Q&A about Judaism

[dybmh]

Are you referring to what happend couple days back?

No, the video I saw was from 2011, I think. What happened a few days back?

 

[MayPeaceBeUpOnYou]

No, the video I saw was from 2011, I think. What happened a few days back?

Oh I thought you meant the annual flag day parade, I think that’s what it is called.
But going back what you said. The people who dressed up like orthodox, what were they then?

 

[Harel13]

Three types off Jews Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi. Are these terms still being used or what?

They are, they denote different communities within the Jewish diaspora. Ashkenazi Jews come from Europe, mainly Germany and the former Russian Empire, Sephardic Jews come from Spain, Mizrahi Jews come from North Africa, Middle Eastern countries, etc. There are also other communities such the Ethiopian community (called Beta Israel), the Indian community (Hodim and/or Cochin Jews) and the Italian community (Italianim/Italkim).

Are one of these three a majority now and is there theological differences between them?

The Sephardic community has largely merged into the Mizrahi community since the Spanish Expulsion of 1492, and especially in the last century or so for different reasons. I've heard that population-wise, there are more Sephardic-Mizrahi Jews in Israel than other communities but I've never independently verified that.

Theologically-wise, the main differences are in terms of laws and customs, each community has its own prayer rite and laws and customs for Shabbat (Sabbath) and holidays. Most of the legal differences aren't too significant, so different communities wouldn't be considered different denominations, as one may differentiate between Protestants and Catholics or Shiites and Sunnis.

Mizrahi are they scattered among the denominations or are they only found in 1 denomination?

They are mostly what may be defined as Orthodox or traditional Judaism. To my knowledge, few Mizrahi Jews are part of the Reform and Conservative movements, two movements that sprouted out of Ashkenazi Jewry in the 19th and 20th centuries.
A large percentage of Israeli Mizrahi Jews are not 100% religious and may not keep all of the laws, but they identify with Orthodox/traditional.

 

[dybmh]

Oh I thought you meant the annual flag day parade, I think that’s what it is called.
But going back what you said. The people who dressed up like orthodox, what were they then?

Passionate

 

[Eddi]

We're doing a Judaism Q and A???

I have a Judaism question:

What's so reformed about Reform Judaism?

And what's so orthodox about Orthodox Judaism?

Why are they named as they are and what does their names imply?

 

[Harel13]

And what's so orthodox about Orthodox Judaism?

See highlighted section here.

 

[Eddi]

See highlighted section here.

Interesting, thank you

So "Reform" has connotations of modernity and the enlightenment whereas "Orthodox" implies a higher value placed on on tradition?

Basically, they are both different approaches to being Jewish in the modern world?

 

[MayPeaceBeUpOnYou]

They are, they denote different communities within the Jewish diaspora. Ashkenazi Jews come from Europe, mainly Germany and the former Russian Empire, Sephardic Jews come from Spain, Mizrahi Jews come from North Africa, Middle Eastern countries, etc. There are also other communities such the Ethiopian community (called Beta Israel), the Indian community (Hodim and/or Cochin Jews) and the Italian community (Italianim/Italkim).


The Sephardic community has largely merged into the Mizrahi community since the Spanish Expulsion of 1492, and especially in the last century or so for different reasons. I've heard that population-wise, there are more Sephardic-Mizrahi Jews in Israel than other communities but I've never independently verified that.

Theologically-wise, the main differences are in terms of laws and customs, each community has its own prayer rite and laws and customs for Shabbat (Sabbath) and holidays. Most of the legal differences aren't too significant, so different communities wouldn't be considered different denominations, as one may differentiate between Protestants and Catholics or Shiites and Sunnis.



They are mostly what may be defined as Orthodox or traditional Judaism. To my knowledge, few Mizrahi Jews are part of the Reform and Conservative movements, two movements that sprouted out of Ashkenazi Jewry in the 19th and 20th centuries.
A large percentage of Israeli Mizrahi Jews are not 100% religious and may not keep all of the laws, but they identify with Orthodox/traditional.

Appreciate you taking the time to educate me
I think that’s clear to me.

Correct me if I am wrong. I have read the majority of religious Jews in Israel is orthodox and that reform Jews are mainly outside Israel. Also that the majority of Israel are not religious at all, I think 80% wasn’t, is this correct?

 

[Elliott]

Zionism is, basically, the *idealistic* *optimistic* returning to our ancestral homeland.

I hear what your saying. Now that I've thought about it this does make sense.

 

[Harel13]

Interesting, thank you

So "Reform" has connotations of modernity and the enlightenment whereas "Orthodox" implies a higher value placed on on tradition?

Basically, they are both different approaches to being Jewish in the modern world?

I would say so, but I left your previous question on Reform to the Reform members of the site who, incidentally, have also participated in this thread. I would probably only be able to give an Orthodox take on Reform, while they can give a Reform take on Reform.

 

[Harel13]

Correct me if I am wrong. I have read the majority of religious Jews in Israel is orthodox and that reform Jews are mainly outside Israel.

Yes, that's correct. There aren't a lot of Reform or Conservative Jews in Israel.

Also that the majority of Israel are not religious at all, I think 80% wasn’t, is this correct?

If you define religious as trying to adhere to most or all of the commandments and Jewish law on a daily basis, then yes, most Jewish Israelis aren't religious. With that said, most Jewish Israelis identify to some extent with Orthodox Judaism, even if they don't follow Jewish law on a daily basis.

 

[MayPeaceBeUpOnYou]

If you define religious as trying to adhere to most or all of the commandments and Jewish law on a daily basis, then yes, most Jewish Israelis aren't religious. With that said, most Jewish Israelis identify to some extent with Orthodox Judaism, even if they don't follow Jewish law on a daily basis.

Yes they identify more with the tradition side of Orthodox Judaism

 

[metis]

2 Jews =3 opinions? Can you clarify?

Sorry for the delay as I was out of the country.

I don't know who first used it and when, nor do I think anyone else does either, but there's a longstanding tradition of intellectually questioning things, and this is reflected in Judaism itself because of a "commentary system" that goes back well over 2000 years. You may have heard of something called the "Talmud", but even that doesn't cover all of it. Because of this, freedom of both thought and speech is highly revered.

However, arguments can and do happen, so commentary doesn't mean nor imply consensus.

 

[MayPeaceBeUpOnYou]

Sorry for the delay as I was out of the country.

I don't know who first used it and when, nor do I think anyone else does either, but there's a longstanding tradition of intellectually questioning things, and this is reflected in Judaism itself because of a "commentary system" that goes back well over 2000 years. You may have heard of something called the "Talmud", but even that doesn't cover all of it. Because of this, freedom of both thought and speech is highly revered.

However, arguments can and do happen, so commentary doesn't mean nor imply consensus.

Right I understand what you are saying.

 

[Bharat Jhunjhunwala]

Hi there

So I want to started this thread since I want to know more about Judaism and its teachings concerning zionism.
I am not here to debate but come to learn and interact with Jews in a respectful manner

To be clear this thread is specifically for the Jews that are theist, follow and have knowledge of scriptures of Judaism.
Obviously people that have a phd or education on the Jewish scriptures are welcome to join.

I have multiple questions regarding this topic but I will keep it to a single one.

Does the Zionism movement go against the beliefs of Jews and scriptures of Judaism?

Please give answer with sources or references of scriptures prior to

what is Judaism? Depends upon one's perspective. When God inserted the letter H in the name of Abram and made it Abraham. It means that his stature or his writ has been expanded, and he has become the father or the leader of the entire humanity. On the other hand, if we take Judaism to be that taught by Moses then their god, Yahwe is a jealous God, and he is the God of the Jews, not of all humanity. So, Zionism is essentially the religion of Moses. It is not the true religion of Judaism, and it is certainly not the religion of Abraham.

 

[MayPeaceBeUpOnYou]

what is Judaism? Depends upon one's perspective. When God inserted the letter H in the name of Abram and made it Abraham. It means that his stature or his writ has been expanded, and he has become the father or the leader of the entire humanity. On the other hand, if we take Judaism to be that taught by Moses then their god, Yahwe is a jealous God, and he is the God of the Jews, not of all humanity. So, Zionism is essentially the religion of Moses. It is not the true religion of Judaism, and it is certainly not the religion of Abraham.

Zionisme is not a religion so I don’t understand your point

 

[dybmh]

Zionisme is not a religion so I don’t understand your point

The internet is full of opinions from those who are either unwilling or unable to accurately assess their own competence and expertise.

 

[dybmh]

What's so reformed about Reform Judaism?

I'm not seeing that this question was answered. So, I'll try.

Prior to the emergence of the Reform Movement, Jewish communities, in the majority, were isolated from the other non-Jewish communities of the host countries where the Jewish people found themselves as they wandered from place to place escaping from and/or attempting to avoid persecution. This social and communal isolation is, right or wrong, encoded both in Jewish law and Jewish tradition. At risk of gross over-simplification: in the late 1800s, there emerged a collective desire among many Jewish people to assimilate with their modern neighbors. In order to do that, Jewish law and Jewish tradition required an over-haul. The law was re-examined, and the authority of Rabbinic jurisprudence enshrined in traditional Jewish sources was in large part abandoned. Doing so produced some rather original approaches to Jewish law and practice which had not previously been considered. The German Jewish community, at that time, was able to justify their desire for assimilation while, in their view, retaining an essentially Jewish way of life.

The Reform aspect of the Reform movement describes the radical ( for its time, and for that group, German Jews of the late 1800s ) re-examination of Jewish Law and practice without the conventional assumptions, "Our Sages of the past were correct." What resulted was not a new form of Judaism, it was and is a new application of the same Jewish practice and principles which exists within assimilated communities and an unapologetic assimilated lifestyle.

 

[dybmh]

an essentially Jewish way of life

 

[RabbiO]

I have a Judaism question:

What's so reformed about Reform Judaism?

I'm not seeing that this question was answered. So, I'll try...

I appreciate the question and I appreciate dybmh stepping forward. I will try to add my own thoughts down the line a bit. I've been balancing a whole lot of things over the last little bit - Shavuot, my three grandchildren all admitted into ICU (Thankfully not as bad as it sounds, but still time consuming and nerve racking), working on behalf of a friend who cannot get the state where her loved one died to release the body for burial in another state.

Bear with me.