are you Jewish?

[HokeyReligions]

I would like your opinions on your faith if you care to share. I'm not looking to fonvert but I would like to hear about your interpretations and beliefs. I learned a bout different religions in school but a secular education is NOT the same as listening and learning about faith or real life practice.

 

With the holidays upon us I'd like to learn more about how you felebrate. How you teach your children or how you were taught. What does the festival of lights mean to you? What about life a fter death? Unforgiveable acts or sins? Contrition or redemption.

 

I learned a lot from Quank about Catholicism - and she opened my eyes about some misconceptions I had. I'd like to learn more about Judaism -especially from youger people 40 and under - and how your practices differ from your parenrs and grand parents, and what traditions you follow exactly the same.

 

Anyone?

[M30USA]

Jesus encountered Nathaneal, a Jew who believed upon His name, and Jesus said regarding him: "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." (John 1:47b)

 

Are you looking to follow the Jewish CULTURE or the Jewish SCRIPTURES (ie, Tanakh)?

[HokeyReligions]

Jesus encountered Nathaneal, a Jew who believed upon His name, and Jesus said regarding him: "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." (John 1:47b)

 

Are you looking to follow the Jewish CULTURE or the Jewish SCRIPTURES (ie, Tanakh)?

I'm not looki g to follow anything. I would like to hear about the faith and the practice from those who live it. I have no intention or desire to deviate from my own beliefs, rather to learn about others in practical applications.

 

For example - who believes it actual f act that God made the oil last and who believes it was human miscalculation on how long it would burn, and why?

 

Are the services exactly the same at every synagogue or do the have a unique 'feel' or spirit to each one? That is one of the things that really s tuck with me when I was learning about Catholicism. I thought Mass was the same everywhere but its not.

 

So its both the culture and the experiences and interpretation of scripture I would like to hear about. Consider it a way to broaden my communication and understanding of those around me.

[lollipopspot]

Jesus encountered Nathaneal, a Jew who believed upon His name, and Jesus said regarding him: "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit." (John 1:47b)

 

I don't understand this. Is it saying that Israelites generally are deceitful?

 

Anyway, Jesus himself was jewish:

Most scholars agree that Jesus was a Galilean Jew, born around the beginning of the first century, who died between 30 and 36 AD in Judea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

 

OP, is this part of your ethnic or religious heritage?

Edited November 10, 2013 by lollipopspot

[M30USA]

I'm not looki g to follow anything. I would like to hear about the faith and the practice from those who live it. I have no intention or desire to deviate from my own beliefs, rather to learn about others in practical applications.

 

For example - who believes it actual f act that God made the oil last and who believes it was human miscalculation on how long it would burn, and why?

 

Are the services exactly the same at every synagogue or do the have a unique 'feel' or spirit to each one? That is one of the things that really s tuck with me when I was learning about Catholicism. I thought Mass was the same everywhere but its not.

 

So its both the culture and the experiences and interpretation of scripture I would like to hear about. Consider it a way to broaden my communication and understanding of those around me.

 

It sounds like you are mostly interested in the culture/tradition aspect of Judaism. While these things are good to be aware of, I would focus more on the characteristics of Jehovah, the God of Judaism. This really should be the central focus, in my opinion.

[lollipopspot]

It was moreso the Romans who crucified Jesus

 

Who Killed Jesus? - My Jewish Learning

 

Did the Jews Kill Jesus?

 

But he was still ethnically Jewish.

[M30USA]

I don't understand this. Is it saying that Israelites generally are deceitful?

 

One of the greatest ironies in history is that God's chosen nation (Israel) was the one that rejected Christ who was God/Jehovah in the flesh. The gospel of John says, "He came to that which was his own, bit his own did not receive him."

 

Jesus praised Nathaneal because he was a true Jew in the sense that he recognized and accepted the one who was God in the flesh. Scripturally and logically, any Jew who truly understands Scripture and has received the Holy Spirit should recognize who Christ is.

[M30USA]

It was moreso the Romans who crucified Jesus

 

Who Killed Jesus? - My Jewish Learning

 

Did the Jews Kill Jesus?

 

But he was still ethnically Jewish.

 

He was genetically Jewish; that's the critical aspect. Scripture even traces his lineage from Adam to Christ. Along the way, Scripture denotes specific men through whom his lineage would pass: David, Abraham, Jesse, Judah, etc.

[lollipopspot]

One of the greatest ironies in history is that God's chosen nation (Israel) was the one that rejected Christ who was God/Jehovah in the flesh.

 

Let's not call it "history," but "religion." They didn't believe (nor do I, nor does most of the world) that Jesus was God in the flesh. But I do not wish to offend anyone's religious beliefs

 

Anyway, don't want to argue religion, but I don't believe that this is what OP was going for with this thread.

Edited November 10, 2013 by lollipopspot

[HokeyReligions]

I don't understand this. Is it saying that Israelites generally are deceitful?

 

Anyway, Jesus himself was jewish:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

 

OP, is this part of your ethnic or religious heritage?

 

Interesting. It could be intrepreted as a non-deceitful Israelite was a rarity. When I read this my first inclination was different.

 

No. My ethnic and religious heritage is mostly christian and native american.

[HokeyReligions]

It sounds like you are mostly interested in the culture/tradition aspect of Judaism. While these things are good to be aware of, I would focus more on the characteristics of Jehovah, the God of Judaism. This really should be the central focus, in my opinion.

 

Yes. I would like to know more about the practice of the faith as mandated by God and individual descriptions of God's characteristics.

 

I'm just curious. I know beliefs and practices are personal but for those who would like to share I appreciate it.

[HokeyReligions]

This is true, but didn't the jews reject Jesus, and demand for him to be crucified?

 

My understanding and thoughts on this are that it was not all jews who rejected Jesus and that the crucifixion was more a public political statement. There were many divides in Judaism just as In Christianity.

 

Christianity itself is a split.

[HokeyReligions]

Let's not call it "history," but "religion." They didn't believe (nor do I, nor does most of the world) that Jesus was God in the flesh. But I do not wish to offend anyone's religious beliefs

 

Anyway, don't want to argue religion, but I don't believe that this is what OP was going for with this thread.

 

Thank you. I hope this stays a safe place to discuss beliefs. Your distinction between history and religion and your belief is important. I respect you and thank you for sharing.

[pureinheart]

My understanding and thoughts on this are that it was not all jews who rejected Jesus and that the crucifixion was more a public political statement. There were many divides in Judaism just as In Christianity.

 

Christianity itself is a split.

 

IMO the Pharisees (political/religious) feared Him, they feared a take over per se due to His popularity...He had many followers or shall we say "admirers", meaning they may not have been fully invested. After His arrest, everyone laid low.

 

Pontius Pilate didn't want to crucify Him IMO, but feared a rebellion from the Pharisees and some of the Jewish people...again I think it was mostly the Pharisees....but God used them and the whole situation (political and religious) as a fulfillment to prophecy. Jesus the Perfect Sacrifice for sin, for all time.

[pureinheart]

Jewish Holidays - Calendar Dates, Recipes & Meanings | Reform Judaism

 

I love the Jewish Holidays and think the entire culture is beyond cool. I have a lot of Jewish friends that follow them...it's beyond cool.

 

JEWISH HOLIDAYS and their MEANING

[crederer]

One of the greatest ironies in history is that God's chosen nation (Israel) was the one that rejected Christ who was God/Jehovah in the flesh. The gospel of John says, "He came to that which was his own, bit his own did not receive him."

 

Jesus praised Nathaneal because he was a true Jew in the sense that he recognized and accepted the one who was God in the flesh. Scripturally and logically, any Jew who truly understands Scripture and has received the Holy Spirit should recognize who Christ is.

 

There's nothing ironic about it. The reality is, given the times, wherever Jesus was, any part of the civilized world at the time, would have done the same. It just so happened to be there.

[KatZee]

I'm kind of confused why people are debating on who crucified him and are harping on Jesus being a Jew.

 

OP is asking to learn about Judaism as a religion.

 

OP- just as Christianity has different denominations (Catholicism, Baptist, Lutheran, etc) so does Judaism.

 

Each denomination differs slightly in beliefs, and traditions. The Jewish denominations are as follows:

 

- Orthodox Judaism

- Reform Judaism

- Conservative Judaism

- Hasidic Judaism

- Kabbalah

 

There is a VERY large difference between Hasidic Jews and Reform Jews. Judaism is deeply rooted in ancient traditions and beliefs and Orthodox, Conservative and Hasidism are the more extreme branches of Judaism. Reform is the denomination of Judaism which has adapted to modern times, and is more flexible. Kabbalah is the mystical side of Judaism.

 

There are also people who consider themselves Jewish by birthright, but who are non-affiliated. Meaning, not belonging to any synagogue.

 

My family is a mix of Christians and Jewish faith and I was raised with both holidays. I did attend Hebrew school when I was younger, however I never received a B'rit Bat (Jewish baby naming ceremony) nor did I ever have a Bat Mitzvah (very similar to Christian confirmation), nor do I belong to any synagogue today.

 

I would consider myself a non-affiliated Jew. I do not attend temple nor do I celebrate Shabbat every Friday/Saturday, nor do I keep Kosher. Practicing Jews have very strict rules on a daily basis. Keeping Kosher is one of those rules if you are strict with the faith. That means all your food needs to have been blessed by a Rabbi, and any animal meat you eat had to have been killed in a certain way and then blessed. Kosher diets do not mix meat and dairy. Kosher households do not mix utensils or cooking ware between dairy and meat.

 

Practicing Jews spend Friday nights and Saturday's in temple, and celebrating Shabbat. On Shabbat you are forbidden to do any work, drive cars, use technology. It's a day to spend quality time with family.

 

My family and I celebrate the High Holy Days: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Along with a couple other holiday's: Hanukkah, and Passover. We are in no way observant Jews, we tend to do a really quick read of the Siddur for our Passover seder and then basically just eat.

 

I would not actually consider myself to be Jewish, I relate more to spirituality and there are things I believe that Jews do not (ie: reincarnation, hell, etc.)

 

Hasidic Jews are VERY old school. Women wear clothes that cover their entire body, long skirts, long sleeves, and they cover their hair. Either with a cloth, or by wearing a wig. Women's hair is considered sacred, and only a woman's husband is allowed to see her natural hair.

 

Practicing Jews also have certain "requirements" for marriage and families. Due to persecution of the Jews over the course of history (Holocaust), when Jews get married they typically start trying for children very quickly. They are "required" to have one baby for each of the parents (two babies) and then at least ONE more to ensure the growth of the Jewish population/faith.

 

But long story short, one cannot summarize Judaism so easily. It is an extremely complex, old world, and traditional religion. People study the Talmud and the Torah for YEARS before considering conversion.

 

You may want to start by pinpointing what denomination you would be interested in.

Edited November 12, 2013 by KatZee

[serial muse]

I'm kind of confused why people are debating on who crucified him and are harping on Jesus being a Jew.

 

OP is asking to learn about Judaism as a religion.

 

Haha, exactly. What I was starting to take away from this thread is that LS is weirdly deficient in Jewish posters. And the first page of responses seems really irrelevant to the OP's question.

 

Wish I could weigh in appropriately, but I'm not Jewish either. But to try to get back to the spirit of the thread, I will contribute what I can. I will say that my husband is, but he is extremely non-religious and in fact I know far more about his religion than he does. It seems to me that one can identify as Jewish on a cultural, religious, and ethnic basis, and/or some combination of all three, so what it means to be "Jewish" can be fairly complex. My husband would certainly agree that he's ethnically Jewish, but it stops there for him. He doesn't practice anything; is generally uninterested in the culture and entirely uninterested in the religion. Both of his parents have some cultural identification, but are largely not religious too; they actually celebrate Christmas rather than Hanukkah, but still have seders on Passover. There's some assimilation aspect to this, I guess.

 

On the other hand, my best friend, who is Jewish, experienced a kind of spiritual awakening in college; her family was Reform but she became more Conservative. Although they grew up keeping kosher at home, for example, her parents would go out and eat a bacon cheeseburger without blinking an eye. I think they strongly identified as Jewish but for them it was more cultural than religious. My friend went to Hebrew school, had a bat mitzvah, and her family celebrated the High Holy Days, but overall I think their family's relationship to Judaism was fairly casual. (We grew up together so I've seen the transformation first-hand.)

 

I think that in college she experienced an interest in exploring many of those traditions in a more thorough way as well as in learning more about her religion. So for example (as KatZee noted ) rather than rushing through the Siddur at Passover, she and her own family now go with the longer form; they also celebrate all holidays, keep kosher in and out of the home, go to services each weekend, and so forth. We lived together for several years post-college, so I had a sort of birds'-eye view of how it worked (interesting to keep a kosher home!).

 

But in many ways she's very modern in her faith - wouldn't tolerate sexism, and certainly does "work" on Shabbat (drives, turns on light switches, etc.) I think she's just a lot more mindful of it now than she was growing up, spends more time reading and thinking about aspects of Judaism and so forth.

 

Wish I could answer more but I feel a bit awkward answering in the third person - anyway, wanted to help get the thread back to where you seemed to want it to go, Hokey.

Edited November 12, 2013 by serial muse

[lindsay1990]

It sounds like you are mostly interested in the culture/tradition aspect of Judaism. While these things are good to be aware of, I would focus more on the characteristics of Jehovah, the God of Judaism. This really should be the central focus, in my opinion.

 

 

"Jehovah" is not the God of the Jews. It is a transliteration of what a sector of Christianity would have be the Father in their Holy Trinity.

 

 

The God of the Jews, God of the Hebrews, God of Israel is Hashem. I should know, I'm Jewish.

 

 

/peaceout

[HokeyReligions]

I'm kind of confused why people are debating on who crucified him and are harping on Jesus being a Jew.

 

OP is asking to learn about Judaism as a religion.

 

OP- just as Christianity has different denominations (Catholicism, Baptist, Lutheran, etc) so does Judaism.

 

Each denomination differs slightly in beliefs, and traditions. The Jewish denominations are as follows:

 

- Orthodox Judaism

- Reform Judaism

- Conservative Judaism

- Hasidic Judaism

- Kabbalah

 

There is a VERY large difference between Hasidic Jews and Reform Jews. Judaism is deeply rooted in ancient traditions and beliefs and Orthodox, Conservative and Hasidism are the more extreme branches of Judaism. Reform is the denomination of Judaism which has adapted to modern times, and is more flexible. Kabbalah is the mystical side of Judaism.

 

There are also people who consider themselves Jewish by birthright, but who are non-affiliated. Meaning, not belonging to any synagogue.

 

My family is a mix of Christians and Jewish faith and I was raised with both holidays. I did attend Hebrew school when I was younger, however I never received a B'rit Bat (Jewish baby naming ceremony) nor did I ever have a Bat Mitzvah (very similar to Christian confirmation), nor do I belong to any synagogue today.

 

I would consider myself a non-affiliated Jew. I do not attend temple nor do I celebrate Shabbat every Friday/Saturday, nor do I keep Kosher. Practicing Jews have very strict rules on a daily basis. Keeping Kosher is one of those rules if you are strict with the faith. That means all your food needs to have been blessed by a Rabbi, and any animal meat you eat had to have been killed in a certain way and then blessed. Kosher diets do not mix meat and dairy. Kosher households do not mix utensils or cooking ware between dairy and meat.

 

Practicing Jews spend Friday nights and Saturday's in temple, and celebrating Shabbat. On Shabbat you are forbidden to do any work, drive cars, use technology. It's a day to spend quality time with family.

 

My family and I celebrate the High Holy Days: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Along with a couple other holiday's: Hanukkah, and Passover. We are in no way observant Jews, we tend to do a really quick read of the Siddur for our Passover seder and then basically just eat.

 

I would not actually consider myself to be Jewish, I relate more to spirituality and there are things I believe that Jews do not (ie: reincarnation, hell, etc.)

 

Hasidic Jews are VERY old school. Women wear clothes that cover their entire body, long skirts, long sleeves, and they cover their hair. Either with a cloth, or by wearing a wig. Women's hair is considered sacred, and only a woman's husband is allowed to see her natural hair.

 

Practicing Jews also have certain "requirements" for marriage and families. Due to persecution of the Jews over the course of history (Holocaust), when Jews get married they typically start trying for children very quickly. They are "required" to have one baby for each of the parents (two babies) and then at least ONE more to ensure the growth of the Jewish population/faith.

 

But long story short, one cannot summarize Judaism so easily. It is an extremely complex, old world, and traditional religion. People study the Talmud and the Torah for YEARS before considering conversion.

 

You may want to start by pinpointing what denomination you would be interested in.

 

Thank you. I appreciate your sharing your POV In context with excellent descriptions. It is interesting from a sociological stand point to see how similar people act and believe and follow their Faith even when their faiths differ. I was raised predominately in a Baptist church but we celebrated Passover similarly with the reading of a prayer and always served unleavened bread. Not all Baptist churches are the same.

 

I do remember something about the number of children relating to the arents but I forgot about the 'spar' and it seemed like there was something about the number being relative to the sex of the child too. A coworker I asked once - and who claims to be "just jewish" said she was obligated by her faith to keep having children until she had two boys. She didn't pretend to understand why. I asked her if she had a mitzvah and she said no but she did have to wear a lace scarf at synagogue when she went with her grandmother. Shes only 20 and remembered the name "macabees" from a childhood story but didn't remember the story. She kind of prompted my thread.

 

I'm not jewish but many of our celebrations overlapped when I was growing up in the Midwest. I live in the south now and its very different.

[HokeyReligions]

Haha, exactly. What I was starting to take away from this thread is that LS is weirdly deficient in Jewish posters. And the first page of responses seems really irrelevant to the OP's question.

 

Wish I could weigh in appropriately, but I'm not Jewish either. But to try to get back to the spirit of the thread, I will contribute what I can. I will say that my husband is, but he is extremely non-religious and in fact I know far more about his religion than he does. It seems to me that one can identify as Jewish on a cultural, religious, and ethnic basis, and/or some combination of all three, so what it means to be "Jewish" can be fairly complex. My husband would certainly agree that he's ethnically Jewish, but it stops there for him. He doesn't practice anything; is generally uninterested in the culture and entirely uninterested in the religion. Both of his parents have some cultural identification, but are largely not religious too; they actually celebrate Christmas rather than Hanukkah, but still have seders on Passover. There's some assimilation aspect to this, I guess.

 

On the other hand, my best friend, who is Jewish, experienced a kind of spiritual awakening in college; her family was Reform but she became more Conservative. Although they grew up keeping kosher at home, for example, her parents would go out and eat a bacon cheeseburger without blinking an eye. I think they strongly identified as Jewish but for them it was more cultural than religious. My friend went to Hebrew school, had a bat mitzvah, and her family celebrated the High Holy Days, but overall I think their family's relationship to Judaism was fairly casual. (We grew up together so I've seen the transformation first-hand.)

 

I think that in college she experienced an interest in exploring many of those traditions in a more thorough way as well as in learning more about her religion. So for example (as KatZee noted ) rather than rushing through the Siddur at Passover, she and her own family now go with the longer form; they also celebrate all holidays, keep kosher in and out of the home, go to services each weekend, and so forth. We lived together for several years post-college, so I had a sort of birds'-eye view of how it worked (interesting to keep a kosher home!).

 

But in many ways she's very modern in her faith - wouldn't tolerate sexism, and certainly does "work" on Shabbat (drives, turns on light switches, etc.) I think she's just a lot more mindful of it now than she was growing up, spends more time reading and thinking about aspects of Judaism and so forth.

 

Wish I could answer more but I feel a bit awkward answering in the third person - anyway, wanted to help get the thread back to where you seemed to want it to go, Hokey.

 

Thank you. That would be interesting to keep a kosher home. Your friend sounds like most of the younger people I meet outside of church. I don't want to say they are necessarily more casual about their beliefs its more like they take a less literal and more technological approach. No pork but microwaving a turkey frank is ok. Tv is still ok but not avter 7pm (they TiVo their favorite show) so while they are following tradition they do it on their terms. Not to say they aren't sincere its just a different time.

 

Granted, I don't know directly any orthodox or Hasidic jewish people to ask.

 

My husband has some cousins who claimed Judaism as their ethnicity. Their father is jewish and mother christian. I think hubby said she didn't convert until her oldest son was 10 or 11. Hubby hasn't ween or heard from them in over 50 years but said when they were kids they referred to each other ws "my jewish fousin" and "my christian cousin"

 

Hubby was not invited to bar mitzvahs or any holidays because he was not jewish. He thinks that after the mom converted they became orthodox.

 

I wonder - how would that work to go from Reform to Orthodox?

[KatZee]

but she did have to wear a lace scarf at synagogue when she went with her grandmother. Shes only 20 and remembered the name "macabees" from a childhood story but didn't remember the story. She kind of prompted my thread.

 

In Judaism men are required to cover their head as a sign of respect for God. That is why you will see observant Jews wearing a Kippah or a yarmulke even when they are not praying or in synagogue. Sometimes a woman will wear a man's styled Kippah, but more often than not you will see women pinning on a more "fashionable" lace Kippah when entering synagogue.

 

The Macabees were the leaders of a rebel Jewish army who took over Judea. It was this reclaim of the Jewish temple that gave birth to the holiday, Hanukkah.

 

The Maccabees

[KatZee]

I wonder - how would that work to go from Reform to Orthodox?

 

No conversion needed as the person is already Jewish. It would just involve a complete new way of thinking and a new way of life.

 

Orthodox Judaism's central belief is that Torah, including the Oral Law, was given directly from God to Moses and applies in all times and places. Haredi Judaism asserts that it may no longer be changed in any fashion. As a result, all Orthodox Jews are required to live in accordance with the Commandments and Jewish law.

 

Reform, as I already wrote, is more modernized and adapts with the changing times. For Reform, the Torah is the God-inspired attempt by Hebrews/Israelites/Jews to understand their surroundings and their relationship with God. While it is a holy document, the Torah is rooted in the past, and we can even sometimes discern the circumstances under which certain sections were written down. Reform thus sees development in Judaism, not just through the biblical period but thereafter as well, so that we can continue the process of helping Judaism evolve by coming to our own understandings.

 

What is the most fundamental difference between Reform Judaism and Orthodox Judaism? | Reform Judaism

 

Orthodox Judaism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[lindsay1990]

Hubby was not invited to bar mitzvahs or any holidays because he was not jewish. He thinks that after the mom converted they became orthodox.

 

I wonder - how would that work to go from Reform to Orthodox?

 

 

 

Is your question how they could be considered Jewish or not? I'm sorry, just woke up and brain is catching up.

 

But basically, according to reform judaism, as the most lenient sector of Judaism, a person is jewish whether their mother or father is Jewish. For all other sectors the mother must be Jewish to be considered JEwish, thus the children of a Jewish man and a Christian mother would only be considered Jewish by a Reform congregation but hardly anybody else.

 

Most sectors however require a conversion from the mother and also, that this conversion be done through the Orthodox procedures, regardless if they will practice reform, conservative, or any other denomination.

 

And as for Orthodox conversion, it is not retroactive so only children born of the woman after her conversion would be considered Jewish and those she had previously would still be considered not, therefore would have to convert themselves in the future.

 

Obviously this represents many problems but it is the Orthodox way and at the end of the day, observance of Orthodox standards of conversion is the only way to guarantee that someone's status as a convert will be acknowledged and upheld everywhere - including Israel and in particular, regarding the requirements for aliyah.

[JDPT]

I'm Jewish and viewing the religion from the "outside" May come across as an infatuation. Judaism is a way of life with endless halachas (laws) to follow. I can only suggest that if you are only interested on becoming

acquainted to stop by your nearest Judaica store and pick up a few books.