I've been hesitant to feature Albert Einstein in the Person of the Week column for two reasons. First, Einstein is such a well-known figure and so much has been written about him already that much of what I would write has already undergone a much more thorough analysis than I could offer here. The other reason I've avoided featuring Einstein is because there is some question, however ill-informed, about the degree of his devotion to Judaism. It is that point I would like to address in this column.

Albert Einstein could not have been more clear about his positions on faith. He rejected both atheism and organized religion, though he only grudgingly accepted the term "agnostic". Einstein was, like all of the greatest thinkers of his time, more concerned with a measured focus on truth and balance than on claiming one side of an argument absolutely correct. In fact, he had much in common with other great Jewish minds. On the rare occasion that he entertained philosophy, Einstein nodded to Spinoza, and in terms of politics he shared the eloquence and moderation of Abba Eban.

Though Einstein's beliefs were not classically Jewish, it is a mistake to call his thoughts and actions improper from a Jewish perspective. Aside from the fact that he was an outspoken opponent of fascism as it rose around him in Europe as well as peace-minded Zionist, Einstein used his influence to save Jewish lives from Nazi persecution. Specifically, he was one of the minds to conceive the International Rescue Committee, a body that was formed to aid those persecuted by fascist forces in Germany and Italy during the Second World War, and which now continues to provide aid for persecuted people around the globe.

Whole books have been written about Albert Einstein's vocal humanitarianism and his devotion to Jewish liberation in the 20th century. Just because he wasn't a regular congregant at a synagogue does not mean he had rejected the principles of Judaism. It is hopelessly outdated dogma to draw the line between Jew and non-Jew at the belief in a personal God. After all, where in Judaism is there unquestionable description of God? It is not the purpose of Judaism or the aim of a Jewish life to preach divinity. The purpose is to make this world a better place based on a fundamental belief in the value of life. Einstein was a Jew by culture and in behavior. Donning talit and speaking the Shema no more makes one a Jew than wearing a cowboy hat and singing "Yankee Doodle" makes one an American.

From a Judaic perspective, the most interesting part about Einstein's philosophy is the way he understood the idea of a Jewish nation. In his speech, "Our Debt to Zionism" he said,

"My awareness of the essential nature of Judaism resists the idea of a Jewish state with borders, an army, and a measure of temporal power, no matter how modest."

This is a perspective one could only gain from a close reading of the central scriptures of Judaism. As far as the Torah is concerned, it is law and unity that makes a nation, not physical properties. In a very roundabout way, Einstein's thoughtful dismissals and acts of intellectual self-defense can be used as the basis of modern Jewish thought.

For his devotion and his genius, Albert Einstein stands as an example of what Jewish philosophy strives to impart to all people. Though he likely would not have called himself a Jew, it's not really likely he would have called himself anything. In the end, it is not the title or the ritual that makes a Jew, but a whole-hearted appreciation for creation.