what is jewish cluture all about?
402539
Having a good time with family and community, staying connected to G-d on a continuous basis, staying connected to 5000 years of family history...
1009024
YOur right.  What the he**.  I dont get it.  It sounds cool to be a jew.  I know a few and they are no different than I.
1149796
It's relatively modern (20th century onward) and based more on politics than religion per se.  Ironically, there is more similarity between Judaism and Islam that Judaism and Christianity.  Neither Judaism nor Islam beleive in a trinity, for example.\n\nThe person here who said that nobody warred against Jews during the Crusades is wrong -- the Crusaders killed thousands of Jews in the name of Jesus Christ before moving on to invade the Muslim lands.  In the Jewish cultural memory, the Crusaders are remembered as a bunch of barbarians who did such things as smash the heads of Jewish babies against stone walls, cut open pregnant women and sew live cats inside them, toss babies up in the air to catch them on their swords, etc.   So horrid was the treatment of European Jews by the Crusaders that whole families chose to commit suicide rather than fall into the hands of the "Good Christians."   (You will find references to these events in any good book on Medieval Jewish history.)\n\nThe Muslims of that time, on the other hand, treated Jews very well.  Under Muslim rule in Spain, there was a golden era of science, art, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, etc.  in which Jews and others fully participated.  The Muslims of that era were the "progressives," founding, among other things, the first modern universities.   There was also a certian amount of sharing among mystical groups, which is why there are similarities between kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) and Sufisim (Muslim mysticism.)  \n\nBut all this ended when Ferdinand and Isabella conquered Spain and expelled all the Jews and Muslims from that country in 1492, the instituted the Spanish Inquisition under Torquemada (who was Isabella's Father Confessor) to ferret out secret Jews and Muslims under torture.   A high percentage of the "heretics" killed by the Inquisition were Jews who were forced to convert to Catholicism but who secretly practiced Judaism.  \n\nAfter the Expusion, The Sultan of Turkey, Bayazid II, opened the doors of his country to take them in.  He is reported to have called Ferdinand a foolish king because "He impoverishes his own country while enriching his enemies!"  (Hitler, BTW, did the same thing when he expelled the Jews.  Because of Nazi antisemitismn, the Allied nations got many top scientists, etc.  who happened to be Jewish.)  \n\nTo this day, Turkish Jews of Spanish descent (called Sephardim) speak a language called Ladino or Judeo-Spanish.   From Turkey, the Sepharigrated to the Balkan countries and also to North Africa (Morocco, Iraq, etc.)   BTW, the first synagogues in the USA were also Sephardic -- built by Spanish Jews fleeing the Inquisition, which was still burning people at the stake in the 1700s.\n\nThe animosity we see today between Jews and Muslims centers around the State of Israel and whether or not it has the right to exist.  During the Cold War, this was inflamed by both sides -- with the USA supporting Israel and the USSR supporting the Palestinians, and both superpowers arming both sides.   (Premier Khruschev was reported to have said that Israel was the "sore toe" he could stomp on whever he wanted to put pressur eon the United States.)   Unfortunately, even after the Cold War ended in 1989, the animosity has continued.  However, recent polls show that on both sides, people are tired of war and if the extremists would stop fanning the flames of hatred, we could have peace in the Middle East.
441721
http://www.jewish-funerals.org/Non-Jewishburial.htm\n\nhope this is what your lookin for
9887
Chanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. \n\nChanukkah is probably one of the best known Jewish holidays, not because of any great religious significance, but because of its proximity to Christmas. Many non-Jews (and even many assimilated Jews!) think of this holiday as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and decoration. It is bitterly ironic that this holiday, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion, has become the most assimilated, secular holiday on our calendar. \n\nThe Story \nThe story of Chanukkah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks, in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society. \n\nMore than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (a non-kosher animal) on the altar. Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his son Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim, the forerunners of the Pharisees (no direct connection to the modern movement known as Chasidism). They joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Selucid Greek government. The revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated. \n\nAccording to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Note that the holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, not the military victory: Jews do not glorify war. \n\n\n\n\n\nDEFINITION OF KWANZAA Kwanzaa is a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is neither political nor religious and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas. It is simply a time of reaffirming African-American people, their ancestors and culture. Kwanzaa, which means "first fruits of the harvest" in the African language Kiswahili, has gained tremendous acceptance. Since its founding in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa has come to be observed by more than18 million people worldwide, as reported by the New York Times. When establishing Kwanzaa in 1966, Dr. Karenga included an additional "a" to the end of the spelling to reflect the difference between the African American celebration (kwanzaa) and the Motherland spelling (kwanza). \nKwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from December 26th to January 1st. \n\nUmoja (oo-MO-jah) Unity stresses the importance of togetherness for the family and the community, which is reflected in the African saying, "I am We," or "I am because We are." \nKujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) Self-Determination requires that we define our common in
468038
It's a religion.  The fact that many Jews share the same apperance is that is not a prosteltyzing religion and it has not spread much outside of its original followers.
623545
What's fashionable is the support of the third-world, while bashing civilization. Israel is a tiny outpost of civilization in a region ruled by barbary. \nAdd in the world's ingrained anti-Semitism and there you have it. It really makes no sense at all.
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JEWISH - OF OR RELATING TO JEWS, / OF JUDAISM\nJUDAISM - THE RELIGION OF THE JEWS, /  THE JEWS COLLECTIVELY. \nTHE ABOVE DEFINITIONS ARE FROM THE ILLUSTRATED OXFORD DICTIONARY.\n\nWhen Moses was on the Mount to get the law there is no mention of Judaism. In fact there is no translation that metions this religion, not even once. Therefore it was created by man not by the most high. Which should tell you that any form of Judaism is a transgression against Gods Law. One of the books of Judaism is the Talmud or Oral law again there is no metion of this. They say Jesus taught a oral law, untrue. He may have said the law oral, but not a oral law mention. The Talmud was created sometime in the 2nd - 5th century C.E. (common Era)by rabbi's.
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Drink- honey water or wine. \n\nEat- bread, meats, fruits.\n\nJewish People - generally were treated poorly, but not sure if was of their own personal belief, if they were following orders or a mixture of both.  I tend to think it was the last option, a mixture of both.\n\nRoman soldiers were generally very loyal to the Roman Empire and found pride in serving the Ceasar.  However, I am sure just like any soldier they would have preferred to be in their home land, be with their families and friends vs. policing the Jewish communities/cities.\n\nAs far as what they wore, do a google or yahoo search.  You will find lots of information on their attire and probably find a good sketch or two.
840411
Well there are MANY sites for google. And if you wanted to know Hanukkah is coming up soon!(There are 4 ways to speell it!) \n\nONly boys wear the YAMACAS. . And there are 3, well 4 times of judaism. Reform(i am! really easy jewish.) Conservitive(in the middle), Orthodox(really really jewish. eats kosher foods. in services the boys and girls can not sit by eacheother... for some weird reason.) And the Messianic Jews. Which they should not be Jews. since the M.jews believe that jesus was their messiah then they should be christians, because that is what christians believed(aM I right?)\n\nOh and girls and boys have Bat(girls)mitzvahs and Boys have Barmitzvahs. they get it when they are 13.( i am getting one soon.) and they learn hebrew and they read  hebrew in the torah infront of everybody with out vowels/\n\ngo on this site for more. THE names of them are how to pronounce them, gimmel(G. sound..) Hay(H sound) YOU GET it now...\n\nAnd \nhttp://judaism.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=judaism&cdn=religion&tm=6&gps=133_6_1020_568&f=10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.njop.org/jsAlephbet/sound_main.html\n\nWell so i can not spell today! But go on google.\n\nThere are many prayers even one for going the bathroom!!! oh here is one u are supposed to say e very nnight b4 going to bed.\n.   \nSh'ma Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad. \nHear oh, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One. \n\n\nBarukh Shem k'vod malkhuto l'olam va-ed\nBlessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever \n\nI will g et back to you with more.\n\n\nHAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!\n\nSHALOM!
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you ask a lot of good questions. And as any good question the answers are never simple or the same ;)\n\n1. Its a ballencing act. On the one hand you have traditions and practices that are thousands of years old some which are very dear to you and those around you. On the other you have modern society that often clashes with views on everything on how one should model their lives to how one should dress. naturally you try to find a ballence where ever posible, but sometimes you need to decide with one or the other.\n\n2. It depends sometimes on the day of the week. Often like I said I feel the outside world stops me from leading a more Jewish life, but if I were to say things I do. It would be everything from celebrating hollidays, praying, studing Torah, humanitarian projects, even to what I read in my free time.\n\n3. The Holocuast is an auful cap on what was 1,800 years of Europen anit-semitism. If anything I have learned is that Jews are never compleatly safe anywere in the world, this includes America. This leads me to the State of Israel in my opinion Israel has only one big positive asset. That is that Jews who have no where to go will always have a home. This was key after the Holocaust, for the Arab ews and the Jews of the Soviet Union. If their is any reason to support the existaince of a Jewish state of Israel that is it.\n\n4. Education is key. If you have a question dont be afriad to ask. With all the messages that are floating around today about Israel about Jews is critical to get both sides so one can make an informed decition. Jews are not afraid to disscus or talk about issues as long as the questions are asked in a respectful manner. \n\nPs sorry for the spelling mistakes I was in a bit of a hurry \n\nhope his helps\n\n\n\n\nok,\n\nMy name is David Gratvol  I am 20 years old I was born in a suburb outside Houston, Tx. and I have been lucky enough not to experiance any serious anti-semitism in my life. \n\nalso I will try to get some others to answer this question if you want.
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Some pious (Chassidic) Jews wear long sidelocks because they interpret the law to mean that one may not shave the temple at all.\n\nIn addition to the influence of Torah on appearance, there are those Jews who wear a beard and sideburns because they want to appear Jewish.\n\nThis means that those Jews who display Jewish hairstyles and clothes attain existential validation in the same fashion as those who wear a uniform or those who display a symbol such as a Mogen David or a cross on their lapel. Existential validation is sought by all of us as we seek to present ourselves to others in everyday life. The presentation which we promote leads to the “looking glass self”, as Cooley called it. What we wear, what we say, how we confront others is reflected in the manner which others exhibit toward us. Hence the “looking glass” self. Therefore, the Jew who wears a distinctively Jewish form of attire seeks to be treated as a Jew.\n\nWe Jews are of course not the only ones to wear beards and ear locks and black clothes. Some fundamentalist Christians do this also. So the story is told of the Jewish woman who meets a man on a train. The man wears a black hat and black suit. A “secular” Jew, she berates the man and says: “You orthodox Jews embarrass us all. Your clothes and beard cause anti-Jewish hatred.” “ I am not Jewish,” says the man. “I am Amish and we wear black clothes and beards. It is our tradition.” “Of course,” says the Jewish secularist. “You have every right to wear such clothes and you are to be commended for carrying on your cultural tradition.”
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""Why is it Jewish People believe they are the chosen people?""\n\nBecause we are, because Gd said so, because Gd does not change his mind, because Gd said the covenant between Him and we Jews is eternal, just like He is eternal, because History has proved this to be true, because the Jews themselves have proven this to be true!!!\n\nAs Mark Twain Wrote in Harper's Magazine, March issue, 1898\n"Concerning The Jews"::::\n\n"""To conclude. - If the statistics are right, the Jews constitute but one per cent of the human race. It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star-dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of; but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk. His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. \n\nHe has made a marvellous fight in this world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him. He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. \n\nThe Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?"""  \n\nThat secret is that we are, indeed, Gd's Chosen People!!
240910
Because it's slimming.\nSome Orthodox Jewish men wear black and white outfits. \nSome dress like this most of the time, and some only on Shabbat.\nJewish women do not wear black all the time.  If they do, it's because black goes with everything and looks great on most people.
422125
I am not Jewish, but I would say that their culture puts a great deal of emphasis on learning, education and scholarly pursuits. The Torah (first five biblical books) means law or teaching. So law and teaching are highly valued and an essential part of their heritage.
101865
Its not a "Jewish" word, its Hebrew (our language) for 'peace'. What sort of story do you mean? It is one of the ways we  greet each other. Historically, when coming to a camp, we would greet the sentry with "shalom aleichem!" or "peace be among you", (almost a question and statement at the same time) and the appropriate response from the sentry would be "aleichem shalom" or "among us, there is peace" This lets the vistors know that everything is fine at the camp, and that they are welcome to enter the camp. This is how it was done back then, and that form of answering with the subjects reversed remains to be the appropriate greeting\n\nUpdate: Toda, toda. Beruch ti hiyeh!\n\nUpdate: Technically SFederow. In the example I used the senrty is speaking for the camp in its singular entirety. The person is asking the status of the camp as a whole, not simply the sentry himself. In which case, the use of the singular referring to the entire camp is justified, thus my translation as 'us'.
878959
There is not a single Jewish set of beliefs. There is the Orthodox "Torah-observant" traditional faith which holds homosexuality an abomination: Jewish and Muslim clerics got together in Jerusalem this past week to try to get a Gay Pride parade banned.\n\nBut there are, at the other extreme, "Jewish" congregations with as few beliefs as the Universal Life Church which, as far as I know, has no prescribed beliefs at all.\n\nAnyway, in your case -- and I take it yours is really an anti-Semitic rant -- the difference isn't the above. Rather it's the point that the Protestant guy was one of the leading TV evangelists in the USA and a prime mover in the anti-gay marriage, anti-gay rights movement. The rabbi nobody ever heard of: it's local news and the guy should perhaps go to prison forever. But outside of his town, who cares? For all I know his synagogue or temple or whatever it is welcomes gays. I know (because I saw it mentioned in the religious services column of a paper) a Gay and Lesbian Synagogue in Washington, DC. If I remember correctly, they borrow the basement of some church for their weekly services.\n\nI read somewhere a suggested rule for dating and relations: nobody, or at least nobody under 18, should be allowed to get involved with anyone more than 10% different in age. And nobody, ever, should be allowed to get involved with someone of any age in a supervisory situation or in loco parentis: doctor, lawyer, teacher, clergyperson, social worker.\n\nADDENDUM: your question really is an unfounded rant. Your story is all over the Internet, for example: http://www.rickross.com/reference/perverted_justice/perverted_justice24.html\nhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302297.html\n\nBTW I see that an assistant DA committed suicide yesterday after being trapped by that same NBC program -- Dateline -- soliciting (or more correctly, being solicited for, sex by a supposedly-13-y.o. "girl". http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa061105_mo_suicidebustda.c363e02.html