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 Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:07 pm
In Medias Res IV Divash Hello, I'm Divash. No, really -- that's what you get when you ask my name. I don't discuss my real name, my exact age, my exact whereabouts, my social security number, phone number, address, or other details that could earn me the attention of a stalker. I'm big on internet safety, and I think you should be, too. I'm a Mizrachi Jew. That means that my traditions are the traditions of the Jewish communities of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. There's a map that someone created to describe the wanderings of his own family, and the Mizrachi areas are encircled in brown. Most Jews in the combined Americas are Ashkenazi, which are circled in red, and the second-largest number of Jews in the Americas are Sephardi, circled in green. Very broadly speaking, Ashkenazi Jews (when not being defined by area of most recent origin, but by practice and ideology) are the Jews who follow the rulings of Rabbi Moses Isserles; Sephardi Jews are the Jews who follow the rulings of Rav Yoseif Karo (or in Anglicized terms, Rabbi Joseph Caro). Hence, Mizrachi Jews are classed as Sephardi, when speaking in these broad terms. Ashkenazi Jews had a split between the traditionally observant and the non-traditionally observant in about 1850 CE, in Germany. The non-traditionally observant became Reform (some say non-observant, some say observant in a non-traditional way; I think non-traditionally observant is the phrasing I'll be using, in the hope that it won't offend anyone in either camp). Thus, the traditionally observant had to call themselves something to contrast, and they chose to refer to themselves as Orthodox. The Conservative were born when some Reform Jews decided to head a little closer to traditional types of observance, but not go back all the way. Other movements likewise split off for various reasons, expressive of the multiple degrees and types of observance of Jewish law. Sephardi Jewry, of which my own Mizrachi Jewry is a part, never had this factioning and splitting. Either you were observant (which we Sephardim mean 'in a traditional way'), or you weren't. To us, there's only one kind of Jew, and that's a Jewish Jew. So, while I am not Orthodox because I'm not Ashkenazi, non-Jews (and most Ashkenazi Jews) who look at my life usually will call me Orthodox, because that's the word that they know that means "observant in a traditional manner." If anyone wants to know, we can discuss what that means in another thread. I've read everyone else's posts before posting, and I don't think I could respond to each one with the attention it deserves, even if I did have the time. Just know that I read, and was interested, and I'm looking forward to getting to meet you all. You know how much I love you, right? heart I can't wait for that day when I can say I am 100% Jewish with such certainty and without guilt. To all: You know how militant I am when it comes to defending Judaism in the ED but THIS is the woman who I go to when I need to know anything, anything at all.
I would feel insulted that you don't come to me first, but the truth is, I go to Divash for information all the time and I'd probably just ending up tellling you tp go ask her instead most of the time.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:31 pm
Lumanny the Space Jew In Medias Res IV Divash Hello, I'm Divash. No, really -- that's what you get when you ask my name. I don't discuss my real name, my exact age, my exact whereabouts, my social security number, phone number, address, or other details that could earn me the attention of a stalker. I'm big on internet safety, and I think you should be, too. I'm a Mizrachi Jew. That means that my traditions are the traditions of the Jewish communities of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. There's a map that someone created to describe the wanderings of his own family, and the Mizrachi areas are encircled in brown. Most Jews in the combined Americas are Ashkenazi, which are circled in red, and the second-largest number of Jews in the Americas are Sephardi, circled in green. Very broadly speaking, Ashkenazi Jews (when not being defined by area of most recent origin, but by practice and ideology) are the Jews who follow the rulings of Rabbi Moses Isserles; Sephardi Jews are the Jews who follow the rulings of Rav Yoseif Karo (or in Anglicized terms, Rabbi Joseph Caro). Hence, Mizrachi Jews are classed as Sephardi, when speaking in these broad terms. Ashkenazi Jews had a split between the traditionally observant and the non-traditionally observant in about 1850 CE, in Germany. The non-traditionally observant became Reform (some say non-observant, some say observant in a non-traditional way; I think non-traditionally observant is the phrasing I'll be using, in the hope that it won't offend anyone in either camp). Thus, the traditionally observant had to call themselves something to contrast, and they chose to refer to themselves as Orthodox. The Conservative were born when some Reform Jews decided to head a little closer to traditional types of observance, but not go back all the way. Other movements likewise split off for various reasons, expressive of the multiple degrees and types of observance of Jewish law. Sephardi Jewry, of which my own Mizrachi Jewry is a part, never had this factioning and splitting. Either you were observant (which we Sephardim mean 'in a traditional way'), or you weren't. To us, there's only one kind of Jew, and that's a Jewish Jew. So, while I am not Orthodox because I'm not Ashkenazi, non-Jews (and most Ashkenazi Jews) who look at my life usually will call me Orthodox, because that's the word that they know that means "observant in a traditional manner." If anyone wants to know, we can discuss what that means in another thread. I've read everyone else's posts before posting, and I don't think I could respond to each one with the attention it deserves, even if I did have the time. Just know that I read, and was interested, and I'm looking forward to getting to meet you all. You know how much I love you, right? heart I can't wait for that day when I can say I am 100% Jewish with such certainty and without guilt. To all: You know how militant I am when it comes to defending Judaism in the ED but THIS is the woman who I go to when I need to know anything, anything at all. Lumanny dear, I go to Divash for mostly girl issues, like what colour skirts are kosher ;] Divash also always makes me feel better by making me feel Jewish mrgreen
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:50 pm
In Medias Res IV Lumanny the Space Jew In Medias Res IV Divash Hello, I'm Divash. No, really -- that's what you get when you ask my name. I don't discuss my real name, my exact age, my exact whereabouts, my social security number, phone number, address, or other details that could earn me the attention of a stalker. I'm big on internet safety, and I think you should be, too. I'm a Mizrachi Jew. That means that my traditions are the traditions of the Jewish communities of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. There's a map that someone created to describe the wanderings of his own family, and the Mizrachi areas are encircled in brown. Most Jews in the combined Americas are Ashkenazi, which are circled in red, and the second-largest number of Jews in the Americas are Sephardi, circled in green. Very broadly speaking, Ashkenazi Jews (when not being defined by area of most recent origin, but by practice and ideology) are the Jews who follow the rulings of Rabbi Moses Isserles; Sephardi Jews are the Jews who follow the rulings of Rav Yoseif Karo (or in Anglicized terms, Rabbi Joseph Caro). Hence, Mizrachi Jews are classed as Sephardi, when speaking in these broad terms. Ashkenazi Jews had a split between the traditionally observant and the non-traditionally observant in about 1850 CE, in Germany. The non-traditionally observant became Reform (some say non-observant, some say observant in a non-traditional way; I think non-traditionally observant is the phrasing I'll be using, in the hope that it won't offend anyone in either camp). Thus, the traditionally observant had to call themselves something to contrast, and they chose to refer to themselves as Orthodox. The Conservative were born when some Reform Jews decided to head a little closer to traditional types of observance, but not go back all the way. Other movements likewise split off for various reasons, expressive of the multiple degrees and types of observance of Jewish law. Sephardi Jewry, of which my own Mizrachi Jewry is a part, never had this factioning and splitting. Either you were observant (which we Sephardim mean 'in a traditional way'), or you weren't. To us, there's only one kind of Jew, and that's a Jewish Jew. So, while I am not Orthodox because I'm not Ashkenazi, non-Jews (and most Ashkenazi Jews) who look at my life usually will call me Orthodox, because that's the word that they know that means "observant in a traditional manner." If anyone wants to know, we can discuss what that means in another thread. I've read everyone else's posts before posting, and I don't think I could respond to each one with the attention it deserves, even if I did have the time. Just know that I read, and was interested, and I'm looking forward to getting to meet you all. You know how much I love you, right? heart I can't wait for that day when I can say I am 100% Jewish with such certainty and without guilt. To all: You know how militant I am when it comes to defending Judaism in the ED but THIS is the woman who I go to when I need to know anything, anything at all. Lumanny dear, I go to Divash for mostly girl issues, like what colour skirts are kosher ;] Divash also always makes me feel better by making me feel Jewish mrgreen
Well then I would definately be redirecting ou to her all the time, good choice skipping the middleman.
And I can't make people feel Jewish, though I do specialize in making people no feel Jewish.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 4:35 pm
Hi! My name's Rachel or you could call me shadow22cat, which ever is fine with me. razz
I'm a Reform Jew, but come from a rather mixed family when it comes to religion. My mom's side is Jewish, but with many denominations. Some of them are Orthodox, Modern Orthodox, Reform (That's basically my mom and I), Conservative, and some don't practice much other than going to high holy day services. razz
My dad's side is mostly Irish Catholic. My dad himself is not much of anything right now, although he's been going to services and celebrating holidays with us for a lot longer than when he went to church. He basically is Jewish. biggrin (Just hasn't converted.) Of course there was some tension between the families when they got married. Things like my Aunt telling my mother she'll never speak to her again (because G-d didn't want it that way.), one set of grandparents saying they won't go to the wedding and would never want to see their grandchild, and some other weird things. I also have never lived in a place where there are a lot of Jews. (Kentucky, and rural Washington state.) So, I've had many Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or people from any other religion as friends. I love to learn about them, and to tell them about mine if they ask. ;D Even if they don't have a religion I don't judge them, I still like to hear their views though.
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Violet Song jat Shariff Crew
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:06 pm
IMR: Why is it so important to Chitsa to question your desire to become Jewish confused ? That seems....odd.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:16 pm
Welcome Rachael, glad to have you here.
Announcement time
Got my WIP Christian Gnosticism Terminology guide/ Gnostic FAQ up in the Traditions subforum. Be sure to check it out.
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Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:07 am
There are certain colored skirts that aren't kosher? What are they? Why are they?
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Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:22 am
Violet Song jat Shariff IMR: Why is it so important to Chitsa to question your desire to become Jewish confused ? That seems....odd. She knows it gets to me, and it somehow makes me less valid. She calls me a liar because she thinks I have stated I am Jewish. Someone asked me the other day why it matters to me to be a Jew when "I have the rest of my life to be a Jew", and this came from a Jew and it pissed me off beyond belief. It's no different than a man who feels like a woman but his body doesn't match how he feels... anyways.. Aino, no, you can wear whatever colour you want. The ultra-Orthodoxy tends to stick with bland colours like white and black though.
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm
Greetings from Behatz! Another Jew has arrived in this guild, but this one has lots of experience with Liberal Judaism and others! (Speaking of which, could we include Hinduism and Sikhism up there on the guild description? They are much more prevalent than Paganism.)
I am British, and therefore can also represent all matters European.
For information on my personality, see my signature. That will surely answer at least one question, and possibly raise five more.
I hope we all have an enjoyable time here. mrgreen
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm
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Violet Song jat Shariff Crew
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:17 pm
In Medias Res IV Violet Song jat Shariff IMR: Why is it so important to Chitsa to question your desire to become Jewish confused ? That seems....odd. She knows it gets to me, and it somehow makes me less valid. She calls me a liar because she thinks I have stated I am Jewish. Someone asked me the other day why it matters to me to be a Jew when "I have the rest of my life to be a Jew", and this came from a Jew and it pissed me off beyond belief. It's no different than a man who feels like a woman but his body doesn't match how he feels... anyways.. Aino, no, you can wear whatever colour you want. The ultra-Orthodoxy tends to stick with bland colours like white and black though. That's a rather b***h move of her confused Can't you report her for trolling or harassment?
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Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:31 am
Just want to say a general "hi" to all in the guild now and all who follow. biggrin
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:45 pm
Salutations to all. I am Dante di Virgil, a devout Roman Catholic Carmelite of the third order. Online, I am usually just Dante (or Virgil), but a name matters little to me. I am 20 as of 29 October this year and I attend college in the eastern time zone. By trade, I am a writer and a poet. I have been called a philosopher and a theologian, but I really just feel that I think too much for my own good. I would like to thank In Medias Res for inviting me to this wonderful haven for the academically kind, and have faith that I will take full advantage of the opportunities offered here. I look forward to speaking with each of you.
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:10 am
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Eloquent Conversationalist
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 7:58 am
Thanks, In Medias Res IV and Lumanny, for these flattering comments (and setting me up to be the ersatz rabbi for the guild, if only I had the time and the learning!).
IMR, you know that you can wear any color of skirt you want, right? Yes, the traditionally observant Ashkenaziot tend to stick with neutral colors like black, khaki, grey, and dark blue. It's the same reason that businesspeople tend to stick with neutrals. They go with everything! You can have a very full and complete wardrobe with just four or five skirts in neutral colors.
However, if you feel like branching out, do it! Last Shabbat (Rosh Hashanah) I wore a floral dress of black, turquoise, olive, and white. I saw women in peach, burgundy, teal, white, black, plum, beige, orange, lilac, coral, pink, kelly green, forest green, brown... Believe me, I do take notice, once the prayers are over and we've moved out of the synagogue and into the social hall for kiddush and oneg (wine-and-bread blessing, and 'delight', a cute euphemism for pastries and coffee).
Of course, this is in a Sephardi/Mizrachi synagogue, and we do tend towards brighter colors, but even so, I've seldom heard it said that a Jewish woman MUST wear this or that color, or MUST avoid this or that color.
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