I was born into Ashkenaz family and generally keep Kosher AND LACTO-OVO VEGETARIAN for health & environmental reasons (except religious ones of course). So, for me, Rice and Lentiles are important parts of my diet (both for nutrients and for the tasting pleasure when eating). The second thing is that I understand that Jewish civilization --having been persecuted and living in the diaspora-- migrated and subsequently evolved in different parts of the world and thus adopted some differences in customs --and that eating rice and lentils (and corn for that matter) is one of these differences. It just so happens that I cannot claim any Jewish anscestry outside of Poland and Ukraine. So my question is --what if I disagree with Ashkenaz Pesach customs and I want to eat rice and lentiles and corn like the Sephardim? Is this Halachically permissible, pprohibiuted or discouraged but technically allowed? The other issue concerns my opinion on the Ashkenaz-Sephardim Divide. I don't like it. I don't believe in it. And i wish to deny/ignore it. I have --for many years-- firmly disagreed with /opposed this division of the Jewish People, and would like to see the day that Jews are united (and end to the diaspora and these inconvenient and possibly dangerous divisions) before a return to Israel and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. Am I supposed to embrace the Jewish "Geotype"? Or is it ok to reject such divisions amongst our people? Thank You Kindly, in advance for answering my question. Be Well and Shalom. My question again is threefold: Am I allowed to disassociate myself with any given Ashkenaz Minhagim? To what extent is this Halachically permissible? More specifically, am i allowed to reject the minhagim and eat rice, corn and lentils on Pesach --(even though i am NOT Sephardim and do not recognizxe such divisions as having any validity).