Variety of Questions About Judaism

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abjcma15

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Hello!

I am a college student and I am currently taking a world religions course. We have an assignment to have an interfaith dialogue with a faith other than Christianity. I ask writing on this forum to get to know information about the Judaism faith, because it has interested me the most. I have a few question to ask and I would love if people could reply to them, and would appreciate it greatly! You do not have to answers each of the questions, but I would be overjoyed if you choose to do so.

1) Were you born into Judaism or did you convert?
2) Is there a certain sect of Judaism you identify with? (ex. reform)
3) A brief history of your time in the religion?
4) What do you enjoy most about your religion?
5) How does your faith impact your personal values?
6) Do you practice your religion differently than your parents?
7) Would you be willing to marry someone of another faith?
8) How do YOU define God?
9) What are some of your favorite Jewish holidays or traditions?
10) Have you or someone you've known ever been discriminated against because of your religious views?


Thank you so much! I appreciate your help, and will enjoy learning about your religious experience.
 
Namaste and Welcome to interfaith.org...

As you posted your questions in various places, I'm hoping you'll get some good answers. Be sure to stop back in and check out responses periodically as folks don't get on every day to look and respond. Good luck in your class, exploring other beliefs I believe is very valuable..
 
1) Were you born into Judaism or did you convert?
Sort of a combination of both. My parents were ethnically Jewish atheists. I became a religious Jew as an adult. But I didn't have to convert because I was born Jewish.

2) Is there a certain sect of Judaism you identify with? (ex. reform)
I'm pretty comfortable with everything except Orthodox. I guess I'm most comfortable with Renewal. I think I could embrace Reconstructionist, but there isn't a Reconstructionist minyan in my area.

3) A brief history of your time in the religion?
I'll skip this one. It's too vague and I'm not entirely sure what you mean. And if it means what I think it does, I don't have time to write about it.

4) What do you enjoy most about your religion?
I like the way Judaism makes sacred so many aspects of life. There are holidays where you pray and fast, and there are holidays where you feast, and holidays where you get drunk and dance.

I also like the intellectual aspect of it, and the openness to different opinions. We're constantly reinterpreting our faith and changing it through reinterpretation and argument.

5) How does your faith impact your personal values?
I'd like to think that it shaped my values, but I know it didn't. My sense of right and wrong are pretty much identical to my atheist father's. And where I did diverge from him, it happened before I found religion.

6) Do you practice your religion differently than your parents?
Yes. I practice it.

7) Would you be willing to marry someone of another faith?
I think my wife would object.

If I was single, I'd have to figure that out when the time came. I certainly dated non-Jewish women, although I've only married Jewish ones.

8) How do YOU define God?
With a great deal of difficulty. I'm an agnostic, and I lean towards the Reconstructionist idea of God as a social construct rather than an all-powerful being. Long ago, I came to the conclusion that God is, at the minimum, a useful metaphor for the best parts of human nature--and that in itself is worth worshipping.

9) What are some of your favorite Jewish holidays or traditions?
Ritual, myth, holidays. My favorite holiday is Purim. I also love Passover, Yom Kippur, and others.

10) Have you or someone you've known ever been discriminated against because of your religious views?
Not in any serious way. I've occasionally been offended by a casual use of the word "Jew" to mean greedy.

In a sense, I'm lucky. I grew up in LA, and have lived my entire adult life near San Francisco. It's a pretty open-minded culture.
 
It is due to a stereotype of Jews being frugal and excellent negotiators, bargainers.... taking it as a compliment, badge of honor or insult is a choice, no matter what the intent.
 
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