An interview with Hannah

Dudes and Dudesses, 

Our Cousin Louise has been interviewing us all, to help explain what we are about. I've been tasked with writing up the notes. We'll publish one each week, starting with our sis, Hannah (this was undertaken during the week).

NOTE : Re posting today from Saturday evening 'cause I accidentally missed off 4 questions and answers, doh! 

1)Do you consider yourself Orthodox?

YES!! I love G-d  & His word, The Torah,oral and written, the Hebrew Bible, to which I believe is the ultimate, only revelation  & path to follow for the Jewish people. I follow the Mitzvots  as best I can and want to be, in fact enjoy, following them (:

2)  Gay and   Jewish?

Yeah, I know it is a shocker! I've known I've been gay since my early teens, but the whole process of  feeling guilty about this, then 'coming out' & finally finding a partner has been a long one- 10 years of debate, discussion and angst. I'm happier now than I have ever been before.  I've given my reasons for following Judaism and being gay, so I need not repeat this hear, but I do know I cannot change my orientation and that this cannot be a sin, if G-d made me that way. I've got lot's more to say about this, but I think undertaking gay sexual acts is a sin, if you are heterosexual and 'choose' to do so. As I don't 'choose' to be gay it cannot be a sin. The merciful one, blessed be he, overlooks what is outside of a person's control.  I'm also blessed with a fantastic and loving family in respect to me being gay (: x

3) Partner & who is the 'butch' one ?

YES!! I'm with a wonderful intelligent lady called Sarah, who is Aszkenazi . She's lovely and for me my -beshert- Soul Mate. We have shared a lot of tears recently, due to her family's refusal to accept our relationship.  Neither of us are butch or masculine. We are both feminine women; alas there are many stereotypes out there, like suggesting all gay men are camp,  and lesbian couples being either 'butch' or feminine is one for us dykes!

4)Where were you educated? Did you attend university and do you have any degrees?

I received a thorough Jewish and secular education, so I went to some of the best Jewish and Public (private fee paying) schools in Britain, along with my twin sister Rachel. I went to university (or universities) and have degrees in Physics, Astrophysics, Jewish Studies, including a Bsc,  Msc,  MA and PhD.  

5) Rich Bitch?

Not at all, my mother was an immigrant from a third world country whose family came to Britain with nothing, they all  believed that education was vitally important for people so education was funded by legacies from my grandparents, parents and uncles.I was raised by my paternal uncle, who had a very spartan worldview. I've always worked since I was 16, to pay for things I wanted to buy and to get me through life.  I might have gone to private school,  but never lost my regional accent. Not that I'm a working class hero or consider myself to be such.

6)Has your Hashkafa changed at all ?

YES!  I was observant as a child, but had moved to  being atheist by university, during which time I did spent a lot of time studying and flirting with Christianity. For various reasons, I reverted back to Judaism and that is my spiritual home. 

7)Why did you change?

That is a story for a book, not a quick interview! 

8)  Are you Koveiah Itim?

Absolutely; I read Torah and the Hebrew Bible every day and have a Torah study partner, whom I get along with very well and we study at least once a week. In addition we also have Torah study during our Shabbat meal every Friday, which are really cool no holds barred discussions, especially as I live with 2 gentiles and an atheist, as well as Jews.  Every Thursday I run a dinner club, in which we discuss any academic subject and religion is often a topic of those heated, but enjoyable discussions. 

9) What is your Hashkafic perspective now?

Orthodox with a brain & heart. If  I were to explain the core of my faith :The Shema &  the golden rule of Shabbat 31 a

10). OK. How do you feel for example about Haredi, Hassidic, Rationalist, Mystical, Reform Conservative, Modern Orthodox? Religious Zionists?

I'm Sephardi, so I think we are a blend of all of the above. I dislike calling fellow Jews heretics, if they love Judaism and try to follow Hashem & I feel we need to outreach and include our secular and Off the derech brothers and sisters. The only group I'd call heretics without any hesitation are Messianic 'Jews'.  I'm weary of the extreme ends of Haredism as well as the very, very liberal Reform. But, hey, that's just me (: 

11) What is your view about the State of Israel?

Israel is COOL! The only place in the middle east which protects minorities, bu also is a homeland for the Jewish people. It's the fulfillment of ancient prophesy, also it is vital that Israel exists as a safe haven for Jews. I'm a Zionist, in short. That doesn't mean to say I don't want peace or a state for Palestinians. But I hate the way anti-semites have leaped on the anti-Israel bandwagon.

12) How do you feel about Christianity ?

Whilst I have Christian relatives and I respect their mild brand of Anglicanism, I am a Jew and follow the Jewish faith. I have respect for and have friends who are Christians. I find Messianic Jews are somewhat confused as to what Christianity is and what Judaism is; it's kinda like Mormonism in its relationship to Christianity.
Theologically, from my understanding of my own holy book, the Hebrew Bible-

1. I don't believe the New Testament
2. I believe the prophecies fulfilled in Jesus were conveniently troweled through & found in the Hebrew bible to make them "fit" the Christian narrative
3. I don't believe a human blood sacrifice is necessary for G-d to forgive sins and this was shown repeatedly in the Hebrew Bible
4. I don't agree with original sin; we are born with the capacity to do good or evil
5. G-d cannot become human and humans do not become G-d
6.G-d is one and indivisible and not 3 parts 
7. There is a difference between the Jewish satan and the christian devil.
8 One person cannot die for the sins of another.

Personally, I feel that the Church has harmed my people too much, I could never become a Christian. It would feel like a betrayal. I got close to it. But the Evangelicals I was connected to, hated gays; it wasn't enough to be single, but that the orientation itself was a sin, so that put me off for life.

13) What is your view about Gedloim and Daas Torah? How far does your respect for the current Gedolim go, if at all?

Well I am sure that the people who make up the Gedloim  have wisdom, experience & can give good advise and counsel. But they can't speak ex cathedra as Judaism doesn't have Popes, so I don't agree with the title or the authority which they wish to assert that they have !I think we can be free to ignore them and indeed rebuke them, when the make stupid outrageous comments. Likewise I think Daas Torah isn't a part of authentic Orthodox tradition.

14)Politics?

I'm a mixture. I like the social justice of the Labour party, the quest for individual freedoms of the Liberal Democrats and the free market ethos of the Conservatives. 

15) Are Jews chosen ?

Yes, I believe that we are, but not as the anti-semites portray us in a 'master race way'. We were chosen by G-d to be a light to this world and because we were the least of people any good that we did was a reflection on HIS glory and not our own. I believe that given we are a 'nation so scorned, so mocked & hated' that we have achieved great things, given our small numbers in the world.  I disagree with Haredi, in thinking we can be a light to the nations, by simply shutting ourselves into self-imposed ghettos, though.

16) What is Judaism for you? 

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 .

17)  Interesting fact about yourself?

I am able to play the organ & can talk none stop!!

18) Beer or wine?

Vinto Tinto without a doubt !

19) Hobbies and Interests ?

I like watching women's football and men's rugby, playing the piano,  fencing, running, swimming , stargazing, cooking & having a couple of glasses of vinto tinto with friends,  so my life is quite busy, it also includes a lot of reading.

20) How does being a scientist compare to taking the Genesis creation account literally?

I don't take the Genesis creation account literally. Again this is well within the bounds of traditional authentic Orthodox Judaism. I believe, though, Bereisheet bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz  (In the beginning Gd created the heavens and the earth).