Wearing Our Names with Pride

A man once told me the name he had given his child. I said that as far as I knew, this name originated in China. The man hurried to correct me, stating it had its roots in Vietnam.

“What in the world possessed you to give your child a Vietnamese name?” I wondered.

“The truth is that I like the ring of this name. That was why I chose it.”

The phenomenon of Jews opening a book of names and choosing one that strikes their fancy is very distressing. In many instances, parents are far from their Jewish heritage. Therefore, instead of calling their children by the holy names found in Tanach, those of our forefathers and foremothers, they follow the dictates of the nations and call their children by foreign names, empty of content. This is in direct opposition to the essence of our nation.

Throughout the years of our exile, and specifically in galut Mitzrayim, Am Yisrael never changed their names, their language, or their dress. In this manner, they maintained their distinction as Jews in spite of the terrible decrees against them.

Nowadays, our nation has unfortunately become so assimilated among the gentiles that they have lost all pride in their Jewish identity. They adopt gentile names and fail to preserve their unique language and dress.

May Hashem call an end to our suffering and hurry to redeem us with the coming of Mashiach.