...Women in Judaism did have important roles in the Jewish culture before modernity took over. In the last few decades, female rabbis have been ordained from Reform schools along with other types like Conservative and Reconstructionist. In traditional sense, Jewish male assumed the role of rabbis but now in the modern times, women are starting to assume the role of rabbis just like the males. Female rabbis are establishing themselves in important roles in Judaism besides being a mother, wife and homemaker. The first woman rabbi was ordained in the United States in 1972 at the Reform Judaism Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since 1972, there has been over 150 female rabbis ordained through Reform Judaism which led to Reconstructionist...
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...Running head: Ethnic Diversity Ethnic Diversity: Jewish American Grand Canyon University: TSL - 545 August 31, 2011 Ethnic Diversity: Jewish American Jewish Americans are unique among American immigrants in that their sense of unity was not linked to a nationality. The Jews are unified by religion and tradition rather than by national origins (Bennett, C., 2007). Judaism is based on the expression of a covenantal relationship with God. This religion and its congregation play a role in how society of today came to be. Jews in the Mediterrean owned large landed estates and were important political figures, bankers, and industrialists. Jewish wealth, in fact, was used to help finance the explorations of Columbus (Bennett, C., 2007). However, Conditions changed suddenly in 1492 when Ferdinand and Isabella decreed that Jews either convert to Christianity or be expelled. Some Jews pretended to convert, remained in Spain, and practiced their faith in secret. Others fled to the eastern Mediterranean, and still others came to the American colonies, which were known for greater religious freedom (Bennett, C., 2007). In the 1800s, the Jewish American community was comprised of majority Germans. These Jews differed from Mediterranean Jews who originally immigrated by not developing Jewish communities. Instead, they spread out across the United States working as small tradesmen and professionals serving the non-Jewish citizens (Bennett, C., 2007). These German Jews...
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...practiced in and everyone that lives in them. These religions are practiced in many different ways. As the years went on many more religions were created and some people use these religions define who they really are. While many religions have emerged and flourished over the centuries, few have had the impact of both Judaism and Christianity. Judaism was founded by Abraham the father of the Hebrews. This religion originally came from the Hebrews. Judaism is believed to be monotheistic. Almost like all the other religions that have a bible in Judaism has a bible that they call the Torah. This bible is a recording of all the laws and important events that have happened during the Jewish history. “Torah seems to be a very this-worldly document, filled with human stories, laws, commandments, and not a word about God alone existing” (Green, Arthur 2010). The Jewish thought very highly of their god. They look at their god as their protector. Jewish people do not feel like they are Jewish without Judaism. “Judaism as religion might not be the entirety of Jewish identity, but it is difficult to imagine a vibrant Jewish identity completely severed from it” (Shapiro, 2014). Judaism has a political system that is taken seriously like most religions have. The Jewish government was democratic but it did not exist in the early history. During that time they were actually monarchy. It was not to years later that the government was democratic. “The democratic movement launched in continental Europe...
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...moderates had branded them as radicals. This name hardly describes the movement aptly. Conservative Judaism, is the American version of the principles of positive historical Judaism. The conservatives accept the findings of modern scholarship that Judaism is the product of a long period of growth and evolution. However, this process did not result in broken or inconsistent lines of development; quite the contrary, the major currents of Judaism run consistently through the extensive literature of the Jewish people, created in successive ages.” (Rudavsky 338) Conservative Judaism is one of the largest of the various sects of Judaism. Conservative Jews make up about 40-45% of those Jews who affiliate. Conservative Judaism accepts the idea that Jewish law is binding upon Jews. Conservative Jews have an obligation to obey all the teachings and commandments of Judaism., For example, Conservative Jews emphasize the laws of keeping the Sabbath and keeping kosher. Conservative Jews believe that Jewish law is capable of evolution as humans learn more about interpreting the Torah. Therefore, Conservative Jews have changed some of the earlier interpretations. Men and women worship together in Conservative synagogues, people may ride in a car on the Sabbath to attend services, and women can be ordained as rabbis. “Issac Leeser is generally regarded as the principal forerunner of Conservative Judaism in the United States. A native of Westphalia, Lesser acquired his religious and secular education...
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...its three sources Torah instruction or law, Nevi’im which means prophets and ketuvi’im which means writings. The writings that make up the Tanakh were believed to have been initially compiled by the men of the Great Assembly. Judaism believes that Tanakh happens to represents God’s teachings to man and was actually written by God. The Torah contains an account of the creation of the world. Gods special call to Abraham which was the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses. The Torah is by far the most important part of the Tanakh because in addition to including the important stories it also details the commandments God gave the Jewish people threw Moses. The Torah is carefully handwritten in Hebrew calligraphy. The Tanach is the Hebrew Bible that contains all the variety of life itself. Its books touch all aspects of life such as history, laws, behavior, prayers, advice and so on all every part of the Tanach is written is Hebrew expect for one part of it and that’s the Book of Daniel which is written in Aramiac a language used by Babylonians at the time of Daniel’s Captivity. The Talmud is considered to be second to the Torah. It is traditionally referred to as Shisha Sedarim which is also Hebrew is known as the six orders of the Oral Law of Judaism. The Talmud has two components the Mishnah the firs written compendium of Judaism’s Oral Law and the Gemara an elucidation of the Mishnah. The whole Talmud consists of 63 tractates and in standard print are over 6,200 pages long...
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...Ethics 1 practise questions What is marriage? Marriage is meant when two people, normally a women and a man celebrate their love for each other and are then called Husband and Wife. State two traditional roles of women in a Jewish family There are many roles in the Jewish Religion for women, firstly women are traditionally the person who looks after them with food and cleaning. Secondly, the women in Judaism when it is Shabbat they are required to light the candles which is seen as a mitzvoth in Judaism. How are the roles of women different from the roles of men in a traditional synagogue? In a traditional synagogue there are many roles which differ between men and women. Firstly, in a traditional synagogue the women and the men are separated, this is so as if the men and women were sitting together the men wouldn’t concentrate on praying but on the women and also if they were together the men would get sexually agitated. Secondly, the men are on the side of the Bimur and the arch as it is said that the men concentrate more on praying than women do, which shows more respect towards the Jewish religion. Thirdly, the men are only called up to the Bimur as firstly they concentrate more on pray then women. Secondly, if a Women went up to the Bimur it is said that the men will get sexual aroused by the Women and that they will lose their concentration which will put them out of their spiritual zone in the Synagogue. Explain Jewish beliefs about divorce. The Jewish belief...
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...Contemporary Issues in Western Religions Religious beliefs have been the center of many conflicts across the entire world since the beginning of time. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism the major monotheist religious traditions have been at the heart of many of those religious conflicts. Historical connections and theological similarities are prevalent between the three. In parallel to the similarities exists the contemporary struggles affecting these western religious traditions. From the internal struggles within Christianity such as abortion, to its struggles with Islam and Muslim extremists, finally to the contempt against Christianity from actions of the Holocaust, each tradition faces contemporary struggles within their own right. Gaining a better understanding and insight into the historical, theological, and contemporary struggles between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will enhance appreciation for each belief. Historical Connections and Theological Similarities: One main pillar of similar theology between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the belief in one god. However, each has different perspectives in relation to God. For example, Christians believe in [pic]the Trinity[pic] of [pic]God; God the Father, the Son (Jesus[pic] Christ), [pic]and the Holy Spirit[pic] ("Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison", 2002-2011). Also Christians consider Jesus [pic]the son of God, born to the Virgin Mary, and[pic] had [pic]come to earth to offer redemption for...
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...PASSOVER (PESACH) JEWISH HOLY DAY Passover (Pesach) Jewish Holy Day Tamara REL/134 November 5, 2013 William Sunday Abstract This research paper summarizes the three main branches of Judaism; Orthodox, Conservative, and Reconstructionist (Liberal) Judaism, and how the Jewish Holy Day Passover (Pesach) is observed. The paper displays the time of the year of the holy day, its origin, and the religious practices that were associated. The study also describes the aftermath of the Reform movement, including the derivatives of the traditional beliefs that were reproduced. This study also confirmed the separation of men and women in the three different traditions and beliefs of Judaism leading to differences with the Orthodox towards the Liberals and Conservatives. The Passover (Pesach) Passover is the Jewish holiday commonly known to Jews as Pesach. This holiday is an eight-day celebration to commemorate the deliverance of the Israelites from the rule of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. The first two days and last two days of Pesach are recognized as being major holy days for Jewish believers. The first day represents the first day that the Jews left Egypt. The seventh and eighth days represent the miracle of the splitting of the Red Sea. Pesach occurs in the early spring during the months of March and April from the 15th through the 22nd and is also referred to as the Hebrew month Nissan 15. As believers followed the customs of the Passover or Pesach they also gain the experience...
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...According to Israel’s Ministry of foreign affairs the Jewish religion is the oldest of the three monotheistic faiths. Judaism is a set of cultural beliefs passed on for around 5,000 years. Judaism is more of a culture religion This is interesting. I’m not sure what you mean by a “culture religion.” I assume this means a religion that also has a strong sense of culture and identity. that is a set of traditions followed by the Jewish community and followers. I had interviewed a person by the name of Brent Leder who is a Reformed Jew. When he was in the fourth grade, Brent had started to learn Hebrew. In order for him to be Bar Mitzvah, he must know the Hebrew language and must read from the Torah at the age of 13. He has inspired me to learn more about the Jewish religion and what it means to be Jewish. That’s great. It’s good to have an open mind and want to learn more about religion. As I sat down and asked Brent questions about his religion, he began to tell me about the meaning and the history of Judaism. Since he practices the reformed sect of the religion there are more lenient rules because it is the least strict of the three sects. When I had asked him about what the Jewish thoughts and beliefs are about Jesus, Brent said, “Jesus was just a carpenter that was sentenced to crucifixion on the cross.” Interesting response. More dismissive of Jesus than many Jews are. As I asked questions, Brent began to get in depth about the religion by telling me everything he knows. I...
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...INEQUALITY Equality for women in our society has been a controversial issue for centuries, sparking debates, marches, protests, and movement for the purpose of lifting women out of servitude to men. Many might point to the idea that women are the smaller, delicate, and weaker of the two genders as the reason for male domination. In history there have been many groups that were dominated by another group, but none with such complicity from those claiming to be following the word of God, as men over women. The Bible, perhaps the most influential collection of scripture, seems to align man with God; “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground” (Genesis: 26). Does this passage from the Old Testament establish men as the rulers of all that lives and breathes on the Earth, or is the word “man” used to establish the human species (men and women) as masters of our world? My guess is that asking a woman might garner a different response than if posed to a man. When it comes to the matter of inequality or oppression, a condition that has affected many groups during human history, it seems that religion, or God in one way or another has been used as an example to stop the onerous treatment of such groups, seemingly with the exception of women. During the 19th century many Christian women took up the fight against...
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...By: Ralph Caccavale Introduction: Orthodox Judaism is a very interesting topic because it is a religion similar to Christianity but also different in many ways. This religion is not a unified movement with a single governing body, but many different movements adhering to common principles. All of the Orthodox movements are very similar in their observance and beliefs, differing only in the details that are emphasized. They also differ in their attitudes toward modern culture and the state of Israel. They all share one key feature: a dedication to Torah, both Written and Oral. Personally, this religion seems to be the biggest outcast of them all and knowing neighbors around my block are Orthodox Jews really grabs my attention. I hear stories about the family and how some of their beliefs are shocking to us who are not Orthodox Jews. I never really knew much about them but now this is my great opportunity to do so. Background: The largest population of orthodox Jews are in Israel, then followed by USA, and finally in some Eastern European countries. Their population reaches close to One Million and growing. Many orthodox Jews live in together in large communities. For example in the city of Jerusalem, Israel or Brooklyn, NY, there are tens of Thousands of orthodox Jewish families living in a closed tight knit community. Approximately 10 percent of the Jewish population in the US is orthodox. All men will be wearing long black garbs, black hats and long beards. Both men...
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...struggling mentally, and being tortured by one’s own identity both sexually and racially? In Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, “The Servant,” the protagonist, named Sara, lives exactly such an unpleasant life. In this paper, Jewish identity, the role of women in 19th century Christian Denmark, and how these two identities intersect will be analyzed. In this tale, Andersen uses the dichotomy of “Deity and Death” to portrait the life of the unique character with both Jewish identity and female identity in 19th Century Denmark. In “The Servant,” Sara’s Jewish identity makes her unable to “formally” accept or be assimilated into Christianity, though she is pro-Christian in her heart. “I can no longer be a silent spectator of the gleaming eyes of the child, and of her deep and earnest longing for the words of the Gospel,’ said the teacher.” (Andersen 488) Sara is forbidden to become a Christian because of her parents’ intervention, especially her mother’s will. Why Sara’s family leaves Sara such a heavy burden? How does Jewish culture relate to Jewish beliefs? What is the idea Andersen trying to express behind? The religious belief among the Jews is so unique that they define how their religion is long time ago. Judaism is the religion, philosophy, and way of life of the Jewish people. (Jacobs, 551) Judith Lieu writes about Jewish people that, “by law or by fear of punishment for ’loving their ancestral customs’” (259) Jewish people strictly follow traditions which...
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...Jewish Holy Days Paper REL/134 Jewish Holy Days Paper The Jewish holy day, Yom Kippur, translates to “Day of Atonement”. This holiday occurs on the tenth day of Tishrei and is taken from the book of Leviticus. The Jewish community remains abstinent from all physical pleasures, and reflects on the sins committed in the past year. This holy day, along with other Jewish holy days, differ culturally because they do not fall on a specific day on the twelve month calendar used in America (Rich). Time of the Year Yom Kippur falls on the tenth day of Tishrei. Tishrei is the seventh month of the twelve month Jewish calendar (Yetzira). In the year 2013 Yom Kippur falls on September 13-14. In the year 2014, it falls on October 3-4 ("When is yom,"). This holy day is considered a Sabbath. “It is a complete, 25-hour fast beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur” (Rich). Historical Origin Yom Kippur’s historical origin can be found in the book of Leviticus. “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls...It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your Sabbath (Leviticus 23:26-27,32).” Moses first went to the top of Mt. Sinai and...
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...Year 11 Religion Sexuality Assignment Sexuality is one of the most significant and controversial issues in modern society and in the most considerable religions such as Islam, Judaism, Catholicism and Buddhism. Sexuality can be defined in several manners; most individuals would assume that sexuality is about sexual identity and gender role. However, sexuality is a very broad topic that can be explored in many ways, more significant aspects of the topic can be seen below: o Purpose of sexuality o Male/female roles o Sexual orientation o Sexual abstinence o Consequences of sex o Sexual identity o Gender stereotyping o Marriage o Sex and love o Pregnancy o Sex before/outside marriage In modern society these are the aspects that define sexuality,...
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...Reform Judaism Tamara Rice Instructor: Eric Speir REL 212 March 11th, 2012 Background Over a month ago when I selected the topic of Judaism as the subject for my field research paper, I thought that the outcome would be cut and dry. I knew that Judaism served as the foundation for my own faith (Christianity) and that Jews honored the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. I also had in my mind the imagery of the Star of David, the Torah scroll and the male rabbi in the synagogue donning a prayer shawl over his shoulders and a kippah on the crown of his head. I believed that I had the general concepts of the Jewish faith in my mind; I just needed to witness a virtual worship service and fill in some of the minor details while gathering some additional intelligence on some misconceptions. So I decided to go over to the Ustream for “Shir Hadash” and witness a Community Shabbat (Sabbath) Service (Ustream, 2011). What I discovered watching the 2.5 hour Shabbat service followed by some additional research gave me a rude awakening. The impression of Judaism that I’ve carried with me up to this point is what is known as Orthodox Judaism. The Jews that I’ve witnessed in tight-knit communities in places such as Brooklyn, New York and Oak Park, Michigan were towns filled with Orthodox Jews. In addition to Orthodox Judaism, there is also Conservative Judaism. Conservative Judaism reverences traditional Jewish practices in America, but...
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