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I was born into a Jewish family and belong to the Reform branch of the religion (Judaism has several groups of thought, I do not claim to speak for all Jews). I would like to answer any questions about Judaism as unbiasedly as I can. I have visited Israel but do not have a deep understanding of the nation, so I request that any questions be about the history, culture, and religion of Judaism and not about the politics of Israel or the Zionist movement.
Enophos fucked around with this message at 04:38 on May 14, 2015 |
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Apr 21, 2015 05:52
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Why does everyone hate the jews?
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Apr 21, 2015 06:23
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Lord Windy posted:Why does everyone hate the jews? I will say up front that this is a subject that I cannot be unbiased about. I think that this hatred is an accident of history. When the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, they had to find a scapegoat for the story of the death of Jesus in the New Testament and ascribed it to the Jews since the Romans themselves were the ones who were written to have crucified him. In medieval Europe the Jewish people were a way to get loans, since usury was forbidden to Christians, getting loans from Jews was not considered immoral. No one likes owing money, so it was easy to vilify the Jews when governments and prominent people found themselves in debt. The term “Chosen People” raises a lot of hackles and suggests that Jews believe they are the “best” of all people. However this term (in my understanding - note that most of the Book of Genesis chronicles people before the covenant of Abraham) only means that Jews were "Chosen" to have a specific covenant and must obey certain rules – not that they are better than anyone else. Jews have also been a distinct and visible minority throughout history and easy to single out. When problems in countries arose, it could be easily blamed on the Jews causing "divine wrath" due to their lack of belief in the dominant religion. Lastly, the creation of the modern state of Israel has raised tensions in many places against Judaism. Modern Israel was created following the Shoah of World War II - its creation is a product of this war and this time in history. Enophos fucked around with this message at 09:15 on Apr 21, 2015 |
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Apr 21, 2015 07:37
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How did Poland end up with so many Jews in 1750/1933? Were they just the least likely country to be assholes at the time?
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Apr 21, 2015 14:28
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Prussia was comparatively nice to Jews (until they rather famously weren't). So Jewish refugees would come in from other areas and the native Jewish population wasn't pogromed out of existence.
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Apr 21, 2015 17:43
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Enophos posted:
This has always been the most common reason, repeating itself over and over again throughout history.
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Apr 21, 2015 18:02
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Are you open to interfaith dating or do you stick to dating other Jewish folks? What do your folks expect?
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Apr 21, 2015 18:08
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Do you know my neighbor Ben? He's Jewish. He borrowed my copy of Bowfinger last week and like the first 10 minutes glitch out and won't play any more. He says it was like that when he got it but I watched it the week before last and it worked fine.
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Apr 21, 2015 20:44
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Could you tell us what Jews generally - or you particularly - think about the afterlife? I'm aware that Judaism tends to think of itself as a more earthly religion than, say, Christianity or Islam and that there is typically much less focus on the afterlife in Jewish teachings than in the other monotheistic faiths, but is it still generally expected that the dead will go to heaven, for example? Or is it left more as an open mystery? Edit: I'm also aware that belief in bodily resurrection used to be fairly common in many Jewish schools of thought, but am I right in thinking that it's virtually non-existent now? Or do many Jewish denominations still believe in a bodily resurrection? Blurred fucked around with this message at 22:34 on Apr 21, 2015 |
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Apr 21, 2015 22:31
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Enophos posted:I will say up front that this is a subject that I cannot be unbiased about. Thank you. That's one of the more succinct explanation for anti-semitism I've ever seen. That said, as a reform Jew, do you feel like you have to keep Kosher? thrakkorzog fucked around with this message at 11:35 on Apr 22, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 11:24
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Do any jews still make sacrifices? Like killing a sheep for god type dealio. If not when and why did it stop?
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Apr 22, 2015 13:02
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rock rock posted:Do any jews still make sacrifices? Like killing a sheep for god type dealio. If not when and why did it stop? On this subject, why not rebuild the temple now that Isreal holds Jerusalem and has 200 Piety? Baron Porkface fucked around with this message at 15:20 on Apr 22, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 14:40
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Kaislioc posted:How did Poland end up with so many Jews in 1750/1933? Were they just the least likely country to be assholes at the time? Poland and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had a liberal policy towards the Jews and invited them to settle there, which was convenient because they had been slowly forced east / expelled from Western Europe over the course of the Middle Ages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Poland
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Apr 22, 2015 14:48
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thrakkorzog posted:Thank you. That's one of the more succinct explanation for anti-semitism I've ever seen. It really has a lot to do with how long the Jewish people have been around for, most other minority groups either were wiped out, assimilated, or formed a state of their own. How many other widespread groups have a been a minority community in their places of residence for centuries on end? Roma come to mind.
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Apr 22, 2015 15:07
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Are all Jews circumcised? Or is it something secular jews "opt out" of? Also, where did this penis-nipping idea even come from?
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Apr 22, 2015 15:13
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archbrolan posted:Are all Jews circumcised? Or is it something secular jews "opt out" of? The bible, Genesis Chapter 17 verses 9 thru 14
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Apr 22, 2015 19:55
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rock rock posted:Do any jews still make sacrifices? Like killing a sheep for god type dealio. If not when and why did it stop? I'm a bit rusty on my history, but I'm pretty sure Jews haven't made sacrifices since the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD. The Jews stopped doing sacrifices because the Romans burned down the temple, and so there was no real official place to do sacrifices. I will admit that that I am glossing over a ton of details, and I'm not familiar with Jewish teachings, regarding the Diaspora, I'm just kind of a history nerd. I also grew up with some people who think that Israel should totally go build a third temple in order to help kick start the Apocalypse. So I admit I might be a bit off in my historical analysis. thrakkorzog fucked around with this message at 14:36 on Apr 23, 2015 |
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Apr 23, 2015 14:10
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Skeesix posted:The bible, Genesis Chapter 17 verses 9 thru 14 "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you." I think my estate agent put the same clause in my housing contract.
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Apr 23, 2015 18:58
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thrakkorzog posted:I'm a bit rusty on my history, but I'm pretty sure Jews haven't made sacrifices since the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD. The Jews stopped doing sacrifices because the Romans burned down the temple, and so there was no real official place to do sacrifices. You're pretty much correct
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Apr 24, 2015 15:31
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Reform Jews are like girls who say it doesn't count if you finish in their mouth or rear end. The entire concept of breaking some, most, or all of Halakha, not just the whole not keeping kosher bit, makes Reform Judaism such a new age bullshit joke it's not even funny. Either kike up, get snipped and keep kosher or take a dunk in a bath tub with a southern baptist preacher and get saved already. 6 of one half dozen of the other I totally get- it all ends in a nuclear fireball anyway. But you kid? Your as Jewish as a Bacon Double Cheeseburger.  (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)
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Apr 24, 2015 22:50
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I dunno. The most observant Jews spend most of their time trying to rules lawyer God. Why not just have fun dinners with friends and family, while also having a nice excuse to feel alienated and alone in society? Also, having a great excuse to be neurotic as gently caress.
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Apr 25, 2015 09:42
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Shbobdb posted:I dunno. The most observant Jews spend most of their time trying to rules lawyer God. Why not just have fun dinners with friends and family, while also having a nice excuse to feel alienated and alone in society? Also, having a great excuse to be neurotic as gently caress. You have to get your mother in on the act if you want to go full neurotic, though.
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Apr 25, 2015 14:21
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How similar do we think modern Rabbinic Judaism actually is to Temple-era Judaism around the time of Christ?
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Apr 26, 2015 05:10
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Hey Enophos, do you mind if I pitch in? I'm a Conservative Jew with a Jewish education. If it helps, I can probably answer some questions about Zionism, since I'm a history buff.
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Apr 27, 2015 00:41
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Shbobdb posted:I dunno. The most observant Jews spend most of their time trying to rules lawyer God. Why not just have fun dinners with friends and family, while also having a nice excuse to feel alienated and alone in society? Also, having a great excuse to be neurotic as gently caress. AFAIK that's kind of encouraged in judaism though-even in the Torah you can see characters like Abraham questioning and bargaining with God. He gave you the ability to be rational and he wants you to enjoy your life, and that means rules lawyering is totally legit.
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Apr 27, 2015 01:08
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Viola the Mad posted:Hey Enophos, do you mind if I pitch in? I'm a Conservative Jew with a Jewish education. If it helps, I can probably answer some questions about Zionism, since I'm a history buff. As a fellow history buff, what is your opinion on Josephus's description of the Jewish War?
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Apr 27, 2015 11:19
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Sorry for the delay, I have had a lot of of things come up at once in my life.Kaislioc posted:How did Poland end up with so many Jews in 1750/1933? Were they just the least likely country to be assholes at the time? Several Western European nations expelled the Jews in the Middle Ages through the Renaissance - Poland never enacted any such edict, so many Jews ended up settling there. Enophos fucked around with this message at 04:29 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 03:09
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The Macaroni posted:Are you open to interfaith dating or do you stick to dating other Jewish folks? What do your folks expect? I am - Reform Judaism made a very controversial stance in the 1980's that a child born of a Jewish Father could be considered Jewish. Traditionally, the status of a child came from the mother. I believe this tradition originates in the Book of Ruth, where Ruth converts and her great-grandson is King David who is incontrovertibly Jewish. However, this is not explicitly stated in scripture. My parents used to expect me to date Jewish, but have moderated over time. I would like my children to be Jewish, so I have mostly dated Jewish since I believe the mother should have a very important say in the matter. I don't think that anyone who is Goyim (non-Jew, literally meaning Nation) is wrong to date, but since I am committed to Judaism I want my partner to respect my views. Enophos fucked around with this message at 04:41 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 03:18
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Grand Prize Winner posted:Do you know my neighbor Ben? He's Jewish. He borrowed my copy of Bowfinger last week and like the first 10 minutes glitch out and won't play any more. He says it was like that when he got it but I watched it the week before last and it worked fine. Nope.
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May 14, 2015 03:19
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Blurred posted:Could you tell us what Jews generally - or you particularly - think about the afterlife? I'm aware that Judaism tends to think of itself as a more earthly religion than, say, Christianity or Islam and that there is typically much less focus on the afterlife in Jewish teachings than in the other monotheistic faiths, but is it still generally expected that the dead will go to heaven, for example? Or is it left more as an open mystery? The Torah does not specifically describe an afterlife. As you say, the notions of Heaven and Hell are mostly influenced by Christian and Islamic thought. In my experience, Judaism concerns itself with life in the here and now without relying on the idea of an immutable afterlife. Living a good life now is much more important than relying on a hereafter. I myself do not hold a belief in an afterlife. I would like to be surprised, but I think life now is gift enough to be thankful. A traditional belief is that when the Messiah comes, the dead will rise back to life on earth. This is why many Jews are buried facing Jerusalem and why dismemberment or burning of corpses is seen as wrong.
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May 14, 2015 03:29
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thrakkorzog posted:Thank you. That's one of the more succinct explanation for anti-semitism I've ever seen. I keep Kosher since I believe that these rules are important in keeping mindful about my life and how I act. However, I do not condemn any Jews who live by different rules. An important part of Reform Judaism is that is up to the individual to interpret scripture. Traditionally, Rabbis and teachers of earlier ("Biblical") times are seen as authorities since they are closer to the origins of scripture. However, I believe that the broader understanding of human history and access to multiple translations of source documents we have today means that contemporary thought can carry just as much weight.
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May 14, 2015 03:37
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rock rock posted:Do any jews still make sacrifices? Like killing a sheep for god type dealio. If not when and why did it stop? Sacrifices ended with the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans. In the Reform tradition, this was an "evolution" of the religion. People 3000 years ago could only understand a value in materiel sacrifices to G-D, but with centuries of understanding, we can see many subtleties in spirituality that do not require these methods. I myself believe that the Temple was destroyed by the free will of humans, but since G-D allowed it to be destroyed it was an important step it the history of Judaism.
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May 14, 2015 03:44
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Baron Porkface posted:On this subject, why not rebuild the temple now that Isreal holds Jerusalem and has 200 Piety? This will have different answers in different traditions of Judaism. In Reform tradition, the "Third Temple" consists of the many congregations of Jews who have come together across the world in the last 2000 years. In other traditions, this is the role of the Messiah - to rebuild the Temple. In secular Israeli history, the presence of the Dome of the Rock and the political ramifications of altering it have prevented building a new Temple.
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May 14, 2015 03:49
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archbrolan posted:Are all Jews circumcised? Or is it something secular jews "opt out" of? As was said, this comes from the Torah in Genesis: "This is my covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Circumcise every male." Secular Jews can "opt out" of this, but many Jews hold to this.
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May 14, 2015 03:52
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OMFG PTSD LOL PBUH posted:Reform Jews are like girls who say it doesn't count if you finish in their mouth or rear end. I try to live by the rules of Halakha, however I do not believe this is an imperative for all Jews. I follow the Reform tradition since I believe it is important for every Jew (and human) to make their own judgements on scripture - otherwise, what is the point of free will? Reform Judaism has existed for 200 years, since the liberation of the Jewish ghettos across Europe by Napoleon in the 19th Century. In this tradition, unquestioned ceremony and belief in the words of humans could get in the way of what G-D truly wants. I believe that the interpretations of people 3000-1000 years ago should be questioned since every human is fallible. Enophos fucked around with this message at 04:25 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 04:00
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icantfindaname posted:How similar do we think modern Rabbinic Judaism actually is to Temple-era Judaism around the time of Christ? (Second) Temple-era Judaism was dominated by the Sadducees. This was a movement stressing the importance of the Tribe of Levi as the Priestly Caste and the descendants of Moses's brother Aaron as the High Priests in communion with G-D. Rabbinic Judaism does not have anywhere near the belief in the authority of the religious leaders of Judaism or their absolute authority on Earth. Rabbis are fallible and anyone can become a Rabbi (if they convert to Judaism - Rabbi just means Teacher), and nowadays they have no special secular role. In Temple-era Judaism, Earthly rulers had to listen to the advice of Priests or they would incur the wrath of G-D. Rabbinic Judaism is a new approach to Judaism with the fall of the Temple and the absence of Priests. Enophos fucked around with this message at 20:48 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 04:10
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Viola the Mad posted:Hey Enophos, do you mind if I pitch in? I'm a Conservative Jew with a Jewish education. If it helps, I can probably answer some questions about Zionism, since I'm a history buff. Please go ahead, I welcome other viewpoints into Judaism. Enophos fucked around with this message at 06:00 on May 16, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 04:12
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thrakkorzog posted:As a fellow history buff, what is your opinion on Josephus's description of the Jewish War? While this was not directed at me, I would say that Josephus was clearly beholden to his Roman masters and his description of the (First) Jewish War and Jewish history have to be understood in the context that he was trying to make the Emperor Vespasian and Rome as a whole look good for his patronage and livelihood. If you take note of this and read him critically, I believe he is a reliable source. Enophos fucked around with this message at 04:23 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 04:16
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If there's one thing that makes you say "that's SO jewish" what would it be? For me (I have more than one), it's when I see my dick, weird fish sandwiches or all the unintentionally jewish things my family says when they open their mouths
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May 14, 2015 08:46
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salisbury shake posted:If there's one thing that makes you say "that's SO jewish" what would it be? For me (I have more than one), it's when I see my dick, weird fish sandwiches or all the unintentionally jewish things my family says when they open their mouths Is it only Jews who eat chopped liver? I've never seen it anywhere else except my family functions, and even then nobody eats it. I think my grandmother makes it out of tradition.
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May 14, 2015 16:49
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