The Sabbath service at the Sinai Synagogue was a refreshing, new experience of Judaism. Prior to entering the synagogue, I reflected on my beliefs in agnosticism; I neither confirmed nor denied the existence of a transcendent power. However, I received my baptism into the Catholic Church and attended private schools for most of my life. Even though I did not confirm my faith in Catholicism, my extensive experience with it serves as the basis of my religious idiolocator. Moreover, when experiencing new religions, such as the Judaism, I most often compare it to Catholicism. With strong women roles in the synagogue and connection of Torah readings to the current issues in the world today, I found a new understanding and appreciation for Judaism. …show more content…
When entering the synagogue, I felt nervous and cautious, hoping to not do anything to offend anyone. With no previous attendance of a Jewish service, I was respectful and quiet, so that the Jewish people could worship without distraction. Alongside the nerves were feelings of curiosity and attention, yearning to follow the service to the best of my ability. As I struggled to follow along with the reading of the texts in Hebrew, I turned my attention to the people involved in the celebration. Seeing that the women played a key role in the Sabbath service, even reading from the Torah, surprised me. With my Catholic background, I began to question how women could be such an intricate part of the Sabbath service in Judaism while women in the Catholic Church could never read the Gospels. Based off of this observation, I began to understand, from an outsider’s perspective, that women had a direct role in the Conservative Branch of Judaism and had the authority to read from a sacred text. As the female voices waved throughout the synagogue, I began to appreciate that value of women in Conservative Judaism in comparison to Catholicism, something that the Jewish people in the synagogue may not have
The short story, The Rabbi in the Attic, written by Eileen Pollack (Curtis, 1998), enlightens the reader to the difficulties experienced by religious congregations as a whole, in a very regimented and legalistic form or religion. Pollack’s story also alluded to the fact of how ordered types of religions can lead to conflicting views and ideals from within the congregation over the same God (Schultz, 2015). The theme of The Rabbi in the Attic is undeniably about the harmful effects on congregations that adhere to ritual, tradition, stringent religious law and the emotional upheaval that follows dogma (Schultz, 2015). The Biblical allusion in The Rabbi in the Attic was highlighted by the characters and mimicked the adversity experienced by Jesus Christ with the Scribes and Pharisees in the New Testament gospels. Rabbi Heckler could be considered representative of the high priest Caiaphas (Pollack, 1998, p. 237) in enforcing the law, and the congregation, as those being oppressed by the law and wandering in darkness (Pollack, 1998, p. 240). After Rabbi Heckler’s ouster enters orthodox Rabbi Marion Bloomgareten, who represented the essence of reform similar to Jesus Christ (Pollack, 1998, p. 255). Like Christ, Rabbi Bloomgarten
Women have always played a major role in the practice of Judaism. They have many responsibilities and obligations to fulfill due to of their faith. Yet, they also must raise their families and often work to provide for their family. Overtime, Jewish women have become an example of women’s ability to live very demanding lives and still sustain her religious devotion. Jewish women have had to overcome numerous obstacles in incorporating the changes inherent with ever-evolving life with their static religious duties. Thus was the case for any Jew who chose to move away from their community and start a new life. Many pioneers found it hard to remain practicing Jews when there were no other Jewish people around them. Some observances became difficult to exercise given the surrounding and Jews would sometimes have to compromise their traditions with physical practicality. This led to great personal struggle for women who had always felt that the family’s religious sanctity was her responsibility. But these fascinatingly resourceful and dedicated women found ways to overcome the hindrances that their new home provided and still plant the seeds that would grow into a rich and strong Jewish community regardless of where they lived.
Oxtoby, Willard Gurdon. "Jewish Traditions." World religions: western traditions. 1996. Reprint. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2011. 127-157. Print.
What does it mean to be Jewish or Muslim, or even Christian? What does an understanding of the history that intertwines faith and culture matter to how we live within those religious labels? The Red Tent and Stranger to History, while both using a different perspective, explores the connection between history, culture, and faith traditions, and how we must look at the past to understand our own present and future. Religious experience is distinctly different for women than it is for men, which is evident in Diamant’s portrayal of the silent roles females played in pre-Jewish culture. In contrast, Taseer discusses an experience from a uniquely male view, though both ask the same question: Why do the histories matter?
In “High Holy Days” by Jane Shore the idea of innocent youth awakening from a slumber for the first time is conveyed at a rate of infinite constancy from beginning to end. At the poem opens the tone of the speaker is childish and picayune. Throughout the eloquent stanzas filled with reminisces of the speaker, the tone becomes passionate and valiant. The writer, Jane Shore, awakens the speaker to her reality as a Jewish woman living in a world that does not condone her religion.
Judaism." Proc. of 1999 Pittsburgh Convention Central Conference of American Rabbis. A Statement of Principles for Reform Judaism - CCAR. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Einstein, Stephen. & Kukoff, Lydia. (1989). Every Person's Guide to Judaism. New York: UAHC Press.
Lippy, Charles H., and Peter W. Williams. Encyclopedia of the American religious experience: studies of traditions and movements. New York: Scribner, 1988. Print.
Throughout history there have always been an abundant source of prejudice and discrimination towards women. Many generations have followed and continuously tolerated the sexist ideals that were reinforced. In a religious perspective, Saint Paul, had insisted than when in the church, women should cover their heads, and should not talk. Many churches today still follow this belief and require that men and women are segregated in the church.
Harrington, Daniel J. (S.J.) The truth about Jesus and Women. Retrieved April 12, 2014 from
Kohn, Risa Levitt, and Rebecca Moore. A Portable God: The Origin of Judaism and Christianity. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print.
Eastman, Roger. The Ways of Religion: An Introduction to the Major Traditions. Third Edition. Oxford University Press. N.Y. 1999
A year later, according to a research project, The Notre Dame Study of Catholic Parish Life, many women have assumed parish responsibilities. “…The following percentages of ministerial activities done by women reveal: alter preparation 85 percent, teaching 80 percent, social caring and justice ministries 85 percent, parish council leadership 52 percent (Wessinger, 246).”. Church practice is - to a large extent - women's practice. Without the unpaid cooperation of women, important pastoral activities would stop. A fair number of women choose to give their time and efforts to the church, rather than take paid employment. Many times these women are over looked.
Learning about Judaism caught my interest the most, so I decided to visit a Synagogue that was in my area named Congregation Beth Tephilath Moses; where I attended a Shabbat service on a Saturday morning. Shabbat means a day of rest. On my way to this event, I was a little nervous because I was unaware of what exactly to expect because I am from the Christian religion. This was a different atmosphere for me, but everyone was very welcoming. The place was beautifully decorated with many glass murals and Hebrew writings on the walls. The set up when walking into the room where the service was held was with the podium at the front and many rows of seats reminded me of what my church looks like.
Reading Los Angeles as the Classical Noir City On thinking about Hell, I gather My brother Shelley found it was a place Much like the city of London. I Who live in Los Angeles and not in London