Friday 13 June 2014

With people, in song, in food, with Him

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" 

Ecclesiastes 3, 1 

Hi All,

I was thinking about this the other day ; why do I love Judaism so much? It isn't just a rejection of other religions or adherence to doctrines, dogmas, commandments, mitzovt, or even the community spirit which our faith has. To me it is also about how we celebrate our Judaism, the rhythm , the heartbeat of the year . Or to put it another way; with people, in song, in food, with Him.

First. We have our weekly Christmas (well without the pressies!) of our Shabbat celebrations, the centre of which are the 3 meals we have, which fuse together friends, family and worship of G-d as well as fine foods, wine and plenty of singing ! In fact it is a commandment that we enjoy the food and wine and the company of friends and family. This is the G-d I know and worship, not the stereotype deity of the 'Old Testament' that some Christians enjoy portraying her as being (e.g. distant, vengeful, wrathful and generally unpleasant). 

Second. We have numerous festivals throughout the year, which the centre of (aside from fast days such as Yom Kippur) is again family, friends and a festive meal, which also combines prayer,  liturgy & some form of Bible reading or study. What is even more unique I think is that, except for the times of fasting, we have special food for each festival; such as Cheesecake& Kahee for Shavout, Matzah for Passover, Latke&Sufganiyah for Hanukah, Hammantashen & Fazuelos for Purim etc .

So my question is, if you are Jewish, what makes your Judaism? If you are not Jewish, but have another faith, what makes this faith for you? If you don't believe anything, how do you celebrate the rhythm of the year and life? One final thought; please add your own Shabbat experiences, thoughts or issues below. Feel free also to leave a song, a food recipe or a word of Torah .

35 comments:

  1. Hannah,


    I agree with you that when one strips away everything, there is a core to faith. To me that is my family and bringing them up in our Judaic traditions. I just don't get how people can say Judaism is all about impossible to follow rules. It isn't, it is more , so much more than that. I guess though, that this is very much the Christian narrative because of how the 'law' doesn't 'save' people (whatever they mean by these concepts).

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  2. Main meal for tonight -

    Carne de vacuno de Hannah en el vino tinto (Hannah's beef in red wine)

    The fab thing about this is that you have to taste the wine to make sure it goes well with the beef! Note, beef/stock is of 'Kosher' variety .

    Ingredients (serves 8-10)

    1.5 KG of shin beef

    Baharat - teaspoon

    Black pepper -teaspoon

    Chopped Shallots

    Garlic

    1 red chili (optional)

    8 Portabello Mushrooms

    Cannellini beans

    Half a pint of water & beef stock

    1 bottle of red wine

    Method

    Dice shin beef into cubes

    Mix the pepper and baharat spices together with beef, marinate for as long as possible

    Add stock & water to a tagine pan, bring to the boil & add beef

    Add the shallots mushrooms, chili, garlic, beans & wine

    Put tagine lid on & gently simmer on low heat for at least 2 and a half hours

    Serve with Challah bread & more vinto tinto!!

    Shabbat Shalom!

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  3. A song-

    'Shema Yisrael
    Hashem Elokeinu
    Hashem echad.'

    ['Hear, O Israel, the L-rd our God, the L-rd alone'].

    http://image.aish.com/misc/11ShmaYisrael.mp3

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  4. Bit wintery for the summer?

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  5. Nice one, we're doing an Israel- chicken salad and some BBQ stuff (which we can cook as Shabbos doesn't start till after 9pm!).

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  6. Always like that song!

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  7. Ah, we do a BBQ for a pre-Shabbos food & drink party. Starts at 4, break at 6 for Shul service (if you want to go) and then continuing at 7 till 9. Cool eh? The dude's got it sorted alright!

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  8. We'll be eating al fresco. Besides which it will be dark by the time we do eat. Always find beef in red wine to b a cracking dish myself.

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  9. As it is blazing hot outside, I'm wearing a panama and a white suit for Shabbos dinner. Just put it on. Feel the man from del monte!

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  10. What gets me is what a global faith we actually are. As this video shows

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMjXFFhCUo8

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  11. Hi Hannah,

    "In fact it is a commandment that we enjoy the food and wine and the company of friends and family. This is the G-d I know and worship, not the stereotype deity of the 'Old Testament' that some Christians enjoy portraying her as being (e.g. distant, vengeful, wrathful and generally unpleasant)."

    I can certainly see that is how things are seen, but it just isn't true. If only Christians could learn from you Jews, we'd be a better world. (:

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  12. Looking forward to this and Sam's BBQ. See u laters (:

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  13. Atheist Shrugged13 June 2014 at 15:11

    I agree, End the occupation now, including Jerusalem, which must be liberated!

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  14. Jerusalem is a part of israel u stupid fecker! go to your MECCA and leave us alone...(or better still Gaza, to see some really Palestinian hospitality!).

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  15. Yeah, you'd have to get past the IDF first !

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  16. Infidels whose army is made up of women! Unlike the glorious armies of Allah!

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  17. Actually the IDF is a citizen army of both men and women. Except for the Haredi, who simply don't care about the Jewish homeland, the rest of Israel remembers "will you stand by whilst your brothers go to war?" (Numbers 32 vs 6).

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  18. Sam ,


    The classic summer look !


    Alternatively :

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  19. Hi David

    Yes! Here is an example of how Israeli women in the IDF serve alongside their men -
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4kjNIL8prM#t=116

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  20. LOL! You'll look great, if a little eccentric !

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  21. Thanks for the video Sam. Alas it is sad to think that those ones in the middle east after probably nothing more than museums after the end of Sephardi culture in the middle east outside of Israel. Makes me feel sad.

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  22. Yep. The IDF would make them fight toe to toe and for every brick and street, before they'd retake Israel from the Jewish people. Never again are we going to shoved into ovens, subject to pogroms or bullied around by others. That's why Israel, a shining beacon of liberty in the middle east exists.

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  23. Great video sis!
    And then they kiss enemy ass ! (:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5904ltVMfI

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  24. Yeah, who says Judaism is sexists??!

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  25. Hannah, I know what you mean. Thousands of years of culture, gone, because of Arab- islamic intolerance to anything not like themselves or their religion. That is sad. But then look at the plight of the christians in the middle east today.

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  26. Great one Sam,Except it's gone a bit cloudy where we are, so perhaps that was a bit premature of you to done a tropical suit? This is England afterall...

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  27. "if you are Jewish, what makes your Judaism? If you are not Jewish, but have another faith, what makes this faith for you? If you don't believe anything, how do you celebrate the rhythm of the year and life? One final thought; please add your own Shabbat experiences, thoughts or issues below. Feel free also to leave a song, a food recipe or a word of Torah"

    OK.

    1. what makes your Judaism? I think it is as you and others have hinted, the communal bond, the family and the way in which we celebrate our lives. I don't think I could ever be a Christian as that requires adherence to a lot of dogmatic positions. Funny saying that because we have 613 Mitzvot, but that is about action and not being told what to believe. For some reason I find that easier to cope with.

    2. Food- love Jewish food, there is something unique about it and I agree, I can't think of another faith where festivals and food go hand in hand like a glove. That's what I like about Judaism. Stuff rules? No way! A lively, enjoyable faith; yes! !

    3. Word of Torah or song -

    PSALM 150
    Kol han'shama t'halel Yah - Haleluya
    Kol han'shama t'halel Yah - Haleluya

    Halelu-El b'kadsho,
    Haleluhu birki'a uzo
    Haleluhu vig'vurotav,
    Haleluhu k'rov gudlo.
    Haleluhu b'teka shofar,
    Haleluhu b'nevel v'chinor
    Haleluhu b'tof umachol,
    Haleluhu b'minim v'ugav

    Halelu-El b'kadsho,
    Haleluhu birki'a uzo.
    Haleluhu vig'vurotav,
    Haleluhu k'rov gudlo.
    Haleluhu b'tziltzilei shama,
    Haleluhu b'tziltzilei tru'a.
    Kol han'shama t'halel Yah - Haleluya.

    Kol han'shama

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  28. Do you hear ? The people sing? The song of a people who will NOT BE SLAVES AGAIN?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUCZywEwbvo

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  29. Esther

    Thanks for that post; I agree with you about the dogmatism. Although in our own faith there are quite a few people who are dogmatic.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-27830405

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  30. Hi Esther


    Thanks for this post, Really liked it! (:

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  31. Who gives a shit for the facts- especially if you are Pro-Palestine – makes it hard to be impartial & unbiased.

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