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PT6A posted:For my friend, who was very close to converting but stopped short once he couldn't reconcile it with his atheism, it was the culture and sense of community that it offered. I don't want to say it's been fetishized at all, but I think particularly in North America, where a lot of people struggle to remain in touch with their heritage and yet still feel like they need that connection, it can be a powerful draw. That's a similar reason I've heard for people "converting" from reform Judaism to orthodox/Hasidic Judaism, but there are separate factors at play there. I can see that, although what would probably lead me to stop short is the thought of letting another person cut off part of my penis. I guess no one can do more than speculate, but I wonder if the origin of that requirement isn't to make conversion more appealing for women than for men. There's a reason that the only convert in the Tanach was a woman, right? I vaguely remember that there's one story where an ancient tribe agrees to convert to Judaism en masse, and the Jews in the story take advantage of their post-circumcision weakness to slaughter all of their men and steal their stuff. I think if you don't get cut when you're born, circumcision is an exceptionally hard door to walk through later in life.
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Jul 8, 2015 03:45
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Green_Machine posted:I can see that, although what would probably lead me to stop short is the thought of letting another person cut off part of my penis. This is Canada, I think most guys got circumcised near birth around the time we were born, or at least a really significant fraction.
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Jul 8, 2015 04:11
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Green_Machine posted:I can see that, although what would probably lead me to stop short is the thought of letting another person cut off part of my penis. That story, if I remember correctly, is of a city that stole two of Jacob's daughters and had their way with them, and then when they were making a treaty with the Israelites later, they made circumcision part of the deal, and then went in and did the whole slaughtering thing. As for reasons to convert, in traditional Judaism at least, there isn't any. It is actually generally discouraged, and potential converts are often told by Rabbis that it isn't worth it. It isn't like Christianity or Islam where the conversion is rather simple, conversion to Judaism (in traditional, aka Conservative and Orthodox circles at least) requires years of study, and an examination by a beit din (a court made of several Rabbis).
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Jul 8, 2015 04:56
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Maybe it's discouraged so that only the ones who really, really want it remained?
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Jul 8, 2015 11:43
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So what's the "official" word on non-Jews participating alongside Jews in worship and other religious activities? I have a number of Jewish friends and they invite me along for naming ceremonies, holidays, etc... both those are more like special occasions. If I just show up for Shabbat services every Saturday week after week, Torah study, and other events, is a Rabbi eventually going to be like "This is weird, why do you keep coming here? Our services are really for Jews only." Is it possible to participate long-term as an unofficial Jew? I'm talking Reform here. I'm not hung up on labels, but I enjoy the services and community.
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Jul 8, 2015 14:03
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Green_Machine posted:So what's the "official" word on non-Jews participating alongside Jews in worship and other religious activities? I have a number of Jewish friends and they invite me along for naming ceremonies, holidays, etc... both those are more like special occasions. If I just show up for Shabbat services every Saturday week after week, Torah study, and other events, is a Rabbi eventually going to be like "This is weird, why do you keep coming here? Our services are really for Jews only." Is it possible to participate long-term as an unofficial Jew? I'm talking Reform here. I'm not hung up on labels, but I enjoy the services and community. Judaism very much believes that anyone who shows interest in Judaism, Jew or non-Jew, then they should be welcomed with open arms and treated with the same respect as anyone else. But when it comes to things during services such as specific blessings or prayers such as reading the Torah non-Jews would generally be prohibited because the prayers are thanking God specifically for choosing Jews to receive his blessing and Torah and it would not be appropriate for someone outside Judaism to include themselves as "us" in prayer. This can be an issue with inter-faith couples whose child is bar or bat mitzvah, but at least in reform communities the rabbi will figure out ways to allow both parents to participate in a very meaningful way without stepping on traditional toes. I can't speak for less progressive communities, but it's definitely not quite as inclusive.
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Jul 8, 2015 14:50
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This reminds me, what's the deal with Dinah in Judaism? The translations I've read (which are coming out of Christian traditions) don't actually indicate that she was raped, but that's how Christians usually spin it. Is that something we've gotten from Jewish tradition?
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Jul 9, 2015 00:10
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Doghouse posted:But non-hasidic "ultra orthodox" men generally dress in modern black suits and white shirts (and black Borsalinos). Fair enough. Black is not a part of Biblical Judaism. Even on Yom Kippur, the "Day of Atonement" Jews are not commanded to wear black. The observances are: No eating and drinking No wearing of leather shoes No bathing or washing No anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions No marital relations I don't know how black became a custom in Judaism.
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Jul 9, 2015 05:47
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Sobieski posted:Would you agree that, due to this fact, jews harbor an inherited hatred for the European civilisation and its peoples? If so, couple that with the vast sway you hold over America through your economic power then to me a true Jewish conspiracy would seem entirely plausible Nope - Jews have lived in nearly every culture and continent. Jews have survived and thrived, but I don't know of any "Jewish Conspiracy." Like I have said to anyone who has suggested a "Jewish Conspiracy," I'd love to know about it, it'd make my life a lot easier!
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Jul 9, 2015 05:51
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Green_Machine posted:What motivation would anyone have to convert to Judaism? I'm a non-Jew and I've participated in Reform Jewish religious services a number of times at different synagogues; all of those Jews were totally chill and welcoming. There's no "become an official Jew to go to heaven" thing like Christians and Muslims have. Jews seem to accept that all people can have an understanding of and relationship with God whether they're Jewish or not. The covenant with Abraham was already fulfilled literally so I don't see what impact it has on current Jews. What I'm trying to say is that there isn't the quid-pro-quo present in most religions where you are offered some payoff for joining. It seems to me like Jews give a lot of the milk away whether you buy the cow or not. As PT6A said, it is normally to preserve a sense of community. Most converts I have met are spouses converting to their partner's religion. There really is no objective reason to convert. This is the main reason Judaism doesn't try to proselytize, unlike the other Abrahamic religions. Being a Jew requires additional rules and observances, but does not make one more "special" to G-D. Everyone is loved by G-D simply as a human. There is a tradition that Noah received 7 Laws that all Humans should follow: Do not deny God. Do not blaspheme God. Do not murder. Do not engage in incest, adultery, pederasty or bestiality. (Sometimes read as a prohibition against Homosexuality) Do not steal. Do not eat of a live animal. Establish courts/legal system to ensure law and obedience. Even the strictest of Jewish sects don't require more than this from a non-Jew or "Goy." Goy or Goyim mean a people or a nation. I have read several racist (not from Jews) translations that these words mean cattle or something sub-human, but they really only mean people who are not Jews. Enophos fucked around with this message at 10:29 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 06:02
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JcDent posted:Maybe it's discouraged so that only the ones who really, really want it remained? Pretty much exactly this. You have to show that you really want it. It's a life long commitment. You can't stop being a Jew once you are one (in the eyes of Jewish law at least). Green_Machine posted:So what's the "official" word on non-Jews participating alongside Jews in worship and other religious activities? I have a number of Jewish friends and they invite me along for naming ceremonies, holidays, etc... both those are more like special occasions. If I just show up for Shabbat services every Saturday week after week, Torah study, and other events, is a Rabbi eventually going to be like "This is weird, why do you keep coming here? Our services are really for Jews only." Is it possible to participate long-term as an unofficial Jew? I'm talking Reform here. I'm not hung up on labels, but I enjoy the services and community. From the Orthodox and Conservative shuls I've gone too, they aren't really going to care for the most part, as long as you're respectful and follow along with what others are doing. No one is going to ask if you're a Jew or anything, but if they ask you to perform an honour (holding the torah, saying a blessing, whatever), then you should probably let them know you aren't Jewish, and they'll find someone else to do it. Enophos posted:Fair enough. Black is not a part of Biblical Judaism. Even on Yom Kippur, the "Day of Atonement" Jews are not commanded to wear black. The observances are: I'm pretty sure its the custom to wear white on Yom Kippur actually, although most people tend not to follow that outside of like, a white kippah (white formal clothes aren't exactly common). e: AGirlWonder posted:This reminds me, what's the deal with Dinah in Judaism? The translations I've read (which are coming out of Christian traditions) don't actually indicate that she was raped, but that's how Christians usually spin it. Is that something we've gotten from Jewish tradition? I just checked an online chumash with translation that chabad has, and welp, it pretty clearly looks like rape. Genesis 34:2 posted:And Shechem the son of Hamor, the Hivvite, the prince of the land, saw her, and he took her, lay with her, and violated her Cat Wings fucked around with this message at 06:09 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 06:05
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Green_Machine posted:I can see that, although what would probably lead me to stop short is the thought of letting another person cut off part of my penis. The traditional Jewish view is that the foreskin is the only part of the body that is "extraneous" and can be removed while preserving G-D's design. As you said, the only convert recorded in the Tanakh is Ruth, a woman. This was one of the earliest disagreements in the Christian religion - can you belong without circumcision? Unsurprisingly as a "Universal" religion, it was decided that circumcision was not required. I find it hard to believe that Christianity would have spread far if they had required this. As a Jew I believe that this "Covenant of the Flesh" is one of the requirements of the Jewish People, but does not apply to humanity as a whole. The Jewish People are holy - literally meaning "set apart." This mark, amongst males at least, means that no one could be mistaken for a non-Jew (at least until the modern tradition in the U.S. and other nations for "hygienic" reasons).
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Jul 9, 2015 06:14
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Obdicut posted:That's a very modern re-interpretation of the passage, and the context generally is other nations being super-impressed by the kingdom of Zion, not that it'll be a moral or spiritual guiding light, viz. 4:23: I have read this re-translation. At the risk of observing a meaning simply for traditions sake - As a Reform Jew, I believe that it is important for the individual to decide the meaning of a passage in the Bible. I believe the meaning this had for Jews 2000+ years ago can change. I see the Torah and Tanakh as "living" documents - providing meaning in the modern day as they did 2500+ years ago. I think that religions must "evolve" just as everything in nature does - since G-D has allowed this constant change and evolution of species and human understanding, it must be an intrinsic part of the world. I admit this might seem to be a cop-out, but this is how I understand theology. 
Enophos fucked around with this message at 06:59 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 06:24
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SeaWolf posted:Judaism very much believes that anyone who shows interest in Judaism, Jew or non-Jew, then they should be welcomed with open arms and treated with the same respect as anyone else. But when it comes to things during services such as specific blessings or prayers such as reading the Torah non-Jews would generally be prohibited because the prayers are thanking God specifically for choosing Jews to receive his blessing and Torah and it would not be appropriate for someone outside Judaism to include themselves as "us" in prayer. This can be an issue with inter-faith couples whose child is bar or bat mitzvah, but at least in reform communities the rabbi will figure out ways to allow both parents to participate in a very meaningful way without stepping on traditional toes. Agreeing with the other replies - If you want to attend a Jewish ceremony, you are welcome. However, other than reading from the Torah which is normally an honor bestowed to the Jewish congregation, I have never seen anyone excluded from services. Many of the blessings apply to humanity as a whole, though some do only apply to Jews as a "chosen people." The only time I have ever seen a person shunned during worship is when they tried to promote Jesus as the Messiah. Jews do not like people trying to convert them. There are billions of Christians and Muslims - the consensus I have seen is to just leave the 15 million or so Jews alone. Enophos fucked around with this message at 06:49 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 06:30
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Jewcoon posted:
That is correct, it is a custom to wear white on Yom Kippur as well as wearing plant derived clothes since wearing dead animals is a bit presumptuous when asking forgiveness for the past years transgressions against the world.
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Jul 9, 2015 06:35
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Jewcoon posted:
This is correct, every translation I am familiar with suggests Dinah was raped. To me this adds to the verisimilitude of the Torah. People are selfish and flawed, and bad things happen to undeserving people. I believe this is a consequence of free will. Humans can commit great evils since they have this "gift" of free will. Otherwise people would be robots contained to only "good" actions. Good cannot exist without the possibility of evil.
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Jul 9, 2015 06:41
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Jewcoon posted:e: Yep, that there is a rape. Thank you for the quick response.
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Jul 9, 2015 06:43
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AGirlWonder posted:Yep, that there is a rape. Thank you for the quick response. This is something I struggle with in the Tanakh - generally women are treated much worse than men. My belief is that this reflects attitudes 2000+ years ago, and is not a universal rule. Reform Judaism treats women as equals and was one of the first world religions to accept female clergy. Rabbis are equal regardless of gender. This is one of many reasons I have come to follow this denomination. Reform Judaism generally avoids gendered language regarding G-D. "Man" being in G-D's image could refer only to the fact that G-D created humanity in the specific design G-D wanted. G-D is generally considered beyond descriptions of gender and referring to G-D as "him" or "he" is seen as a narrow understanding of a universal being. It would be like referring to G-D as a cat, dog, or fish since those are also understood to be created by G-D in G-D's specific design. Hebrew does refer to G-D with a gender, but this is seen as a failing of this human language with only male and female genders unlike other modern languages such as English which do not have intrinsically gendered words. Enophos fucked around with this message at 08:56 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 07:04
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JcDent posted:Maybe it's discouraged so that only the ones who really, really want it remained? Yep, Judaism did proselytize until around 100 CE, but has never had an easy way to join. The relatively few converts Judaism has had into the modern era have been required to show many months to years of education and observance, including circumcision. This is because once someone joins the religion, they and their children (only for women traditionally, but for men & women in Reform Judaism) are Jews. If they join another religion or give up religion they are considered apostate Jews. Since Judaism is so binding, people have been required to show great commitment before being asked to join. Renouncing G-D as a Jew has been considered one of the only irredeemable human sins along with murder (taking G-D's gift of life from another) and suicide (repudiating G-D's gift of life). Thus joining the religion has always been seen as a serious matter.
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Jul 9, 2015 07:47
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This is something I really appreciate about Judaism - you don't have to be Jewish! Several people have tried to convert me to Christianity or Islam over the years, and while I appreciated their attempts to "save me," I didn't like their approach that their religion was the only way to G-D. As a Jew, I have no desire to convert anyone. I do hope that people believe in G-D, but have no desire to force them to - I believe that free will is the greatest gift G-D has bestowed to Humanity. During my teen's and 20's I was an Atheist, but found myself returning to religious belief in my 30's, through what I consider a personal choice. Based on my own experience, no one has the right to force another person into any sort of religion or spiritual belief. Enophos fucked around with this message at 09:04 on Jul 9, 2015 |
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Jul 9, 2015 07:53
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Sounds like a blast... well, when we Christians and Muslims aren't trying to burn your lot down. Also, female rabbis? First time I've heard of it.
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Jul 9, 2015 18:51
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JcDent posted:Sounds like a blast... well, when we Christians and Muslims aren't trying to burn your lot down. My rabbi growing up was female. Aside from her looooooong and meandering sermons, she was an absolute blast to discuss theology with and was one of the reasons why I was one of only a few who continued religious education after becoming bar mitzvah
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Jul 9, 2015 19:00
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Enophos posted:I have read this re-translation. At the risk of observing a meaning simply for traditions sake - As a Reform Jew, I believe that it is important for the individual to decide the meaning of a passage in the Bible. I believe the meaning this had for Jews 2000+ years ago can change. I see the Torah and Tanakh as "living" documents - providing meaning in the modern day as they did 2500+ years ago. I think that religions must "evolve" just as everything in nature does - since G-D has allowed this constant change and evolution of species and human understanding, it must be an intrinsic part of the world. I admit this might seem to be a cop-out, but this is how I understand theology. Do reform Jews at all believe there may be portions of the Tanakh that are interpolations? If you read Alter's notes, he points out some bits in Job that are clearly by a different (and much less talented) author that do not fit with the main story, and that the whole thing is encased in a much older 'wrapper' story. Do you have to figure out a way so that the 'kings and queens will lick the dust from your feet' becomes something remotely reasonable or can you dismiss it as either unfit for the modern time or probably a political interpolation?
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Jul 9, 2015 20:04
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Two questions: - Jews have been extremely overrepresented in important works of science and mathematics in the last hundred years. And not just the important stuff, but also the really groundbreaking, revolutionary research. Do you think there is some specific cultural factor that's responsible for this? What is the general attitude toward intellectual and manual work in your family? - I'm not sure I really get how the special relationship between god and the Jewish people works. All people are equal before god, but Jews get to have a closer spiritual relationship with him anyway? How is that equal, especially when you have to be born into this privileged relationship?
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Jul 12, 2015 13:46
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waitwhatno posted:Two questions: First question is hard to answer, and aside from a general tradition of studying and scholarship being encouraged, can't really answer. Second question: the special relationship is generally seen as Jews having more responsibilities. We are expected to follow a much larger set of rules than non-Jews, and we don't really gain anything out of it. A non-Jew can get all the rewards that a Jew would get, just by being a decent person. The metaphor I've often heard used for it is that we've been chosen to stay behind and clean the blackboard after class.
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Jul 12, 2015 20:42
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Jewcoon posted:Second question: the special relationship is generally seen as Jews having more responsibilities. We are expected to follow a much larger set of rules than non-Jews, and we don't really gain anything out of it. A non-Jew can get all the rewards that a Jew would get, just by being a decent person. The metaphor I've often heard used for it is that we've been chosen to stay behind and clean the blackboard after class. Great power, great responsibility and all that, but yarmulke instead of a cape.
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Jul 14, 2015 08:38
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JcDent posted:Great power, great responsibility and all that, but yarmulke instead of a cape. Some of those talit can get pretty cape like! Now you know what we're doing when we're not prayin...
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Jul 14, 2015 17:46
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I get the impression that most Jews in America are quite tolerant of other cultures and lifestyles but it seems a bit like an acceptance that there are "others" who can do whatever they like as long as they remain separate from Jews. What is your feeling, OP--and your impression of the attitude of other Jews--when somebody wishes to reconcile being Jewish with being homosexual, or even with being atheist?
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Jul 14, 2015 20:55
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Red Ryder posted:I get the impression that most Jews in America are quite tolerant of other cultures and lifestyles but it seems a bit like an acceptance that there are "others" who can do whatever they like as long as they remain separate from Jews. What is your feeling, OP--and your impression of the attitude of other Jews--when somebody wishes to reconcile being Jewish with being homosexual, or even with being atheist? You've really got to clarify what form of "Jew" you're talking about. OP is Reform. Reform Judaism has actively campaigned for gay rights, mostly. Orthodox are just flat against it. Conservatives are divided. For atheism, it's much the same. Orthodox are also not tolerant of homosexuality in 'others', either, really. I think what you might be getting at is that even among orthodox Jews, there's a pretty strong level of support for separation of church and state, but that's pragmatic--that Orthodox Jews are not, nor will be, in the majority in the US. Basically, all questions like this have the same answer: There are more and less liberal forms of Judaism. For atheism, there is one little wrinkle, which is that Chabad and a few other orthodox sects target atheist or 'lapsed' Jews for reconversion. I get approached by them every once in awhile, and they are loving annoying.
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Jul 15, 2015 01:23
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Obdicut posted:For atheism, there is one little wrinkle, which is that Chabad and a few other orthodox sects target atheist or 'lapsed' Jews for reconversion. I get approached by them every once in awhile, and they are loving annoying.
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Jul 15, 2015 08:35
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Obdicut posted:
A while back some Lubavitchers came to where I work and asked "any Jews here" and one of my colleagues pointed me out, so for the next year or so they would come back every Friday and ask for a mitzvah and some davening and we'd say the Sh'ma. They were all socially stunted dorks so they never got round to asking me about re-upping on the faith, but I figured there was no harm in it and played along for a while, plus my Libyan boss got a laugh out of the whole situation. Eventually they gave up. NB There was one cool one who could smell that I had been smoking weed in my office, seemed like he was on the verge of asking for a spliff but he got sent back to the USA. I got the feeling if they did really well in London they got bumped to other territories, with the dream destination being their native Brooklyn or something. The cool one was Canadian.
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Jul 15, 2015 20:20
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Mousepractice posted:A while back some Lubavitchers came to where I work and asked "any Jews here" and one of my colleagues pointed me out, so for the next year or so they would come back every Friday and ask for a mitzvah and some davening and we'd say the Sh'ma. They were all socially stunted dorks so they never got round to asking me about re-upping on the faith, but I figured there was no harm in it and played along for a while, plus my Libyan boss got a laugh out of the whole situation. Eventually they gave up. They hang around outside the 92nd street Y sometimes, especially around the High Holidays. I've never done more than say, "Yeah, I'm a Jew, no, I'm not going to come to shul with you, why not, because I don't want to, don't be rude, take no for an answer, don't have a shanda fur die goy." That usually confuses them enough to get them off my back. It's semi-ironic because my heritage is Sephardic and I picked up most of my yiddish from a non-Jewish Italian dude whose business partner was Ashkenazi.
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Jul 15, 2015 20:37
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Red Ryder posted:I get the impression that most Jews in America are quite tolerant of other cultures and lifestyles but it seems a bit like an acceptance that there are "others" who can do whatever they like as long as they remain separate from Jews. What is your feeling, OP--and your impression of the attitude of other Jews--when somebody wishes to reconcile being Jewish with being homosexual, or even with being atheist? I was raised conservative, wherein most people are for gay rights, but I did my birthright trip with an orthodox group. There, it was more like a "spiritual and community needs are a higher calling than physical urges. Refrain from homosexuality because it does not benefit the community and is explicitly prohibited by our holy books." They have no personal beef with it, but it's an immutable no to the more hardcore sects. Most Jews know that it is prohibited in the torah, and there is no real loophole that permits homosexuality, but in my experience it's seen as being approximately as bad as not keeping Kosher, i.e. not really so bad at all. Judaism, as a rule, is not compatible with atheism. One of the central tenants is that there is One True God.
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Jul 15, 2015 20:44
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What happened to stoning?
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Jul 15, 2015 21:20
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Obdicut posted:Do reform Jews at all believe there may be portions of the Tanakh that are interpolations? If you read Alter's notes, he points out some bits in Job that are clearly by a different (and much less talented) author that do not fit with the main story, and that the whole thing is encased in a much older 'wrapper' story. Do you have to figure out a way so that the 'kings and queens will lick the dust from your feet' becomes something remotely reasonable or can you dismiss it as either unfit for the modern time or probably a political interpolation? Reform Judaism encourages individual interpretation of the Tanakh and the Torah. The Rabbi at my Synagogue takes time during Torah study to outline evidence that it could have multiple authors with different agendas. For instance - stories are retold throughout Genesis and Deuteronomy (the final "sermon" of Moses) that contradict or place different meanings on many events. How each person interprets scripture is left up to the individual, some Reform Jews believe the entire work is at most inspired by G-D but full of human politics and error, and some believe every word is from G-D. I read each passage in the belief that they are in part products of their historical and cultural context, but try find to find an underlying meaning. Questioning doctrine is, I believe, inherent to Judaism. I have even met an Orthodox Rabbi who believed that the book of Job is an allegory, and not a factual account.
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Jul 16, 2015 07:51
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waitwhatno posted:Two questions: The over representation does not have any simple answer I know of other than that Judaism has always encouraged literacy and academic study. This comes from a long tradition of being able to read and understand the Torah. Jews have lived in all Western nations, so it may have been a simple case of being in the right place at the right time. The relationship between G-D and Jews is complex. The Jews are said to be chosen, but chosen for what? The Torah says that the Hebrews will be a nation of priests and holy - the word holy literally meaning "set apart from." The exact meaning of this is uncertain. In Genesis, there are no Jews until Abraham. Adam until Noah and his decedents are not Jewish - but they are still special to G-D. Judaism does not claim that Jews are better that anyone, rather set aside for a different purpose with different rules. The best answer I have found is that Jews were and are responsible for maintaining belief in G-D. Enophos fucked around with this message at 08:05 on Jul 16, 2015 |
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Jul 16, 2015 07:56
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Red Ryder posted:I get the impression that most Jews in America are quite tolerant of other cultures and lifestyles but it seems a bit like an acceptance that there are "others" who can do whatever they like as long as they remain separate from Jews. What is your feeling, OP--and your impression of the attitude of other Jews--when somebody wishes to reconcile being Jewish with being homosexual, or even with being atheist? As Obdicut said, Reform Judaism is quite tolerant. Same sex marriages and marriages to non Jews can be performed by Reform Rabbi's. This is not necessarily true of the other main branches - Orthodox and Conservative. Orthodox is the most conservative with few changes from historic beliefs, and Conservative generally leaves the choice up to individual congregations (Conservative might not be the best name for this movement due to the meanings this word has taken on in the last 100 years - I have heard "Traditional" would be more accurate, since the original intent was to maintain Jewish faith while living in a changing world). I believe that homosexuality is not a sin, and that atheism is a choice. People can be culturally Jewish without a belief in G-D since Judaism is a community as well as a religion. Others will have lots of different views on this - for instance some Jews believe that we should live completely separate from the secular world. Enophos fucked around with this message at 08:37 on Jul 16, 2015 |
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Jul 16, 2015 08:16
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HEY GAL posted:I got targeted by one once, and he backed off once I told him it was my mother's father's mother who was Jewish. The interesting bit is that I was speaking German and he was speaking yiddish, so that was cool Yeah - Chabad love to proselytize to other Jews. Jews don't generally try to convert people into the religion, but some movements try to convert all other Jews to their specific beliefs.
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Jul 16, 2015 08:20
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Baron Porkface posted:What happened to stoning? Stoning faded out over time after the destruction of Judea. Jews have traditionally lived according to the laws of the nations they reside in and this punishment has disappeared in most of the world. I am not aware of any modern cases, but Jews who live in countries that still allow stoning might in theory still practice it.
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Jul 16, 2015 08:27
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JcDent posted:Also, female rabbis? First time I've heard of it. The Reform movement has had women Rabbi's since the 1970's, Conservative has since the 1980's, and the Orthodox do not accept them. Openly homosexual Rabbi's were admitted in the Reform movement in the 1980's, Conservative did about 10 years ago in 2006, and they are not accepted by the Orthodox. The Reform and Conservative movements include about 70% of religious Jews in America, so (here at least), Judaism has become much more inclusive in the last 30+ years.
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Jul 16, 2015 08:47
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