...Lower East Side Memories : A Jewish Place in America By HASIA R. DINER The Lower East Side and American Jewish Memory I'm Jewish because love my family matzoh ball soup. I'm Jewish because my fathers mothers uncles grandmothers said "Jewish," all the way back to Vitebsk & Kaminetz-Podolska via Lvov. Jewish because reading Dostoyevsky at 13 I write poems at restaurant tables Lower East Side, perfect delicatessen intellectual. —Allen Ginsberg, "Yiddishe Kopf" The poet Allen Ginsberg, born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, returned in his later years to a narrative style of expression, shifting gears from the anger and fire of his early career. In this poem from 1991 he also touched down again, after a long hiatus spent exploring Buddhism and Eastern philosophy, upon some Jewish themes, as a way of remembering the world of his youth. He described that world in one poem, "Yiddishe Kopf," literally, a Jewish head, but more broadly, a highly distinctive Jewish way of thinking, based on insight, cleverness, and finesse. That world for him stood upon two zones of remembrance. The world of eastern Europe, of Vitebsk, Lvov, and Kamenets-Podolski gave him one anchor for his Jewishness. Thai space of memory gave him a focus for continuity and inherited identity, tied down by the weight of the past, by family in particular. The other, the Lower East Side, nurtured and...
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...or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs According to Molloy (2010), there are eight elements involved in religions: 1. The belief system or the worldview, which explain the universe and the human beings, 2. Community, the group of people who share the belief system, 3.Central myths, which are the stories that interpret the beliefs. 4. Ritual, the ceremonies express the beliefs. 5. Ethics, rules of human behavior. 6. Characteristic emotional experiences, the emotions related to religion. 7. Material expression, such as statues, paintings or music. 8. Sacredness, the distinction between the sacred and the ordinary, include language, objects. For most religions, divine is described as sacred, mysterious, holy has transcendent power over the human being and other creature on earth. Different religions have different views of divine. In the Western world, Christians believe the God who created the world and human...
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...In light of Reverence video gave firsthand accounts of the Winnemem Wintu tribe of Northern California. The narrator gives detailed examples of how Winnemem Wintu tribe of Northern California had been living and worshiping the land south of mount Shasta for over one thousand years. This land was part of their religion and sacred. The Winnemem Wintu tribe of Northern California tribe uses sacred spots along the Mccloud River as part of the spiritual being for their doctor. These lands are now patrolled by white society these areas making it impossible the example of white culture taking the area in the file was how group where pushing to put a ski resort on mount Shasta waste will contaminate the springs and bring outsiders to their sacred church site. The Native Americans want to preserve the land and its natural beauty, not make money off it....
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...prejudices. The textbook definition of a tradition is, “the handing down of a practice, custom, or story that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, with or without a writing system” (Stein, Hauck, & Su, 1988, p. 1392). The traditions held sacred by different faiths can sometimes be easily comprehended and studied and other times confusing and only surmised. The amount and type of documentation or the lack thereof with each religious tradition is a critical factor when studying religions. The insight gained when studying religion and its traditions can play an important role in the relationships between two of the same faith, two of opposing faiths, a person and his or her divine, the history of his or her religion, and his or her belief in what is sacred. When referring to the sacred, it does not always mean the Deity or Gods a person worships. It can mean a sacred place like the Incan city of Machu Piccho, or the Buddhist Monestary, Jokhang Temple. These two sacred spaces had very different outcomes. One site deserted leaving religious researchers questioning whether this was because the Incans revered the place to holy to walk on, or because of an epidemic like smallpox the city changed from a place of...
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...A thorough look at Africans in America would not be complete without considering African-American dance. From plantation dances that enslaved Africans used to express their tragedy and triumph, to the ever-changing slick motions of modern hand dancing, black rhythmic movements are an integral weave in the fabric of American culture. Dance grew out of hardship but became entertainment. African dance has contributed a plethora of qualities to dance in America; and we can see proof of this through the dance of today. Being such a diverse country, America has the gift of consolidating unique moves from various societies to acquire an outstanding dance collection. American dance as we know it would be totally different if not for African Americans....
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...Socialists define religion in four ways, first by identifying whether there is a belief in some kind of super natural power, second if there is an expression of belief through collective worship. Sociologists also define religion by identifying if there is a presence of a force which unifies society, and if there are a set of morals which guide behavior. There are also substantive definitions of religion, these define religion by suggesting there has to be a belief in the supernatural, a being with powers beyond humans and substantive definitions also suggest that in religions there is a belief in the sacred, where members in society worship selected people or things, and this may cause feelings of awe. The social constructionist definition of religion takes a more interpretivist approach to defining religion, they focus on how members of society define religion, for example scientologists see themselves as a religion; however many see it as a cult. In this essay I will focus on functionalist definitions of religion, and look at how religion contributes to society and how a religion can unite a society with moral codes. During the 19th century and in to the early 20th century Durkheim studied primitive societies, he noted that in Australian aboriginal tribes they all identified with spiritual totem. Totemism is a religious belief that is normally featured in shamanistic religious, the Totem is normally of an animal, or another naturalist figure that is representative of a person...
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...Core Assessment Project Corinna Sullwold |Religion Name |Cult of Pharaoh - Ancient |Mayan/Aztec - Ancient | |Origins of the religion: |Between 10000 and 7000 BCE a group of ancient Egyptians settled in the Nile Valley. |Mayan religion was founded c.250AD which is the rise of the Mayan civilization | |It's Founder, dates, Key Figures, Historical |7000 – 3000 BCD the people became organized into separate villages. After 3000 BCE |(http://www.religionfacts.com/mayan-religion) | |Development, Cosmogony (creation stories), |hieroglyphics were developed after the independent villages become united under one |Aztec formed between the 12th and 15th centuries AD. | |Myths |kingdom. They were then ruled by one imperial Pharaoh. |(http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-timeline.html) | | | |Religion for both cultures was a central part of their daily lives. They prayed and | |HOW THE RELIGION STARTED … ...
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...itself to be timeless, having always existed. Indeed, its collection of sacred texts is known, as a whole , as Sanatana Dharma, "The Eternal Teaching"(www.patheos.com). The tradition is typically divided into four major sects : Shaiva (devotees of the god Shiva), Vaishnava (devotees of the god Vishnu), Shakta (devotees of the goddess), and Smarta (those who understand the ultimate form of the divine to be abstract and all encompassing, Brahman) (www.bellbookandcandlepublications.com). CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF HINDUISM:- Hinduism has traditionally been contained in the place of its origin. Hinduism was created through the intermixing of two distinct cultures involving the Aryans and the Indus Valley civilization. Throughout most of history , Hindu adherents remained in South Asia , particularly in India. It was believed that adherents who crossed ”the black ocean” became impure and were no longer Hindu. Only recently has this barrier dissipated. As a result, over the past 100 years Hindus have migrated to other regions of the world, mostly with the intention of pursuing economic motives. Areas that have acquired notable Hindu populations include Great Britain, Canada, eastern Africa, Australia and northeastern portion of south America. The countries with the highest...
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...Evaluate the Marxist theory of religion and its relevance to society today. Marxists believe that the ruling class use instruments in society to control the working class – for example religion and education. They argue that religion is created and promoted by the Ruling Class in order to pass on their dominant ideology to the working class, using it as an “instrument”. Althusser argues that the ruling class do this through physical control such as the police and the justice system (Repressive State Apparatus), they also control the working class through the Ideological state Apparatus, which via religion, prevents the working class from becoming deviant and rebelling. A clear demonstration of this is in Christian teaching. They’re taught that Jesus himself had a day job as a carpenter – which is a manual labour, working class job. This idea of Jesus being like us civilians appeals to the working class as their attitude would be that if someone of such major influence can have that job, I can too because I will be repaid in the afterlife. Another supporting piece of evidence to the Marxist theory of religion is in the Jewish Torah (Old Testament – 34:12) God says “Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest, in eanring time and in harvesting, thou shalt rest”. This also influences the working class not to question why we have to work for 6 days, because when we make our earnings we can rest on the seventh day, whilst the ruling class impose this religious...
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...Mormons What is Mormonism? Who is a Mormon? And what place does Mormonism have in the religious tradition of the United States today? This paper will attempt to give readers a better understanding of the Mormon religion by detailing the history of the religion from its beginnings to today. It will also describe what a typical church or “temple” (as Mormons call their place of worship) service is like. It will also describe any holidays the Mormon people celebrate that correspond with the Christian holidays of other Christian sects. It will not attempt to judge the Mormon religion, as either good or bad, as has been so frequently done in the popular media. Rather than judging it, this paper will attempt to achieve a greater understanding of the religion in its context in the Christian religious tradition and the American religious tradition. In 1820, according to the Mormon faith, Joseph Smith (1806-1844) prayed to God to ask him for a sign that would tell him what church he ought to join. Instead, Jesus Christ and God appeared to the young man and told him he ought to found what the Mormon Church is today. Smith was fourteen at the time, a farmer from the region of western New York known as the "burned-over district" because of its unrelenting religious enthusiasm. (All About Mormons Website) Mormons believe that this revelation to Smith was similar to that of God to Saul. They refer to Smith as “The Prophet” because his revelation was transmitted to...
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...religions that are widely practice in West Africa and the Americas. Unlike the strict parameters that are drawn in western religions between the secular and non secular world, Juju is a traditional religion that is all surrounding in all aspect of ones life. This essay will focus on Juju religion in West Africa and how it end up in the Americas. In modern day, most people in the western world have been taught to tribute Juju existence and development exclusively to the Fon tribe who inhabit the country of Benin in West Africa. However, there are more than thirty five different ethnic groups in West Africa who are responsible for the development of Juju religion. Another popular misconception regarding Juju’s religion is that it was developed in Haiti by African slaves who were transported to the new world. This theory is wrong, due to Haiti only been an independent republic since 1804, and some anthropologists have estimated Juju to be as much as 10,000 years old. Juju religion was already well established, completely developed and widely practice religion prior to its arrival in Haiti. Juju is also the official religion in Benin, the only African country that still proudly recognizes it as traditional religion. Western faith are been imposed to other African countries in order to legitimize themselves as a civilized nation. The Juju religion was brought in the Americas by slaves from West Africa. The slaves’ trade in Americas was different in different countries. In the Caribbean...
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...societies but the beliefs and practise might differ. However, there are certain characteristics of religion like a set of symbols that invoke the feeling of awe and reverence, rituals and ceremonies and a community of believers or followers that all religion seem to share. The rituals and practices associated with a religion varies. Chanting, praying, singing, eating a particular food or refraining from doing so, fasting are some of the things which can be included in ritual acts. Religion is about the sacred...
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...Britannica Online, “the Arabic term Islam, literally ‘surrender,’ illuminates the fundamental religious idea of Islam—that the believer, called a Muslim, accepts surrender to the will of Allah (God)” (Mahdi, Rahman, Schimmel). In Islam, Allah is considered the only God, and it is believed that humans must submit to his will. The Prophet Muhammad is considered the last Islamic Prophet, and the one to whom Allah had revealed sacred scriptures known as Qur’an. Although Muhammad started with a small group of followers, they quickly grew in number and his teachings started spreading rapidly “through the Middle East to Africa, Europe, the Indian subcontinent, the Malay Peninsula, and China”(Mahdi, Rahman, Schimmel). Today, there are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world which makes it 2nd largest religion of the world. However, Islam is perceived to be radical and contradictory religion by many non-Muslims. Moreover, due to the terrorist attacks which had been associated with this “religion of peace,” Muslims call it, Islam had been viewed as a “bad” religion. Since America is the “melting pot” of different cultures and religions, non-Muslims should strive to learn about the Islamic religion, its teachings and interpretations, its differences and similarities with Christianity and Judaism, and how to improve their interactions with Muslims (Mahdi, Rahman, Schimmel, 2014). In order to become familiar with Islam, one has to learn about its teachings. The faith is practiced through “Five...
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...God and Mammon In America - Robert Wuthnow Wuthnow starts this article by explaining the life Lindsey leads. She is a single mother managing a consulting firm. Lindsey is great at what shed does, but she feels like she is constantly fighting to stay on top and it has taken its toll on her. Her anxiety is getting pretty bad, and she feels guilty about not being there for her kids. But as a single mother, she is always worried about finances. She wants to secure more than just the minimum; she wants to live comfortably, and in order to do so, she takes on boring jobs, and continues to exhaust herself. Afraid of becoming like her father, Lindsey decides to get in touch with her spiritual side. Wuthnow then discusses the significance of religion to work by stating three reasons: we live in a world of inequality, religion supplies our norms of daily conduct, and the last reason is that economic matter has to do with the practical technologies on which survival depends. Religious teachings also come to play as ways of understanding misfortune. He makes an interesting point by stating that under certain circumstances, religious teachings send mixed signals which contradict and compete with the secular sources around us. To further illustrate his point, Wuthnow gives historical examples by starting with the Puritans. He suggests that it is not only Puritanism, but social conditions that we must understand to appreciate the different periods. Industrial America provides a more recent...
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...Such people may often become what people call legends, and their memory survives during the years and become font of inspiration and admiration for another. Second, the existence of sacred scriptures, sort of. There is no sacred literature, but every sport has its own rules and regulations book used to learn how to play in competitions correctly. It is a universal code that every fan and sport followers know, even if in part. Third, a figure of power. At the center of a sport, there is not a charismatic chosen figure with a leadership role. There are many athletes, team captains and coaches that can cover such role though. However, having so many figures of power at the same time in the same sport category, it kinda loose the meaning of having a leading figure at the center of a religion. Fourth, sports are full of rituals,symbols,sacred days and tabu. Teams and athletes have a graphic symbol and specific colors that represent them distinguish one from...
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