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The effect of religion in society
The effect of religion in society
The effect of religion in society
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It really was a wonderful experience. It was something new and very intriguing. I loved learning about different religions of the world and now have a much better understanding of them. Just seeing how fulfilled and joyous the people in the synagogue were made me really happy. If one of my friends had asked me to go to a mosque or a temple with them before I took this course, I probably would have declined. However, next time I will definitely be more thrilled to. I understand why it is so significant to American Jews today. It is a holy sacramental place to come together and pray to God. When everyone comes together as a whole for a spiritual purpose it shows respect for the Holy Father. The synagogue brings the whole community together …show more content…
in a conclusive positive way. More recently, the suburbs have been a challenge for the American synagogue. Since suburbs is a residential area outside of the city, more people live farther away and now have to drive to the synagogue instead of staying at home. A community on the Sabbath cancels the essentials of living closer together. There does not need to have a Jewish town of schools, stores, restaurants, etc. The sense of a Jewish community has vanquished and children are sucked into the melting pot of society. This conclusion is that the overall Jewish community is getting considerably larger and more intermarriage. Due to this many American Jews are getting lost. On the upside, communities are getting growing and attracting younger people. These communities are now found in cities around the Jewish world. Throughout American Jewish history, we have seen a cultivating change the role of the synagogue has played over the years.
In the early times of the synagogue had an essential role in the evolution of American Jewish life. Around the colonial period, the synagogue was the only Jewish institution and came to be compatible with the community. They gave both the religious and social needs for the environment. It symbolized the Jewish community as a whole. But it has undergone many changes. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the dynamic had shifted a little. There were movements to provide the needs of the Jewish communities. There was a Reform movement and a Conservative movement. These movements were a mix of religious and social functions. This was a precursor used for all the other synagogues had followed. Today, the role of the synagogue is retaining itself as an authoritative and dominating central building for American Jews. The temple has become an accepting association funding and shares the community obligation for Jewish education. Not only that, they have began to strengthen community building through social and political work. The synagogue remains a religious establishment for Jewish
Americans. I had interviewed my friend back at home of her thoughts about the central challenges the Jewish community had face in our modern society. First, she there was a lack of education. She is a teenager, so she might not be as knowledgeable compared to an adult. But with her experience she said, “I do not know enough religious and scriptural information about my religion. I lack a lot of awareness” Since she does not know a lot about the education, it is difficult for her to be passionate about Judaism. She wishes there was more influential leaders or teachers in her life to show their affection toward Judaism. She wants to be able to learn more about the culture for her to understand it more, appreciate it, and love it. I feel like this is seen in other religions too. Which makes sense because it is hard to love something if you do not know much about it. In our society today, most kids grow into the same religion as their parents. Children accept it and are not fully educated about their religion; they are just “Jewish” or “Christian” because their parents were.
In the essay “Judaism and Economic Reform”, Norman Solomon, a Jewish-American journalist, presents a compelling argument on the basis of the need for economic reform while providing simple religious base solutions. While discussing two major economic problems that plague the world’s current economy, Solomon introduces the Jewish view of the global economy and their general view on economics as a whole. With this introduction to the Jewish worldview of economics we as readers are able to transition into understanding Solomon’s solutions of education & using Jewish law to improve the current state of the global economy. Although Solomon’s ideas of education and relying on Jewish law to improve the global economy seem logical, Sallie McFague, a Christian theologian, provides a different yet similar viewpoint of improving the global economy in her essay “New House Rules: Christianity, Economics, and Planetary Living”. Her discussion of ecological and neo-classical economics forces the reader to revert back to Solomon’s essay to analyze his methods of fixing the current global economy.
I chose to write about Jewish-Americans after my mother, who was raised Christian, chose to identify herself as Jewish. In my reading I examined Jewish culture and how it is in American society. I looked at how Jewish-American culture has become a prominent component of American society. I looked at the historical forces that have shaped Jewish-American experience in the United States. I looked at demographics of where most Jewish-Americans live. I examined how Jewish-Americans have contributed to our culturally pluralistic society in the United States.
Reform Judaism started as a response to the Enlightenment that occurred in the late 17th and the early 18th century. The Jewish people needed to determine how to best combine new ideologies with their religious practices. The Jewish people suddenly had a new, non-Jewish world that they could be apart of. Some started to lose interest in religion. The Reform Judaism movement was created to adapt to these changes in society. The movement’s fundamental belief was that religious change is good (Kaplan 183). Platforms were created to define the boundaries for Reform Judaism and show how the Reform Movement is different than the traditional form of Judaism (Meyer & Plaut 195). The Reform movement has undergone many significant changes of their ideologies including Israel and the Halacha. These changes display their core idea of adapting Judaism to the social environments but simultaneously always keeping the Jewish community bound together. These changes are made from 1885 to 1999 with the Pittsburgh Platform, Columbus Principles, and Statement of Principles.
The Jewish Community. Publication Society, 1996. http://www. Wiesel, Elie. A.
In Eli Evan’s The Provincials and Stuart Rockoff’s piece “The Fall and the Rise of the Jewish South” the reader looks at the changing life and times for people of Jewish ancestry in the American south. Since the 1950’s, the Jewish south has experienced rife anti-semitism, a demographic shift as small town populations significantly decreased while large cities grew, and social change due to the civil rights movement.
New York: William Morrow. Lipsett, S. M. & Co., P.A. and Ladd, E. C. (1971) The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secon "Jewish Academics in the United States: Their Achievements, Culture and Politics." American Jewish Yearbook -. Cited for Zuckerman, Harriet (1977).
The Jewish people and culture have always been an integral part of western society. Many of society’s core values and outlooks derive from those of the Jews (Cahill 3). Every economy involved the Jews. Some of their most common professions were bankers and doctors; even when one neglects to consider the necessity of these professions, one must consider that just by existing they boosted the economy through commerce (Taft 1). The New York Times recorded that in London in 1902 it was “surprising how quickly they improve[d] their condition and beg[a]n to save money” and were building up a tailoring business to rival Germany (“Jewish Immigration Into London”). According to then-former President Taft, Jews in 1919 were given legal equality in every country except Romania and Russia, a...
Overall, my visit to the Center for Jewish Life in Marlboro, N.J. was an enlightening experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Ultimately, I thought it was delightful to see that whether you are at a Church or Synagogue, the main purpose of the establishment is to bring people together to pray for health, happiness and love for another.
Ethnography is typically defined as research designed to explore cultural phenomenon that take place in another part of society or even the world. This requires a researcher to analyze similarities and differences between cultures through a perspective that is not judgmental, but more so open to new concepts that aren’t necessarily normal to their own culture. For my research, I decided to interview a friend of mine who is culturally different when compared to myself. Before beginning my interview I created a hypothesis, which I hoped to prove through my findings. Initially, I believed that most children, who are raised within a specific’s culture influence, tend to absorb the lifestyle and mindsets of their parents. Almost similar to the quote “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” By growing up within a specific culture’s influence, a child will grasp what they learned from their parents and apply it to their own lives.
My Jewish learning. Web. 10 Sep. 2011. Jewish_Family.shtml.>.
Jews have been in New York before America even became a country. New York has always been a symbol of hope and opportunity for Jews for over 350 years. Jews’ cultural, social, economic, and political roles in New York have dramatically affected their lives both positively and negatively. Ever since 1654, Jews have been affected by New York through its cultural, political, economic, and social environments which has ultimately made American Jewry what it is today.
Judaism is one of the most ancient religions in the world. Abraham, his descendants, and Moses are believed to have been the founders. According to Jewish beliefs until Abraham man worshiped many Gods. The story begins with Abraham and his wife Sarah trying to conceive a child. When Abraham was 99 and Sarah 90 God came to Abraham and told him they would have a son. After the child was born God again came to Abraham and tested his beliefs by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Isaac willingly went with Abraham to be sacrificed. Before Abraham could sacrifice Isaac God sent an angel down to stop him. As a reward for his faith God made a covenant with Abraham that he and his descendants would be protected as long as they continued to show faith in him and live a life that was wholesome. Also from this it is said God blessed Abraham with many children. His son Isaac had two sons Jacob and Esau, Jacob who changes his name to Israel had twelve sons. Israel’s had twelve sons they are the “12 tribes of Israel” and their descendants are later known as the Israelites also called Hebrews.
Mail, A.S. (1997). An Exploration of the Impact of the Israel Experience upon Bar/Bat Mitzvah Students: Rites of Passage for Progressive Jewish Teenagers. Journal of Progressive Judaism. Nov97, Issue 9, pg59-82.
...essions of the temple, I thought the place was very organized, beautiful and welcoming. The people who worked there were very genuine and helpful. When I was watching the Abhishek ritual they asked my friend and I if we wanted to try it, but we kindly refused because we were afraid we might do it wrong. We told them that we were students doing research and they helped us with everything by providing us with all kinds of informative brochures and a mini video. I really enjoyed visiting the temple because when you read books and listen to lectures, you just get the gist of it, but when you actually go there and see it for yourself it’s a whole different experience. After seeing how devoted and faithful they were to their God’s it made me see things in a different perspective. I really respect and understand their religious views even if it’s very different from mines.
I was in definite need of a course like this because before I started taking this class I had no idea of the simple concept of the different beliefs between Hinduism and Judaism. I had heard of the different religions vaguely in high school, but was never actually taught about them. I didn’t even know that Jews did not eat pig because they thought it was a descendant of the devil. If I weren’t to know that, somewhere down the road I might have offered one of my Jewish friends a ham sandwich and that would have been a very embarrassing situation. I now believe that I am a better informed American about fellow man in other parts of the world, but I still hope to learn more about them because I feel that we have only scratched the surface in class.