Shabbat

Shabbat Shalom everyone.

Today is the holy day for the Jewish people, and pretty much the city shuts down. I mean, not in the arab section but I dont think busses are running and I've been warned not to go there alone. Israeli cab drivers won't even take you there from what the other students have told me. They made a girl get out and walk in the middle of the night. Anyway, so some orthodox jews have very strict rules about shabbat, no operatings technology, such as phones, cars, computers or even elevators. they can't even carry money, much less handle it, it is supposed to be a day of no work, no money exchange, a day of rest and prayer. At first I wasn't sure if it was like this for every Jewish person here because I noticed a Shabbat setting on all the elevators- this sets them just to go up and down and stop at each floor on thier own so people observing shabbat dont have to operate them by pushing buttons which would break the rules.

However, there are different sects and while my roomate does observe shabbat by saying a prayer over challah bread at sundown, she can use her computer and TV today- so I'm not sure how much shabbat varies. Anyway she was very kind and offered me a piece of her challah bread. Challah bread is a very well known braided bread that can be found in America too. I have had it a few times when my dad goes to the Jewish bakery.

Anyway, so today not planning on doing anything I woke up late showered and ate breakfast- cheerios and yogurt. I seem to be a yogurt fiend here, it's really good. It's an American brand though- Yoplait but I never enjoyed it this much back home. There's a strawberry cheesecake flavor that is really, really good!

So then I read my reading assignments for Monday and Tuesday's classes. We just plow straight through out text book which is actually just hand selected articles picked from our professor and bound together. So over the course we read 60 articles which are usually around ten pages. The book is 400 pages long though so I'm guessing the average is a bit under ten. I've already read 100 pages! 1/4 done!

Anyway at some point this morning something came back to me. Yesterday Greg and I were walking and chatting off campus and he was joking about making me jewish, and then he amended "More jewish" since my father side of the family IS jewish but im not practicing. Then we hear a snort of laughter from behind us. We turn and the woman behind us goes "I was just observing her tattoos. Tattoos are not very Jewish" and sped up and went around us. Greg admitted, "Yes tattoos are a no-no" And I told him I had known that when I got them and I respect that and understand why jewish people are against tattoos, I mean it goes back to the Bible: Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:28). I respect that they follow that but because so much of Levticus has been thrown out as obsolete or isn't followed strictly I can't deny I'm frustrated that tattoos have been decided to be kept as a don't with no wiggle room- apparently. I'm sure some jews do get tattoos but mostly it's widely frowned upon by the community.

Still the remark did bother me, later when it came back. I've often stuggled with not having a religious identity and being caught between Christianity and Judaism, not that either of my parents pressured me- it was that they did the exact opposite. Neither was very religious and I was find doing the same until going to Holy CRoss where people seemed to have this huge piece of thier life that I was missing. Sudenly I saw there was a lot to religion, a unity and community and belief system that added a whole other dimension to people's lives. I finally saw the enrichment religion could give some people and I wanted to find something like that for myself.

I have had more access to Christianty obviously because of my school choice and have explored a bit of that, taking a Christian morality course and a bible course, both of which I loved! I thought this would be a nice chance to see the Jewish community since it's not very present at first glance back home. Here it is. t really really is. MOre so than Christianity you really see the Jewish community in people's every day lives. From following Kosher to wearing the yarmulke- also known as a kippah- "is a thin, slightly-rounded skullcap traditionally worn at all times by observant Jewish men, and sometimes by both men and women in Conservative and Reform communities. Its use is associated with demonstrating respect and reverence for God.[1] Kippot are not worn while sleeping or bathing." (Source: wikipedia), Jewish people live their faith in ways more visible than Christianity. At least from my observations. it doesn't mean their faith is any stronger or better by any means, but it has given me an even stronger sense of the kind of role religion can have in one's life.

Greg is orthodox and I've been asking him a lot of questions. Just like Christianity, Judaism has many sects. However, it's frustrating that I always run in these blocks: wether it be my view on gay marriage or my tattoos I can't seem to find a religion I can believe in 100%. There's always something I won't bend on. I understand that religion isn't always easy, there are rules and traditions and you do have to commit to a certain way or life to a certain extent- but I can't go against what I personally believe in and I won't follow a religion if I'm opposing some of it's main beliefs.

So, the tattoo situation just brought up my frustration at not having a religious "home" and always hitting a wall when it comes to religion it seems. However, I really love seeing everyone walking around in Yarmulke's and the orthodox Jews with their black hats and curls, even the little boys have the two curls and strict garmets.



Here's an example, taken form google image:





By the way- greg is orthodox but does not follow the hat and hair and stuff, that's another sect of orthodox (Hasidic I believe). So many different sects I can't keep them straight! But anyway, I'm sure for someone living in Israel it's no big deal but at home the Jewish community is practically invisible. Here, in their home I've discovered what an amazing community they have created after fighting so long to have their homeland back. It's heartwarming really to see them walk freely and live here, to pray at the western wall whenever they want.

I am proud of my Jewish heritage and proud to be attached to the Jewish history, but I still feel like an outsider, obviously since I have no religious experience. And because I can't start moving towards it since I AM still at odds with parts of it.

I suppose this is a day for reflection so this entry is appropriate but it has me somewhat down. I was going to talk about how filling hummus and crackers are but I think I'll just leave it at this.