Holocaust Film

Many people consider the Holocaust to have started in different years. For example, some believe it began in 1933 when the Nazis came to power, others believe it began in 1938 when Kristallnacht took place, while others believe it started in 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland. Nonetheless, the Holocaust is a memorable tragedy in history that will never be forgotten for both Jews and non-Jews. There are many definitions of what the Holocaust is but most people would describe it as the extermination of six million Jews and five million others, making a total of eleven million souls. The Holocaust has been depicted in various Holocaust films to portray what went on during these hard times. For example, the acclaimed Stephen Speilberg film Schindler’s List was released on Christmas Day in 1993. This film got so much attention because it was filmed by an acclaimed director and it was filmed in black in white. Former President Bill Clinton even recommended that it is a movie that everyone should see. I have not seen this movie but I definitely plan on watching it in the near future. My favorite Holocaust movie is Life is Beautiful, which was released in 1997. It is a movie with subtitles because it is filmed in Italian and I get emotional every time I watch it. Like people recommend Schindler’s List as a must see, I definitely recommend seeing Life is Beautiful as well. Despite the fact that the Holocaust is a gruesome event, my parents encouraged my siblings and I to engage in Holocaust education from an early age. I remember going to the theatres at seven years old to see this movie and it is one of the most impacting movies I have seen yet.

Gaucher's Disease

Gaucher’s disease is a common Jewish genetically inherited disease. It is an enzyme deficiency disorder and it can occur at any age. “Gaucher’s disease results from the deposition of glucocerebroside in the liver, bone marrow, and spleen. The enzyme glucocerebrosidase normally breaks down glucocerebroside, but patients with Gaucher’s Disease do not manufacture enough of the enzyme, and deposition of glucocerebroside results. Type I Gaucher’s Disease is the most common genetic disease among Jews. An estimated one in 450 to one 1500 in people of Ashkenazi descent are carriers. (Estimated: One in Ten Ashkenazi Jew is a carrier of Gaucher’s.)” (mazernot.com). Gaucher’s disease is just one of the common genetic diseases amongst Jews. I am choosing to blog on Gaucher’s disease because it is a disease that runs specifically on my mother’s side of the family. Her mother/my grandmother passed away from the disease when I was about two years old. My mother is a carrier and because she is a carrier, her children have the risk of being carriers as well. Therefore, myself and my three older siblings were also tested to see if we were carriers of the disease. Luckily, my four siblings and I are not carriers and thus, there is no chance that our children could inherit the disease. One can inherit the disease only if both parents are carriers. For example, if my father was also a carrier of the disease, there would be a great chance that me or one of my siblings would get the disease.

Holocaust Museums

Yesterday, on April 19, 2009, thousands attended the opening of the new Holocaust Museum in Chicago Illinois. President Barack Obama says that when school children visit this Holocaust Museum and education center, they will expand their learning and that they will see that “there is no greater obligation than to confront acts of inhumanity” (Associated Press). Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and former President Bill Clinton spoke at the Sunday opening. The new Holocaust Museum cost about $45 million to build and is 65,000 square feet. “The new museum is considered the largest of its kind in the Midwest. It houses more than 2,000 Holocaust survivor testimonies” (Associated Press). I am pleased to see that there is yet another Holocaust Museum in the United States. One may wonder how there is yet another museum to hold Holocaust remembrance artifacts. I would have thought that all of the other Holocaust museums in the world would have already possessed these artifacts. This just proves how massive the destruction of the Holocaust was and that there are piles upon piles of documentation and artifacts that have been preserved and can be put on display. This Midwest museum will allow Midwesterners to be exposed to something that they may not have been aware of beforehand. I have visited various Holocaust museums including the museum in Washington DC and Yad Vashem in Israel. Although both museums were moving to see while I was there, I was most impacted by the museum in Washington DC because I remember seeing videos of children, piles of shoes and glasses, and a room called “Daniel’s room.” Nevertheless, all individuals, Jewish or non Jewish should visit a Holocaust museum at some point in their lives.

Exogamy

Exogamy has long been an issue of controversy in Judaism. Exogamy is the act of choosing and reproducing with a life partner outside one’s defined group. In other words, exogamy is often referred to as intermarriage. Intermarriage is given a negative connotation because people see intermarriage as a threat to the Jewish religion. Some think intermarriage is the cause of Judaism’s shrinkage. One may wonder what religion the offspring of intermarriage relationships will be. Many believe that the children’s religion is determined by their mother’s religion. For example, if the mother is Catholic and the father is Jewish, the children will automatically be raised Catholic. I disagree with this belief/rule because children with Jewish fathers and Catholic mothers can just as well be raised Jewish. I know a family who has a Catholic mother and a Jewish father and each child was bar/bat mitzvahed. On the other side of the spectrum, my friend has a Jewish father and a Catholic mother but does not identify with the Jewish religion. He was baptized and attends church on a regular basis. Although he grew up in a Jewish town and attended many bar/bat mitzvahs in middle school, he identifies as a Catholic. In the near future, my brother will marry a “shiksa” or non Jewish woman. Nevertheless, despite the fact that his future wife is not Jewish, he knows that his children will be raised Jewish. They will take part in Jewish traditions including holidays and becoming a bar/bat mitzvah. It is the duty of the Jewish people to keep the religion going. Therefore, people who partake in intermarriages, whether the mother or father is Jewish, should raise their children Jewish.

The White House Seder

For the first time ever, President Barack Obama is hosting a Passover Seder at the White house. This Seder is going to be held, tomorrow, on the second night of Passover where his friends and staff will attend. The Seder is going to be held on the second night of the holy holiday so that it does not disrupt first night family Seders. “’Jews are a vital component in the mosaic that is American culture and society,’ he said. ‘Our welcome through the front door, and the dining room door, of the White House speaks to the inclusiveness of today's America and of President Obama. This night is indeed different from all other nights’” (jta.org). It is interesting to see Obama’s efforts in hosting this event. Previously, former President George W. Bush has hosted Hanukkah parties. It is more appropriate for these Presidents to host Hanukkah parties and Passover Seders because they are the more commercialized Jewish holidays. They would probably not be found hosting the Jewish holidays of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah because they are of the high holidays category. One may wonder if the White house kitchen is keeping kosher and keeping to the rules of the holiday for this night. If they do plan on following these rules, they must follow the rules of the kitniyot. The kitniyot says that food cannot contain corn syrup, corn products, rice, soy, gluten, and cannot leaven. I believe that the White house will try to the best of their ability to meet the standards of the kitniyot.

Passover

When I think of Passover I think of the Jewish holiday that occurs in the spring where you cannot eat bread for seven days. This absence of bread represents “when Pharaoh freed the Israelites, and they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread to rise. In commemoration, for the duration of Passover, no leavened bread is eaten” (wikipedia.com). Thus, Jews eat matza and it acts as the primary symbol of the holiday. Many original foods can be made from matza including two of my favorite – matza bray and matza pizza. I am a Reform Jew and although I am not compelled to “keep Passover,” I always try my best to follow the rules of the holiday, which bans the presence of yeast and other specific ingredients in foods. “The Passover Seder Meal is a Jewish ritual feast held on the first and the second night of Passover” (wikipedia.com). Seders will be taking place on the Indiana University campus at both the Hillel and Chabad centers in addition to Kappa Kappa Gamma and the freshman dorm Foster. Students are enabled to participate for a small fee of twelve to sixteen dollars. The food will be kosher and students are encouraged to stop by to participate in this holy holiday. My grandmother encourages me to attend the school Seder at Hillel since I will not be able to attend the Seder that my family is hosting at my home. In contrast to Conservative and Orthodox Jews, the Seders that my family holds do not occupy a long period of time. The Seder typically lasts for fifteen to twenty minutes. My favorite Passover memory occurs at the end of the Passover meal - looking for the Afikomen. Passover is a wonderful holiday for family members to get together to honor their Jewish pride and history.

Color

When one thinks of physical characterisitics of a typical Jew one often thinks of a Jewish individual as being white, dark, and with a big nose. It is interesting to see that there is a wide range of Jews who do not meet this physical critera. When sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to depart, I was sitting across from a young hispanic mother and her daugher. After looking at the this hispanic family sitting just a few feet away from me, I noticed a Magen David necklace around the mother’s neck. I was particularly surprised to see that this hispanic mother and daughter were Jewish considering that I have not been exposed to many hispanic Jews in my area. My friend who resides in Miami is a Colombian Jew and she has friendly with many Colombian and Mexican Jews as well. Just because I am not exposed to hispanic Jews does not mean that they do not exist. As a child, I went on a mission to Israel with my family. There, we went to a concert conducted by a family of Ethiopian Jews. It is interesting to see that Jews can be any color, ethnicity, or race and just because they do no make up the marjoirty, does not mean that they should be ignored. While watching the segment from “Black Israel” it was interesting to see this Ethiopian congregation. It think they add so much life to the Jewish religion through their interest in their history and through their bright, colorful clothing. Many things come in all different shapes, colors, and sizes and people should not ignore differences within their communities.

Increase In Orthodox Jews

Synagogue 3000 illustrates that there is a growng interest among othodox Jews particularly those thrity five and younger. While spiritual views are increasing, ethnic views are decreasing. In other words, American Judaism is becoming less ethnic and spiritually oriented. In a recent suvey conducted by Synagogue 3000, five percent reported being Orthodox sixty-five and older. Six percent reported being Orthodox ages thirty-six to sixety-four. Last but not least, fifteen percent reported being Orthodox ages thirty-five and below. I think this survey is very interesting in that the youngest generation amongst the participants reported having the highest percentage of practicing Orthodox. More and more American Jews are expressing interest in studying and experiencing spirituality through their religion. It is very surprising to see that there is an increase in Orthodox Jews and Jewish pride. I would have guessed that as the years go by there would be a less percentage of people who really cared about their religion. I thought that there would be a decline in praciticing Jews because of the increase in Christian Jewish marriages. My grandparents and parents have always stressed the importance of marrying within Judaism. Now that we are in 2009, I think intermarriage religion couples are more accepted. Although there may be some controversy over that matter, people are more tolerant of it. My grandparents for example may reject this idea because they are very traditional. Regardless I am pleased to see that numbers in Orthodox Jews are increasing dramatically.

Birthright Website

When one thinks of Israel one may come up with various words including, holy, homeland, Zionism, birthright, spiritual topography, history, war, Hebrew, prayer, religion, politics, conflict, and Holocaust. Regardless, Israel is associated with Jews and there has been much conflict over its territory and whom the land belongs to. Israel was established in 1960, therefore making it a relatively young country. Today and as a child my grandparents and parents stressed the importance of Israel to Jews and what a wonderful place it is. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to visit Israel twice in my life and I plan on visiting it many more times in the future. Birthright, a program that is run solely on donations, is a great way for young adults (ages 18-26) to connect to their Jewish roots. The Taglit Birthright website portrays Israel in a positive light with no dangers whatsoever. Birthright illustrates one image of what Israel is like and it primarily promotes its image to Americans. The website shows that there is a lot to do in Israel from the outdoor tourism to beaches and cities. These highlights particularly attract the young adult population because they are probably not as interested in history. They do not include this on their website because they want to attract as many individuals as possible. Nevertheless, while on Birthright, my tour guide, like many others, was very knowledgeable about his country and was eager to share his knowledge with my tour group. The information that is not on the website is not there for particular reasons but when this information is shared when actually in Israel, the individual is content with its results.

Israel - My Homeland

There is a perception and assumption that Jews and Israel are inherently related. This assumption may not be necessarily true because there are over 1 million non Jewish people who reside in Israel. Most Israelis are Jewish and thus, many Jews feel a connection to this holy land. As a Jewish America, I feel a strong connection to Israel because it is the “homeland” to Jews. This homeland acts as a place that Jews have fought so long for and it is a place where Jews can congregate to look at their history. At age seven, I visited Israel for my sister’s Bat Mitzvah and while there my family and I took part in a mission. Eleven years later when I was eighteen, I did Birthright with my sister. Last summer, while on Birthright, I was given the “gift” and opportunity to visit Israel for free. This free trip is sponsored by individuals who donate millions of dollars to the program for people (ages 18-26) who have never been given the chance to visit this sacred place. An individual must have at least one Jewish parent and cannot be active in the practicing of another religion besides Judaism. These mandatory qualifications make it clear that only certain people can be granted this opportunity. While on Birthright, I was able to connect with Israeli culture through my encounters with my Israeli tour guide, Roni, the eight soldiers assigned to my tour group, and my fellow Jewish friends whom I was touring with. I was able to visit all parts of Israel in only ten days – from Zfat, to the Bedouin tents, to Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem. Birthright was an incredible experience that all Jews should take part in and if one does not meet the requirements, they should visit Israel regardless.

Jewish Film

I enjoyed both of the short films we watched in class – “The Unchosen Ones” and “The Tribe.” Both films were very different yet similar in ways. Both films used a narrator to portray the film. For example, in “The Unchosen Ones,” the narrator was Dudik, the camera man. In a way he was a hidden narrator and the film is seen through his perspective. In “The Tribe,” the male narrator is invisible and unlike Dudik, he is reciting historical facts. Nevertheless, both films got its point across regardless of the prescience of voice. In my opinion Iris Bahr is very creative in that she played most of the characters in the film, illustrating various voices and images. I found this film to be funny because it portrayed various Jewish stereotypes including the typical American Jewish girl, a British TV person, and a typical Israeli. The film takes place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and has a happy ending. Samantha (the typical American Jewish girl) finds love with the narrator/camera man, Dudik. “The Tribe” was a documentary like film that that seemed a bit disorganized and random. Despite its randomness, it was very interesting and I did not find myself bored. Before this film I was not aware that Barbie was invented by a Jewish woman. It is interesting that the creator, Ruth Handler, depicts Barbie as an Aryan idea of beauty which breaks Jewish stereotypes. Similarly, both films use the idea of Jewish stereotypes. The movie said that when someone says you don’t look Jewish, people sometimes take it as a compliment. I have heard this saying before in real life and it is interesting to see that people take it as a compliment. Why don’t people like to look Jewish? People probably don’t like to look Jewish because it is often associated with certain negative stereotypes. These stereotypes are not portrayed in Barbie because she has a perfect figure with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Purim

In my opinion, Purim is one of the most fun holidays in the Jewish religion, even before Hanukkah. It is often considered the Jewish version of Halloween but without witches and goblins. Also, because Purim is a national event for Jews, we do not “trick or treat” to people’s homes because most people do not celebrate the holiday. I am a reform Jew and I do not celebrate Purim like I used to. Although I do not celebrate it by dressing up or engaging in Purim activities, I never give up the opportunity to eat one of my favorite Jewish sweet treats – a hamentashen. When I attended Solomon Schechter Day School as a child, I remember dressing up for Purim and eating hamentashens. Hamentashens are the traditional cookie that we eat for Purim. My favorite hamentashens are chocolate filled but they are typically filled with jelly – prune, raspberry, strawberry, etc. “Purim is a festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people of the ancient Persian Empire from Haman's plot to annihilate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther” (Wikipedia.com). Purim is celebrated according to the Hebrew calendar and begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month Adar. As a child I never knew why we celebrated Purim, all I knew was that it was our version of Halloween. Although I am Jewish, as a child, I celebrated both Purim and Halloween. In my opinion, a Jewish child should celebrate both holidays because one is a Jewish tradition while the other is a holiday that all children should engage in by doing the traditional trick or treating in their neighborhoods.

Orthodox Female Rabbi?

Sara Hurwitz is a young woman who is a religious mentor in the Orthodox community. She teaches and learns like a rabbi but does not have the job title of a rabbi. She currently holds the title of “madricha ruchanit,” or spiritual mentor at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in New York City. Hurwitz probably will not fight for her title because of tradition. It is not traditional in the Orthodox community for a woman to hold the title as a rabbi. I am curious to know why there is no title for a woman who is just as qualified as a man being a rabbi. Why can’t both men and women be called rabbis? There still seems to be many differences in men and women in the Orthodox world due to the fact that Hurwitz does not receive the same accreditation as any other man would. “Whatever she ends up being called, Hurwitz says she hopes her title will come to reflect a role as a spiritual leader indistinguishable from that of men… Hurwitz’s conferral comes as women continue to make important inroads in Jewish leadership positions, both in Orthodoxy and the more liberal denominations” (JTA.org). These controversial matters differ within the Reform and Conservative communities than they do in Orthodox community. Hurwitz would most likely get the accreditation that she deserves in the Reform and Conservative movements. Had Hurwitz met the criteria, which she most certainly displays she has, there would be no argument about her title.

Divahn

“Divahn” is a Middle Eastern and Sephardic musical group composed of five talented women. The group includes – lead singer Galeet Dardashti, violinist Lila Sklar, cellists Amy Sue Barston and Eleanor Norton, tabla player Sejal Kukadia, and percussionist Lauren DeAlbert. “Divahn, a word common to Hebrew, Persian, and Arabic, means a collection of songs or poetry…The group captures the breadth and diversity of Mizrakhi and Sephardi music throughout the centuries, while simultaneously creating and redefining innovative directions for the music in the present.” (Divahn.com). While at the concert, I liked how the group got the audience involved with clapping and singing along even if they were not familiar with the words. I also liked how Galeet explained stories behind the particular songs. For example, she told the story behind Purim, a holiday that is very relevant and in the near future. Even though I attended Solomon Schecter as a child and participated in Purim activities and events, I did not know the story behind the holiday. Galeet told a shorter version of the story yet getting the point across in the short amount of time that she told it in. I would not usually listen to this music on a daily basis but it was a nice change of pace from what I would typically listen to. Even though I am of the Ashkenazi decent and not of the Sephardic decent, I still felt connected with the music. This music made me feel more connected to other Jews and especially to Israel, a place I hold dear to my heart.

IU Vandalism

Five BB gun bullet holes were found in a window on the first floor of Indiana University’s Hillel. The incidence is still under investigation as to whom is responsible for the crime. “Rabbi Susan Shifron showed a police officer five BB-sized holes in a window on the bottom floor of the building, said Capt. Jerry Minger, reading from a police report” (idsnews.com). As of now, the vandalism is anonymous but there is suspicion that an anti-Semite is responsible for this crime. There is a connection to other sources of vandalism such has graffiti on Indiana University’s Chabad house in the past year. I think that an anti-Semite is responsible for this vandalism because it occurred both at the universities Jewish centers. Also, there is a much lower Jewish population in Indiana than in other states such as areas of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, and Florida. Despite the fact that high populations of Jewish students are enrolled at the university, you would think that people would be open to other religions and backgrounds. I think whoever is responsible for this crime knew where and what they were aiming at. This ignorant hate crime illustrates ethnocentrism and close-mindedness to other religions and practices. This crime did not stir much attention on campus and probably would have caused much more of a commotion if it had happened in a classroom or a main building such as Balentine or the library. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that no one was injured and not much damage was caused during the event.

Eurovision

Eurovision is Europe’s version of American Idol but started long before America’s singing competition did. There has been much controversy in the show’s past on the Israeli singers including Israeli pop star transsexual, Dana International. International won Eurovision in 1998 for her hit song “Diva.” This coming spring Noa, whose legal name is Achinoam Nini will be performing with Arab singer Mira Awad where the two will represent Israel. One may wonder why Noa is not singing solo while representing his country. Noa is probably singing with Awad because Israel is the only country outside of Europe that is eligible to participate in Eurovision. Palestinian/Arab countries are not included in the show and therefore, Noa is allowing Awad to sing with him. Noa also probably thinks that Awad contributes significantly to his singing and therefore this strengthens their performance. "The Israeli government is sending the two of you to Moscow as part of its propaganda machine that is trying to create the appearance of Jewish-Arab 'coexistence' under which it carries out the daily massacre of Palestinian civilians” (jta.org). This stand of action of the unity of Israelis and Palestinians indicate that not all Israelis and Palestinians have enemies. It is possible to demonstrate harmony between two country’s people despite war. Many people in Israel and Palestine may protest against this propaganda but in the end, Noa and Awad are setting an example for the future of their countries and its inhabitants. Hopefully this example of unity will terminate some, if not all negative ties between the two countries.

Jewish Songs

The Jewish Songbook the Heart and Humor of a People is a classic musical album composed of various Jewish singers. The songs on the CD range from a serious tone to a lighter tone. The serious toned songs consist of a slower melody and the lighter tone songs can be interpreted as somewhat funny. Ironically, comedian Adam Sandler sings “Hina Ma Tov,” a classic song, which is sung in Hebrew. Although I do not remember if it was at my elementary school Solomon Schecter or in Temple, I do remember being exposed to this song at one point or another in my life. Of the thirteen songs on the album, I also recognized Marvin Hamlisch’s song “Hatikvah.” Although these two songs are sung in Hebrew and I do not understand what they are singing, it was easy for me to recognize the melodies almost immediately. The song “Shake Hands With Your Uncle Max” sung by Jason Alexander is a funnier song of the album in that depicts a large Jewish family. I thought this song was funny because it listed many Jewish stereotypical last names and by the end of listing these names, the names just started to rhyme with each other. In the end of the listing, these songs started to rhyme with each other because the artist was probably tired of naming so many typical names. He mentions Kleinman and Cohen then mentions Brumburger, Schlumburger, Minkus and Pinkus – names that may sound Jewish but that artist is probably mocking these names. Overall, I probably would not buy this CD or listen to any of these songs on a regular basis but it was nice to recognize two of the thirteen songs on the album.

What Will The Pope Do Next?

Since the Holocaust’s termination, there have been a series of people who deny that the Holocaust ever took place. This denial is completely preposterous due to the fact that the Nazis kept detailed records and there is an abundance of paraphernalia. This evidence is seen through books, survivors, and museums that have videos, photos, journals, and other proof that the Holocaust did indeed occur. Ex Bishop Richard Williamson is a Holocaust denier and Pope Benedict XVI dismissed him in early January due to his outrageous statements. Not only did Williamson outrage Jews but he also outraged Catholics as well. I think that the Pope took proper action in dismissing Williamson. “Pope Benedict XVI has issued his strongest condemnation yet of Holocaust denial. Speaking to American Jewish leaders at the Vatican, the pope said denial or minimization of the Shoah was intolerable and unacceptable. The pope also confirmed a planned trip to Israel” (vaonews.com). It is interesting to see that the Pope has taken action with much force and seriousness because growing up the Pope was forced to participate in the Hitler Youth. The Pope is probably taking a stance against this denial because he was forced against his own will to participate in these farcical acts as a child. The Pope’s planned trip to Israel makes a huge statement in that it unites the two religions and makes this religious leader more respected that he already is worldwide. The Pope’s mission is not to gain more people who respect him but rather his mission is to promote Holocaust awareness.

Giving Back to the Jew Crew

Jewish philanthropy is a contributing factor to the closeness of Jewish communities across the nation. “Philanthropy is the basis of American Jewry’s unity as a moral community and its organization into a voluntary continental polity” (Jonathan Woocher, 1985). In my opinion, I think that this quote illustrates that philanthropy is one factor that all Jews share in common. For example, if a Jew is poor they still make an effort to donate what they can for the benefit of the future of Jewish causes. On the other hand, if a Jew is wealthy they are likely to donate larger amounts to Jewish organizations. No matter the income of a Jewish person, they are taught from an early age that giving is an important part of the Jewish religion. Not only are they taught that philanthropy is important for the thriving of Jewish well being and advancement, but there is also a moral factor. Many Jews donate money without even being asked. It is not unusual to see people donate money in multiples of chi (18). Also, many websites will give you descriptions of benefits for the amount of money that one donates. For example, if you donate $36, you will be feeding an Israeli child for a day. With donating comes power. I know that my grandparents give a large sum of money to the JCC and to Israel. They funded the building for a school in Israel and because of this large donation to a Jewish cause, they are recurrently praised for their philanthropy, giving them a higher say in decisions organizations must make. Because my grandparents are well known philanthropists to Israel and the Jewish community, they continually encourage family members and friends to donate as well. The philanthropist mindset reflects a positive identity that many can look up to.

Bar in SI

She is widely known for her romantic relationship with successful actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli made the cover of the new Sports Illustrated 2009 swimsuit edition. Rafaeli is the first Israeli model to appear in the Sports Illustrated magazine and definitely backs up the renowned beauty typical Israeli natives have to offer. Articles refer to Rafaeli as an Israeli but not as a Jewish woman. These articles probably do not refer to her as a Jewish woman because being an Israeli typically implies that she is a Jew. Also, authors of articles do not often write about the religion of the celebrity that they are writing about. Nevertheless, Rafaeli is an Israeli Jew and Israeli Jews are stereotypically better looking than American Jews. When one thinks of an Israeli they often think physically of a person who is good looking and who is naturally darker than Americans. Also, Israeli Jews do not normally have the stereotype of having large noses and other undesirable characteristics. Many Americans are stereotyped has having large noses because many American Jews are European Jews. These European Jews are often of the Ashkenazi descent meaning that Israeli Jews will have other physical characteristics. The emergence of Zionism is one reason Israeli’s are known for their unique looks. “Zionism is the international Jewish political movementthat originally supported the reestablishment of a homeland for the Jewish People in Palestine, after two millennia of exile” (wikipedia.com). This Zionist movement ultimately led to the future of the nation promoting youth, beauty, and the idea of hard work.

Gender in the Orthodox Community

There are various gender issues within the Orthodox community including women having less of a voice than men do. The feminist movement JOFA helps women obtain the rights that they deserve. For example, in the Orthodox community women are chained to their marriage against their own will. Only a man is capable of initiating a divorce when they deem it necessary. JOFA plays a vital role in the modern Orthodox community because it strives for women’s rights. Gender roles are depicted in a very clear cut way on Yeshiva University’s website. Men and women are shown as separated on the website’s photos just as they are separated in religious practices. Because I am a Reform Jew I belong to a Reform temple. I remember going to an Orthodox Bat Mitzvah in middle school at an Orthodox synagogue. At this synagogue, a divider separated the men and women with the men sitting in the front of the room and the women in the back of the room. This is how I imagine religious gatherings in the Orthodox community because this is what I was exposed to at this Orthodox synagogue. In addition, women are inhibited from exposing certain body parts and skin. For example, they must cover their elbows with long sleeved shirts, knees with long skirts, and when they get married they must cover their heads. Men are freer with what they wear in that they are enabled to wear shorts and tank tops especially when playing sports.

Keeping It Kosher

Keeping kosher in the Jewish religion may be more important for some than it is to others. For example, Orthodox Jews consider keeping kosher obligatory while Reform Jews typically do not. When browsing on ou.org, the first network that a searcher is able to click on is a tab called “kosher.” This tab opens a plethora of subheadings and thoroughly explains what it means to be kosher, why to go kosher, and even illustrates videos of how to make certain kosher foods at home (such as guacamole). According to ou.org, over 60% of American foods are kosher and many people consume kosher products without even realizing it. In agreement with ou.org, Samuel C. Heilman states that kosher foods are widely available. This statement seems to be true in that they even have a kosher section at the Indiana supermarket Kroger. It is interesting to see that they have this kosher section because there are so many other products that are kosher and are not in the kosher section. For example, Oreos, M&Ms, and Coca-cola are kosher but yet they are not in the kosher section of the market. It is also interesting to see that there is a kosher section in Indiana’s supermarket because there are so few Jews in Indiana compared to the rest of the Orthodox Jews in the United States. Over the past several years, kosher conventions have been taking place in places like New Jersey and Manhattan most likely because of their large Jewish populations. The Orthodox movement is consistently growing and thus, the kosher market is growing.

Reform Judaism or Conservative Judaism?

In comparison to the Reform Judaism website navigated through last week, I found that The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism website was much more organized. It included many more headings to navigate through as well as more thorough information about the movement. Someone who navigates through uscj.org for the first time may not be familiar with all of the terms used on the website. For example, the Koach and Fuchsberg Center are two headings that a typical person would not be familiar with. Someone who browses on uscj.org for the first time may feel more comfortable becoming a Reform Jew prior to a Conservative Jew because of all of the unfamiliar language and assumed knowledge. One will then see that once clicking on the headings or any other heading for that matter, one would be able to get an in depth background on the title. I personally think the candle lighting time heading is very useful because it gives you the exact time to light the Shabbat candles in your particular zip code. As a whole, uscj.org is assuming that anyone who is on the website is familiar with Conservative Judaism and therefore this language seems foreign to the average person. Like Reform Judaism, uscj.org states that one must belong to a temple in order to belong to the Conservative movement. In contrast to reformjudaism.org, uscj.org seems more authoritative and more appealing. I would think that authority on a website would be a turn off but it is in fact a positive characteristic in this instance. Because Conservatism is more traditional that Reform Judaism, the website seems to be more religiously oriented. It also illustrates that it is convenient in that it is a marketing center to buy Conservative gifts etc.

Homosexuality in Conservative Judaism

Some may argue that the Conservative Judaism movement emerged out of resistance to the Reform Judaism movement while some may argue differently. Nonetheless, conservative numbers are undeniably shrinking due to the closed mindedness of the Conservatives and the openness of the Reform Jews. For example, Reform Jews openly welcome gays and lesbians while Conservatives are tentative about their participation in the movement. The Torah explicitly prohibits homosexuality for both males and females. Because Conservative Jews go strictly by tradition, they disapprove of homosexual behavior as well. The committee on Jewish law and standards “…uphold the traditional disapproval of homosexual behavior and ban openly gay men and women from holding positions of religious leadership…(Wertheimer)” On the other hand, some members in the Conservative movement openly permit gays and lesbians in their practices. “When visiting American students at Schechter organized a ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of the decision to permit gay ordination…(Harris, Ben JTA).” It seems as though the rules of Conservative Jews are not clear-cut and members should work on being clearer on their views towards Jewish homosexuals. Conservative Jews are unable to agree on whom they accept and this may be the reason why numbers are shrinking. In my opinion, I believe that the Jewish population is so sparse in the world and that Jewish movements should not be demanding or too exclusive on whom they accept. The Jewish religion, whether it is Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox, should be accepting of all humans no matter what their sexual orientation is. All humans were created equally and their sexual orientation should not hinder their religious practices or acceptance.

Religion, nationality, heritage, culture/history, and race/ethnicity can be interpreted on various levels and through different scenarios. It also may be difficult for some to differentiate between the categories and what they mean to them. Others may have different interpretations of religion or another category when responding to readings and/or video clips. The Moses rap song’s major point was why a Jew should marry a Jew. It addressed the various perks of marrying within the religion. In response to marriage in the Jewish religion, I find that inter religion marriage is a major issue not only for Reform Jews, but also in all areas of the religion. Most religious teachers and conventional families prefer Jews marrying Jews as well. One reason why this may be a vital issue for them is because so many Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. The Holocaust is portrayed through the media through its various films, three of which came out as recently as Christmas Day 2008 – “The Reader,” “Valkyrie,” and “Defiance.” Knowing how far we have come and how much we have sustained throughout history makes me a proud Jew. Many people would argue that it is a Jew’s duty to keep the religion alive because there are so few of us remaining in the world compared to many other religions. Reformjudaism.org should have included more topics for those interested in areas such as marriage. Nevertheless, like most Jews, marriage within the religion is preferred but in most cases inter religion marriage is not forbidden in Reform Judaism.

Reflecting On Reform Judaism

I was born into a family that practices Reform Judaism. I also identify with the religion and continue to practice Judaism from a reform standpoint. According to reformjudaism.org, “Reform Judaism…has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition…” In agreement to this quote, I believe it is important to keep the traditions alive while remaining liberal in appropriate practices. For example, a reform Jew such as myself, can have a traditional Bat Mitzvah but may not necessarily keep kosher or go to synagogue on a regular basis. While reform Jews focus on inclusion and preserving tradition the website does not come across as demanding nor does it appear strict. Reform Judaism is an evolving movement that started 130 years ago and seems as though it is open-minded in various areas. For example, Reform Jews “promote justice to all, no matter what race, sect, or class.” Non-Jews are also welcome to participate in various activities in the Jewish community. Before I was exposed to class discussions and readings, I was not aware of the complete openness in certain areas of Reform Judaism such as openness to non-Jews. The website also gives a more liberal approach in that it reaches out to the homosexual world as well. When reading deeper into the websites’ content I came across the topic of charity. I was previously aware that Reform Judaism was a large advocate of philanthropy. Because I am a Reform Jew I was taught that charity is a main contributor to “preserving place of prayer.” Through observation I also learned that it is important to give back to Israel and the Jewish people to ultimately keep the tradition alive.