What is a three-eight Jewess? Something Nazi used to figure in order to take all Jewish and non-Jewish ancestors on had into account. Most popular until today are so called half-Jews, altough in many cases it is unclear whether the left or right half is Jewish, bottom or top, back or front. To figure out a three-eights Jewess however is even harder. But fortunately there now are guide markers or indicating labels in Germany, as seen recently in Nördlingen (probably), which may indicate the right door.

Now, Grandma Julia’s name was originally “Yenta”; she only became “Julia” when the family immigrated to America in 1960. So when I was born, my parents also gave me the name “Yenta” as my Hebrew name (even though it’s really Yiddish, but America Jews don’t really know better). However, on the cusp of becoming a Bat Mitzvah, my parents decided there was “absolutely no way” that I was to be called up to Torah in front of the entire Jewish community as “Yenta”. “Yenta” was a name associated with old women, kind of like “Beatrice”. Somewhere along the way in Yiddish culture “Yenta” also become synonymous with “gossiper” and being called up to Torah in the 20 century as “gossiper” was just not going to fly.  My parents decided, at random, that I was now to be called to Torah as “Yochana”. No one cared to ask the girl who was being called to Torah in the first place, but if they had asked me I would have explained that I was proud of my Yiddish roots and wished to remain “Yenta”. No one ever consults the little guy.

“Yochana” has never felt authentic to me, not the way “Yenta” has, but when I explain to others that my name really is “Yenta”, people giggle. Who cares, right? Well, take it from me, in the spiritually awesome moment when you are standing in front of the congregation about to read Holy Scripture, it’s annoying to have the congregation giggle at the mention of your name.

This whole megillah with my Hebrew name wouldn’t really have mattered past my Bat Mitzvah if I was not active in the Jewish community. However, I am both professionally and personally entrenched in the Jewish world. Three years ago, I decided it was time for a new name. This time I was going to assert my adulthood and choose a fitting name for myself. I chose “Yochevet”, after Moses’ mother. Moses is my favorite Torah action hero, and “Yochevet” went nicely with the alliteration: Janine Julia Yenta Yochevet Jankovitz. When I announced to my family at the kitchen table about my plan, my father replied with little interest, and said, “do what you want.” (Thanks Dad). My sister, Selena, looked at him in horror and then exclaimed, “But I’m Yochevet!” My father turned to Selena and said, “No, you’re Yehudah.” My sister responded, “Dad, you gave me the name “Yochevet”…You were present for my birth! Do you seriously not remember?” She then looked across the table at me and said,  “No, Janine, you cannot have my name.”

I was crushed. “Yochevet” was obviously destined for me. I mean, I have watched “The Ten Commandments” at least fifteen times more than her and I owned a Moses action figure- complete with removable tablets and staff. My sister was just too stubborn to relinquish it (she’s so selfish!). I had no choice but to stick with the name “Yenta”. “Yochana” was tossed out, but I still faced the giggles whenever I said my name. That was, until a few months ago when I came across the name “Yedidah”.

Yedidah comes from the name “Yedidela” or “beloved of God”. I was immediately drawn to it. Yedidah. It sounded like a sound from a niggun, a wordless melody sung by Jews on Shabbas. I could hear it being sung over the Shabbas table -Ye-di-dah-Ye-di-dah-Ye-di-dah!  It incorporated my love of Jewish spirituality and traditional, religious song.

“Yedidah” sounded like me. Finally, all the pieces came together to create a name for myself. I am my mother’s favorite name “Janine”; my grandmother’s legacy “Julia Yenta”; the name that spoke to who I really was as an adult “Yedidah”; and my family name that made it to America “Jankovitz”, or “child of Yisrael”.

 On slow days, when my siblings fish for a story to tell their children about amazing ancestors, Genenda Leeba is a fine choice to discuss.  My nieces, at one point, were very fascinated with her, because a cousin had tracked down some far-flung cousins just by the unusual name combination. 

 Then they went to play in the park and met a little girl named, you guessed it, Genendel Liba.  My niece turned white and turned to her mother and said, “wow, so she was like the Eemahos, like one of our ancestors, because so many people come from her.  She has thousands of children!”  It was the first time that my niece grasped that one woman can spawn forth hundreds and thousands of committed Jews, can set up generations of Jewish descendants who proudly call themselves by her name and live by her values.

 Now if only we adults grasped this fully.  One of us, all of us, living right, not shirking from the hard days, going through with living life fully, can set up thousands of years of offspring who bring credit to our Creator.

Embryo

Wow: I read that verse from (Hebrews 7:10) this am and it really got my attention.  Hebrews 7:10b -because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

The dictionary defines an ancestor as a person from whom one is descended; forebear; progenitor.

The statement made in Heb.7:10 is indeed one that gives us pause.  I remember years ago hearing Dr. Robert Schuller once say that any fool could count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.  (I’ve included his prayer at the end of this post)

But now I want to think about that statement in Heb.7:10 a little bit more.  Just take a few moments and ponder the truth of that statement.  God planned and then created the first apple tree with the ability to reproduce itself continually.  He decided ahead of time how big the tree would be, what it would look like, what time of year it would begin putting forth its seeds, how big the leaves, the trunk the branches would be, how high it would grow and even more astounding, how many baby trees (or descendant trees) it would produce.  If God planned that for a tree just imagine his thoughts toward us.  WOW.

Now this section of scripture is, of course, addressing the fact that the real point of comparison being made is with Levi.  We know from scripture that Melchizedek was very important because Abraham gave 10% to him.  Melchizedek was fulfilling the office of priest even before levi was born, even before the levitical priesthood system was set in place.

No, in reality we know that Levi didn’t actually pay tithes to Melchizedek, but in a manner of speaking he did.

The order and the importance is this:
* Melchizedek – King of Salem and Priest of God Most High (a lasting priesthood)
* Abraham – paid tithes to Melchizedek & Melchizedek blessed Abraham
* Levi – (from the tribe of Levi_ paid tithes to both Abraham and Melchizedek)
* Jesus – (from the tribe of Judah) was an “eternal priest” after the order of Melchizedek (even our salvation)

Jesus priesthood was not dependent upon being an ancestor of Levi . . . rather it was appointed by God.  So then we can see that the Old way of forgiveness/atonement is no longer in effect. Therefore, if I live today, I must keep in mind that the “old order” of things has passed.  Whether I am Jew or Gentile, there are no sacrifices adequate enough in any priestly office to atone for my sin.  Even Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek . . . if Levi was in his ancestors body, so too was I in my ancestors body.   What applies for Levi, applies to us all .  .  . there is one way to heaven, one better sacrifice, the man who was fully man, fully priest, the “seed of Abraham” , the seed of God, the word of God, the God-Man, the man Christ Jesus … in his mother’s womb (fully man) yet at the same time never in an ancestor’s body (fully God).  Amazing. WOW.

I can count
The seeds in an apple.
But, Lord – you alone
can count the apples in one seed!
Some things are impossible, Lord!
It’s impossible for me
to see the immeasurable, unlimited
possibilities in one
fertile idea.
Praise the Lord.
Amen (Dr. Robert Schuller, Prayers for Power-filled Living)