middle school, when my bat mitzvah invitations were coming out, my crush approached me and asked, 'Why wasn't I invited?' And it was just that I didn't want to invite him because I thought it would be weird. It didn't help that growing up. I heard so many; I won't even call them microaggressions, just straight-up verbal bullying and antisemitism. I remember sitting down with my mom, making my list at the dining room table, and being like, 'Oh, would it be okay for this person to come and attend this strange thing that I'm doing?'
It was crazy, like, actually crazy to come here [Tulane]. And see how people aspired to be Jewish.
It was crazy, like, actually crazy to come here [Tulane]. And see how people aspired to be Jewish. People here were like, 'She's a pretty Jewish girl. I could never touch her,' and it interested me. People in my sorority sent their old bat mitzvah pictures in our group chat, and we laughed about it. And I'm not in a religious-affiliated sorority at all. And some people were even upset! They'd say things like, 'I wish I had one,' and that boggled my mind because I didn't know all these girls were Jewish. I don't know. It felt so good. It felt so relieving.
It's made me realize that how I form my identity should come more from me than the people around me. I realize this about my Jewish identity – that I spent so much time feeling ashamed of that part of myself because of a lack of acceptance from the people around me. But, I'm learning that every time I actively choose to make Judaism a part of my life, the more confidence I gain and the more comfortable I feel with myself.
It's made me realize that how I form my identity should come more from me than the people around me.
Maya Scholder
she/her
Ibelieve that for the first few years of my [Jewish] education, I blindly believed everything because I didn't know how to think otherwise. Then I entered high school, and that completely changed. My teachers wanted it to be a journey of self-exploration. They taught me to question everything that I was reading, to refute things, and I was able to challenge my teachers and the texts. I could have said I don't believe in God, and they wouldn't have gotten upset with me.
That's when I became more spiritual and religious, not in the traditional way of praying every single day, but in being able to ask questions.
That's when I became more spiritual and religious, not in the traditional way of praying every single day, but in being able to ask questions. So I've realized that being Jewish doesn't mean you must follow every law or halacha; instead, you can decide what's important to you and take that. And that doesn't make you any more or less Jewish.
Rachel Serfaty
she/her
Iusually say I am Moroccan and Jewish because I consider both of those my ethnicities. Mainly because they intertwine so much, especially in places where Jews were not accepted; they had to form their communities and rely on each other. So, as much as you can be a person from Morocco, Spain, or Russia, if you're a Jewish person, that is essentially the essence of your community. And that makes Judaism and the ethnicity of Judaism its concept. My family grew up in Morocco, and I grew up in America, and I have all of these other identities and defining factors. Still, the common denominator with my identity is that I am a Jewish woman.
Coming from a very traditional Jewish family has left me with many ideas that have taken me a lot of mental and emotional work to break out of.
Another intersecting identity that I guess I'm still learning about is my queer identity. I have met a lot of queer Jews, and it is such a wonderful community, but it also has caused me much distress. Because, whether overtly or not, a lot of my family has opinions about my queerness that are hard to swallow. Coming from a very traditional Jewish family has left me with many ideas that have taken me a lot of mental and emotional work to break out of. Like, my dad has told me that the Torah says man should not lie with man as he lies with woman, 'so it's the truth.' As hard as that is, there's still a sense of unconditional love there, which I feel is present in many Jewish families. The conditions and generational trauma we've faced prompt us to stick together in a way that many people don't.
Hannah Snyder
she/her
Igrew up involved in the temple and Jewish activities, but my household never did anything super strict to traditional practice. We did all the holidays, and I felt like a Jewish family.
At Tulane, I first experienced immersion in a Jewish community where I felt at home by the shared values and similar understandings of being Jewish, whether that is because of facing anti-semitism or prejudice or from growing up with similar holidays and traditions. At the same time, I also recognized that some people who grew up in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood had very different experiences than I did. That has reemphasized the point that there's no one way to be Jewish or one definition of Judaism.
there's no one way to be Jewish or one definition of Judaism.
Mildred Thufvesson
she/her
When I grew up in Sweden, my Jewish identity wasn't something I felt should be talked about because it's not very common in Sweden. I was baptized in the Christian religion, but I never felt connected to it or felt religious or anything. I didn't even realize that I had my Jewish heritage until I was 12 or 13 when I started reading all of these books about my family. Only then did I realize how my Jewish ancestors found their way to Sweden because of anti-semitism.
I didn't even realize that I had my Jewish heritage until I was 12 or 13 when I started reading all of these books about my family.
As I started learning about the Holocaust, I felt obligated to at least try and embrace my heritage, but it wasn't until I moved to America that I realized how to. At Tulane, I started to learn more about Judaism, and many of my friends were Jewish, so I asked them many questions I couldn't ask before. My experience in America and Tulane has shown me that my Jewish identity can coincide with all my other identities and that I can choose how I want to be in the community.
started to learn more about Judaism, and many of my friends were Jewish, so I asked them many questions I couldn't ask before.
My newfound curiosity about my Jewish identity also makes my grandma happy. I just told her about this interview, and she got excited and bought me this book about Judaism in Sweden, and she sent me a family tree because we came [to Sweden] amongst the earliest Jewish immigrants.
Leor Weber
he/him
Growing up, I very much rejected my Judaism because it felt forced upon me by my parents, and I was the kid who didn't want to do what my parents wanted me to do.
I hadn't thought about the basis of Judaism being about questioning until I took a freshman-year class about early Jewish civilization. We also discussed the origins of traditions and Jewish texts, such as the Talmud and Kabbalah. I like how there are super important practices to Judaism that started with people debating the meaning of stuff. And I liked that it was a discussion rather than a finite thing and how it's being updated often.
I would say my Judaism came alive outside.
The biggest thing that Judaism has taught me is that it's perfectly fine to do things your way and come to the same conclusions with a crazy, different journey. I would say my Judaism came alive outside. Nature has always been a part of my identity. I'm an environmental studies major, a member of the rock climbing club, and I spent all my summers outdoors. We spent much time at camp appreciating nature through a Jewish lens, so the two concepts feel very entangled. And now that I have begun to reflect on the common themes in my life, I realize that Judaism is often the connector.
Gabi Williams
she/her
Since I moved around a lot growing up, I got to experience both heavily Jewish communities and places where there were very few Jews. At some of the previous schools I went to, in middle and high school, I was uncomfortable wearing my Star of David necklace because I didn't want to be verbally attacked. As Jews at Tulane, I think we can forget that in certain places in the States, or anywhere in the world, you could be attacked for wearing a Star of David or a Hamsah, and it is so nice to go out and be like, 'Oh, I'm gonna put my Jewish necklace on,' and feel very comfortable.
It's up to me what I want to get out of it.
That's part of why my Judaism was more family-oriented when I was younger. Coming to college, it's up to me what I want to get out of it. And because Tulane has so many more options for Jewish practice than most places, it's made me want to practice more – especially from a bubble of people who know very little about Judaism. When I'm here, I feel responsible for using the resources available.
Isa Zweiback
she/her
My core identity is being a Jewish woman. That's who I am.
But I'm also American. I care about democracy, and I'm very liberal, and I think it's all intertwined. My Jewish values have shaped my core values, like how to treat people, my perspective and attitude in general and in relationships, and being open-minded and willing to meet new people. So, in every identity I hold – whether a student of art history, a sister, or an activist –Jewish is an identity in tandem.
So, in every identity I hold, Jewish is an identity in tandem.
I also think there are so many different ways to practice Judaism, and I don't like when people say, 'Oh, you're less Jewish. Oh, I'm more.' I don't feel that way. I grew up kosher, but now I've decided not to be kosher and feel even more Jewish to a certain extent. It feels more intentional.
A Note from the Photographer and Creator
After hundreds of conversations and hours spent listening to students’ stories, it became clear that the limiting lens through which Jewish narratives have been and continue to be told was a problem that left many students feeling like they struggled to belong.
As an artist and a photographer, I had to do something with this realization. I began using portraiture photography, reflective interviews, and storytelling to change the narrative, foster connection, and instigate reflection on intersectional identities.
Two years and about 90 interviews spanning students from Tulane to Cal Berkley to Ithaca College later, I’m in awe of students’ vulnerability and ability to reflect on how their experiences have shaped their identity.
By sharing their stories, students uplift us all, reminding us of the complexity of the human experience.
I hope the impact of this project extends beyond this book and encourages all to engage with and listen to people’s stories, for what we’re doing with the Portrait Identity Project is telling stories of contemporary that will become history.
It’s also important to note that while this project serves as a platform to share, discover, and document individual stories, it’s limited to the people I had the privilege to interview and photograph. This body of work is ongoing and by no means a complete representation of all people who embrace “Jewish” as a part of their identity.
– Julia Mattis
