"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 .
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteI 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).
Main meal for tonight -
ReplyDeleteCarne 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!
A song-
ReplyDelete'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
Bit wintery for the summer?
ReplyDeleteNice one, we're doing an Israel- chicken salad and some BBQ stuff (which we can cook as Shabbos doesn't start till after 9pm!).
ReplyDeleteAlways like that song!
ReplyDeleteAh, 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!
ReplyDeleteWe'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.
ReplyDeleteYum, yum Hannah
ReplyDeleteAs 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!
ReplyDeleteWhat gets me is what a global faith we actually are. As this video shows
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMjXFFhCUo8
Hi Hannah,
ReplyDelete"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. (:
Looking forward to this and Sam's BBQ. See u laters (:
ReplyDeleteI agree, End the occupation now, including Jerusalem, which must be liberated!
ReplyDeleteJerusalem 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!).
ReplyDeleteYeah, you'd have to get past the IDF first !
ReplyDeleteInfidels whose army is made up of women! Unlike the glorious armies of Allah!
ReplyDeleteActually 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).
ReplyDeleteSam ,
ReplyDeleteThe classic summer look !
Alternatively :
Hi David
ReplyDeleteYes! Here is an example of how Israeli women in the IDF serve alongside their men -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4kjNIL8prM#t=116
Stetson's are cool!
ReplyDeleteLOL! You'll look great, if a little eccentric !
ReplyDeleteThanks 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.
ReplyDeleteYep. 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.
ReplyDeleteGreat video sis!
ReplyDeleteAnd then they kiss enemy ass ! (:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5904ltVMfI
What about bowties??? (:
ReplyDeleteYeah, who says Judaism is sexists??!
ReplyDeleteHannah, 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.
ReplyDeleteGreat 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...
ReplyDelete"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"
ReplyDeleteOK.
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
Do you hear ? The people sing? The song of a people who will NOT BE SLAVES AGAIN?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUCZywEwbvo
Esther
ReplyDeleteThanks 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
Hi Esther
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Really liked it! (:
Who gives a shit for the facts- especially if you are Pro-Palestine – makes it hard to be impartial & unbiased.
ReplyDeleteNO!
ReplyDelete